how do you ship your item? online VS. offline

[cindyjjang]

Hello, I am kinda new here and i have about 30 sales so far. when i had each sale i always drove to post office and wait for a line and pay as offline and the postage price was show up on the sticker (which doesn't look professional).
so i don't like those 3 things about my shipping style...
(1) drive to post office (even for $1 item.. what about my gas lol)
(2) wait in the long line
(3) pay more at post office than online

How do you ship your items?
Do you use a button "Purchase Shipping Label" from etsy?
Where should I print out? any paper? or label paper only?
Is it cheaper than post office?
How does it work?
How can you measure your item? What if it is not accurate?

Please share some ideas... I have only experience at post office.

Thanks!!

[Former_Member]

Hi Cindyjang,

Some people will go to the post office and purchase postage but with the number of items that I send each day I prefer to print all my postage electronically.

Because I accept payment via paypal, I'll use paypal shipping for everything except USPS 1st class international and I'll use Etsy shipping for that, only because its not supported by paypal.

You can print postage online using Etsy's shipping labels, paypal shipping, USPS.com shipping, or any other shipping service including stamps.com or endicia.com . Its totally up to you.

Yes, printing online is cheaper than paying at the post office because you are getting the commercial rate.

You do need to know the packaged weight of your item to print online postage but you should already know that to determine what you are charging your customers for postage.

[BrushStrokeOrnaments]

I couldn't LIVE if I had to go to the post office for every sale I make! :)

I use both etsy and paypal shipping (but over the past year, I primarily used etsy shipping). I print my labels on regular paper and then tape them to my USPS priority boxes (I always ship my items priority). I make sure not to tape over the bar code...but do tape over the rest of the label for more protection/waterproofing. I have a postal scale (purchased off Amazon for about $25 or so), to accurately determine package weight.
Since I am shipping USPS priority, I can request the post office pick up my items (free!) - right from my front porch.

So, invest in a postal scale and try out the different online shipping methods yourself. You will love it.

[Former_Member]

I worry about all of those things too, so I take mine to our local post office. I live in a tiny village, so there is never much of a queue, so I don't mind. At least I know I have got it all right that way, I am paranoid about shipping

[Former_Member]

This was a huge stresser for me. I mean I literally got nervous printing out my label! I've done both etsy and PayPal shipping. Both are good. Most of my items weigh under 3lbs. I started just getting on and off my bathroom scale (i know not professional but I didn't want to spend the money on a scale ) I use label paper just because I like the neatness. I rarely take the package to the PO unless its on the way to where I'm headed. I also order all my shipping supplies from USPS online and they deliver for free!

[Untwistedsister]

If I need to ship something sold on Etsy I use Etsy shipping. Just use the "purchase shipping label". And fill out all the blanks. The insurance is cheaper, the postage is cheaper. There's a place to include a note to buyer that will go out when you finish and purchase. After your done the tracking number (free and included in domestic) will be in your sold orders.

If I ship a non Etsy item, I use the multi-order shipping tool on PayPal and Insure.com for insurance.

I purchase labels in bulk on Ebay. The first time I did that I split the order with someone.

I have rural mail pickup, my items fit in my mailbox so I just put them in there to go out with regular pickup and delivery.

[Former_Member]

Postage scale is so, so worth it. It's possible I even try to weigh the baby on it. lol

I love Etsy shipping. I recently had an off-Etsy sale. I went to USPS, checked the shipping weight, told the friend/customer $1.50. Got the the PO. Was changed $2.07. Sometimes they undercharge and charge my customer so then I refund all shipping and am out money.

I do not even kind of trust my PO to know what's going on. Mailing something with postage on it already, great. Charging me, not great.

[AmysVinylCreations]

For buying postage, I do it ALL though Etsy, I like to keep everything in one place and doing it this way does that! Its MUCH cheaper to buy online. Ex. Lg plat weight 16.85 (i think) online its 15.30(ish) (my numbers maybe a little off BUT i know its over a $ and well thats good savings to pass along to the consumer!)

[LLFarm]

I use Stamps.com , my Dymo label printer and a postage scale. BUT with the new features for shipping here on Etsy I use this for almost every transaction. Our mail lady even picks our packages up at our front door for us on our shipping days. Couldn't be easier and such a time saver.

[Former_Member]

I print using etsy shipping. I was printing on standard copy paper but recently picked up some label stickers from the store. I like them much better. It's much cheaper to ship from home. Postage fees are less and you save on gas...well, I don't because my items are too large to put in the mail, but the PO is convenient for me I drive past it most days anyway.

[CreationsByCarrieD]

I was nervous at first about making a mistake using online postage but I have never mislabeled anything or entered wrong dimensions. It is made really easy.

It is cheaper. You just click the button "print shipping label". It takes you to the shipping screen where you enter your package information. The address is whatever the customer has on file and of course yours as well so those will be already there. If somone pays via Paypal I compare the addresses from what they have on file with Paypal vs. what Etsy has just to make sure. I haven't had any differences worth asking the customer about yet but if I did I would just convo them or e-mail them about it before I made a label.

You can use regular paper and print it on your printer and tape it on. I purchased labels because I wanted to make it easier so I bought adhesive labels in bulk.

As for your package dimensions, you just measure you package and enter the measurements. You will be fine. You will need a scale if you haven't purchased one yet. I remember I used an old school baby scale but I tired of that real quick so I bought a digital scale for $25 off of Amazon.

I live two blocks from the Post Office so I just run mine in and have them check the weight. The scale has never been wrong so I haven't had issues. I buy insurance but not everyone does so it's whatever you choose there. International orders I ship International First Class which Etsy basically fills out the customs form - I edit the contents because my titles are too long to fit in the space on the customs form. I ship Priority Mail for all Domestic.

If you are super nervous about using online postage, see if a friend or family member would be willing to make a purchase from your shop and go the through the process. You could always reimburse them and get your item back...It might ease your nerves a bit.

[TerraRhapsody]

I post my items using the paypal postage service. There is an option there to not include the postage costs if you need it. I prefer that over going to the post office to wait in line, but sometimes I have to do that due to large packages or the shipping label creator not working. The postage costs are the same online as they are at the post office here.
With regards to fuel costs, I work out that as an expense by looking on the HM and revenue service website (UK) and using their 'fuel costs per mile' table. If I travel two miles, the website suggests 45 pence per mile, so 90 pence is taken from my profits as an expense. Means I don't have to pay tax on that anyway- the same goes with other fuel expenses when I go to purchase materials.
I think it works out cheaper overall with printing my own labels. It may cost me for the paper and the ink, but it saves me money and time.

[Former_Member]

Etsy shipping is much easier and save gas. Not to mention, time. I have a postal scale and it was worth the money.

My only quandary is small heavy items are hard to give the shipping on because they are expensive. I am destashing my bead inventory and it is hard to say $ 3-10 fot item and $4-6 for shipping. Will people pay that much for a small purchase?

[cindyjjang]

thanks so much people!!
yes.. honestly.. I'm nervous at making a online postage what if i make mistake on it... i have a scale i got it from Amazon. i usually check the weight before i go to post office. most of my items are less than 13oz so i can use them with first class mail service.

3 days ago before i went to post office, i weight my stuff and my scale says it is 12.4oz so i consider it as 13oz but the post office say it is 12oz on the same product. hm..

* if i pay too much on self print label postage does the post office refund the money i paid extra?
* (after print out the label at home) should i still go to post office to drop it?

[BrushStrokeOrnaments]

After you buy a few shipping lables online and successfully use them, you'll get over the worry. Soon you will find it hard to believe you ever did it the "old" way.

I think that after you buy a label, you are done. I don't think the post office will refund you any $. The difference between something that is 12 or 13 oz is minimal anyway, so don't worry about it. (FYI, I always round up, also. Each scale might be calibrated slightly different.)

NO, don't bother with going to the post office. Look to make your life easier. Once you've bought that label and attached it to your package, leave the package in your mailbox (if you can). If you are shipping priority, you can schedule a pick-up from your home/front door!

[cindyjjang]

THANK YOU!!!

[Former_Member]

What a great thread to read. Thanks to all!

[Former_Member]

Cindy,
Don't be afraid of online shipping labels. Etsy has made it so simple. You will love it. I always round up from what my scale says. I'd rather pay a little extra in postage than have my package shipped back to me, or have the recipient be asked to pay the extra postage. I've had that happen to me when buying supplies on Etsy, and although it didn't really bother me, I could see it bothering one of my customers. So, I like to play it safe. Good luck! Give it a try and let us know how it goes.

[PiecesOfMePaperCraft]

I print all my labels through Etsy shipping. I've owned a digital scale for years because I used to sell on Ebay quite a bit. I always round up on the package weight. My shipping rates have enough cushion that I can absorb the few extra cents I pay to make sure the postage is correct. I would hate to have a package returned or - even worse - have it delivered to the buyer with postage due. Yikes! Talk about unprofessional!

I LOVE Etsy's shipping feature. I used to use Paypal exclusively until I tried Etsy with an international sale. After that I never went back to Paypal. I like doing it all in once place and Etsy's set up makes it super easy.

Edited: I didn't read Pam's response before posting mine. I guess great minds think alike. lol

[Former_Member]

I ship priority mail and I always go to the Post Office because I like the process and I know that the package is actually on the way and not sitting in the back of a postal truck! At the rate we're going that post office may not be here for long!