Shipping prices after USPS rate hike

[All Things Sega]

Was looking for some games and the shipping prices from the "usual" sellers has jumped drasticly. I know the USPS raised their rates but prices are ridiculous $9.95 to ship a cart only game gear game 1st class within the USA and $15 to ship a game gear game with box (1st class mail too). I know sellers want to cover their expenses and ebay fees but surprised ebay hasn't pulled most of these auctions. Have as anyone else noticed this from auctions starting this week or have shipping prices been creeping this high?

[Oobgarm]

Maximum shipping on most items should be no higher than $10, and that's using the FREE USPS flat rate Priority boxes-plus a small spiff to the seller for tape, travel, etc.

That's why I've sworn off buying stuff on eBay. Too many gougers.

[Griking]

I disagree. Shipping only went up a dime or so for Priority Mail. I just checked on USPS.com and verified that I can ship a one pound package from Connecticut to California for $4.50.

Also, I never ever notived this service before but there's something called "Priority Mail Flat Rate Box". Here's the description

Box One: 11-7/8 x 3-3/8 x 13-5/8 inches (ideal for garments, board games, books and other relatively thin items).
Box Two: 11 x 8-1/2 x 5-1/2 inches (perfect for shoes, model cars, and taller items).

Rate is $8.95, regardless of weight or destination for items mailed in the Priority Mail Flat-Rate Boxes provided by the Postal Service.

Sounds like a good deal to me.

Link


Anyone that charges $10 to ship a single game or even two is ripping you off.

[Vectorman0]

Priority Mail's Minimum rate went up from $4.05. I'm not sure about heavier things and to different shipping zones, though.

[rcgamer]

Why would anyone ship a single game with priority mail??

I use first class mail to ship my single games. a 5 ounce package is 1.99 to ship first class. My single game prices have not went up. I think you are only showing the extreme example of a shipping gouger.

[boatofcar]

If you use a padded envelope, the charges actually went down by 0.17 an ounce.

[Kitsune Sniper]

I ship single games via Priority if the item is large. For example, double CD cases. There's no way in hell I'll ship those inside a bubble mailer. It's too risky.

Single CDs or DVDs go in bubble mailers, though.

Priority rates went up about .55 cents for a one pound package (from 4.05 to 4.60) and Delivery Confirmation got hiked about ten or fifteen cents. I didn't really raise the prices much in my standard shipping... only about 25-35 cents, depending. My first class rates remain the same as before the hike.

On that note, though, I shipped a package to the UK today. The cost? 28 dollars. It was almost four pounds. Previously, that would've cost me about $40 to ship due to the size of the box. But now it's actually a LOT CHEAPER! And the fact that you can now use Priority Mail packaging to ship internationally is great! You can use a Flat Rate Box to ship anything that fits inside and is quite heavy for $32 or so.

I still can't understand some of the changes (hell one of the clerks had no idea what service I was supposed to use!) but others were for the better.

But they still haven't bothered to specify if game carts can be shipped Media Mail or not.

[mcgrail0007@netzero.net]

I disagree. Shipping only went up a dime or so for Priority Mail. I just checked on USPS.com and verified that I can ship a one pound package from Connecticut to California for $4.50.

Also, I never ever notived this service before but there's something called "Priority Mail Flat Rate Box". Here's the description



Sounds like a good deal to me.

Link


Box Two: 11 x 8-1/2 x 5-1/2 inches (perfect for shoes, model cars, and taller items).

Anyone that charges $10 to ship a single game or even two is ripping you off.

Some of the rates have gone up drastically. It just depends. A one pound priority package is now $5.25 with delivery confirmation. If it weighs more than 1 pound the price can jump quite a bit depending on where you are shipping to. I live in the St. Louis area (pretty much the middle of the U.S.). If I ship a priority package weighing 1 pound 1 ounce to California it now cost $7.65 with delivery confirmation.

[Kitsune Sniper]

I was about to say something like that. I checked out my invoice for today's shipments and it cost me $6.55 to ship a 1lb, 1.90 oz. item from Southern California to Texas, -without Delivery Confirmation-.

Looks like my days of offering flat Priority Rates are over...

[All Things Sega]

I wasn't going for the extreme examples but when I did a quick search for game gear games was shocked that many were starting with much higher shipping rates. Don't get me wrong, still lots of sellers who charge only $4 or $5. Was expecting prices to go up for shipping but was shocked that ebay let some of these sellers gouge so much. Was just curious to see if ebay was to stupid or just ignorant about sellers trying tot ake advantage of the new rate increases.

[y-bot]

I ship single games via Priority if the item is large. For example, double CD cases. There's no way in hell I'll ship those inside a bubble mailer. It's too risky.

Single CDs or DVDs go in bubble mailers, though.

Priority rates went up about .55 cents for a one pound package (from 4.05 to 4.60) and Delivery Confirmation got hiked about ten or fifteen cents. I didn't really raise the prices much in my standard shipping... only about 25-35 cents, depending. My first class rates remain the same as before the hike.

On that note, though, I shipped a package to the UK today. The cost? 28 dollars. It was almost four pounds. Previously, that would've cost me about $40 to ship due to the size of the box. But now it's actually a LOT CHEAPER! And the fact that you can now use Priority Mail packaging to ship internationally is great! You can use a Flat Rate Box to ship anything that fits inside and is quite heavy for $32 or so.

I still can't understand some of the changes (hell one of the clerks had no idea what service I was supposed to use!) but others were for the better.

But they still haven't bothered to specify if game carts can be shipped Media Mail or not.

I was just re-reading the Media Mail rules last night. They haven't changed them and they're still vague. It says any computer readable media. I think a good argument can be made that any video game cart, disc, tape or whatver can be shipped Media Mail. I've never had a problem. The only problem I've had is with vintage magazines. The post office we use said they contain advertising and can't be shipped via Media Mail. I don't think that old advertising is what is meant by the rules and I've had other postal employees say that old magazines are okay. We just say they're books and we haven't had a problem in years. I think it helps to write "books" or "computer software" on the box.

y-bot

[Griking]

I just called the toll free number for the US Post Office that was listed on their website to ask them their opinion of whether video games are shippable via media mail. the person that I spoke to was absolutely clueless and gave me the number for the main postal service offices in my home state of Connecticut. When I called that office and asked my question they said that video games absolutely CAN be shipped via media mail since they fall into the category of computer readable media. I think that those of you who have been having problems need to make some phone calls and complain. I've personally only had a problem shipping games via media mail once or twice in all my years of selling games but it wasn't a local post office branch.

[bangtango]

I just called the toll free number for the US Post Office that was listed on their website to ask them their opinion of whether video games are shippable via media mail. the person that I spoke to was absolutely clueless and gave me the number for the main postal service offices in my home state of Connecticut. When I called that office and asked my question they said that video games absolutely CAN be shipped via media mail since they fall into the category of computer readable media. I think that those of you who have been having problems need to make some phone calls and complain. I've personally only had a problem shipping games via media mail once or twice in all my years of selling games but it wasn't a local post office branch.

I get my friggin' packages inspected from time to time, which is a headache. It isn't about whether or not video games fall into the rules for media mail. It all depends on the PO or clerk you interact with. Some of the clerks I do business with assume I am shipping anything and everything media mail. Not every seller here gets to ship media mail without getting a ration of shit from a clerk or postmaster, even if the stuff they ship is legitimately "media mail."

[Kitsune Sniper]

I was just re-reading the Media Mail rules last night. They haven't changed them and they're still vague. It says any computer readable media. I think a good argument can be made that any video game cart, disc, tape or whatver can be shipped Media Mail. I've never had a problem. The only problem I've had is with vintage magazines. The post office we use said they contain advertising and can't be shipped via Media Mail. I don't think that old advertising is what is meant by the rules and I've had other postal employees say that old magazines are okay. We just say they're books and we haven't had a problem in years. I think it helps to write "books" or "computer software" on the box.

y-bot

Vintage magazines cannot be shipped Media Mail. Vintage ads are still that, ads.

However, they -can- be shipped via Bound Printed Matter, and it's MUCH cheaper than Media Mail. I've used it to ship comics quite a few times. I think a pound starts at two bucks and it's nine cents per extra pound.

People, don't depend on Media so much. There's other alternatives. Bound Printed Matter encompasses books, magazines, and other publications that are stapled or glued together (no loose pages). And it doesn't matter if it's got ads or not.

[y-bot]

Bound Printed Matter is more expensive than Media Mail. Less than Parcel Post but more than Media Mail. As far as I know no service that a regular person can use is cheaper than Media Mail.

y-bot

[rcgamer]

The change is weird. It actually costs me less now to ship single games to Canada than it does to ship in USA.

[Kitsune Sniper]

Bound Printed Matter is more expensive than Media Mail. Less than Parcel Post but more than Media Mail. As far as I know no service that a regular person can use is cheaper than Media Mail.

y-bot

I stand corrected.

But the difference is usually -less than ten cents-. It's negligible, and BPM rarely if ever gets inspected.

[mb7241]

I have to ship a nearly 9-pound package later today to a place in Wisconsin...USPS website is saying $15.90 without delivery confirmation or insurance ($21.15 after those are added: I'll be needing $300 insurance). This hurts.

[Kitsune Sniper]

And now you know why I don't do 'Shipped' prices anymore.

[FABombjoy]

I have to ship a nearly 9-pound package later today to a place in Wisconsin...USPS website is saying $15.90 without delivery confirmation or insurance ($21.15 after those are added: I'll be needing $300 insurance). This hurts.

Assuming:
A 1 cubic foot box
The Northwesternmost town I immediately found on a map (Superior, WI)

That same package sent Fedex Home Delivery is $13.48, and that's AFTER a $2.20 "tiny-ass town in the middle of nowhere" charge. So if it's a major city, it's $11.28.

My motto is: If it's more than 3 pounds or $100, USPS doesn't get it.