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Thread: Tips I learned for keeping USPS shipping costs down since rate increase

  1. #41
    Boolit Bub ZmanWakeForest's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dddoo7 View Post
    The PADDED flat rate envelope is the best value in my opinion. It will actually hold two small flat rate boxes (although I don't advocate using usps supplies In that way). I ordered some boxes that are 3x6x8 and they are a perfect fit in the padded envelope and will ship for the same price as a small flat rate box...and since there is a box inside the envelope the item is protected more. If you are not using padded envelopes you should look into it.
    These are excellent for more shipping space for the same money. Get them shipped to the house for free as with all the boxes etc. Always a good idea to put the goods inside a tyvex bag or two inside the padded envelope to maximize the protect.
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  2. #42
    Boolit Master Handloader109's Avatar
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    A couple of thing on the envelopes if you guys don't know.... The paper letter size envelopes are flat rate. I don't know if mold would work well in that. The padded letter size is also flat rate but almost no *** keep them in stock. Can order on line. Bit more expensive on shipping. The larger tyvek envelopes are NOT flat rate! They are priority mail as is everything now, but you pay by the weight! Be careful it would be expensive for a mold. Be careful on the envelopes! Yes PayPal is still cheaper. Type in your​ address and use them.

  3. #43
    Boolit Master


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    Andy:
    There are two flat rate envelopes besides the padded one, one letter size, the other legal size, a little longer. PO's stock only the letter size, the legal size must be ordered from USPS supplies. The Tyvek envelopes are unbreakable in my experience but they are by weight, not flat rate.
    Regards
    Bill


    Quote Originally Posted by Andy View Post
    As far as I understand there is only one flat rate envelope and that is the padded one with bubble wrap adhered to the inside. The other priority envelope I have seen is not a flat rate. I could be mistaken though. Thanks for the tip on using your own box inside the flat rate envelope, that's a good idea and gives you more size/protection than the SFRB for a minimum of hassle. Even factoring the box cost it would be very useful for those items that would fit in a 3x6x8 but not in a 1.6x5.4x8.6 (SFRB), that extra 1.4" of width really would come in handy for a variety of items I don't want in just an envelope so I'm going to keep what you mentioned in mind.

    I am glad to have everyone posting their own tips to this thread, I am not an expert shipper by any means and I am glad to be learning from the experiences of others.
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  4. #44
    Boolit Buddy
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    I bookmarked this web site with postal rates. Some of the earlier conversations may not have stated that some of the cost, weight, and certain box issues pertain to whether or not you claim you are commercial.

    https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/Notice123.htm#2682960

  5. #45
    Boolit Buddy




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    I believe you have to go through a process that only large companies bother with to be a commercial shipping entity with USPS (paypal, ebay, stamps.com etc). The easy workaround is to ship via paypal/shipnow as that lets you get commercial rates through an easy to use platform. There are two levels of commercial pricing and you used to be able to access the first by printing labels off the usps website but they removed that option last year so we're stuck with ebay/paypal/other large shipping websites if we want commercial rates from my knowledge on it.

  6. #46
    Boolit Buddy Weaponologist's Avatar
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    Just Shipped my first Package with Pp and Saved 40 cents... It was a small box.
    Big Thanks to Andy for sharing this....
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  7. #47
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    georgerkahn's Avatar
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    USPS rates are increasing in January 2018. You can read the increase information at:
    http://blog.stamps.com/2017/10/26/us...rate-increase/
    BEST!
    geo

  8. #48
    Boolit Buddy
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    Help Needed!!
    I set up an online account with the USPS in order to ship regional rate. I can't seem to get the regional rates to come up on the USPS web site no matter what I do. Is there a special trick to this???

  9. #49
    Boolit Bub
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    Quote Originally Posted by JRLesan View Post
    Help Needed!!
    I set up an online account with the USPS in order to ship regional rate. I can't seem to get the regional rates to come up on the USPS web site no matter what I do. Is there a special trick to this???
    Regional rate boxes are not considered flat rate. You have to enter a weight and then they will pop up if your overall weight is appropriate for the regional rate box.

  10. #50
    Boolit Buddy
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    I know that regional rate boxes are not flat rate. I also know that they have weight limits. I did put in a weight well under the 15lb limit for the 'A' box. I also did not checkmark 'priority'. The only thing that 'popped' up was the (few cents) discounted rate for flat rate mailing. Something else is wrong...

  11. #51
    Boolit Buddy
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    Nevermind. Got it, finally...

  12. #52
    Boolit Buddy shaggybull's Avatar
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    You can fit A small regional box that is bigger than the sfrb inside A small flat rate padded envelope

  13. #53
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    HATCH's Avatar
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    I have a trick that I have been using lately and it works.
    I noticed one of my suppliers doing the trick first.

    Padded flat rate envelopes are $8 to ship anywhere.
    They offer a small box that is larger then the small flat rate box.
    It will fit inside the flat rate padded envelope.
    My compact PID that I sell will fit into the larger small box but won't fit into the SFRB.
    I had been using my own boxes and shipping them for $9.50 to $13.00
    But with the padded envelope now I can ship them for $8.00
    Unfortunately I am doing away with the compact model so I will end up paying more for shipping again.
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  14. #54
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    I double up padded envelopes for mailing brass and up to 5 pounds of powdercoating.

    free shipped to your door by USPS https://store.usps.com/store/product...elope-P_EP14PE


    priority-mail boxes too https://store.usps.com/store/results...ies/_/N-7d0v8v

    you can also save money by buying shipping labels online and printing them at home (I get mine from Pay Pal but there are several other sites that offer discounted shipping labels)

  15. #55
    Boolit Bub
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    4 die sets, RCBS or LYMAN size boxes, will fit in a Flatrate Bubble envelope...

  16. #56
    Boolit Master
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    I shipped a SFR box today. The shipping went up to $9.20 today.
    Rich or poor, it's good to have money.

  17. #57
    Boolit Master
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    Yes, I mailed one this morning. $9.20. PO said it is temporary until December. I’ll bet it will go up more after then.

  18. #58
    Boolit Buddy
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    I wanted to add a bit of advice to this thread since I ship items a lot.

    1. https://www.pirateship.com/

    This website will get you the discounted rates for USPS and UPS (possibly fedex too, but I never use them.) You can also sometimes get cubic rate shipping for priority mail. The box sizes are various for this, but if you can get it, it can be extremely cheaper.

    2. Never, ever buy postage at the post office. It is always more expensive.

    3. Regional rate boxes are your friend. They are usually much cheaper than flat rate boxes. There are weight limits. Regional box A ships at the two pound rate for up to 15lbs. Other than lead, most stuff that will fit in this box will be under 15 lbs and ultimately be cheaper than the flat rate. Regional B's are similar, although I can't remember the weight limit on those. (20-25 lbs?)

    4. Order and use USPS supplies when possible. They are free and as long as they aren't regional or flat rate boxes, you can frankenbox a couple two three together to make them work. I also like to use padded flat rates to pad items inside the boxes.

    Hope this helps as the only other discounted shipping info I saw on this thread was related to PayPal.

  19. #59
    Boolit Buddy
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    Just a quick note to be aware of when shipping with USPS.

    On 4/3/22 new changes in shipping went into effect.

    It is in regards to "non-standard" packages. These rate increases are not only significant they are downright ridiculous.

    If in item is greater than 22" in length but under 30" - $4.00 additional fee on top of the regular postage.

    Items greater than 30" length and/or greater than 2 cubic feet in dimension - $15 dollar fee on top of regular postage.

    Since cubic feet can be tricky to determine just by looking at the box, here is the formula for calculating cubic feet. Any answer that is 2 or above is subject to the $15 fee.

    length(inches) × width(inches) × height(inches) ÷ 1728 = cubic feet(cf³)

    There are also $1.50 fees for items found to have the improper dimensions reported.

    To put this into perspective, since this effects my regular business significantly, I send a lot of golf clubs in a 6x6x48 box. They are almost always just under 3lbs. Previously it would cost around $8-9 to ship. Since the box is greater than 30" it is now around $26 to ship. Items like gun barrels, gun cases, some reloading supplies, will likely be impacted by this.

    UPS and FedEx are now the the cheaper method to ship these type of boxes. Always buy postage online. I use https://www.pirateship.com/ you will get discounted rates compared to buying postage in the store or post office.

    Hope this helps everyone save a little money.

  20. #60
    Boolit Mold
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    ebay (and I assume amazon by your comment) have made a deal with usps to allow up to 1 lb as part of first class. I ship that way all the time. if a normal person goes to buy direct from usps they hold you to the lower weight limit.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check