Calculating how much to charge for shipping the stuff I sell on eBay used to be easy. I would simply package the item, weigh it on my handy digital postal scale, and consult my postage charts for the price. But the new shape-based postal rates that became effective last May have made the process more complex — and, in some cases, more expensive.
Now, I need to measure any box over 12 by 12 inches. The price of a 19 x 13 x9 inch box that used to cost $13.00 to shi can now cost up to $30.00.
This is due to the Postal Service’s attempt to recoup the additional costs associated with hand processing packages and envelopes that cannot fit in their automated processing systems. The new pricing system now accounts for shape and thickness as well as weight when determining postage cost.
What does this mean to me as an eBay and Half.com seller? Besides the requirement to keep a measuring tape with my shipping supplies, I need to think twice about the box I choose to package the item I’m selling on eBay. My garage is littered with empty boxes and packing supplies that I recycle for use in my outbound shipments. Previously, I was known to grab any box the item would fit in, no matter how large, and fill the void with plenty of packing materials. The thought was that I was spending less – and thus charging less – for shipping and handling. Now I can often pay (and charge) less for the shipping and handling by finding the smallest box required — even if I need to buy a new box!
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