When did shipping fees get so high?

[ClassicGMR]

I sell things here and there at auction but it's been a while. I cannot believe the USPS fees these days.

 

I sold a PSP and shipped it for the $10 I quoted. It came to $9.88 going First Class and with delivery confirmation.

 

I also sold a lot of Intellivision games. I figured these things are not heavy and since they're "player" carts and not "collection" carts it didn't matter when they got there. So I charged $7 shipping. Cost me $10.21 to ship PARCEL POST. I actually lost $2 on this auction plus the fees from PayPal and eBay so closer to $3.

 

That's just nuts. They also mentioned while I was there that the stamps are going up AGAIN.

 

What do you all do for shipping? How does FedEx and UPS compare for fees? It's at the point that it's not worth selling something for less than $20 these days on eBay.

[+save2600]

USPS is still the best, most reliable and cost effective way to send classic gaming goods. UPS is more expensive and if you go to one of their "Pack and Save" depots, you get further raped. FedEX is the MOST expensive of the three and they go out of their way to make sure they damage/drop the heavier items.

[cncfreak]

The worst part is now you can't ship items media mail anymore so always make sure to weigh items before quoting shipping prices. This is one reason i am selling on Atari Age and not Feebay, the fees and the increase in shipping.

Edited January 20, 2012 by cncfreak

[Zwackery]

The USPS has been losing money due to the internet age we live in (as well as increased gas prices and costs associated with the workforce, particularly benefits like pension and insurance), and for those of us who still desire physical media, we're having to absorb the increased cost of shipping. Some might find this ironic. I'd say of my contemporary purchaes (X360, PS3, DS, Wii, and PC), I'm still buying about 90% of my console purchases on physical media, but my PC purchases are at about 50% download.

[+save2600]

I've heard from postal workers throughout the years that the figures that show them "losing" money, are exaggerated and spun. Sure, while people are no longer sending hand written letters to each other as much anymore (that was on the decline long before the popularity of the internet in the late 90's btw), internet trading has BOOSTED their business big time. Think of since the 90's, think of all the extra hundreds of thousands of credit card and cell phone (among other utilities and offers received through the mail) bills people have incurred. And then there is the increase of USPS Money Order sales thanks to the internet. Point is, I've never seen post offices any busier than I have the last 15+ years. During the 70's and 80's in Chicagoland no less - you could go right in, conduct your business and come right out. There were never long lines. I'd go so far as to say their counter help was at least double what it is today. Today, you'll see 4 windows with only 1 or 2 clerks at any given time and long lines of people bringing in boxes of stuff they've sold over the internet. And you know the gross margins are thousands of times higher charging someone $6+ to send a small package vs. the cost of a stamp to a destination that was already set to receive junk mail or letters anyway.

[+poobah]

You may want to look into the Priority Mail regional boxes.

Often times, that is the cheapest way to go.

 

Seems like for most items, Parcel isnt that much cheaper.

[kheffington]

Poobah is right, regional Priority for a lot of things is the cheapest. A lot of times even regular priority mail is cheaper than parcel for some reason. For heavier small stuff the flat rate regional or regular priority mail boxes are the best deal. Free boxes and whatever fits in the box for one rate as long as it is under the maximum weight allowance which is pretty high.

[pce_collector]

I've found that USPS offers the best price and service. Shipping anything above First Class is costly, so you may have to hike your prices on lots and large items. Of course, you can cut out shipping costs if you offer local pickup or sell items on Craigslist.

[Zwackery]

I've heard from postal workers throughout the years that the figures that show them "losing" money, are exaggerated and spun.

 

You can hear all the anecdotes you like, but the published budgets show where the losses are (as I mentioned earlier, things like operating costs, particularly gasoline, and workforce benefits, especially pensions).