shipping-packaging Pricing out a SFRB

[SadisticPeppers]

Since I have several plants started and am expecting a first harvest in the June timeframe (barring anything unforeseen), I figured I'd ask. I checked the price of postage for an SFRB (just a bit over $9), so with including the price of postage in the price, would $25 be an acceptable price? Or should I go closer to $20, since I want to not price myself out, but still have some proverbial meat on the bone.

 

[The Hot Pepper]

Use Pirate Ship for your shipping, you get a bulk rate discount because you are using their bulk license. Been using them for years now.

 

[The Hot Pepper]

Also keep in mind Flat Rate is not always the cheapest. It's great for heavy items and longer distances but you might be overpaying if it's lighter and a close zip code. Always weigh it! People get tricked into the FR boxes a lot. Yes the box is free but they also have Regional Flat Rate boxes if you ask, and regular Priority boxes free! You can order them all on the USPS website.

 

[Voodoo 6]

Most of the resellers on Ebay are using the USPS ground advantage shipping. Might be worth looking into.

Comes with 100 bucks insurance and to my surprise USPS is actually honoring the refund if package is lost.

Hope this helps! Cheers!

 

[The Hot Pepper]

When you sell on eBay you use their bulk rate which equates to the same as Pirate Ship's.

 

[Voodoo 6]

Nice!

 

[Downriver]

...they also have Regional Flat Rate...

fyi - RFR went bye-bye a while back (last year, maybe?). If you still have RFR boxes, you can use them as regular Priority Mail boxes.

Having said all that, Priority Mail is no longer price-competitive, at least for us. USPS Ground Advantage is the cheaper solution, ever since it replaced "First Class" mail. We used to use Priority Mail exclusively. Now, we haven't shipped a package Priority Mail in months. Also, we ship large/heavy packages via UPS, with labels generated by Pirate Ship.

 

[The Hot Pepper]

would $25 be an acceptable price?

Try one of these for a ballpark idea

Product Pricing & Profit Margin Calculator

 

[The Hot Pepper]

Having said all that, Priority Mail is no longer price-competitive

Yeah unless it is super heavy it's usually no longer a value. In Pirate Ship UPS and FedEx Home tend to be cheaper, sometimes USPS.

 

[HellfireFarm]

An amusing aside regarding SFRB - The max allowed weight of 70lb for SFRB shipping is how much a brick of osmium sized to fit the box would weigh. Osmium is the heaviest/densest known substance, so it is literally impossible to pack a SFRB over weight.

(Although last time I looked I didn't see a limit - did they remove it?)

 

[growyourown]

now i know how i will ship my osmium from now on

 

[SadisticPeppers]

Thanks for the advice all!

 

[The Hot Pepper]

No one directly answered your question though.

 

[SadisticPeppers]

No one directly answered your question though.

It was sufficiently good advice I'll do $25/box since with shipping, it'll leave $16 after postage with Pirate Ship