shipping

[badhank]

For those in biz already, how do u determine shipping? I know some carts will give u per-customer quotes, but I am goin on the assumption that most ppl here have a flat charge for everyone. Anyone care to share their method? I'm especially interested in canadians shipping to both Canada and the USA.

[TimW]

Your search-fu is weak, grasshopper:

http://fourhourworkweek.com/vBulletin/showthread.php?t=642&highlight=shipping

[badhank]

its not that weak, i mean, i searched and got mostly "drop shipping". Not to mention i wanted to know more than one opinion, altho i definitely value yours.
If i wanted urs alone i guess i would just right clicked ur names link in a new tab, then hit the "Find all posts by TimW" link and just browsed there haha.

Btw do u have tactical stocks, front pistol grip, and mag extenders for the remington 11-87?

[TimW]

Basically, I figured how much something would cost me to ship to Maine or Boston, and used that as a guide. I know how much my items cost and what they generally weigh. I then pondered how much an order of $100, $200, etc., would weigh, and based shipping to Boston off of that.

Certainly it's not scientific, nor is it exact. However in the long haul, it averages out pretty close.

For example, the ballistic vests and armor plates I sell are heavy AND expensive. So it's easy for someone to drop $1,500 on an armored vest system (incl vest, carrier and plates). This is only $29 flat-rate shipping for me, but can easily run me more than that if they start adding anything else, since that base package alone will 26 pounds.

On the other hand, I've got items that probably cost me only $7 to ship, but are expensive enough that they bump into the $17 shipping category.

Where things get really "dicey" is expedited shipping. I overpriced overnight shipping because of the time-factor issue. It generally holds that most overnight orders arrive after I've already made my warehouse run for the day (I work from home, items are stored elsewhere). So I have to make an extra trip, extra processing/packaging/etc. If they want it that badly, they're paying for the privilege.

2nd Day Air, however, is right at the odd-point of pricing. I shipped a 4 lb package to Connecticut yesterday. My flat-rate for the one item he bought was $25.00 for second-day (or $7 for standard ground). Turns out that package cost me $40 to ship 2nd Day to CT. That $15 difference really ate into my profit margin. Part of the issue is the fuel cost rise, that's cause rates to increase dramatically.

So a project for me next week is to revamp my shipping rates.

As to your question on the Rem 870 stuff, no I don't. I don't deal much in weapon parts, mostly because the competition is stupid and competes solely on price. To a degree, these items are commodities, so that's a natural move, but since I deal so little in those items, I wouldn't be price-competitive.

[FrozenCanuck]

I'm shipping CDs. I charge $5.95 flat rate no matter whether somebody orders one CD or all three.

To ship within Canada costs $1.92
To hit the USA costs $4.00
Add 50c for a padded envelope to all orders ... an make small profit on shipping but fact is I have to do it myself, so it's a money-LOSER really.

I will ultimately outsource all of this with some volume, but not yet. Very easy to just write up the shipping label over breakfast and drop it in a mailbox on my way to work.

[badhank]

thnx to both for sharing ur details.
Frozen are you just shipping a cd in an envelope and a piece of paper? or do u have packaging included in there
I think i will look into seeing if any company has a shipping api...

[skippybosco]

frozen,

might I suggest you take a look at http://cd-fulfillment.com.

At the rate you are paying, they will automate the whole process for you and take you out of the loop (my disc's average $4 including media, shipping envelope and postage)..

When folks buy through my website and select to have a CD mailed, once payment is complete it automatically notifies cd-fulfillment to ship the CD.

They are on demand, so you only pay when you actually sell a CD.

Automation is a wonderful thing.

[webgal]

That is a good resource skippyB.

[lovinglife]

I've been shipping the same things (books) for over 10 years now and have had to make changes in shipping methods/prices along the way.

For U.S. customers (where I am) I allow them to chose either media mail or priority. I charge a flat rate no matter how many items they buy. For Priority shipping, I use the post office's flat rate box and it is rare that someone orders more than what I can get in it. Before flat rate was available, I looked at what it would cost to mail to New York or California (I'm in Texas) and averaged the price.

For out of the country I have rates for Canada, Mexico and then the rest of the world. One charge for one item - (when it came to countries other than Canada and Mexico, which are much cheaper, I looked up the price for various countries and picked a price in the middle). For two or more items I use the flat rate box and charge accordingly.

If someone wants faster service, they must contact me and I will look up UPS rates. I don't get that many requests for faster service - maybe one a month or every two months, so it's less time consuming to look up for one person when the need arises rather than trying to keep on top of ever changing shipping rates to make sure I am charging enough.

[FrozenCanuck]

skippy,

I like the idea of a fulfillment center for the CDs but my volume doesn't yet justify it. Also most orders go to Canadians so it isn't an issue for now.

Also, my CDs are supplied to me at a wholesale price by the creator of the product. I just sell them online as the exclusive online store.

I will certainly suggest the idea of moving to a fulfillment center like what you suggested but not quite yet.

When I do, I have some questions.

1) We have 3 CD products, and customers can buy just one, or all three. How would that be handled?

2) One of the CDs is a memory improvement course and it comes with a business-card sized cheat sheet on it. They are inserted into the jewel case before cellophane wrapping happens at the production house where he gets his CDs made. I do not handle this of course, but I would have to arrange for it if I went to a fulfillment center.

Thoughts?

Badhank - to answer your question I take the CDs (whether it is 1 or 3) that are in thin jewel cases, and I stick them in a padded 6x9 envenlop. They cost me $3 for a 6-pack. I mail them just like that. No problems.