I recently shipped a package to Cincinatti, and shipping was $8.31. I had told the guy I was selling to that it was only $3.50 {I didn't make him pay the difference though, it was my fault}, so I was out a few dollars, but why was it so high? I added insurance on the package, and a tracking number. Is this why it was so expensive? Or is it because I went through a company {UPS}?

I know how certain shipping costs can drive people away, and I really don't want to do that. :l

Shipping from here is always expensive. I think the cheapest price to send something by air is just over $5.

Yeah, shipping sucks! *Pokes out tongue*
I can't get a pony mailled to me for anything under $7-$8 USD... usually more than the pony itself.
For that amount I could post Giant plush Minty to my dad's place on the other side of the state! *Throws up hands*

Shipping through a courier (UPS, etc.) is always far more expensive than the post office. I know, because I work for UPS. However, remember that you get what you pay for.

I can usually ship things for $3-$5 within the country via UPS, but that's because I get a killer discount.

I think the guy who shipped my things had the hots on me, so maybe I'll tell him that each package he sends for me for free, I'll give him one digit of my number..

Nah, I wouldn't do that. ;P

Thanks you guys, I thought maybe I was doing the wrong thing or something. Never realized it was that high {my dad usually takes care of the packages ;D}!

Lol, yeah I recently found out how much it does cost to go through UPS. However, it's usually cheaper if you find an independent place that ships through UPS. The one I use gives me a price of 25% off UPS normal shipping costs. But I'd rather pay the extra and have UPS take care of it over the post office. I get enough crinkled letters from them as it is!

The only think with UPS is that you have to be careful when shipping overseas because they almost always charge the person receiving the item a duties fee.

Shipping just depends... on weight, the zone (in the US) that you are shipping to, etc. Like I can ship something that is 2 lbs to Chicago and it is only $3.95 but if I ship the same package out to California it will cost $5.40. These are costs for Priority mail. I always use the USPS.com to figure costs and I have my own scale (my sister snagged me a Fannie May candy scale since she was the manager when they closed!) so it's easy to figure things out. Parcel post is cheaper but takes longer. If you are mailing something that is 13 oz or less then you can use first class to save a bit. Clothing is always expensive, I sell a lot of jeans on eBay and they are always like $6-$7 to mail per pair and I just charge cost for shipping. I don't use UPS so I don't know what the difference is there though.

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The only think with UPS is that you have to be careful when shipping overseas because they almost always charge the person receiving the item a duties fee.

You got that right! Even with shipping from the US to Canada is ridiculous.
I bought a $40 US doll online in a store and UPS charged me $38CDN to receive it. I called them and they gave me some bullcrap story about brokerage fees being a MINIMUM of $19. Ya..for some lawyer to sit at the border and fill out a few papers just so the item can clear customs. Hence I NEVER order anything from any company that ships with UPS.

BatsnPonies wrote:

Quote:: The only think with UPS is that you have to be careful when shipping overseas because they almost always charge the person receiving the item a duties fee. You got that right! Even with shipping from the US to Canada is ridiculous. I bought a $40 US doll online in a store and UPS charged me $38CDN to receive it. I called them and they gave me some bullcrap story about brokerage fees being a MINIMUM of $19. Ya..for some lawyer to sit at the border and fill out a few papers just so the item can clear customs. Hence I NEVER order anything from any company that ships with UPS.

Ah, but you're mistaken...it is not UPS who charges those fees. If an International package is charged duties and taxes, it is the recipient's country who is charging those fees. Also, residential deliveries in Canada via UPS are delivered via broker (i.e., another shipping company), and the broker charges an additional fee, not UPS.

Just thought I'd clear that up, since I have to explain that to people where I work at least 10 times a week.

I very rarely ship UPS...I just go Priority mail if I'm buying/selling something in the States I ship airmail when it's going out of the country...I'd rather pay the higher price there so it'll get to me/get to them faster ^^

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Ah, but you're mistaken...it is not UPS who charges those fees.

Seriously? :nervous: Cos the guy on the phone showed me the webpage on their site that states their costs for brokerage fees and how they come to each amount and that since they are a privately owned company, their fees are what they want them to be and are, as he put it, "very competative" with other shipping services. Whereas USPS only charges $5 for brokerage fees since they are government owned.

BatsnPonies wrote:

Quote:: Ah, but you're mistaken...it is not UPS who charges those fees. Seriously? :nervous: Cos the guy on the phone showed me the webpage on their site that states their costs for brokerage fees and how they come to each amount and that since they are a privately owned company, their fees are what they want them to be and are, as he put it, "very competative" with other shipping services. Whereas USPS only charges $5 for brokerage fees since they are government owned.

Yep...the fees are actually charged by the broker, though UPS may be the one who collects them for the other company.

Quote::

Quote: The only think with UPS is that you have to be careful when shipping overseas because they almost always charge the person receiving the item a duties fee. You got that right! Even with shipping from the US to Canada is ridiculous. I bought a $40 US doll online in a store and UPS charged me $38CDN to receive it. I called them and they gave me some bullcrap story about brokerage fees being a MINIMUM of $19. Ya..for some lawyer to sit at the border and fill out a few papers just so the item can clear customs. Hence I NEVER order anything from any company that ships with UPS. Ah, but you're mistaken...it is not UPS who charges those fees. If an International package is charged duties and taxes, it is the recipient's country who is charging those fees. Also, residential deliveries in Canada via UPS are delivered via broker (i.e., another shipping company), and the broker charges an additional fee, not UPS. Just thought I'd clear that up, since I have to explain that to people where I work at least 10 times a week.

Regardless of -who- the broker company is, we (fellow Canadian here) have to pay UPS, (or Fedex) delivery person the fee's in order to receive the parcel.
I only had an item shipped by Fedex ONCE. And, I knew about the fee's so factored it into my max bid (Won the lot for $130 USD)

It cost me $70 something at my door to receive my parcel.
Had it been shipped with USPS it would have cost me about $25 ish. (CDN)

~FF

Usually it cost me $5-$15 depending the seller... I hate shipping to my country, because it doesn't matter how much I pay, the items barely arrive :dontgetit: