small packages

Best shipping option?

[sachac]

I ship small cosmetics items to customers in the US. What is the most cost effective option for such small items that do not weigh very much?

[jwolthuis]

Where are you located?

[sachac]

Boca Raton, Florida

[jbinbpt]

USPS is working well. We use Click'n'Ship. Nice feature is the addresses are validated before you print the label or postage.

[sachac]

What are the rates?

[BananaFish]

Two pounds and under for residential, you can't beat the USPS.

[sachac]

That's the problem. My packages average less than 1/4 lb. What is my best option for these really small packages or am I stuck with the "under 2 lbs" price?

[HRoth]

A significant number of my sales result in purchases that weigh 2-3 ounces. I use first class mail with a delivery confirmation for them. Put them in a lite bubble pack, and the postage is around two dollars. If all your packages weigh the same amount and are sorted by zip code, I believe you can get a cheaper rate, but I am sure there is no delivery confirmaton then.

[trinorthlighting]

We found that fed ex has some very aggressive pricing, you might want to check their rates out.

[kgormat]

Packages under .65 pounds will almost always go USPS in our rate shopping scenario. Packages over this weight may ship USPS or Fedex.

If you're doing any type of volume, I suggest using a rate shopping package along with a negotiated rate with FedEx Ground if your volume warrants it.

[Tonearm]

Fedex? I've done some limited rate shopping and I remember USPS being cheaper for anything under 5 pounds or so (somewhere around there) going to a residential address.

[Rugles]

Put them in a lite bubble pack, and the postage is around two dollars

You can't beat 2 bucks with any courier. Don't even waste time comparing rates.