Shipping mug question

[hunts with son]

For those that sell and ship coffee mugs, what do you normally charge for shipping? I have been picking up mugs for $.10 that normally sell for $5-$10. If I can ship reasonably cheap i offer free shipping, but I have never sold a mug before.

Thank you!

 

[Ursus]

Pack it well and box it. I am guessing that the weight is going to be 1-2 lbs. Take a look at the shipping difference from close by and across the country. Depending on where you live, you might have close to a $4-5 spread. If it is going to be possibly a $5 sale, you run the risk of losing it all if you price it as shipping close by. You can price it as the more expensive distance (I live in OH and like shipping to AK) but then I have priced out those who live around me in neighboring states. See the problem with free shipping with lower priced items? Painful at $15 sale, even worse with a $5. IMO, don't do free shipping on that low of price with that much variation on shipping. Flat rate - different story though. Oh, I have found that, if you get a discount on shipping through eBay, the buyer may pay for parcel and it may be cheaper to ship priority. USPS has a great smaller Priority mail box that works for a lot of cups/mugs, and you get the added insurance automatically (which I recently got to use for the first time - they refunded the price of the item to me but not the cost of the shipping ... And the box was very crushed). Buyer gets the item faster , Priority mail picked up at your door (along with any Parcel Post you may have going out), you may have pocketed an extra buck or so ... Everybody happy!

 

[stonehenge]

Flat rate envelope. This works for individual glasses, shot glasses and some small plates as well

Shipped 30 or so mugs and cups in the last year and have had no problems or damage (fingers crossed to not jinx myself now).

First, I wrap the mug in bubble wrap and then I wrap that in cardboard and tape the ends down tight.

Take that cardboard "cylinder" and stuff into a flat rate envelope, point of the handle first.

Then remove the adhesive strip backing on the flat rate envelope and roll the envelope onto itself - into basically a cylinder. Fold in the sharp edges of the top and make sure the adhesive has grabbed as much cardboard as possible.

Then put a long strip of tape around the middle and over the ends (to prevent the envelope from splitting if it gets wet or mishandled) and then tape your address label on it.

Advertise as PMail Flat Rate envelope and charge $5.85 or $6 (or start at an acceptable margin with free shipping. I pay about $.99 for good mugs at goodwill and start my auctions at $9 or $10 with free PMail.

If you are a power seller or top rated, the usps discount will cover your time and bubble wrap costs.

Remember, if it fits, it ships.

 

[diggummup]

stonehenge gives good advice. I have shipped many a fragile item in bubble mailers or "non-boxes". Haven't had a problem yet, knock on wood. Unless it's a higher dollar mug ($20 or more), I usually sell my common Fire-King mugs in lots of 10 or more so I don't have to deal with shipping a single mug, but that's just me.

 

[hunts with son]

Thanks for the info!!

A mug in an envelope, I never would have thought that. Thanks.

 

[Ursus]

Flat rate envelope. This works for individual glasses, shot glasses and some small plates as well Shipped 30 or so mugs and cups in the last year and have had no problems or damage (fingers crossed to not jinx myself now). First, I wrap the mug in bubble wrap and then I wrap that in cardboard and tape the ends down tight. Take that cardboard "cylinder" and stuff into a flat rate envelope, point of the handle first. Then remove the adhesive strip backing on the flat rate envelope and roll the envelope onto itself - into basically a cylinder. Fold in the sharp edges of the top and make sure the adhesive has grabbed as much cardboard as possible. Then put a long strip of tape around the middle and over the ends (to prevent the envelope from splitting if it gets wet or mishandled) and then tape your address label on it. Advertise as PMail Flat Rate envelope and charge $5.85 or $6 (or start at an acceptable margin with free shipping. I pay about $.99 for good mugs at goodwill and start my auctions at $9 or $10 with free PMail. If you are a power seller or top rated, the usps discount will cover your time and bubble wrap costs. Remember, if it fits, it ships.

Wow. I have got to try that out! Thanks!

 

[stonehenge]

Not he best photos or my best work but this is how I do it.

Doesn't look pretty but it works and my buyers give me good ratings. Most times, I make them free shipping anyway so they have no complaints.

 

[war-digs-it]

If I hadn't seen it done here first there is no way I would have tried that. Cool and thanks!

 

[deserdog]

Here is how I ship mugs. Most mugs, unless they are very large, will ship at 2 lbs. , in a box that measures 8" x8" x 8". I wrap the mug in bubble wrap if I have it, then sleeve the mug in a piece of cardboard 7 3/4" long. This make a tube with the the mug in the middle. I fill the mug with newspaper so that there is no void. Then I pack the top an bottom of the tube with news paper so that the mug is in the middle of the tube. This usually gives about 2" of packing on top and bottom of the mug. Then I place the tube in the 8" box, pointing the handle to a corner. Then I pack all around the tube with newspaper. This gives the mug 2" of padding all the way around. You can throw the box across the room, step on it, drop it. Unless it if actually crushed, the mug will be ok. If you pack a mug in a flat rate envelope, and it gets broken, you can usually forget about insurance, because of inadequate packing.

If I sell a mug for $15.00 with free shipping, priority will be anywhere from $5.75 to $8.97. This is for mugs that will not go very high in an auction setting and mugs that I get for real cheap.

For mugs that will go higher, I use auctions with calculated shipping.