WOW! Postage increases today on bubble envelopes was outrageous!

[reickholt]

Mailed 3 bubble envelopes this morning. Three had just 2 cards and one had just a single card. Every envelope for 3 day tracking cost over $7. The total for all 4 was $29.30.

Don't know about anyone else but I can't afford $7 shipping. How is everyone else going to deal with this? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

 

[7timecy]

They must have over charged you. I did a few with PayPal shipping this morning and they went up a little bit maybe .20 cents but that's it. Sending to the coast with 3 ounces cost 4.49. DG

 

[shig]

are you shipping at the actual p.o? use pirateship. its the best. just shipped an 8oz package from CO to AR. retail rate is 7.85. i paid 4.74

 

[shig]

They must have over charged you. I did a few with PayPal shipping this morning and they went up a little bit maybe .20 cents but that's it. Sending to the coast with 3 ounces cost 4.49. DG

with paypal shipping you are getting commercial rate shipping. if he just goes through usps, it will be pricey.

 

[biggun61]

Mailed one card With Tracking $7.30 at the Post Office Today!

 

[calsp3]

Confirming USPS ground advantage went up about 25% today - paid mid $7 for bubble mailer which last week cost mid $5. The clerk was shaking her head when I mentioned the impact to hobbyists using the mail - they know it’s bad.
Will be using rigid cardboard mailers for just about everything I can now even if it takes multiple shipments.

 

[reickholt]

are you shipping at the actual p.o? use pirateship. its the best. just shipped an 8oz package from CO to AR. retail rate is 7.85. i paid 4.74

Yes, I currently have no other option.

 

[SymphonicMetal]

I got some sticker shock as well on Saturday as I paid over $10 to mail about 85-90 cards to someone who also lived in the Northeast region. I asked the woman to double check that price as I requested the cheapest way with tracking and it was correct. I don't trade that often (maybe 2 or 3 times a month tops) so it is not that big a deal. But for you cats that run up incredible number of trades each month this increase is going to hurt!

 

[reickholt]

Confirming USPS ground advantage went up about 25% today - paid mid $7 for bubble mailer which last week cost mid $5. The clerk was shaking her head when I mentioned the impact to hobbyists using the mail - they know it’s bad.
Will be using rigid cardboard mailers for just about everything I can now even if it takes multiple shipments.

Our Post Master is a real rip! She said because the rigid cardboard mailer wasn't flexible.(didn't bend) I had to send it as an envelope. She is constantly charging me postage due on such mailings!

 

[calsp3]

Our Post Master is a real rip! She said because the rigid cardboard mailer wasn't flexible.(didn't bend) I had to send it as an envelope. She is constantly charging me postage due on such mailings!

Not good. I hope if someone I ship to with a rigid mailer gets charged postage due then they would tell me. I will add a first class stamp to a nonmachineable stamp if I think the mailer is a bit heavy - but just guessing.
I just checked out Pirate Ship and am going to give that a try. Sounds promising.

 

[millo67]

They are charging more and more every 6 month.. incredible.

 

[David K.]

I don't mail as much....so I'll try to keep my trades to smaller amounts. Not rich....but I'll still use the Bubble Envelopes. Best regards, David

 

[calsp3]

OK, used Pirate Ship this morning and saved $3 over walk up USPS cost (38% savings) for BMWT Ground Advantage. Why was I not doing this before?

 

[peaceandlove]

Our Post Master is a real rip! She said because the rigid cardboard mailer wasn't flexible.(didn't bend) I had to send it as an envelope. She is constantly charging me postage due on such mailings!

Yep....i had this same issue yesterday. She bent the envelope in front of me and said its rigid, so basically if you protect it then you have to pay more than if you don't. Then she did the same to my other 6 envelopes and charged different postage on every envelope. I also had this happen on a bubble mailer as I've sent a few as "large envelope" in the past but now im told since its rigid, it has to be sent ground advantage. Meanwhile I get pwe envelopes from ebay that are for like $0.78 to $1 but I've never been charged that low before.

 

[peaceandlove]

OK, used Pirate Ship this morning and saved $3 over walk up USPS cost (38% savings) for BMWT Ground Advantage. Why was I not doing this before?

Did you need a scale for this for weight?

 

[calsp3]

Did you need a scale for this for weight?

Yes, need to provide weight. Luckily I had one stored away from my working life days. Probably can get a decent one from Amazon for $20 or so, probably can use the Walmart kitchen scale which is around $15 or so. If you're going to keep mailing BMWT then it would be worth it IMO.

 

[greatdadx2]

I've been using PIRATE SHIP for quite awhile now.....Sent out BMWT today 7x5x1 @ 4oz. for $4.41
Same exact dimensions went out two weeks ago and was $4.14 also through PIRATE SHIP

Even Pirate Ship went up a little....still better than going to the PO, wasting gas, then waiting in line, having the postal person weigh and measure the BM and being charged over a $1.50 more now, when you could just stay home and DIY it.

 

[K.C._Royals!]

if your bubble mailer is thin enough to fit through a mail slot then you can request to ship it "flat rate" which is much cheaper. You won't get a tracking number but the package will arrive about the same time it would if you sent it 1st class or priority.

 

[t.rooster]

if your bubble mailer is thin enough to fit through a mail slot then you can request to ship it "flat rate" which is much cheaper. You won't get a tracking number but the package will arrive about the same time it would if you sent it 1st class or priority.

Flat rate or large envelope? If it fits through a mail slot, you can send it large envelope w/out tracking and it costs a little more than PWE, but it's rigid.

 

[K.C._Royals!]

Flat rate or large envelope? If it fits through a mail slot, you can send it large envelope w/out tracking and it costs a little more than PWE, but it's rigid.

my post office lets me ship the smaller 4" x 7" as flat rate even if it is rigid. I do the large envelope for 6" x 9" bubble mailers.