Shipping Vinyl, where to get squegees in large quantity

[forsalevinylsigns 1]

Hello everyone! i was wondering how do you guys ship vehicle graphics(24'' X 90'' each) I like the tubes the post office sells but they're a lil bit expensive when providing free shipping on orders. Where do you guys get your tubes or squares and do you ship your vinyl rolled into the decal or outward/rolled into the backing paper?

Another question, where can i get cheap squeegees (about 100), bottles , and cloths at darn cheap wholesale prices?

I apreciate the help guys, Thank you!

[hockeygirl 30]

I usually ship my stuff priority mail and the priority mail tubes are free

[BannerJohn 1,324]

I usually ship my stuff priority mail and the priority mail tubes are free

and if you print your postage online, Delivery Confirmation is FREE with priority mail. Free tubes, free DC...and the cost of priority is usually less than a dollar more than Parcel Post.

look on ebay for squeegees. There are always a few that go cheap in quantity.

[forsalevinylsigns 1]

Thanks for the reply guys. About how much would it cost to ship (2) 23'' x 90'' decals if I print the postage online? Ive never shipped big decals b4, just decals that fit in a large envelope and its around a dollar.

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

You will have to get a scale and weigh them.. No way of guessing. You can buy them cheap on EBAY.  Or take the box to the post office and do your business there.  And personally, I would not put those (2) 24" x 90" in one of those post office tubes. I have some of those tubes, and that would have to be rolled too tight for those tubes.  I use 24" x 6"x 6" boxes from uline.com They have most any size.   Those post office tubes are too tapered being in a triangle like that.  I got some hoping I could use them, but  with that trianglar shape, I only use them with smaller graphics.  Like hood graphics.  Large graphics like what you are going to ship , must be rolled loosely, or you will ruin them, getting creases, etc and your customer will not be happy.  

[BannerJohn 1,324]

If you are being paid with paypal, you can print the postage directly through paypal.

The USPS site has charts that tell how much shipping is, as well as a chart to tell you the ZONE of the person you are shipping to.

It all depends on weight and distance.

as Speed said,get a scale:

http://cgi.ebay.com/35-LB-Capacity-Digital-Shipping-Postal-Scale-Postage-/300432071105?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45f32599c1

It is a good investment.

[forsalevinylsigns 1]

Thanks for the tips guys!!!! Defanately going to order those boxes instead of tubes..

[Alien 11]

If you are being paid with paypal, you can print the postage directly through paypal.

The USPS site has charts that tell how much shipping is, as well as a chart to tell you the ZONE of the person you are shipping to.

It all depends on weight and distance.

as Speed said,get a scale:

http://cgi.ebay.com/35-LB-Capacity-Digital-Shipping-Postal-Scale-Postage-/300432071105?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45f32599c1

It is a good investment.

And get a good one. The cheap ones are always off. I got so frustrated with my cheap ones always being off i gave them away!

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

yup palouze scale here! - verified with Post office to withing .1oz!

[BannerJohn 1,324]

I've been using a $30 ebay scale for 3 years without a single problem. Never have been told by either USPS or UPS that it was off.

Like it makes a difference with UPS or USPS Priority.....you round up to the nearest pound anyway.

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

when I was doing big business thru ebay the postal guys like to poke a little fun and squabble over .1 lbs - a;ll in good fun though

[Guest Schramm]

I ship a lot of vinyl weekly in tubes.  The size vinyl you are talking about can fit into a $3 tube from Staples (I get mine for free - but I am lucky).  You are selling 29 sf of vinyl ready to apply so you should be charging $9 - $10 per sf so $3 is kinda a wash wouldn't you think?  I sell custom made paint mask stencils, wall words and furniture layout stencils for the faux finishing market and charge up to $15 per sf for etched glass vinyl and ship everything for free.

As far as quantity on squeegees, call Fellers I buy 250 white ones a month and I like them a lot.  You can get them personalized with quantity and a art set up charge.

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

uline.com boxes  size 24"x6"x6" is   .49 each plus ship,  and are very sturdy, (with ship about $1.00 each.)  It says sale.  I think .54 when not on sale. .  Some other standard sizes are always on sale also.  I include this cost into my shipping quote.  There is plenty of room, so you can roll your graphics loosely.  The standard sizes I keep are 12" x6" x4" ,  18" x 6" x 4",  24" x 6" x 6" and 30" x 6"x 6" ,,  covers  everthing I do, and my main business is  fullside vehicle  graphics, They have warehouses all over US.  They are very fast shippers,  Mine come from Illinois to Indiana,  Always next day  delivery. and they send you a great catalog with your order. You would be amazed at what all they sell.

http://www.uline.com/Product/AdvSearchResult.aspx?keywords=24x6x6%20box

[Guest Schramm]

Yeah Uline is good, the only issue I have with them (I used to use them) is that if all you need is 1 you will need to buy 10 sometimes 25 plus a inflated shipping charge as many things for them do not go out UPS but instead on a semi.  If you look for a local cardboard dealer you will be surprised how close one may be.

[Jeffrey06 2]

I use uline. I don't buy my bubble mailers from them as I can get them off ebay a lot cheaper.

[BannerJohn 1,324]

Yeah Uline is good, the only issue I have with them (I used to use them) is that if all you need is 1 you will need to buy 10 sometimes 25 plus a inflated shipping charge as many things for them do not go out UPS but instead on a semi.  If you look for a local cardboard dealer you will be surprised how close one may be.

I got a quote from my LOCAL cardboard people. I about fell out of my chair. Over $1 per box more than uline,even after paying uline shipping. And there was a minimum of 100. Fact is, like some sign shops, I don't think they wanted to mess with little orders.

[forsalevinylsigns 1]

when I was doing big business thru ebay the postal guys like to poke a little fun and squabble over .1 lbs - a;ll in good fun though

How is the profit after the ebay selling fees, paypal fees? Did the postal guys pick the vinyl from your location or do you go to the postal office every day?

So basically, i get the order online on Ebay, get payment through paypal,cut the order, box it, weigh it on the scale, print the receipt from USPS.com and then take it to the postal office?

Thx

[forsalevinylsigns 1]

I ship a lot of vinyl weekly in tubes.  The size vinyl you are talking about can fit into a $3 tube from Staples (I get mine for free - but I am lucky).  You are selling 29 sf of vinyl ready to apply so you should be charging $9 - $10 per sf so $3 is kinda a wash wouldn't you think?  I sell custom made paint mask stencils, wall words and furniture layout stencils for the faux finishing market and charge up to $15 per sf for etched glass vinyl and ship everything for free.

As far as quantity on squeegees, call Fellers I buy 250 white ones a month and I like them a lot.  You can get them personalized with quantity and a art set up charge.

Not bad. Are the squeegees cheap enought were I can give em away for free along with the kits I plan to sell?

Thanks

[Jeffrey06 2]

when I was doing big business thru ebay the postal guys like to poke a little fun and squabble over .1 lbs - a;ll in good fun though

How is the profit after the ebay selling fees, paypal fees? Did the postal guys pick the vinyl from your location or do you go to the postal office every day?

So basically, i get the order online on Ebay, get payment through paypal,cut the order, box it, weigh it on the scale, print the receipt from USPS.com and then take it to the postal office?

Thx

After supplies for everything (including Shipping supplies and cost, material cost, etc) About 50% of my sales was pure profit.

[forsalevinylsigns 1]

when I was doing big business thru ebay the postal guys like to poke a little fun and squabble over .1 lbs - a;ll in good fun though

How is the profit after the ebay selling fees, paypal fees? Did the postal guys pick the vinyl from your location or do you go to the postal office every day?

So basically, i get the order online on Ebay, get payment through paypal,cut the order, box it, weigh it on the scale, print the receipt from USPS.com and then take it to the postal office?

Thx

After supplies for everything (including Shipping supplies and cost, material cost, etc) About 50% of my sales was pure profit.

I think thats still good profit. It would definately be more profit locally. the other day, here locally, I made 2 big decals and not as big as the full size graphics for $50 both and bout $4-$6 in material in less than 50 minutes, just wish I got orders like these everyday

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

when I was doing big business thru ebay the postal guys like to poke a little fun and squabble over .1 lbs - a;ll in good fun though

How is the profit after the ebay selling fees, paypal fees? Did the postal guys pick the vinyl from your location or do you go to the postal office every day?

So basically, i get the order online on Ebay, get payment through paypal,cut the order, box it, weigh it on the scale, print the receipt from USPS.com and then take it to the postal office?

Thx

After supplies for everything (including Shipping supplies and cost, material cost, etc) About 50% of my sales was pure profit.

,  Yes pure profit,  profit off of copyrighted material.    so Jeffrey06, how much are you paying Duramax, Ford, Toyota, General Motors, Honda, Cummins, Yahmaha in royalties for all the copyrights you are using?  I don't see that in your list of payouts. LOL  Now you wouldn't have a profit at all if you did that now would you?  

http://shop.ebay.com/decal-jeff/m.html?_trkparms=65%253A12%257C66%253A1%257C39%253A1%257C72%253A2980&_ipg=200&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14.l1514

UPDATE:  jeffrey06 just cancelled all the ads with copyrights.....   I wonder why

http://completed.shop.ebay.com/decal-jeff/m.html?LH_Complete=1&_fln=1&_ipg=25&_trksid=p3911.c0.m283&_rdc=1

[forsalevinylsigns 1]

uline.com boxes  size 24"x6"x6" is   .49 each plus ship,  and are very sturdy, (with ship about $1.00 each.)  It says sale.  I think .54 when not on sale. .  Some other standard sizes are always on sale also.  I include this cost into my shipping quote.  There is plenty of room, so you can roll your graphics loosely.  The standard sizes I keep are 12" x6" x4" ,  18" x 6" x 4",  24" x 6" x 6" and 30" x 6"x 6" ,,  covers  everthing I do, and my main business is  fullside vehicle  graphics, They have warehouses all over US.  They are very fast shippers,  Mine come from Illinois to Indiana,  Always next day  delivery. and they send you a great catalog with your order. You would be amazed at what all they sell.

http://www.uline.com/Product/AdvSearchResult.aspx?keywords=24x6x6%20box

Do you use cast or calendar vinyl for the full size graphics? I plan on doing the graphics 22 inches tall by 90 inches long, would this be full size or would i need bigger vinyl? How are you liking Ebay?

Thx

[forsalevinylsigns 1]

when I was doing big business thru ebay the postal guys like to poke a little fun and squabble over .1 lbs - a;ll in good fun though

How is the profit after the ebay selling fees, paypal fees? Did the postal guys pick the vinyl from your location or do you go to the postal office every day?

So basically, i get the order online on Ebay, get payment through paypal,cut the order, box it, weigh it on the scale, print the receipt from USPS.com and then take it to the postal office?

Thx

After supplies for everything (including Shipping supplies and cost, material cost, etc) About 50% of my sales was pure profit.

so Jeffrey06, how much are you paying Duramax, Ford, Toyota, General Motors, Honda, Yahmaha in royalties for all the copyrights you are using?  I don't see that in your list of payouts.

http://shop.ebay.com/decal-jeff/m.html?_trkparms=65%253A12%257C66%253A1%257C39%253A1%257C72%253A2980&_ipg=200&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14.l1514

lol!!! sum1 got discovered

[Jeffrey06 2]

when I was doing big business thru ebay the postal guys like to poke a little fun and squabble over .1 lbs - a;ll in good fun though

How is the profit after the ebay selling fees, paypal fees? Did the postal guys pick the vinyl from your location or do you go to the postal office every day?

So basically, i get the order online on Ebay, get payment through paypal,cut the order, box it, weigh it on the scale, print the receipt from USPS.com and then take it to the postal office?

Thx

After supplies for everything (including Shipping supplies and cost, material cost, etc) About 50% of my sales was pure profit.

,  Yes pure profit,  profit off of coypyrighted material.    so Jeffrey06, how much are you paying Duramax, Ford, Toyota, General Motors, Honda, Cummins, Yahmaha in royalties for all the copyrights you are using?  I don't see that in your list of payouts. LOL  Now you wouldn't have a profit at all if you did that now would you?  

http://shop.ebay.com/decal-jeff/m.html?_trkparms=65%253A12%257C66%253A1%257C39%253A1%257C72%253A2980&_ipg=200&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14.l1514

Your right.

I'm slowly drifting away from ebay.. I'm starting to stay busy from just the online forums I advertise on. Hence why I bought my new machine as I'm doing alot of windshield banners for people and with longer jobs I need a cutter to stay on track.

[Jeffrey06 2]

uline.com boxes  size 24"x6"x6" is   .49 each plus ship,  and are very sturdy, (with ship about $1.00 each.)  It says sale.  I think .54 when not on sale. .  Some other standard sizes are always on sale also.  I include this cost into my shipping quote.  There is plenty of room, so you can roll your graphics loosely.  The standard sizes I keep are 12" x6" x4" ,  18" x 6" x 4",  24" x 6" x 6" and 30" x 6"x 6" ,,  covers  everthing I do, and my main business is  fullside vehicle  graphics, They have warehouses all over US.  They are very fast shippers,  Mine come from Illinois to Indiana,  Always next day  delivery. and they send you a great catalog with your order. You would be amazed at what all they sell.

http://www.uline.com/Product/AdvSearchResult.aspx?keywords=24x6x6%20box

Do you use cast or calendar vinyl for the full size graphics? I plan on doing the graphics 22 inches tall by 90 inches long, would this be full size or would i need bigger vinyl? How are you liking Ebay?

Thx

I honestly don't like it, like posted in my post above.. I'm staying busy from other areas now.