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PM-Performance

Suggestions on poly mailers for shirts and shipping services

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So after realizing I am spending too much money on shipping shirts priority mail in their 12x15 tyvek envelopes and including shipping, I need to change something up to maximize my profits a little better. 

My wife keeps telling me I am stupid for including shipping in my price, but I know people are cheap and that is probably helping my sales. 

Anyway, I am thinking of trying First Class now for my shirts in poly mailers, but seems alot of the ones on Amazon people complain about them ripping. What mailers have you guys had luck with?

Lastly, I have been using PirateShip for shipping discounts through USPS and looks like going from Priority at like $7.50 per package, I can go  to first class for like $3.50 or so a package potentially. 

Anyone have suggestions to save a little more on this?

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If you are sticking with free shipping how about offering faster shipping for an up-charge and build some profits into that fee? If they go free it will be slow but for XX amount it can get shipped at a higher rate. I would include some sort of clarifier that lets them know at least subliminal that it will speed up the overall process as well. Something like.... "usually ships in 2-3 business days and then in the expedited shipping offering shown that you will ship in 1 to 2 days as part of the up-charge. You'll have to be careful how you write it so it looks like you are going out of your normal day to day process to get it out sooner so you don't piss off the slow boat people. Some just want free shipping and couldn't care less about how long it takes but most people would prefer to get it sooner and so are often willing to ship in an extra $10 or something to get it there. 

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   I ship almost everyday. The way it is right now there is no faster shipping, Priority and First Class are horrible.  Priority is taking up to 21 days sometimes.  Michigan area is horrible coming thru Detroit.  I dread getting sales to Michigan, but you can't pick who buys from you. Just had a big delay of 13 days down around Baton Rouge, going to a smaller town in LA.  Indy to St Louis 10 days. Priority mail.  The packages just sit and say IN TRANSIT,  I have Priority packages every week  taking 10-12 days. There are  big bottle necks in these big towns. I do offer Free shipping, but my business is decals. Mostly larger, where I can just figure in the shipping costs into the product price and still have good profits.  Shipping is so bad right now that that Ebay posted a notice that they will go back to July 1st and remove anything to do with shipping delays on your account up to Aug 31st. on your feedback. I wouldn't charge extra for something that may or may not get there in a reasonable about of time.   I use Poly bags quite often, they don't rip, Heck you have to cut them to open them. I do get mine Free from Ebay as I have a store. but before that I used to purchase them. There are big dealers on Ebay that sell them.

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So I do this as a side thing, but I normally cut and press every few days and ship same day they are done. Looks like regardless though the Priority vs First class is the same 1-3 days for most places. 

I have not had any slowdowns other than one in MI, but more so trying to figure out how to save. 

I sell T shirts for $25 and feel I am limiting my profits by offering free priority @$7.50-8.50 per package. Esp if I factor in materials. I know my customers will likely be cheap though if I start hitting with shipping and may kill my sales. I gotta think this one through. 

Don't get me wrong, I am making money. Just when i think about it harder, I feel like I am spending more time and money making that money and could be making more. I deff try to upsell as much as I can since adhesive vinyl I make more on, or multiple shirts saves me on shipping. 

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If I can ship First Class, I do.   I have First Class stated on my ads, if that would be the size and weight. I still have many decals that are larger, but with the weight, they would still be First Class.  But my real niche' is very large decals. 20-27" w x 90" - 16 ft. L  There is only a couple designs that I have would be 3 pounds.  Most are 2 pounds.  But when you get up to size of 24" L, even if it only weighs 13 ounces you are forced to pay for Priority Mail because of the sizes of the package.  It could be a lower length than that.  I know 18"L x 6"W x 6"H wide  16 oz and lower, is still First Class, but my next up size is 24" x 6" x 6".   Is Priority.  Also this year, USPS, made First Class cost by zones.  It used to be the same price for every state you mailed to.   Priority mail is always by zones that you ship to. 

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thanks for the info Skeeter! I think my single T's could be first class easy. The other stuff not so much, but if I can save half on those single shirts that would be nice. I am just worried about the cheapy amazon mailers. 

Stickers I send first class,but I buy these 10x12 carboard envelopes which cost money too. I would really like to find a cheaper way to send these as well. 

I make decent money in spurts, but anything I can do to maximize, the better. I dont even sell on Ebay or Etsy because I dont want to pay the fees on everything

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