Teach Soap

If you have a website or online sales, who do you use to ship?

I have a website and trying to estimate shipping is killing me! I would love to be able to offer free shipping, but it is so expensive. Flat rate is easier, but if someone is just buying 1-2 soaps it doesn't make sense. I can't even find a good calculator, all the calculated prices come up on the high end, but I shipped 3 bars of soap to my uncle in a padded envelope for about $3 USPS.

Any advice or tips on finding the cheapest options on shipping rates?

just a thought is to get as many as you can in the flat rate envelope and say you'll ship x amount for x amount of $
the others go for $3 as you have to pay for the envelope. I think that's fair.. Charging people 5.99 for a bar of soap, is just too much to me..
I thin UPS starts at around 6+... and there is no flat rate.

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~~~Cheryl~~~

I charge $6 shipping on orders up to $50 and free shipping above that. I use USPS and print my postage directly from their website. You can save a bit of $$$ that way. The small flat rate boxes and 9x12 padded flat rate envelopes are about the same price, but you can fit lots more soap in the envelope.

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

I agree. Nice to know.. I love the flat rate envelopes I haven't shipped soap but just when I ship regular stuff.

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~~~Cheryl~~~

I use USPS for almost all of my shipping. I use flat rate shipping whenever possible.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

Thanks for the info everyone!

Linda, that is a good rule of thumb. I have a postage scale from stamps.com, but I've only used it the one time for my uncle, and that rate was better than any I was able to look up online. I've been trying to figure out rates that are cheaper than flat rates for people who may only want to buy 1 or 2 soaps, I hate to see them pay so much in shipping. It's just hard to estimate for the shipping calculator without knowing a destination and item weight.

Is there something somewhere where we can put in the zip code and get the shipping for the person?

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~~~Cheryl~~~

The ones I have found are a bit confusing, they only give options for certain types of mail classes, so you're basically stuck with the flat rate.

My website and check out are very basic. I spent hours figuring out regional flat rate zip code zones when I first set it up because they seemed to be the most reasonable, and it still charges over $5 for one soap. I know there are cheaper options!

can't you make it so you can put in the shipping? but I guess, I know I would like to know how much shipping is before I ordered.

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~~~Cheryl~~~

You have to choose the amount to add for shipping when the person buys the item, so I was trying to figure out how much each bar weighs and how many I could fit in each size box or envelope. If someone buys more than 2 soaps, I think the shipping is reasonable. I just think that shipping prices hinder anyone who might want to buy one or two to try.

The alternative is to not put shipping in and then add it to the price when you determine shipping, but I know as a consumer the shipping charges can be make or break on an online purchase, and I also want to know up front.

how would shipping be if you say included, and raise the price to reflect, it

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~~~Cheryl~~~

I thought about doing that, but I'm not sure if I'd then have to pay sales tax on the higher purchase price. Have yet to look it up.