Teach Soap

The other day I bought Avery labels 2 per sheet specifically for printing shipping labels. I finally had a chance to test the waters with the label with (whoo hoo - my first etsy -repeat - buyer - who has been gracious with me as I keep trying to find the bar where I want to be with shipping). She bought 4 so I could use the flat rate service and get her a delivery confirmation.

Okay so for those who use this shipping feature - you have a chance to print a sample label before you do the real thing. I did that on a piece of paper and thought 'cool' - I see what it is going to look like and it only printed on 1/2 the paper - giving me confidence that it would do the same on the avery label.

To my 'horror' - when I printed the label - the system printed the label on the one label and then on the 2nd label on the same page printed out this list of instructions and an on-line label record. WHAT A WASTE!! Basically I bought (again not in bulk yet until I really start seeing some sales online) 25 sheets with 2 labels each for a total of 50 labels. BUT if this system prints on the 2nd label this is really costing me alot to print then. It makes no sense to have this online label record printed when they send you an e-mail.

Am I missing something on the paypal printing. Was there a box I should have checked to not print this other portion?

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Hilary

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http://www.asliceofdelight.etsy.com

That's why I only print on regular paper and use tape to attach it to the package. It costs less and if you mess up it's only a regular piece of paper. Mine prints the label and the online label record if the person paid via Paypal. If they didn't and I use the multiple shipping option, it only prints on half of the sheet.

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

just a note buy avery products on ebay its cheaper... wayyyy cheaper

I have registered with USPS.com and print mine there. They do give you the option to skip the instructions and you do get delivery conf. as well. I don't know if it is true or not but I have been told that paypal shipping has just 1 size bulk rate available. At USPS you can get the small and the large as well. I was lucky as far as the labels go. A medium sized business went under near me and I got this large stack of shipping labels for free from a friend of a friend.

Bruce

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www.homebrewsoaps.etsy.com

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

Thanks everyone. At least my confirmed observation was correct in that there is no getting around on etsy/paypal shipping label process.

I'll either do one of two things or both I suppose.

Setup an account on usps. Have them charge me (do they take paypal to pay?) and pay the bill and use up my current labels so I can at least use them effectively.

Then when I run out - go back to paper and use etsy/paypal - then I won't have to manage accounts in two places. I do have to say I like the shipping fund (paid by the customer) taken directly from the paypal account when ready to print the label. And now all the client information is just transfered right onto the label from etsy/paypal which I assume would not happen with usps - my guess is I would have to type in all the info myself - unless there is a way (file) to transfer to usps from paypal.

Thanks again!!
Hilary

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http://www.asliceofdelight.etsy.com

USPS.com does not take Paypal as payment.

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

Hi, everyone,

Golly, shipping sounds so complicated!

Although I haven't gotten around to selling quite yet, I was hoping to have an Etsy shop soon. PayPal would be the preferred method of payment. I have labels like ASliceofDelight has. Are they useless? What if the customer pays with a credit card through PayPal but not with a PayPal account? Is multiple shipping an option then?

Is setting up a shipping profile a bit more intuitive once you get into PayPal? I wanted to offer first-class shipping for 1-2 bars, small flat rate box/envelope for 3-6 bars, medium flat rate box for 7-24 bars, and a large flat rate box for 25 bars or more. Is that reasonable and doable?

I'm trying to learn as much about PayPal as I can before getting in there, but it's difficult to learn without getting in there. Maybe it'll make more sense once I'm there.

Thanks, everybody.

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- Jenny -
My soapy blog:
Follow me on my

You can make a shipping label on Paypal for just about anyone, even if they haven't paid you with Paypal. Just use the multiple shipping option.

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

Jrose729- Shipping initially is just another one of those aspects that have to be figured out because you really have to experience it first hand (like I'm doing and we all have at one point) to understand all the connection points. I used to be a technical project manager (I suppose I still am at some level though unemployed) - but then again - not really 'unemployed' because I"m employing myself as an 'artisan soap crafter' with no income (yet) - tee hee

I'm happy to share with you all I have figured out since April when I opened my etsy store. Just a few points to your last post

Shipping profiles (to charge for the shipping) are actually setup in etsy (if you are using etsy as your storefront). I don't know how other marketplaces work. There is a great approach to the profiles of which I have not adopted yet. My current profile setup (for US oonly) will work but I like some other ideas I have read about. I'm happy to talk to you about this. Just pm me and we can exchange phone numbers as it will be easier to discuss by phone. After the purchase then you use paypal and it guides you through the steps to choose 1st class or flat rate (4.95). Not sure what choices are beyond that as I did not look at that.

If you must charge taxes for your state residents - etsy does not do that for you. It is done in Paypal and it's not automatic.

Funny story - because of my 'nature' I wanted to do a UAT like test for myself to understand the process before I posted lots of soaps - I was even going to ask a friend to buy the soap (and I would pay her back) so I could ask her questions about how things looked on her end..etc... I wrote up my policies to a point that I was happy with - (still tweaking) but in a way that I could stand behind what I said. I had one sentence on my announcement saying I was just starting my store and I would be adding more soap soon. I posted my soap so I could understand that action and I went to sleep. I woke up the next morning and I was "where is my soap" - as it turns out that evening, at that moment - a woman saw my soap as it had just posted on that first bath/beauty page - and she bought it!! (so it had moved to the sold page). Now has that for serendipity. Havn't had that *ever* happen again but that's okay. What a way to start my on-line store. My point being that it's worth doing some 'trial runs' so you will feel more comfortable even if you have to put them in place (i.e. ask a friend) to do it. As it turns out I learned *alot* from that first transaction (the only thing is it turn out to be somone I did not know - but she was cool about being my first buyer - and she's now come back 3 times - If I could get like 100 of her - I'd feel really good).

Anyway my point is I would be happy to remove some of those barriers upfront for you so you don't have to struggle (save those for other occasions). just pm me.

I thank all for the input on the printing labels.
Hilary

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http://www.asliceofdelight.etsy.com

You can apply for the Paypal card. I got mine and I use it for all my shipping. USPS doesn't accept Paypal but you can use the paypal card. It's a MasterCard Business Debit. Works as either a cc or a debit card. I really like it.

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Haven

Thanks, ASliceofDelight, for all of the info!

You're right about how experiencing stuff firsthand removes some of the mystique. I have a feeling that once I get in there and start playing around, I'll answer a lot of my own questions. I don't even know enough yet to know what I don't know! I do have a "PayPal For Dummies" book that I've read, and it'll probably make tons more sense once I'm actually in PayPal and can reference it.

I appreciate your offer to help. If I run into trouble, I may take you up on it!

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- Jenny -
My soapy blog:
Follow me on my

I have a seperate business account set up at my local bank. It comes with a free debot card that I use at USPS to pay for my shipping. It is quick and easy.

Bruce

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www.homebrewsoaps.etsy.com

Bigmoose - thanks for the tip. I will check that out - as I have a business bank account too and truthfully I probably have that option as well but did not really think about that. Keeping things consolidated can really help with all that book keeping an such.
Thanks

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http://www.asliceofdelight.etsy.com

asliceofdelight, you can change your paypal set up to stop printing the instructions, and then your labels will work just fine.

And jrose729, you should be able to fit a lot more than 24 bars in a medium flat rate box, unless your packaging is really bulky. I can fit 36 in a medium box, and 60 in a large.

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http://www.magichandsworkshop.com
http://www.magichands.etsy.com
http://www.magichandsworkshop.blogspot.com