Mail & Shipping - Recommendations, Questions, and Answers

Hannah Palmer6 said:My niece in Vienna wants to mail me a dress. It’s pretty light, maybe half a kilo or less. Does anyone have a rough idea of what the shipping should cost?

Under half a kilo $5.00 should be
fine.

Hannah Palmer6 said:My cousin in Vienna wants to mail me a dress. It isn't heavy, maybe half a pound or less. I guess I'm just wondering if anyone knows roughly how much the shipping would cost from there to the US?

Melissa Morgan77 said:About half a pound. $5.00 Recommended.

Melissa Morgan77, that price is just for domestic shipping. As for international orders, sending a registered package weighing up to half a pound from the US to Austria would be around... $20.

Hannah Palmer6 posted that it’s probably best if you just head over to the post office to check. I guess their price lists might be different.

Help, what are your thoughts and advice:

I'm planning to send this via USPS in a yellow bubble mailer
but since it's mostly cosmetics
with some heavy bottles (perfume, shampoo, etc.)
will I run into issues because it isn't in a cardboard box?
The thing is, I don't own a single one🤷

Megan Bishop3 said:So, what do you guys think? Looking for some advice here:

I'm just sending it via USPS as a certified package in one of those yellow bubble mailers.
I mean, we're talking about a massive amount of cosmetics here. Seriously.
Dealing with those heavy bottles—you know, the perfume, the shampoo, all that stuff...
Will they give me grief if it isn't in the box?
So, yeah... I don't own a single one. 🤷

It shouldn't give you any trouble. I’ve sent off similar stuff before—they were actually packed in little boxes back then, just to be safe. Not that they'd probably break or anything, but hey, why risk it? No point in being reckless if there isn't even much to lose.
Why aren't you just sending this as a standard package? Right now, it looks way too much like a registered letter. Especially if those bottles are heavy, shipping costs end up being a headache anyway. Plus, it’s just safer—you can actually pack them properly and make sure nothing breaks.
The only reason a recommendation like that actually works is if the buyer is too lazy—or maybe just too busy—to swing by the local USPS branch. Otherwise, what's the point?🤷 Just make sure you let them know there’s a chance he might not show up in one piece. Honestly, I’ve received empty envelopes like that before—those little blisters aren't exactly a big deal anyway.😉
If you think you're out of luck because you don't have any shipping boxes lying around, don't sweat it. You can just swing by the local USPS and grab some small ones for like three bucks. Simple enough. $1.25So, how much does that envelope actually come out to?🙂

Melissa Morgan77
thanks (you’re basically the soul of this thread, 😉)

I think I might have misspoken earlier,
I'm sending it as a value package (using that scheme up to $27 in value)
which should land somewhere around $8.00, if my math isn't totally off 😕

And you make a good point,
I actually went ahead and individually wrapped almost everything,
since we all know how carefully one has to handle things 🙄

I'm just a little skeptical,
about whether everything will actually be fine. I remember once when I was shipping mascara and similar small items, they actually questioned me about what was inside...
as if they were suspicious of 🤷...

If you’re eating cereal or something similar, just use the original box. I’m sure you have a billion empty ones lying around the house, so it’s your safest bet to ensure nothing gets crushed.
Also, why are you sending this as a high-value shipment? For a standard package valued up to $33, the shipping cost is only $6.00.

I need some urgent advice here:
Is it actually possible to send something via USPS with COD, and if so, how does that work?

The rules for shipping with cash on delivery state that you have to provide the recipient's full address...

So, what am I supposed to put on those address labels? Just write "Poste Restante"?

Hey everyone, I’m just getting started with selling stuff online, so I have a quick question.

What’s your go-to way for shipping shoes, and what does the postage usually end up costing?

Alright, let's get this sorted for Megan Bishop3, Amanda Lopez52, and urbancobra12 🙂 just ship them as standard packages—specifically "insured shipments," according to the confirmation. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. They aren't going to grill you about what's actually inside; that's none of their business. Just a heads up: if that mascara starts rattling around because the box is too big, maybe throw some packing paper in there to fill the gaps. For anything under 2kg with a value of $33, USPS will charge you $6.00. Good luck, ladies 🙂

Taylor Campbell4 said:I need some quick advice here:
Can I actually send something via General Delivery with COD, and if so, how does that work?

Because looking at the rules for COD shipments, it says you have to provide the recipient's full address...

So what am I supposed to put on those address labels? Just "General Delivery"?

You can definitely use General Delivery
instead of a specific street address, just write "General Delivery" along with the zip code of the post office.

Melissa Morgan77 said:Look, let’s just settle this once and for all. 🙂placidcanyon16, Amanda Lopez52, and urbancobra12—just send them as standard packages. It's listed as a "declared value shipment" on the receipt, which is basically all you need to know. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but the postal service isn't going to interrogate you about the contents. Their business is shipping, not auditing your makeup bag. The only thing you actually need to worry about is making sure that mascara doesn't rattle around in a massive box; if the container is too big, just stuff some paper in there to fill the gaps. For anything under 2kg with a package value of $33, the USPS charge is $6.00. There you go, ladies. Good luck. 🙂

Thanks, 😍

Hey guys, could use a little help here 🙂

I’m looking to ship something out where the recipient (don't actually know them, just a random transaction) has to pay on delivery—basically a COD shipment. It’s some kind of tech gear worth about $900, and I’m guessing it weighs no more than 3 kg.

My plan is to make sure they cover all the shipping costs, but if I have to pony up the cash upfront, any idea what that might run me? Also, how do I make sure the thing doesn't get smashed? Is there a specific "fragile" sticker or something? It's not super delicate, but I'd really rather they didn't just toss it around the back of a FedEx truck...

By the way, has anyone used Amtrak for shipping before?

You can easily ship this via Amtrak. I think they offer an option for the recipient to pay on delivery, though I'm not entirely certain.
They'll slap a fragile sticker on it, but you have to sign a waiver stating they aren't liable if it breaks.

Selling something for the first time here. I need answers to two specific questions:

1. If I provide my bank account number, can the person making the transfer see my home address?
Is there any actual danger in someone knowing my account number? Like, could they take out a loan in my name or something similar?
The internet is full of creeps, so you can never be too careful.

2. If I’m shipping via USPS certified mail, can I just list my address as POSTE RESTANTE, 10000 Washington, D.C.? I don't want my home address out there for everyone to see.

Thanks in advance.

Is anyone else dealing with slow mail lately? I sent out two certified letters via USPS, and while one showed up in five days, the other still hasn't arrived yet. 🤷
I guess certified mail is supposed to arrive within two days at most, right?

Chloe Moore65 said:you can just toss it in an Amtrak shipment, no biggie. I think they have that thing where the recipient pays for it too, but honestly, I'm not 100% sure
they'll slap a "fragile" sticker on it, but you gotta sign some waiver saying it's on you if it breaks

Thanks a ton, 😉. In that case, I'll just go with Amtrak.

@Rebecca Morales11/">@@Rebecca Morales11, it felt weird to me too. Last Friday my girlfriend sent me a little package from Washington, D.C., and it didn't show up here in Austin until Thursday... I was low-key freaking out because it usually takes like two days. I was totally expecting it by Tuesday.🤷

Help me out, guys!🙂
I need to ship this stool—it doesn't have an armrest, the legs are about 20 inches high, and the seat is roughly 12x20 inches. It’s super light, too, definitely under 7 pounds! I need to get it to another city. What’s the absolute cheapest way to do this? I was thinking maybe I could just unscrew the legs, pack everything up, and send it off as a standard parcel??😕Do you think the USPS would even let me do that??🤷

Amanda Lopez52 said:For a standard package worth up to $33, the shipping fee is just $6.00.

Yeah, that’s exactly what I did—the shipping comes out to $6.25
and I suppose that's probably the best way to go.

Thanks to Amanda Lopez52 and also Melissa Morgan77 for the advice.🙂

Megan Bishop3 said:Yeah, that's what I ended up doing—shipping costs hit $6.25
and honestly, it feels like the smartest move.

Okay, but if we're talking $18.60, that was just a suggestion, not a set package deal. 🤷 Whatever, doesn't matter anymore, glad you figured it out. 😉

@daca2 you can definitely do that; everything you need to know is right there in your last few posts.

I have a question for you experts out there. How on earth do I ship a glass plate without it shattering into a million pieces? Should I use a box, or would those bubble mailers work? Actually, I'm thinking probably not! Plus, should I wrap it in something extra first?
Can I just use one of my own boxes instead of buying their specific packaging? And does anyone know roughly how much this is going to cost me? Thanks!!