In spite of all the bad press about the Post Office, it is my personal favorite, hands down...
US Post Office
The Post Office’s Web site is a treasure trove. You can find zip codes (including those extra four-digit numbers which speed up delivery), order stamps and see shipping rates to any destination.
One indispensable item for successful auction selling is a postal scale. Mine is measured in ounces because I usually deal in small items. Buy a scale that is flexible enough to meet your needs.
Know your shipping charges in advance, have postage affixed to the package and just drop it off at the Post Office. Simple and efficient.The Post Office will pick up your Priority Mail packages but there is a fee for this service. Generally, I send everything by Priority Mail for the protection of the buyer and myself. Priority Mail tracks your packages. This service allows you to know where your package is at any time and this information is accessible online.
When I was a novice auction buyer, I didn’t include tracking for cheaper items. I was lucky that everything arrived safely. Then I sold a $75 item and later received an accusatory e-mail from my buyer -- “Where is my package?” The Post Office had tried to deliver it twice. Because no one was home both times, they couldn’t get the required signature for the insurance. The Post Office was about to return the package to me. It was a hassle, I didn’t need. Since that time, I have always charged the buyer an extra 50 cents on every package. I don’t request permission. It’s just included as part of the transaction.
It’s a good idea to send a message to your buyer to confirm shipment. With my initial shipments, I didn’t include the tracking number but followed it up myself. Now I include the number and the exact Web site address so that my buyer can follow her own package.
In this way, I make the entire procedure more efficient by cutting down on my time investment. And I make the buyer more comfortable because she can verify what I have told her.
Occasionally, I have a customer who is buying something very light and doesn’t want to pay for Priority shipping (tracking is only available with Priority mail). I am quite willing to oblige him in this but I make it very clear that the risk is all his. If the package should get lost in the mail, I will not refund his money. If all my customers understand this up front, there isn’t a problem.
The Post Office offers insurance as well. These costs are listed online. I offer it to my buyers as an option. Some want it and some don’t. However, here’s a precaution to take. When you offer insurance to your buyers, save their response e-mail (i.e., yes or no answer) until their package has arrived. So far, (knock on wood) my packages have always arrived safely. In the event that an uninsured one does not, I have proof that my buyer didn’t want insurance.
Canada Post...Canada Post offers three options… Priority Courier, Xpresspost and Regular parcel. All charge extra for tracking and insurance. Canada Post also sells stamps and offers a rate calculator online.
United Parcel Service... http://www.ups.comUPS supplies are not free. This will add substantial costs to your auction business. UPS charges are a little more difficult to figure.
UPS has a great advantage over the Post Office, however, in size, weight and shape. They will ship up to 150 pounds in one box (the Post Office limit is 70 pounds). Their size limits are greater, too, and they will ship weird shapes that the Post Office won’t accept. Tracking is free, if you get the delivery confirmation .
Be aware that UPS has different charges for regular and high-volume users. Since you will soon be a high-volume customer, you will qualify for these lower fees.
Federal Express... http://www.fedex.com
FedEx was a “johnny-come-lately” in the auction delivery business. They realized that they were missing out on a lot of money in the e-commerce field and decided to become serious competitors of the Post Office and UPS.
Other Options...Depending on the nature of your sold item, you may have to consider other options. Bus Lines meet certain challenges, for instance...
Greyhound Bus Lines
There are many items that are not suitable for any of the carriers above. For example, if you are selling furniture, concrete statues…
… or totem poles, you will have to make special arrangements with trucking companies or freight carriers. There are special Web sites, such as iShip (http://www.iship.com/) that can be very helpful for shipping research information, especially if your item is unique.
International Shipping...
If you are going to ship internationally, you need to consider how you will deliver your packages. Fed Ex is wonderful for documents but not as appropriate for our auctions. According to people who are experienced in this kind of traffic, UPS is the absolute favorite. It has an extensive list of countries to which they will ship.
