Shipping from roaster to customer - USPS or UPS or FedEx?

[HRC]

Hey guys,

We want to start offering bags of our roasted coffee to “family and friends” via a simple email mailing list. We’re doing this while we try to figure out the best avenues for future growth. We’re getting hounded by friends to get them coffee, so we figure this is the best way to satisfy them while we do our thinking and planning.

We’ve hit a snag though. We originally thought USPS Flat Rate would be our best bet but our bags won’t fit in their small box (flat rate $5.80) because it’s only 1.5” thick. The next size up box is their medium and it’s $12.35 flat rate. Needless to say, no one’s gonna want to pay that much for shipping coffee. I should state that we haven’t physically tried to stuff our bags in one of the small size boxes but it doesn’t seem likely.

Obviously this puts a wrench in our cog. Looking for suggestions. Ideally, we’d like to keep shipping around $5.

Thanks.

 

[PinkRose]

How much coffee will you be shipping to your friends and family? Will you be sending a pound at a time or more than that?

If you don't need to use special bags, you can use a zip lock freezer bag, and put it into the flat rate box, and then pour the coffee into it so the coffee package is flat. Just seal the bag, then close up the box, and mail it.

Rose

 

[CoffeeJunky]

How much coffee will you be shipping to your friends and family? Will you be sending a pound at a time or more than that?

If you don't need to use special bags, you can use a zip lock freezer bag, and put it into the flat rate box, and then pour the coffee into it so the coffee package is flat. Just seal the bag, then close up the box, and mail it.

Rose

I would do exactly same if you are mailing 1-8 pounds.

 

[John P]

I prefer USPS, unless you are shipping multiple boxes daily.
If you use the "click N Ship" and print your own postage, you can save $ off the regular postal rates too. Sometimes the regular rate is cheaper than the flat rate -- depends on the size, weight, and distance.

 

[Bardo]

And then just put your bag in the box with the coffee in the zip-loc, and they can redeploy it if it is important to you.

 

[HRC]

Good suggestions, thanks. I discovered something "awesome" yesterday (not really). In Oct 2012, the state of Illinois passed a new law that retailers must collect sales tax for shipping charges. Previously, it was allowed to write off the cost of shipping so you only collect sales tax on the item cost, not the item cost plus shipping. It was not easy digging up this information. Does anyone else have to deal with this as well? I have to admit, it definitely popped my bubble.

 

[pdxmatt]

I have found that I can ship 12 oz net weight for $3.77 via usps if I am careful. I use extremely lightweight bubble mailers and can keep the total weight under 13 ounces. If your package is 13 ounces or less usps ships first class for $3.77. Obviously this doesn't work for larger quantities but be aware it is available.

 

[HRC]

Cool, Matt, thanks for the info. Have any customers complained about the bubble mailers vs using a corrugated box? Like damaged beans or anything? I did find out that Uline has a warehouse just north of Chicago and they have pretty awesome pricing on pretty much every size you could think of. As long as the shipping box isn't bigger than 12" on any side, it ships for pretty close to the flat rate within the region. Outside the region is a different story, of course.

 

[netsite]

Hi, new person here. I saw the post about sales tax on shipping. Here's the rules direct from the state to help you out on all that stuff:

tax.illinois.gov/LegalInformation/Prules/130-415-PA.pdf

tax.illinois.gov/LegalInformation/Prules/130-410-PA.pdf

(if you have other questions feel free to ask. Illinois corporation since 2001)

 

[pdxmatt]

No complaints about bubble mailers from customers. They weigh around .4 ounces each. But certainly they don't offer the protection of a corrugated box. But I don't think I could make the sales I do with a shipping cost over 5 dollars so I'll stick with it until I can get my daily shipments to the next level of 50 or more packages.