Everything you were afraid to ask about shipping with Paypal and Endicia
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Original Post
I especially want to hear from people who do not ship from home -- how come? How can I convince you to do it? :)
Let's chat about it! What questions do you have?
Scale
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You need a postal scale. I use a USPS one that I bought on Amazon. I do fine with a 10lb scale since larger orders are shipped flat rate, although intl flat rate packages still do need to be weighed. I've used a bathroom scale for intl orders over 10 lbs.
Find a scale that has an AC adapter, not just batteries!
Shipping supplies
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I order supplies from uline, esupplystore.com, and priority packaging from USPS.com (they deliver for free).
Labels and printer
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I use labels from esupplystore.com and print on a laser printer, although I used an ink jet before and that was fine too. I've upgraded to a Dymo label writer but my new labels haven't arrived yet.
Those are the basics of the physical part -- now here is the software part.
Carrier Pickup
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This is lovely! My postal guy comes and picks up all my packages at my front door. Since I live in a gated community I can take advantage of the fact that the items are quite safe. It will depend on your neighborhood and the reliability of your carrier. My packages are only unattended for 20 minutes, since I leave for work just moments before the postal guy comes.
Paypal
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I tend to use the multi-order window since it's nice and quick. Once you launch it, you can import your US sales (no APOs) automatically, set the shipping weight or class for the items, and then print! You can edit presets if you do a lot of the same orders -- for example, I do a lot of 6x4x4 boxes that weigh 1-2 pounds, so I have it set as a preset. I apply it to the packages that it fits -- you can hold down shift and select multiple items and set them all to the same preset if you like.
You can also open your Paypal receipt email, click the link there, and at the bottom of that receipt on the Paypal site, there is a Shipping Label link. Enter the weight and mail class (here you can do APO and priority and express intl) and then print the label. For the intl packages, you can fill out the customs form right there and it prints as part of the label.
Third, you can use the main section of paypal to print, just click the print shipping button next to the order.
You cannot use Paypal to ship uncleared echeck orders. You can always access the order again and ship multiple labels for it -- for example for my soap subscriptions, I can go back to the original order and print a new label each month.
If you have it set up correctly, your customer gets a notification via email with their tracking number for US orders. I am not sure what intl customers receive.
Endicia
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This one is a bit trickier.
It costs roughly $10 per month and allows you to print international first class postage from home, and also the large flat rate priority boxes that Paypal doesn't cover yet.
Just like priority intl, you fill out the customs form as part of the label.
Rather than go a step-by-step with endicia, I thought I'll field questions about it. For those who have never used it or don't have the software, it's harder to cover, but if you have it and need help I will do my best to explain!
Posted at 7:02pm Oct 16, 2008 EDT
Responses
hi savor--most of the time i use the postal pick up but sometimes i've been home in the studio all day and going to the post office is the most social moment i have. i get to walk down main street and say hello to folks and remember i live in a cool town with wonderful people. so that's why i don't always use one of these services...;-)
Posted at 7:05pm Oct 16, 2008 EDT
LOL savor--I know you have a very busy life and job and that this is a great bonus for you. Trust me, during the holidays I use both USPS and UPS pickup and do my socializing elsewhere! I ship a lot of tiles and use UPS for most of that and I have a great UPS guy that takes great care of me.
Posted at 7:07pm Oct 16, 2008 EDT
savor, can you believe that we just got a postal scale and will not do postage at home? What the hell were we thinking waiting this long. Thanks on the tip about esuppliestore.com
I just have a basic question about endicia. What are you paying them a monthly fee to do?
Posted at 7:12pm Oct 16, 2008 EDT
Hey whimsy!
Endicia provides a software interface, similar to how paypal works. I guess the $10 is paying for that (just like our fees pay for the Paypal services).
Endicia also offers their own insurance (for a small cost) so you can do that if you like, you can't always buy USPS insurance for certain types of packages/countries.
For whatever reason, the only first class intl postage providers around are endicia and stamps.com. They both have monthly fees.
If you pay endicia a little extra, you can use "stealth" postage that is hidden, like paypal.
You won't need endicia at all unless you want to do those large flat rate boxes, since really it's only useful for intl shipping (which you probably can't do with food?)
Posted at 7:15pm Oct 16, 2008 EDT
Hi Savor :)
I guess I've been putting this off as my sales are pretty sporadic.
I have 2 etsy shops both with pretty decent sales records and have been able to send my packages either on the way to work or on the way home from work. I guess my other concern is that I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving outgoing packages on my doorstep. My area is safe but it's not gated or tucked away and is near a semi busy street where my front door is exposed to the general public...
Posted at 7:19pm Oct 16, 2008 EDT
Yes, we don't do international, though we get asked all the time and I feel bad about it. OK, so that clarifies it, thanks! We're excited about the scale - we're gonna try it with the paypal shipping tomorrow.
Posted at 7:19pm Oct 16, 2008 EDT
i have looking at endicia - i never really could figure out how their insurance worked... is it insurance via endicia or usps insurance?
Posted at 7:20pm Oct 16, 2008 EDT
Savor, this is great! I feel like I should ship from home but don't. My reasons...
My post office is a mile from home. Never a line. Friendly PO workers.
My laptop isn't hooked up to a printer. Kind of a pain to hook it up.
I figure they can do it quicker than I can.
I worry that my scale will be off or I'll make some other mistake.
I don't think they'll pick up First Class, right?
Them's the reasons.
Posted at 7:23pm Oct 16, 2008 EDT