Shipping- Noob wondering how to and how much

[Eastsidecracker]

Well I have no idea how much or how to ship, but I listed some items on ebay. I just figured I go to the office and ask the guy what to do, but then thought how much it would cost.

So, since I just started selling, my first item to sell will be a new halo3 360 controller. USPS is right down the street from me, so can I just go there without a box, buy a box and pay for the shipping, then just tape it up there and add the place to ship? How much would it be? Whats a bigger factor, weight or size? And, how much is insurance?

Same (as above) goes for a game guide I want to put up. Do they have an envelop/box that will hold it without recieving much damage?

[FeNoM91]

I suggest using the USPS PayPal shipping method if you accept it as a payment method. Saves about $0.60 on insurance and you can go down to the PO and get those 6x10 evelopes for a buck each and use those.

[Chronotrigga]

I just traded my first game to jphillips. First time I actually went to the Post Office, and it too is right down the street. Anyway, you can "Print Postage" online and you just like tape it on the package. What I did, I just went to the PO with game in hand and they have these boxes and other stuff for free. I grabbed a box which fit and wrote both addresses then went to the counter. I requested Priority w/h Delivery Confirmation. It was like $5.25. Exactly what it says on their "Calculate Postage" page.

[Vinny]

They have Priority Mail flat rate envelopes and boxes- whatever you stick into them, it'll ship for a flat rate no matter the weight. Here are the sizes and how much it costs to ship (doesn't include delivery confirmation which I would strongly recommend).
http://www.usps.com/shipping/flatrate.htm

First class is cheaper (and not much slower) if you're only sending one game. At the post office, I've never paid more than $3.50 for to send a game (regular DVD sized cases) in a 6x9 bubble mailer. It's even cheaper now since I use PayPal shipping which averages out to like $2.40 per game (of course, I also have to buy a bubble mailer which costs about $.25-$.50 each if bought in bulk).

[Eastsidecracker]

Thanks for the post. I was wondering, since it was an auction how would we know the buyers zip, but it seems to stay the same with usps.
How much extra is delivery confirmation? (which is a confirmation of date and time of delivery, which would be used if they say they never recieved it right?)

If someone sends a moneyorder or check (via snail mail I assume) how long would it take to get to me?(dont want to sit here waiting to ship it waiting for their payment to long) <10 days good?
Can I cash checks/moneyorders at any bank? (I heared some people getting fake things, have no idea what to do with it to validate it quickly and cash/ deposit (my current bank doesnt have a close location))

[Sharp Katana]

Thanks for the post. I was wondering, since it was an auction how would we know the buyers zip, but it seems to stay the same with usps.
How much extra is delivery confirmation? (which is a confirmation of date and time of delivery, which would be used if they say they never recieved it right?)
You can only see the buyer's zipcode once the auction has ended. If the buyer would like to get an estimate of the shipping costs, they should message you with their zipcode. Delivery confirmation at my post office is roughly about 70 cents. You are correct, always purchase delivery confirmation to ensure your recipient has received their package. This way they can't file a claim against you later. And be sure to keep the delivery confirmation + receipt for a few months for evidence (I learned this the hard way, but everything worked out fine in the end ;)).

If someone sends a moneyorder or check (via snail mail I assume) how long would it take to get to me?(dont want to sit here waiting to ship it waiting for their payment to long) <10 days good?
This really depends on your shipping options -whether it is domestic or international. If the payment is shipped within the U.S., 10 days should be more than enough provided that there is no holiday to interrupt mailing services within that 10 day period.

Can I cash checks/moneyorders at any bank? (I heared some people getting fake things, have no idea what to do with it to validate it quickly and cash/ deposit (my current bank doesnt have a close location)) Some banks/credit unions will deny customers cashing third party checks. I'm not too sure about money orders but banks such as Bank of America, Washington Mutual, etc shouldn't be too strict on this. You should probably wait 3-5 days for the check/money order to clear. Call your bank and make sure the money order/check has went through and is legitimate. It is true many scammers use money order (I have heard many cases of Western Union) to scam people. Checks aren't exactly a good idea either, their check could bounce and your bank will most likely charge you a fee. If possible, I would only accept Postal Money Orders or Paypal.

Hope that helped!

[Eastsidecracker]

Thanks for the post. Ill change them to paypal and postal money orders only
Whats the difference of a postal money order? Can you cash it immediatly/ or at the post office?

Any certain days that have more people searching (to time the ending, like thursday at 8pm is when most people are on)?

Can you have a link to more photos of an item?

[Sharp Katana]

Thanks for the post. Ill change them to paypal and postal money orders only
Whats the difference of a postal money order? Can you cash it immediatly/ or at the post office?
Postal Money Order can only be obtained at the Post Office, making it much safer. You can submit it to the post office or at a bank. I'm not sure if the post office will cash it on the spot though.


Any certain days that have more people searching (to time the ending, like thursday at 8pm is when most people are on)?
Best time to end your auction is during the weekend.

Can you have a link to more photos of an item?
Ebay gives you your first picture for free, each additional picture added on will cost you 15 cents.