How to get Cheap(er) Shipping with US Mail

[kelemvor]

Many of us are working from home. I don't ship stuff all that often, so I just go to one of those shipping stores that overcharge to box up and send something for you.

My wife is a 4th grade schoolteacher. Thanks to the plague, she's working from home. One of the things she did in class was to have a "treasure box" where students can get prizes as an incentive for performance. Teaching from Home + treasure box = a lot of shipping stuff.

So, now we're shipping like 2-25 packages a week and it was adding up. I first tried getting a label printer and using stamps.com. Quickly discovered that those guys were out of their mind. It cost me almost $9 to send something within my zip code that weighted 0.8oz. (a small 4x6 padded envelope with a toy or something in it).

Posting because I discovered a US Mail shipping website that's vastly cheaper than anything else I've found. These 0.8oz packages go out first class us mail for $2.40 each! The site is pirateship.com

Due to the odd name, I called the USPS and asked if it was a legit website. USPS said they didn't know but there are thousands of sites reselling US postage so it could be. I've used it for about 10 packages now and it seems to be on the level! I've even had packages come back due to incorrect address with no complaints from USPS about the postage.

I think I figured out the price discrepancy. If I create a label for something that is the same dimensions but weighs 1lb, the price is almost identical to stamps.com or USPS.com. I assume those sites are charging the 1lb rate rather than the 0.8oz rate.

In short, if you need to ship stuff on the cheap - go check out pirateship.com . Despite the poorly conceived name, it's legitimate.

I went out and bought a dymo 4xl which is a 4x6 label printer. Works very nicely for shipping labels from USPS, FedEX, DHL. However, it's kind of a hassle with UPS as they go out of their way trying to force you into their brand of printer. You could easily print on regular paper and tape the paper to your package. Since I'm doing a lot, the label printer makes it easier. You could also get 3M or avery labels for use with inkjet printers. The dymo is just more convenient.

I don't have anything to do with any of these shipping sites other than that I am their customer.

 

[-JD-]

Great tip! And kudos to you and your wife!

FWIW, if you have an account, UPS will give you (free) 2-per-page peel-and-stick labels that you can run through your (ETA: Ltr size) printer. I use them with their web-based shipping system.

 

[lowwall]

You can set up an account directly with USPS, get a scale and print out the exact postage as needed. You get the slightly lower commercial rate and there's no subscription fees.

 

[kelemvor]

You can set up an account directly with USPS, get a scale and print out the exact postage as needed. You get the slightly lower commercial rate and there's no subscription fees.

I did that, USPS charges the same exact rate as stamps.com. It's about $5 more per package for the 0.8oz 4x6 package I'm sending. The discrepancy is why I called USPS to verify that other site was on the level. Apparently USPS gives preferential rates to customers who buy postage more frequently, and that's how the website gets the lower rate. They probably give the preferential rate to stamps.com as well, but stamps doesn't pass that on to the end user.

 

[kelemvor]

Great tip! And kudos to you and your wife!

FWIW, if you have an account, UPS will give you (free) 2-per-page peel-and-stick labels that you can run through your (ETA: Ltr size) printer. I use them with their web-based shipping system.

I've got a bunch of those, although I got them from office depot and they're 3m brand. Unfortunately UPS charges considerably more for shipping in town. Even at the price I managed to get from USPS, the postage costs more than what we're sending.

When I ship anything of value, it's UPS or FedEx. Preferably FedEx.

 

[lowwall]

I did that, USPS charges the same exact rate as stamps.com. It's about $5 more per package for the 0.8oz 4x6 package I'm sending. The discrepancy is why I called USPS to verify that other site was on the level. Apparently USPS gives preferential rates to customers who buy postage more frequently, and that's how the website gets the lower rate. They probably give the preferential rate to stamps.com as well, but stamps doesn't pass that on to the end user.

I looked at their rate sheets. Pirateship matches USPS Commercial rate prices. You must be comparing different services. It looks like you are comparing first class package service at pirateship versus priority mail at USPS.

Apples versus apples, for under 4oz first class package in your local zone:

$2.74 - pirateship (same as USPS commercial)
$3.80 - USPS retail (at counter or using regular stamps)

I can see where the problem is. When I first started using Click-N-Ship, you could print postage for any USPS mailing service. But it looks like they dropped everything except Priority services in 2016. So to get the Commercial pricing on cheaper services, you either need to ship enough stuff to open a commercial account with the USPS or need to print the postage and label through a third party reseller. Pirateship is one of those resellers.

USPS pricing and services - Notice 123 | Postal Explorer

 

[Couv]

...

Posting because I discovered a US Mail shipping website that's vastly cheaper than anything else I've found. These 0.8oz packages go out first class us mail for $2.40 each! The site is pirateship.com....In short, if you need to ship stuff on the cheap - go check out pirateship.com . Despite the poorly conceived name, it's legitimate....

Thanks for that tip-I'll check it out.

I've been using-and have had good luck with Pay Pal. You get a small discount (about the same as you've quoted.) It's not terribly user friendly though. For one, the terminology they use to start with "Manage MultiOrder Shipping" seems a bit strange. But unlike USPS's Click-N-Ship you can ship First Class.
Pay Pal-->Manage Multi-Order Shipping-->Create shipment-->Fill in the applicable fields.-->Continue-- and choose the level of shipping you want. Again, you get a small discount and always a tracking number, and you can print the labels.

 

[kelemvor]

You can set up an account directly with USPS, get a scale and print out the exact postage as needed. You get the slightly lower commercial rate and there's no subscription fees.

You seem to know a lot about USPS. I have a question that maybe you can answer. They offer free supplies such as boxes and envelopes. Where's the catch?

 

[CuriousRambler]

You seem to know a lot about USPS. I have a question that maybe you can answer. They offer free supplies such as boxes and envelopes. Where's the catch?

FedEx generally won't ship a box covered in USPS labels. So yeah, free box - but you're essentially locking yourself in to paying for their postage in exchange. The number of people who abuse the system to turn free boxes inside out to ship with another carrier, or store their unused 2m radio in on a shelf (not that I know anyone who would do that...) are just lost in the weeds. It's like fast food restaurants giving away condiment packets in the lobby. Yeah, you can go take Taco Bell Fire Sauce to put on your Big Mac, but how many people actually bother to? I'm sure they're out there, but not in significant enough numbers to matter.

 

[dmaziuk]

Apparently USPS gives preferential rates to customers who buy postage more frequently, and that's how the website gets the lower rate. They probably give the preferential rate to stamps.com as well, but stamps doesn't pass that on to the end user.

It's an old trick: in a different century and on a different continent your average mom and pop business couldn't afford their own credit card machine because the VISA surcharge was on par or higher than their profit margin. We had a customer pushing credit card transactions through our EFTPOS servers and all they had to do was have enough transaction volume every months to drive the surcharge down to where it became affordable for all their clients and left a little something for themselves.

It was a sweet deal when it worked.