I'm going to sell a bunch of books piecemeal. What's the best pre-fab flat type boxes should I use ? So far I've been selling stuff and shipping them in spare boxes that fit sufficiently, measuring and weighing to print ship labels etc.

Is there a better way to ship books without having to ship them in all sorts of hodge podge boxes I have around the house even though they don't really fit them very well ? I don't know anything about "flat rate" shipping using USPS pre-fab flat shipping boxes etc. Do you buy those boxes in advance, or do you still have to weigh the box and pay shipping based on the weight for a given size pre-fabricated box ? I'm sure it's simple, since anything would prob be simpler than what I'm doing know selling random collectibles.

Post Office has boxes too. You can also ship via padded envelope with extra padded envelope over the book. Fairly safe method.The Post Office boxes you just grab and go. Bring it back when you are ready to ship.

If you create an account with the Post Office they'll send you all the Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes directly for free. Padded envelopes etc.

With the account you can create, pay for and print shipping labels. Then just drop off the package at the Post Office.

Can you ship books at a special rate via the post office?

There is a media rate available. Ask at your local post office

quote:

Can you ship books at a special rate via the post office?

Media mail.

media mail 4.00 per book free tracking

Thanks guys, that is what I was talking about.

things to consider,

the free boxes via USPS are Priority and Express, and must be used as such,

you can get some paper and wrap them for lesser shipping methods, (like Ground Advantage or Media Mail)



when I sell and ship books, I put them in a tyvek envelop (free at the post office, but they do say priority mail on them) as a water barrier and to keep the book tightly closed, (tape the outside of the envelop when you wrap it around the book when sealed)

I also use whatever brown boxes I have available, and pack well,

or use some 12x9x2 boxes I bought from Uline,


either way, some post offices will open and inspect MEdia Mail, to ensure it is actually media

Wow, media mail has gone up like crazy.

Used to be 1$ or a bit more for a book or two, and not all that long ago.

Also investigate getting a scale for home and using PirateShip to buy prepaid labels. I shipped a bunch of stuff Ground Advantage in last few months I think it was 30% or more off the USPS at the counter price.

I'm already doing exactly that. But now I want to unload a bunch of books, and want to streamline and simplify the process. Finding a random box and sort of but doesn't really fit, packing a book in a box not designed for book, weighing and measuring it, enter the shipping data into Pirate Ship, is OK for various collectibles, but is a bad model for books. When I buy a book on-line from a book seller, they have a process, so I need to find out what a non-commercial analogue to that process is. For books only. For other stuff, which is the process you just described, is already my current process and is fine.

Lowest shipping I've found for regular items is PayPal shipping via PayPal acct. Don't know how it compares to USPS Media Mail.

With package dimensions and weight you can get online costs and even print labels from most shipping outfits.

Retired Postal service. We also have media rates as well.

IDK about packaging but USPS has a special book rate that is considerably cheaper than standard shipping.

Media rate.