Shipping Costs are significant

One of the most noticeable things I have seen since Covid is shipping rates have risen considerably. All kinds of shipping. Truck, In home Delivery, UPS / Fed Ex. It's amazing to me that companies like Amazon can still offer "Free" prime shipping.

Case in point. I have a client in Washington State that needed a single booster pillow, size 14" x 22" from Hancock & Moore. That is NOT a very large pillow. Fed Ex Ground was $ 62.00 from North Carolina. I could not believe that and called and asked them to re-check that rate. It was correct.

The proposed UPS strike in August will make all shipping even more expensive as well, no matter how it plays out. If they go on strike, the other companies raise rates. If they have an agreement, the rates will still go up because now they have to pay the union-negotiated contract more and it comes back to consumers as a higher cost.

That's why I am always hesitant to "Take a guess" at shipping costs over the phone. If I guess $ 20 and it comes back $ 65, guess who the customer wants to pay the difference! So I don't guess, I defer until I can run it through a shipping calculator or in the case of a drop ship, confirm via contact with the manufactuer.

One other note on this thread - with rates being what they are, avoid ordering a single chair, or single recliner, or single ottoman, barstool, office chair, small table, etc. The costs to ship a small order will outweigh the savings on the piece from ordering near you (locally). Hold off on your order until you have two or more pieces (from the same maker) to amortize the freight charge over a couple of items.

Additionally, the in-home delivery services are the most costly way to ship. If you can figure out a way to ship to a loading dock, or commercial address that can accept a 53' 18-wheeler, we can deliver for about 1/3 the cost of that in-home delivery service. Of course, you will have to do the final mile to your home and self-install, or use a Moving and Storage company to accept delivery and then bring it to you.

Recently I shipped a small bolster pillow to a client in Oregon, it was $ 65 via Fed Ex Ground Two days ago I ordered two Wildwood Table Lamps, average size, from NC to VA was $ 75. A small power recliner replacement switch.. $ 35.

I can now longer "guess" at shipping, because I guess too low, by about half. All the big carriers cut HUGE discounts to big businesses, but for little stores they ask "How many packages will you ship in a month?" You say Twenty and they are looking for Twenty Thousand, so no discount for you. Amazon Prime has ruined everyone on shipping costs, where everything is "Free Shipping". They ship 400 million a month! It's frustrating....little stores pay and pay, big merchants pay pennies on the dollar.

From a small business point of view, USPS is still the best rates, especially their Medium Flat Rate Box package (if it fits, it ships)

I recently saw reference to an apparently legitimate company called Pirate Ship which provides discounted rates. You probably already know of them but in case you don't it is pirateship.com. Any experience or feedback?

Stamps.com? I know there's an annual charge for you though.

Stamp.com is too expensive. Monthly charge, and you have to use proprietary stickers which they charge too much for. Plus its more for mailing than shipping.