Friday, May 18, 2007

What Is Up With the Postal Rate Increase?

I realize that prices go up. I mean we are paying almost $4.00 for a gallon of gas. Thank goodness I work from home and a tank of gas will last me about a month.

But this Post Office rate increase is horrible if you ship packages. They are doing what UPS, Fed Ex and DHL have always done, charge by volume instead of weight. But they have gone overboard with it. A package that used to cost me $7.00 to ship through USPS now is double that amount plus insurance. At least with the other guys they cover you for $100 in insurance.

I raised the rates on my website when the postage rates went up but I think I am going to lower them back to the old rate and ship through DHL instead. I will also implement free shipping with a certain dollar amount purchase, I have not decided yet what that will be. It isn't fair to my customer's to have to pay such a HUGE shipping cost.

It will be interesting to see if the Post Office looses any shipping business or if they will increase their services.

5 comments:

Vintage Postcards said...

hi Michelle,

found you through Our Cherished Collectibles. like your blog and wondered if you'd like to exchange blog links? vintagepostcards@comcast.net will find me and the blog is at http://vintage-postcards.blogspot.com

best,
Cathy

Anonymous said...

You can no longer ship packages to Australia by ship. All packages are sent express, which is an annoyance if you are looking to save a few bucks.

Michelle said...

You can probably still ship to Australia via Priority or Airmail. DHL is my first choice for large item shipping overseas or overnight shipping.

I guess that parcel post is not longer acceptable.

I will need to do some research on this and post it on my online antique shop as I do a lot of shipping to Australia.

Anonymous said...

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Anonymous said...

Unfortunately, I think all the shipping services are suffering with the fuel rates like the rest of us. I still find that USPS is the best way to ship, especially if your insuring products. FedEx, DHL, and UPS insurance means nothing, especially if your shipping antiques. At least, that's what their managers have told us.