Looking for some shipping advice (money related, not packing related)

[shelleyd2008]

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The small boxes are too small to use for eggs, except maybe button quail eggs. They are less than 2" tall so you wouldn't be able to pad the eggs very well.

ETA: So even if someone ordered 1 dozen eggs from you, they'd still have to pay $10 shipping? My shipping fees are based on the number of eggs in the shipment. Quail eggs (button or coturnix) get $1 added to the shipping price to cover materials and paypal fees. So for 1 dozen eggs, shipping should be around $5 ($4.95-$5.15 for >1 pound). That would be $6 for S&H and $4 for coturnix eggs, for a total of $10. Another dozen would add another $1 to fees and materials, so that would be $7 shipping plus $8 for 2 dozen eggs. Basically, I add another $1 to 'fees and materials' for every additional dozen. However, I don't charge more than $4 for fees, and that's usually on very large (6 dozen+) orders. But I also use 'exact' shipping rates based on the buyer's zip code and the weight of the package. I don't like to rip people off and I feel I should do whatever it takes to make sure my buyers will continue to buy from me without feeling that they got shafted. I also try to get my buyers to send payment through paypal as a gift to eliminate the paypal fees. Obviously I can't do that with ebay sales, but private sales the buyers usually don't have a problem with that.

 

[Robo]

If you use those paper cartons cut to fit the box you can put a piece of bubble wrap over it. I would never ship expensive eggs like that.

 

[shelleyd2008]

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And you think a piece of bubble wrap will protect them? Seriously? Put some eggs in one of those boxes with bubble wrap on top of them then drop a gallon of milk on the box and see if they don't break.
The #4 boxes cost about the same to ship a small amount of eggs as do the small flat rate boxes, but they've got an additional 5"+ of overhead space. Regardless of whether the eggs are expensive, you should still do everything in your power to make sure they get there in one piece.

 

[Robo]

On my last 4 orders I have had like 2 eggs total break. One of the shipments was in a small box. If I had 5 inches of room above the eggs I couldn't even use the medium box.

 

[DNAatWork]

When I shipped, I would wrap the eggs in toilet paper, and stick them in the plastic egg cartons, then wrap the egg cartons with news paper, and that worked. I liked that method a lot since if one egg broke it would not mess up the rest (cracked eggs make everything sticky). Shipping was like $8 bucks for 1 or 2 dozens. I like Alexandra's shipping method, i had no cracked eggs!!!

 

[Robo]

I wrap each egg in toilet paper, then put a strip of bubble wrap over the eggs, close the carton, then I put bubble wrap under and over the carton. Do this with however many cartons I need and fill the rest with paper.

 

[Nava]

well, I was charging $10 to $15 for shipping, and some times I would end up paying out of my pocket, so now I just chrge $15 total, and that compensates for bubble wrap, peanuts and the Xtra eggs I always add, I don't make any money on the shipping but at least I break even.

 

[Nava]

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I had a very bad experience with some eggs that were shipped to me in an egg carton, only one made it, and all the other people that sold me eggs had shipped with out the egg carton and they all have made it just fine.
I will not ship eggs in an egg carton, cause I would't want t done to me

I wrap every egg individually in bubble wrap and then, I wrap them in thicker bubble wrap to protect them even more, and then he box if filled with peanuts very tight, an so far not more than 3 cracked eggs in close to 50 shipping boxes.

 

[RiverOtter]

Thanks for the website. I'll start ordering from there by the case - I'd hate to have someone end up paying a fee on the other end for a flat rate box!

I'd be fuming if that happened.

Am I seriously the only one who's been charged for a box at the PO?? Last time I wanted a box they told me it would be nearly two dollars for the box itself.

Yes, it did say Priority mail on it. Grrr.

 

[Fishman43]

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I was steamed, and I emailed the sender about it. Ended up being a standup guy and refunded me ALL of the shipping costs for the hasle.

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Yeah, you REALLY shouldn't be charged for ANY priority packing. My local PO has even given me rolls of their priority stickers and priority tape to use when I don't use the priority boxes to ship in so that they are marked correctly.