For All You "Shippers:"
 

I once tried to use a cheap scale for estimating shipping.
The constant results were that I either ate the excess costs
or I had to send change back to the buyer.
With four kids at home, I just can't afford the outrageous
price for a "postal scale."
Most of them are stupidly expensive and, moreover,
limited to small packages.
If you have had this problem, go to your nearest "Sam's Club"
and look in the office supplies section.
There is a digital scale branded "Royal"- comes in a red box.
It will weigh packages from less than a pound up to 350 pounds.
It costs $48 here in Dallas. I've been weighing stuff with it
for a few months and it's spot-on with the Post Office.
One caution: it is not rugged. It handles normal shipping
chores without problems, but don't throw it on the floor
and keep it away from the kids.
Jumping on and off it to watch the numbers wink
will mean another trip to Sam's and another $48.

73 Dave S.

Most stuff I ship is under 30 lbs so any of the baby scales work great.
They normally can be picked up for $10 to $15 at Goodwill or even
antique shops. For bigger stuff I have an old antique scale that I
bought someplace for almost nothing. Usually I get within a dollar or
two on most items with some maybe over and some under. I usually
always add a couple of dollars to the total anyway to cover my misc
shipping costs. Gas, boxes, tape, etc so in the end it all works out. I
have never had anyone say I was charging to much for shipping. I also
usually give the buyer his choose of shipping companies except UPS who I
will not use period.

Ron WA0KDS


David Stinson wrote:

I once tried to use a cheap scale for estimating shipping.
The constant results were that I either ate the excess costs
or I had to send change back to the buyer.
With four kids at home, I just can't afford the outrageous
price for a "postal scale."
Most of them are stupidly expensive and, moreover,
limited to small packages.
If you have had this problem, go to your nearest "Sam's Club"
and look in the office supplies section.
There is a digital scale branded "Royal"- comes in a red box.
It will weigh packages from less than a pound up to 350 pounds.
It costs $48 here in Dallas. I've been weighing stuff with it
for a few months and it's spot-on with the Post Office.
One caution: it is not rugged. It handles normal shipping
chores without problems, but don't throw it on the floor
and keep it away from the kids.
Jumping on and off it to watch the numbers wink
will mean another trip to Sam's and another $48.

73 Dave S.

If your shipping ask the buyer to get a FedEx number. You don't have to
do anything just give FedEx the acct number and away it goes. They also
help out with customs, so it's easy to ship out of country. (they'll
check your paper work if you ask)
UPS won't hand out numbers easily but FedEx does.



Ron wrote:
Most stuff I ship is under 30 lbs so any of the baby scales work great.
They normally can be picked up for $10 to $15 at Goodwill or even
antique shops. For bigger stuff I have an old antique scale that I
bought someplace for almost nothing. Usually I get within a dollar or
two on most items with some maybe over and some under. I usually
always add a couple of dollars to the total anyway to cover my misc
shipping costs. Gas, boxes, tape, etc so in the end it all works out. I
have never had anyone say I was charging to much for shipping. I also
usually give the buyer his choose of shipping companies except UPS who I
will not use period.

Ron WA0KDS


David Stinson wrote:

I once tried to use a cheap scale for estimating shipping.
The constant results were that I either ate the excess costs
or I had to send change back to the buyer.
With four kids at home, I just can't afford the outrageous
price for a "postal scale."
Most of them are stupidly expensive and, moreover,
limited to small packages.
If you have had this problem, go to your nearest "Sam's Club"
and look in the office supplies section.
There is a digital scale branded "Royal"- comes in a red box.
It will weigh packages from less than a pound up to 350 pounds.
It costs $48 here in Dallas. I've been weighing stuff with it
for a few months and it's spot-on with the Post Office.
One caution: it is not rugged. It handles normal shipping
chores without problems, but don't throw it on the floor
and keep it away from the kids.
Jumping on and off it to watch the numbers wink
will mean another trip to Sam's and another $48.

73 Dave S.