Shipping Is So Expensive These Days

Have you tried to ship something lately?  If so, you know how expensive the shipping is these days.  Even the cost of the most basic shipping is not cheap by any means.  Then when you factor in additional costs such as packaging materials and any extras like tracking, it really adds up!  It makes it hard for individuals so sell things on services such as eBay because the shipping costs take a huge chunk out of any profits made.

Just today I had a package to ship for a pair of shoes I sold on eBay.  The box was pretty big, but nothing unreasonable.  I went with Fedex because I like their service and location.  I have tried other carriers as well such as USPS and UPS but right now I like Fedex.  I needed to get the packaging materials there so that increased the cost.  I know you can probably get the materials cheaper elsewhere, but then you have another trip and you will probably end up with extra materials you don't need.

So I go to check out and the cost for basic ground shipping and materials for a domestic shipment was almost $30!  That is a lot of money to ship a pair of shoes worth only about $60.  The shipping cost was about $15 and the box and packaging service was about $13.  I checked the receipt and everything looked ok.  I tried to double check the cost on the website but it was not very clear and they said how prices in store may vary from the quotes on the website. 

I find it odd how so many businesses can offer free shipping with these kinds of fees.  I'm sure the businesses get a bulk rate deal, but still it is expensive.  It is discouraging to try to sell anything where shipping is involved unless it is a high value item that is small.  With the larger, lower value items, it is barely worth the effort for the little profit that is made in the end.  If you have any tips on getting a better deal on shipping costs, leave it in the comments below. 

Update 11-18-15: I have tried a few different options and I have found the best deals tend to be if you use your own box and ship with USPS with the basic shipping option. There are a lot of factors that can effect the price such as weight, size and destination but so far, this seems to be the cheapest option.