plainpat

How do you figure book postage when selling books or a book? What is the lowest cost postage for sending a book?
I recently bought a pre paid envelope(USPS) I thought was good for anything you can get in the env.After paying $4.95,the clerk said if you put more than 13oz in it, you pay the diff.There was a long line, so didn't ask for explanation.Thanks for any info.

carolaug

If you go to a post office and state its a book its under 3.00 any size or weight...I am sure if you need to track it the price will be a bit more. You do have to tell them its a book.

donnajean

Book or "Media Mail" rate goes by the pound. Also, there are strict restrictions on the contents being books. If they suspect that it is not a book, they will open it & return it to sender. Go to USPS.com & click on "Media Mail" to get the correct postage for eah lb. added.

The Priority Flat Rate Mailer is $4.75 if you print the label on their website or $4.95 if you go to the post office. Flat Rate Mailers do not hava a weigh limit, but they cannot be stuffed to buldging. When printing Priority Mailing labels on the website, the Delivery Confirmation is "free".

ptquilts

Absolutely NOT TRUE!!! Books can go Media Mail, but it goes by weight. First pound is $2.38, up to 2 pounds is $2.77, and it goes up from there. I can just imagine my PO clerks ROFL if I brought in a 5 pound book and told them they had to ship it for $3.00.

ptquilts

not sure what kind of envelope it was, but if it said FLAT RATE that means any weight goes for the $4.95. Some clerks are making up their own rules as they go along, it seems.

LindaR

I hear there are new rules on that "flat" mailer for $4.95/it has to be flat. You can't stuff them anymore. bummer but that the way they are getting more money. I sent 4 magazines for the $4.95, it was heavy but was flat. I need to check the web site and see what else they have come up with...

donnajean

They now have a "Legal" size (wider) Flat Rate Envelope which goes for $4.95 when both printing label on website or mailing from post office.

There is also a "padded" Flat Rate Envelope for which also goes for $4.95.

Both have the free "Delivery Confirmation" if using their website to print the labels.

All these containers can be ordered on the USPS.com website for "free" & they will deliver them to your door. You can order a "variety pack" of the various size Priority box containers as well.

ptquilts

this is also NOT TRUE but the real rules have not gotten down to all the post offices yet. The "It has to be flat" rule was meant to apply to a new class of business mail called Critical Mail, some PO numbskull sent out a flyer applying it to FRE's.
Anyway with the new FR padded envelopes it will be a moot point soon. I would rather send anything in a padded envelope than in a cardboard one. You do have to order them online, however, don't look for them at the PO.

frugalfabrics

http://postcalc.usps.gov/

here's the link for calculating domestic postage.

I use it all the time - but I also keep track of the cost of shipping each item I send out, so I can refer to it when "estimating" my postage costs for the buyer.

I don't like to overcharge...and this site helps bunches.

QKO

The new legal size and padded FR envelopes go for the same price as the regular old FRE's, i.e. $4.75 online or $4.95 at the PO.

Over-stuffing FRE's has always been a no-no; you need to be able to close and seal the flap without cutting or modifying the envelope, and the same thing applies for the new ones. It appears that now that the rules have been clarified for most post offices, they'll start enforcing them better. The ridiculous claims by some shops of being able to ship vast quantities of fabric in a FRE will hopefully be modified, or if they're doing it, hopefully the PO will start rejecting them.

I just received the new padded and legal FRE's the other day, the padded ones will obviously hold less than the old ones, but will be useful in some situations.

It appears by the instructions written on the outsides of the new FRE's that the new ones may also be used for international shipments like the old one.