Killer Shipping Rates

[Racer57]

I took a package to local store that also shipped UPS. $41.05. Then went to another place that had FedEx. $29.93

[pschlosser]

Retail shipping rates are often higher, because you're paying for (in part) the salary of the clerk helping you purchase your shipment label.  If you can purchase your shipping online, and print it on your own printer, you can typically evade retail rates.  And this makes sense.

If you drop off the item at the carrier, you evade a pickup fee.  If you use your own box, instead of buying one retail, again, you save some costs.

There are several conveniences we can choose to jack up the shipping cost.  And honestly, I'm okay with some of those luxury fees.

When I ship an ebay item, I greatly appreciate epay provides this service and being able to print the label and get the shipment ready in the comfort of my home office at discount rates.  I'm lucky enough I don't live far from a drop-off depot for these major carriers.

My gripe is when I want to ship a non-ebay item, up until the pirateship.com and shipstation.com recommendations, I was still paying retail for shipping.  Thank you guys for these leads.

[70vert]

Yep, I typically recycle all our Amazon boxes to ship stuff in which saves some.
But I'm currently trying to find some big/long boxes to ship a grill and a dash pad in which has become crazy. No one local has any that big and all the online sites only sell a 10-pack bundle. So it is $100+ for the boxes and another $100 to ship them (empty boxes)!!!! I'm still looking