Reasonable Shipping Rates

[Pat Johnston]

In the search for more reasonable shipping rates, I came across a site called "pirateship.com".  Their rates are way less than going directly through USPS or UPS.  I've experienced a major reduction of prices down to 1/3 to 1/2 the expected rates.  Keep their site in mind if you want to save a buck or two.
Pat Johnston
Shipping Department
Idaho Skunk Works

[Dan McEntee]

   I'll give my endorsement to this also if it means anything to any one. Dennis Leonhardi first mentioned this service on the forum a year or two ago. I have shipped a lot of stuff I have sold off using them and very easy.  Establish an account with a credit card, feed in the information required and you get several quotes in all available price ranges. Pick what suites you best, purchase the shipping label, print out the label at attach to the package and then take to to the post office or give it to your mail man. You can just leave it on the counter usually, no waiting in line, but I usually wait and have then scan it and get a receipt. I quit trying to keep a printer alive at home, so I download the file for the shipping label, put it on a thumb drive and take it to Kinkos to print it out and then tape it to the package. It speeds thing up because even if you wait in line a bit for a quick scan it saves the time that the clerk has to do their thing. Shipping to some zones is higher than others but it is always a significant savings. The web site is kind of hokie and funny but easy to navigate. If I can do it anyone can.
  Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

[Paul Smith]

I get the idea that the BIG professional businesses have special insider rates that are FAR below what the little guy pays.

[Dan McEntee]

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/364169856886?hash=item54ca370776:g:y6wAAOSwkOlkAtsn

     Here is an example of an eBay seller inflating his shipping costs. I know that the standard USPS and UPS charges have got ridiculous, but they can be mitigated by the third party services. This seller musty have thought they got stung on a few auctions that didn't net what they wanted for an item, so they compound the cost of shipping to make sure that they make money on it This is "plane" crazy!!

   Type at you later,
    Dan McEntee

[Tim Wescott]

Another vote for Pirate Ship.  I haven't shipped much stuff since I found out about it, but it does work well.