Mailing Gift Packages through USPS
A set of Christmas/New Year packages that I sent out in December.
Since joining the /r/rabbits community, especially the IRC channel, I have been sending many more gift packages to people all over the world than I did before. Frugal as I am, I did tons of research to figure out what would be the most economical way to ship these packages to everyone. Some caveats though is that I did not try to figure out how to ship something enormous or extremely heavy.
Most Economical Domestic Shipping:
Generally, USPS is by far the best deal when shipping packages domestically. First-class mail is great for packages under 13 oz, and as far as I am aware, UPS and FedEx cannot compare, especially for the average consumer that does not have a commercial shipping account. Prices range from $1.69 for 3 oz to at most $3.38 for 13 oz as of 1/18/2014. You can get discounted commercial base rates by pre-paying online and printing your labels at home through Paypal and other online shipping sites. USPS only allows for first-class international and the various Priority mail labels to be printed through their site.
As for packages over 13 oz, there are several different methods that would be the most economical according to my research. The table below is the easiest method of demonstrating this. These prices are current as of the date of this posting, 1/18/2014, and use commercial base pricing which is available if you pre-pay online and print your label at home. For Priority Mail, I always use USPS. For other choices, you have to use Paypal and other online shipping sites. The USPS Postal Zones are determined by the distance between the package delivery points. A USPS calculator is available here.
| Local, 1 & 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
| Regional A <15 lb | $5.32 | $5.44 | $5.84 | $7.48 | $8.19 | $8.90 | $9.88 |
| Priority <1lb | $5.05 | $5.23 | $5.35 | $5.54 | $5.75 | $6.02 | $6.51 |
| Standard Post <1lb | $5.60 | $5.60 | $5.85 | $5.95 | $6.15 | $6.35 | $6.85 |
| Parcel Select Nonpresort <1lb | $5.42 | $5.47 | $5.57 | $5.63 | $5.68 | $5.73 | $5.78 |
| Media Mail <1lb | $2.53 | $2.53 | $2.53 | $2.53 | $2.53 | $2.53 | $2.53 |
| Priority <2lb | $5.32 | $5.44 | $5.84 | $7.48 | $8.19 | $8.90 | $9.88 |
| Standard Post <2lb | $5.80 | $6.15 | $6.85 | $7.53 | $8.16 | $8.92 | $9.79 |
| Parcel Select Nonpresort <2lb | $5.47 | $5.75 | $6.43 | $7.76 | $8.33 | $8.85 | $9.71 |
| Media Mail <2lb | $2.98 | $2.98 | $2.98 | $2.98 | $2.98 | $2.98 | $2.98 |
| Priority <3lb | $5.49 | $6.39 | $7.36 | $9.03 | $10.62 | $11.49 | $13.40 |
| Standard Post <3lb | $6.60 | $7.60 | $8.75 | $8.91 | $10.01 | $10.81 | $12.77 |
| Parcel Select Nonpresort <3lb | $6.14 | $7.02 | $8.05 | $8.98 | $9.84 | $10.37 | $11.69 |
| Media Mail <3lb | $3.43 | $3.43 | $3.43 | $3.43 | $3.43 | $3.43 | $3.43 |
And some flat-rate Priority package prices that may be a good deal if your gift fits in them:
- Flat Rate Envelopes (12.5″x9.5″ or smaller): $5.05
- Padded Flat Rate Envelope (12.5″x9.5″): $5.70
- Legal Flat Rate Envelope (15″x9.5″): $5.25
- Small Flat Rate Box (8-5/8″ x 5-3/8″ x 1-5/8″ inside): $5.15
As you can probably tell, I am a fan of using the USPS Priority Mail Regional A service, especially for anything over 3 lbs. What Regional A means is that I use the Regional A dimension boxes available for order on USPS.com. There are two available, A1 – Top Loading and A2 – Side Loading.
|
Box |
Size |
Weight Limit | Order Now |
|---|---|---|---|
|
A1 – Top Loading |
Outside: 10-1/8” x 7-1/8" x 5" Inside: 10" x 7" x 4-3/4” |
15 lbs |
|
|
A2 – Side Loading |
Outside: 11-1/16” x 2-1/2” x 13-1/16” Inside: 10-15/16” x 2-3/8” x 12-13/16” |
15 lbs |
These Priority Regional Rate boxes are not available in local USPS offices and need to be ordered online. The “Order Now” buttons in the table above will take you right to the USPS site for ordering. What is great is that USPS will deliver these right to your home for free but note that it can take 2-3 business days for them to arrive.
Other than that, my comparison table is pretty self-explanatory. Using the Priority Mail Regional A rate as a baseline (which is coincidentally the same as general weight-calculated Priority Mail for under 2 lbs), white cells are a better deal and red cells are worse deals. The Priority rows require that either you use your own shipping packages or use select Priority boxes. Media Mail is consistently cheaper than the Regional A rate; however, the package can only consist of educational media such as books and DVDs.
Here are regular Priority boxes that you can use for the weight-class Priority Mail:
- Priority Mail DVD Box – 7-9/16″ x 5-7/16″
- Dual-Use Priority Mail/Priority Mail Express Small Tube – 25″ x 6″ x 6″ x 5-7/8″ inside.
- Dual-Use Priority Mail/Priority Mail Express Medium Tube – 37-11/16″ x 6-1/8″ x 5-1/8″ x 5-1/16″ inside.
- Priority Mail Tyvek Envelope – 11-5/8″ x 15-1/8″
- Priority Mail Shoe Box – 7-1/2″ x 5-1/8″ x 14-3/8″
- Priority Mail Box – 1096 – 9-1/4″ x 6-1/4″ x 2″ inside.
- Priority Mail Box – 1097 – 11-1/2″ x 13-1/8″ x 2-3/8″ inside.
- Priority Mail Box – 1092 – 12-1/8″ x 13-3/8″ x 2-3/4″ inside.
- Priority Mail Box – 1095 – 15-1/4″ x 12-3/8″ x 3″ inside.
- Priority Mail Box – 4 – 6″ x 7″ x 7″ inside.
- Priority Mail Box – 7 – 8″ x 12″ x 12″ inside.
TLDR: For anything over 2 lbs that will fit in a Regional A rate box and cannot be categorized as Media Mail, shipping it Flat-Rate Priority Regional A rate is the most economical. Other than that, look at my chart, and always print your labels online to save 15%.
A sample of the content I managed to stuff to the brim in a Regional A1 box.
Most Economical International Shipping:
Not much to say, but USPS First-Class international mail hands down. When I looked, USPS and FedEx charged over $50 for a small package over a pound. Here’s a chart of the commercial base prices for convenience:
| Zone | ||||
|
Weight not over (oz) |
1 Canada |
2 Mexico |
3-5 | 6-9 |
| 2 | $6.55 | $6.55 | $6.55 | $6.55 |
| 4 | $7.35 | $8.85 | $9.45 | $9.15 |
| 8 | $8.55 | $11.55 | $12.75 | $12.15 |
| 12 | $9.15 | $13.50 | $14.90 | $14.30 |
| 16 | $10.55 | $15.05 | $16.75 | $16.25 |
| 20 | $11.95 | $16.60 | $18.60 | $18.20 |
| 24 | $13.35 | $18.15 | $20.45 | $20.15 |
| 28 | $14.75 | $19.70 | $22.30 | $22.10 |
| 32 | $16.15 | $21.25 | $24.15 | $24.05 |
| 36 | $17.55 | $22.80 | $26.00 | $26.00 |
| 40 | $18.95 | $24.35 | $27.85 | $27.95 |
| 44 | $20.35 | $25.90 | $29.70 | $29.90 |
| 48 | $21.75 | $27.45 | $31.55 | $31.85 |
| 52 | $23.15 | $29.00 | $33.40 | $33.80 |
| 56 | $24.55 | $30.55 | $35.25 | $35.75 |
| 60 | $25.95 | $32.10 | $37.10 | $37.70 |
| 64 | $27.35 | $33.65 | $38.95 | $39.65 |
However, do note that there is a limitation of 4 lbs for First-Class Mail International. Any packages over that weight limit, you will have to use USPS Priority service.
Remember that you will need to pre-pay online and print your label at home in order to get this discounted shipping rate.
Miscellaneous Shipping Tips:
- Although USPS Priority Regional is technically flat-rate under 15 lbs, when you create a label, you need to put in a weight in order to find the USPS Priority Regional A rate option.
- If you use an expedited service such as Priority Mail or are using First-Class Mail International, you can schedule a pickup online for your regular USPS mail carrier to pickup prepaid labeled packages from your home.
- While Priority Mail supplies are free, they cannot be used for any other types of mailing but Priority Mail. If you try to use these supplies for other cheaper options, they will charge you Priority rates. Wrapping the box in paper does not work in hiding the Priority labeled supplies.
- Check your workplace to see if you can get corporate shipping rates from UPS or FedEx and compare prices. My workplace uses FedEx, but I found that if I wanted to mail something that was not the FedEx Medium Box size, it was more expensive than USPS.
- Large envelopes and flats can be no thicker than 3/4″.
- $50 of insurance and free tracking is included if you print labels online.
- Mailing to the United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales) is listed under the country “Great Britain and Northern Ireland” on the USPS site.
- If you need a small amount of shipping envelopes, Amazon and Sam’s Club have good deals. Please note that the following Amazon links in this post are affiliate links, and I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on my link.
- 100 6″ x 9″ White Poly Mailer Envelope Bags for $5.60, about 6 cents/bag before tax.
- 200 6″ x 9″ White Poly Mailer Envelope Bags for $8.65, about 5 cents/bag before tax.
- 100 7.5″ x 10.5″ White Poly Mailer Envelope Bags for $7.49, about 8 cents/bag before tax.
- 100 9″ x 12″ Light Grey Poly Mailer Envelope Bags for $9.15, about 9 cents/bag before tax.
- 25 8.5″ x 11″ (Size #2) Scotch Bubble Mailer for $7.98, about 32 cents/envelope before tax. Many more bubble mailer sizes can be found in Sam’s Club.
- If you have a Home Depot nearby, they have by far the cheapest boxes available for pickup after an online order. I found that dedicated shipping supply stores require a very large order to make the shipping worth it. Below are 25 bundles of boxes that are under 50 cents a box. For more sizes over 50 cents a box, check this link.
- 4″ boxes
- 25 4″ x 4″ x 4″ plain brown boxes for $4.50, 18 cents/box before tax.
- 25 6″ x 4″ x 4″ plain brown boxes for $5.70, about 23 cents/box before tax.
- 25 6″ x 6″ x 4″ plain brown boxes for $6.30, about 26 cents/box before tax.
- 25 8″ x 4″ x 4″ plain brown boxes for $6.90, about 28 cents/box before tax.
- 25 8″ x 6″ x 4″ plain brown boxes for $7.20, about 29 cents/box before tax.
- 25 8″ x 8″ x 4″ plain brown boxes for $9.50, about 38 cents/box before tax.
- 25 9″ x 6″ x 4″ plain brown boxes for $7.50, 30 cents/box before tax.
- 25 10″ x 6″ x 4″ plain brown boxes for $11.10, about 35 cents/box before tax.
- 25 10″ x 10″ x 4″ plain brown boxes for $11.10, about 43 cents/box before tax.
- 25 12″ x 4″ x 4″ plain brown boxes for $9.00, about 36 cents/box before tax.
- 25 12″ x 6″ x 4″ plain brown boxes for $9.30, about 38 cents/box before tax.
- 25 12″ x 9″ x 4″ plain brown boxes for $12.30, about 50 cents/box before tax.
- 25 14″ x 6″ x 4″ plain brown boxes for $10.80, about 44 cents/box before tax.
- 6″ boxes
- 25 6″ x 6″ x 6″ plain multi-depth brown boxes for $6.90, about 28 cents/box before tax.
- 25 4″ x 4″ x 6″ plain brown boxes for $6.00, 24 cents/box before tax.
- 25 6″ x 6″ x 6″ plain brown boxes for $6.50, 26 cents/box before tax.
- 25 8″ x 6″ x 6″ plain brown boxes for $8.70, about 35 cents/box before tax.
- 25 8″ x 8″ x 6″ plain brown boxes for $11.00, about 44 cents/box before tax.
- 25 9″ x 6″ x 6″ plain brown boxes for $8.70, about 35 cents/box before tax.
- 25 10″ x 6″ x 6″ plain brown boxes for $9.00, 36 cents/box before tax.
- 25 10″ x 8″ x 6″ plain brown boxes for $10.50, about 42 cents/box before tax.
- 25 10″ x 10″ x 6″ plain brown boxes for $10.50, about 46 cents/box before tax.
- 25 12″ x 6″ x 6″ plain brown boxes for $9.60, about 39 cents/box before tax.
- 25 12″ x 8″ x 6″ plain brown boxes for $11.10, about 45 cents/box before tax.
- 8″ boxes
- 25 4″ x 4″ x 8″ plain brown boxes for $6.90, about 28 cents/box before tax.
- 25 10″ x 8″ x 8″ plain brown boxes for $11.10, about 45 cents/box before tax.
- 25 12″ x 8″ x 8″ plain brown boxes for $12.00, 48 cents/box before tax.
- 12″ boxes
- 25 6″ x 6″ x 12″ plain brown boxes for $10.50, 42 cents/box before tax.
Hope all these tips help anyone who reads it, and happy shipping!