Preparing your package
First: always make sure what you are shipping is clean and free of pet hair and odors before you pack it up!
As discussed in the preparing and listing your item section, find appropriate packing materials for your item. No matter what you decide
No matter what mailing method you use, it’s good to put another layer of protection around your item with either a second poly bag (like the kind you receive new items in) or a ziploc bag.
And always, ALWAYS make sure you use PLENTY of tape! Don’t trust the “peel and stick” adhesive. Make sure all corners are taped down, because loose corners can get caught and rip the package open.
If you want to really be efficient, weigh and package items for sale before you even list them. (Don’t tape them shut yet, though, in case you need to provide measurements/additional pics for a potential buyer!) Write down the weight on the package itself for when you create a label, or on a separate piece of paper/doc on your computer. Then, once you make a sale, you just print a label, tape it up, and send it off.
If you’re going to print your shipping label online, you’ll need weight information. It’s worth having some sort of scale around to be able to weigh your package. They’re reasonably cheap. I use a kitchen scale (which I also use for more kitchen-y purposes), but there are postal scales you can purchase as well. Be sure to weigh the package including the envelope/box, not just the item itself.
Here are some weights of a few common items. Add 1-2 oz for your packaging (1 oz for an unpadded bag). If you are a size 2 or 4, you can subtract 1 oz off of these measurements. If you have a similar item that isn’t listed here, you can use these numbers as a starting point to estimate the weight.
Speed shorts: 5 oz
Cool racerback: 5 oz
Short sleeve swiftly: 4 oz
Long sleeve swiftly: 5 oz
Forme/define jacket: 15 oz
Scuba hoodie: 1 lb 10 oz
Wunder under crops: 7 oz
Wunder under pants: 9 oz
Energy bra: 4 oz
Vinyasa scarf: 10 oz
Bang buster headband: 1 oz
Remember, when in doubt, round up!
Shipping methods for domestic US shipments
For shipments within the US, packages under 13 oz can be placed in your own mailbox or in a blue USPS dropbox. For packages above 13 oz, you need to hand it to a real person at the actual post office for security reasons. With the exception of some things like bags, jackets, or pullovers, most lulu will be under 13 oz.
Asking $2-3 from the buyer is reasonable for all First Class packages. For anything that can’t go First Class, it’s best to get an estimate on shipping costs before listing your item for sale. You don’t want to list shipping costs too low and pay out of pocket, but you also don’t want to charge too high and rip the buyer off (if you do accidentally charge a couple/few dollars too high, it’s courteous to issue a partial refund to the buyer instead of pocketing the extra, although no one enforces this). It’s considered poor selling etiquette to ask a buyer to pay extra for shipping once you have already agreed on a price–you’re expected to absorb that cost since it was your mistake. If your item is listed on ebay with Priority Mail as the shipping method, ebay will automatically calculate and charge the buyer an appropriate shipping amount based on the buyer’s location, which takes the guess work out for the seller.
For items under 13 oz, USPS First Class is the way to go. Postage rates are only $1-$3 instead of >$5 for Priority. For any method, you can print a label online at usps.com, which gives you a small discount on postage and gives you a free tracking number (this costs extra for First Class if you buy at the PO). For domestic shipping, you can also use PayPal from your dashboard or via paypal.com/shipnow
I recommend always using tracking since it’s easy and free. If for some reason you don’t, you should at the very least take a photo of the item with the label affixed and postage paid and send it to the buyer so they have some proof of shipment. Be sure you send your buyer the tracking number once shipped!
Shipping internationally from the US
To ship a package from the US to Canada (or elsewhere overseas), use USPS First Class International. This typically takes about 2 weeks door-to-door, although this can vary because some items will stay in customs at the border for longer than others (who knows why). Rates are on the order of about $8 for a package weighing under a pound. Unlike domestic shipments, you can ship packages First Class that are over 13 oz. Priority Mail, while a bit faster, is much more expensive and the speed is generally not necessary unless the buyer specifically requests it. It is highly recommended that you do not ship via UPS, FedEx or DHL, not only because it’s more costly to you, but also because the buyer will get charged hefty broker fees on the other end.
For more details on shipping to Canada, refer to the step-by-step guide on shipping from US to Canada.
