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I live in Hawaii and lately my little quilting business is beginning to take off a little but I am frustrated because I can't find a cheap way to send my quilts to the mainland. I know that the post office has a flat rate but even then it is a chunk taken out. Does anyone have any other suggestions? I would appreciate your input. Mahalo
Are you charging for shipping on top of the selling price on the quilt? You shouldn't be absorbing shipping costs into your margin. So if the sale is $100, and flat rate is $15, you should be charging $115 total.
Unfortunately that's the best way from here. I was selling dresses and used garment bags to keep the cost down. I have a scale to see what I will charge for shipping. But for the weight of the quilt and to keep it safe I don't see any other way.
I agree, you should be charging for shipping!! I think most people expect to pay shipping, and with priority mail the customer gets tracking. Having lived on Kauai for 20 years, I know the pain of being isolated and getting things to and from the islands. That being said, there are items that I still covet and am only able to find there, I order and pay the shipping charges, for me it is worth it for fresh Poi.
You need some poi? :) My Dh's cousin has a poi company. I have been here since '79. Where did you live?Quote:
Originally Posted by classynsassy
When I ship to my quilter, I pay to ship it to her, and she charges me shipping to ship it back. It's gotten more expensive over the years, but I pay it. She doesn't.
Kensi Or Gloria :) brings up a point. are you sending off finished quilts or for a service to quilt it. Finished you need to charge shipping to the buyer.
Are you afraid the shipping charge will deter from sales?
Small world!! I lived on Kauai and moved there in 1980, graduated high school there and have 3 wonderful hapa haole keikis......of course they are all grown up and on their own!!! I moved back to the mainland in 2000. I miss the people and the weather and the food!!!!! I would love to have some fresh poki for of dinner!! My best friend is on a plane as we speak moving back to be closer to her daughter, perhaps I need to plan a trip back just for a fix!!! Are you on Oahu or an outer island?Quote:
Originally Posted by Hulamoon
Well poki I can't send. lol I live in the Wailua homesteads. That's after Kalaheo, Koloa, Omao. I wonder if we ever met? That would be funny to see if we did.
Oh my goodness......such a small small world.......my dear friend Cathy Peters and her late husband Buddy owned Wailua Kayak......and I was a police officer there as well, I apologize in advance if I ever gave you a ticket!!! I worked in Wailua quite a bit, but was stationed out of Princeville.
I worked at the Princeville hotel for a couple of years. You never pulled me over, I got stopped twice, once for a rolling turn up in a boonie area. And passing a double line at 3 in the morning behind a slow driver because I was late for work. Another boonie area. I guess the police like to hang in the boonies. lol
My email is in my user notes because we are hijacking Sandy's thread. Sorry Sandy :)
Postage is very costly and it's going up again in early 2014. Your customers need to be paying for the postage plus a little extra if you use bubbles, peanuts, tissue paper or plastic bags.
One thing that takes the edge off high shipping costs is when the seller sends me a little 'just because' giftie. Recently I got a handmade gift tag and another seller sent me two herbal teabags. I also remember getting a few 2 1/2" strips in with my order. Both items made me smile....simple and inexpensive. you could do something really inexpensive.
You should charge for shipping, I do when I sell fabric/jewelry/Mixed Media and I sell to Europe and Japan a lot.
For the quilts use the Priority Flat Rate Large Gaming box that you can order online only - it's great for sending up to queen size quilts. It expands quite a bit girth wise and as long as you take the ends with clear tape you are fine sending from the Islands. I put the item in a large white kitchen trash bag to help slide it into the box, which also protects it from any dampness. :)
You're insured up to $50, get free tracking number, the buyer get an email for tracking. If you use PP for payment/shipping your label, you even pay less. Love it!