• Some users have recently had their accounts hijacked. It seems that the now defunct EVGA forums might have compromised your password there and seems many are using the same PW here. We would suggest you UPDATE YOUR PASSWORD and TURN ON 2FA for your account here to further secure it. None of the compromised accounts had 2FA turned on.
    Once you have enabled 2FA, your account will be updated soon to show a badge, letting other members know that you use 2FA to protect your account. This should be beneficial for everyone that uses FSFT.

PSA: Stop paying USPS retail rates!

E

EnderW

[H]F Junkie
2FA
Joined
Sep 25, 2003
Messages
11,457
No one should be paying USPS retail rates. These are significantly higher than if you purchase online. Latest example, I just purchased a small item in the FS forum.
Seller paid $17.55 for a less than 1 lb package!
The same rate would have been $7.69 on pirate ship

I've been using this site for years and have had zero issues.
You can purchase USPS or UPS shipping. Highly recommended.
pirateship.com

Bonus FYI - USPS offers free pickup next business day
 
I just shipped something earlier this week, I knew it would fit in a USPS FRB, but I also knew an FRB would cost $20+. Hopped on PirateShip and I was a bit shocked that UPS was less than $10. Also slightly less interesting was that the same box size/weight USPS vis PirateShip was $10.xx.
 
USPS flat rate boxes are a terrible value any time I've checked the price of them. Maybe if you're shipping lead plates it makes sense.
 
Yeah, it's saved me literally hundreds of dollars if not more. A decent 110 lb. postage scale will usually pay for itself within 1-2 transactions if you create your own label and use Pirate Ship/Shippo/Ship Nerd/etc. If you're paying retail rates and do any amount of selling online, you're just throwing money away.
 
Good post - pirate ship user for years here too. Not just cheaper but good UI and faster to print or send a label too
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ikasu
like this
myzz said:
Good post - pirate ship user for years here too. Not just cheaper but good UI and faster to print or send a label too
Click to expand...
It's nice being able to drop a package off and then leave. The convenience is immense.
 
kyang357 said:
My local USPS has a dedicated line for drop offs. If UPS, drop it off at UPS store, don't forget to get a receipt for high value items.
Click to expand...
You've got some big brain postal workers then. I'm always stuck in a crowd of people asking about every kind of service, what box to use, and if the usps can tape it up for them. And the people picky about stamps.
 
bigddybn said:
We should just stop paying USPS. Let it die already.
Click to expand...
Pretty much impossible since the Constitution grants Congress the power for establishing the mail systems/routes/etc. They'll continue getting billions of dollars of taxpayer funded bailouts. In 2022 they got over $100B in taxpayer money to "cancel" debt and overhaul their operations. It obviously didn't work because just last year they had a $9B net loss and they're on track this year for another net loss around the same amount.
 
w1retap said:
Pretty much impossible since the Constitution grants Congress the power for establishing the mail systems/routes/etc. They'll continue getting billions of dollars of taxpayer funded bailouts. In 2022 they got over $100B in taxpayer money to "cancel" debt and overhaul their operations. It obviously didn't work because just last year they had a $9B net loss and they're on track this year for another net loss around the same amount.
Click to expand...
Then time for an update. 99% of "mail" is useless junk. The 2 times a year I get a paper document mailed to me for some reason it's because of some outdated BS law that says it has to be mailed or something and there are plenty of commercial alternatives that can deliver with far better reliability. "It's always been that way" is the bane of progress. Rip the band aids off and let it all die.
 
This thread is reminding me why I want to sell via eBay more than I have so far. eBay seems to automate the postal savings, not to mention the eyeballs sellers get there.
 
the_servicer said:
This thread is reminding me why I want to sell via eBay more than I have so far. eBay seems to automate the postal savings, not to mention the eyeballs sellers get there.
Click to expand...
Ebay's rating engine is done by Pitney Bowes. Pitney Bowes also offers a platform(s) like Pirate Ship. There are many more out there as well.
 
I am not familiar..but if you have one of those USPS boxes or envelopes, can you still use pirateship, or must you use a brown box for shipping? Never used Pirateship, just asking
 
You can use pirate ship but you would need to ship via USPS.

I have heard of people using USPS boxes and ship UPS but I wouldn't recommend this. UPS might toss your package into "wrong carrier" bin and this usually takes a few business days to resolve.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top