Thread: sold books on amazon.com

Originally Posted by clemson357

I sold some of my old text books. Someone told me that amazon.com sends you a metered mail stamp, so you don't have to go to the post office.

This appears not to be so.

My question is, is there any particular container you have to ship them in? I seem to remember recieving a book through the mail that was shipped in between two pieces of cardboard stapled together. Can I ship like this, or do I have to buy a container to ship in?

If you ship it US Priority Mail they have free boxes at the post office, depending on weight this may be the way to go, they have flat rate boxes with no weight limit.

Or, you can buy a box at Wal-Mart for about $2 and ship it standard mail or even UPS.

Well, I sold a lot of books for around $10, so a $2 box significantly cuts into my profit on each book.

Does anyone know if there is any rule against just stapling two pieces of carboard together? I know I have recieved a book shipped this way, buy I don't remember if it was USPS or what.

Originally Posted by clemson357

Well, I sold a lot of books for around $10, so a $2 box significantly cuts into my profit on each book.

Does anyone know if there is any rule against just stapling two pieces of carboard together? I know I have recieved a book shipped this way, buy I don't remember if it was USPS or what.

you are not charging them any shipping fees?

I said you can ship USPS and get free boxes.

Originally Posted by clemson357

Well, I sold a lot of books for around $10, so a $2 box significantly cuts into my profit on each book.

Does anyone know if there is any rule against just stapling two pieces of carboard together? I know I have recieved a book shipped this way, buy I don't remember if it was USPS or what.

I have bought and sold books on half.com the entire time I have been in college. I wrap bubble wrap around the book then slid it into an oversized mailing envelope. I have never had a problem so far.

As long as it's taped up right you can use card board, but like Robert said they have free boxes and envelopes at flat rates. The Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope is $4.05 for any U.S. destination.

I'm thinking with text books you'll need a box. The Priority Mail Flat Rate Box is $8.10 for any U.S. destination. That'll leave you with $1.90, probably the amount of gas it took you to drive to the Post office and back.

Lesson learned: never sell something and not cover your shipping costs, whether you add it into the sale or charge an additional fee.

Amazon.com gives me a $3 or $4 credit for shipping. I guess they just deposit an extra $3 or $4 in my account for shipping (charged to the purchaser of course), and if it is more than that the seller has to cover it.

Amazon says that if you ask for some special kind of "media shipping," you can ship 3 lbs for $3. So my only concern is the boxes.

Yall said Priority Mail has free boxes, and then said "I told you USPS has free boxes." Is Priority and USPS the same thing? Thanks.

Priority Mail is a service provided by the Snail Mail folks at USPS or the once known Pony Express....