I'm dieing...

[ZODDGUTS]

.... for someone to tell me how to send mail packages.

Well I want to trade my R1 Neon Genesis Evangelion set, R1 Last Exile vol 1-3 ,FX NOIR, Battle Royale movie, Ninja Scroll vol 1 and NGE Directors cut.

So what exactly do I do? Let's say I go to the post office what do I say "I want to send my items by mail" is that it?.

Here's other questions.

How much does a package cost?
Why is my package weigh? and does it affect the cost?
Where should I go Post office, Fed Ex or ups. Which place is cheaper.

Can anyone help me out please.

[Japschin]

There are different ways you could send your mail.
1. Media Mail (cheapest but highest chance that items are missing. 10-21 days. Tracking/insurance extra)
2. First Class (up to 13oz. generally only for max 2 dvds. 4-5 days. Tracking/insurance extra)
3. Priority Mail (Up to 3 dvds. 2-3 days. Free tracking if you do it online o/w tracking/insurance extra)
4. Express Mail (overnight. Insured up to $100 with tracking #)

The heavier your item is, the more expensive is the postage.

USPS
NGE: Around 3-4lb.
Media Mail: <$3.50
Priority Mail: $7-$9
Express Mail: abt $21

Last Exile Vols 1-3 (1lb), depending on whether you use box/envelope and how you package them.
Media Mail: <$2
Priority: abt slightly less than $6.
Express: $18

FX Noir/Battle Royale/NGE Director's Cut/Ninja Scroll:
Media Mail: $1.42
First Class. Abt $1.50-$1.80. (excluding FX Noir)
Priority Mail: abt $4
Express: $18

All quoted are without insurance/tracking, except for express mail.
Delivery confirmation(tracking): $0.40-$0.55
Insurance:
up to $50: $1.30
$100: $2.20
$200: $3.20



UPS
Ground: (3-6days: Preferred way)
Add another $2-$3, depending on weight, but all packages are insured up to $100 with tracking #. If i remember correctly, if your package is worth more than $100, it's $0.50 extra on insurance.

Fedex
Same as UPS

Personally, I prefer to send heavier stuffs >3lb out on UPS since generally they are suppsed to be valued more. Most of the time UPS makes sure that the items are delivered. USPS, most of the time, the package, if too large to fit into the mailbox, will leave it at your doorstep. Risk the possibility of being taken by some1 who walks past your house unless you live in a really honest and safe neighborhood.

When you trade, if the other party is sending you your stuffs too, make sure you guys agree on the delivery method. You don't want to spend $10 on shipping via 2-3days mail and the other party sending you via Media Mail <$4 and you have to wait b/w 14-21 days. I had some1 do it to me once and it dissed the hell out of me since we agreed to send via the same way. I spent $15 shipping while the other person only spent $3. I had to wait 18 days while the other person only waited 3 days.

International, not very sure since I only use Global Express Mail (3-5 days)

[tsunami]

Besides the above rates what do you want from you courrier? USPS will suffice to get the stuff there but I say UPS and FedEx give you your money's worth. All of them deliver packages at about the same rate in my experience.

[NYxCalm]

Wow Japschin- you're a nice person for going in depth and replying with such detail. Props man!

[Zagatto]

Heh... can you imagine if Vicious had been the first to answer this thread?

I can just picture it... "why don't you get up off your lazy ass and check with the post office?" or "Get a box big enough to fit them in, write my address on it, take it down to the post office and pay them to deliver it."

Instead we can thank Japschin for giving a clean honest answer.

For the record, I use the post office almost exclusively for shipping. They have some of the best rates for the services they provide on small packages. If we're talking about larger boxes then I start looking at UPS and FedEx.

Speaking of FedEx, has anyone else noticed that if you look at their logo, the E and the x form an arrow pointing to the right. I wonder how much thought went into that in the marketing department.

[Vicious]

Yeah, I basically would have told him to go down to the post office and ask them. No way was I writing up that essay that Japschin wrote.

[Japschin]

Hahahahh thank you for the praises. I had a good nap last afternoon, so was feeling pretty good and awake when I saw his post.
I don't mind helping out with it unless this post has been repeated over and over again. :p

I know the rates pretty well with UPS and USPS since I used to send parcels/packages out frequently, domestically and internationally. So I thought that I would help.
I thought that his post is pretty relevant since I saw new traders in the trade forum. Not sure if this is going to help them though...

Essay? Maybe I'm trying to practice writing. Man, gone were the good old days for a minimum 10,000 word reasearch papers in the University. :p

[ZODDGUTS]

Thanks for the info.

"Heh... can you imagine if Vicious had been the first to answer this thread?

I can just picture it... "why don't you get up off your lazy ass and check with the post office?" or "Get a box big enough to fit them in, write my address on it, take it down to the post office and pay them to deliver it."

I wish I could but right now I'm way to busy with school work. Right now for my speech class I gotta remember for 6-7 mins my report on technology on DVD the only I can use up their when I'm making a speechis my index cards.

But even so I have asked around my friends and my family but non have gaved me a detailed enough answer. The funny thing is that one friend of mines works at Fed Ex and yet he doesn't know much he told me just puts packages in the truck.