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Hello Ecrater Community, Happy Spring

 
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Flower-Craft-Creations-ByCarinda



Posts: 1

PostPosted: Fri Apr 05, 2019 12:00 am    Post subject: Hello Ecrater Community, Happy Spring Reply with quote

I am Carinda White with Flower-Craft-Creations-By Carinda. I make silk flower bridesmaid bouquets, silk flower corsages, boutineres, and flower hard headbands. I am ready to create customize flowers for special events prom, dances, weddings....
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MoonwishesStore
moderator


Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Fri Apr 05, 2019 7:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Welcome! I hear you on the chronic pain - Severe RA here.

Have you ever sold online before? Have you boxed up one of your flower creations and checked on what the actual price is for shipping? I know silk flowers can be pricey, plus the other components, But I think after paying for your cost of goods, PP fees, packing supplies, and shipping, you may be losing money - I think what you are selling is underpriced anyhow. I live in PA and if I have to ship something to CA the lowest price with delivery confirmation is $3.09. If you need to mail something across the street I think that starts at $2.68 so for your $2.50 items, you are paying the buyer to take your items. You may not want to earn much, but I don't think you want to be giving things away. I would suggest that you put your store on hold until you have figured out appropriate pricing for the shipping and handling. This includes the postage, the PP fee (unless you stick that into the price of the item), tape, labels, boxes, and other packaging supplies, and round up. Don't try to set your shipping to the exact penny! Some do but I personally don't see the sense in it now with FCM set by zones. If you still want to offer free shipping, all of that has to be added to the price of what you are selling.
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slyravengear



Posts: 120

PostPosted: Fri Apr 05, 2019 8:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Welcome to Ecrater! Hope you are very successful here.

Please take what Moonwishes said into consideration, your prices vs shipping is concerning. So low you will certainly lose money.
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SheilaDeesPostcards
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Posts: 4614

PostPosted: Fri Apr 05, 2019 9:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I strongly agree with Moonwishes and want to give you links to a few tools to help you get a handle on shipping. First of all, remember there is no "FREE" shipping, the seller will pay the shipping service to get the item to the customer. If the seller wants to advertise free shipping, you need to add enough onto the selling price to cover your cost to ship the item. This is usually a juggling act to decide how much to add because almost all shipping services are priced by a combination of weight and distance. You, the seller, needs to know exactly how much it's going to cost you to ship that item across town and across country so you can make an educated decision on shipping.

Here's the steps I would suggest:
1. take a completed item and determine the weight. (If you don't have a scale, take it to your local post office as ask them to weigh it.)

2. Next determine what type of package you will need to send it to your customer. Can you put it in a bubble lined envelope or will you need a box. Actually go through the process of packaging the item for shipment so you can determine the actual shipping weight. Again, you will need to get an actual weight.

3. How do you plan to ship? If you use the U.S.Postal Service they will usually pick up your packages when they deliver your mail if you have already paid for your postage. You can print a label through PayPal at the commercial rate which is cheaper than taking it to the Post Office.

4. Here's a link to the current Postal rates: https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/Notice123.htm#_c037 Notice there is a section for Retail Prices and for Commercial Prices. If you take your package to the Post Office, you will pay the Retail prices. If you print your postage online, you'll pay the commercial price. Plus, online postage will include the delivery tracking at no extra cost.

5. If you look at the First Class Parcel commercial prices, you'll see a 4 oz. package being shipped close to your home will cost you $2.66 and if the customer is cross country your shipping cost could be as high as $3.09. This is going to be the cheapest shipping for 1 to 4 ounces unless it will fit in a plain flexible envelope (which a headband wouldn't).

This is why Moonwishes and I are concerned about your prices with free shipping. You also have to take into consideration the actual amount you have to pay for the headband, the ribbon, and the flowers. Now you may consider your time "mental therapy", but if you want to make a little cash you have to consider a little extra for your time to create the item.

If you want to go beyond just looking at the USPS price chart, you'll notice each weight shows a price based on a zone. Here's a link to the USPS Domestic Zone Chart where you just enter your zip code and you will get a chart showing the zone for all US zip codes based on your zip code. [url]https://postcalc.usps.com/DomesticZoneChart [/url].

Hope this helps get your store off to a good start.
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PlaidPenguin



Posts: 60

PostPosted: Fri Apr 05, 2019 11:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Welcome Carinda! I didn't realize how much I miss working with flowers until I looked at your shop. My Aunt had a bridal shop for 40 years. I think everyone in the family worked there as their first job.

I don't know where you live but here in Arkansas it is very popular for people to be looking for Memorial Day flowers for the cemetery. That season will be heating up as soon as Easter is over. You might look into that because you could sell enough of those locally through word of mouth and posting on social media to give you extra money to get your online business going.

Good Luck with your new shop!
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