Shipping and Handling

So, I've heard some people complaining about the fact that if they buy a small item from someone online, let's say like one of my charms -

- for around $7.00, that the shipping should be free or only $1.00 or so.  That $4 is outrageous since it's nearly half or more the price of the item they are buying. 

That may work for the big box stores who make millions of dollars in sales a year, but it doesn't work for an independent artist.

Let's break down the cost of shipping & handling.

First there is the envelope:

I like the bubble envelopes.  These come 6 to a pack for around $3.69 + 0.9% tax = $4.02 at Target.  Or $0.67 a piece.

Second there is the actual "Handling" part that many people forget. I put the item in the envelope with it's receipt or extras and then actually go to the post office.  Yes you are being charged for my time and gas in my car to get to the post office.

Third is the shipping. I like to ship all of my items first class with tracking - I added the tracking as a normal addition after a bad situation with an impatient customer who thought 4 days was too long to wait for her package and contacted me twice a day asking where it was.  Well without tracking I had no idea where it was. (Fortunately it did arrive on the 5th day.)

A package this size with only one or two light items in it costs around $2.95 for shipping first class with tracking.

$2.95 + $0.67 = $3.62 - which means I'm only charging you $0.38 for the handling part - quite a bargain! - when I charge you $4.00 for shipping and handling.

So please keep all these costs in mind when you are placing your order and are faced with the S&H charges.