Quick Tip Saturday #6 - How to Ship Your Etsy Orders from Home

If you run an Etsy Shop, or any other home business where you have to ship your product from your home, you might want to consider the tip I have for you today.  It will save you time, and money!

I opened my Etsy Shop, GCCginascraftcorner, about a year ago.  when business picked up, I found myself running to the post office once or twice a week to ship out orders.  I personally liked getting out of the house, but when I realized I could save both time AND money by shipping from home, I made the switch.

WHY SHIP FROM HOME?

1. USING ETSY SHIPPING LABELS GIVES YOU A DISCOUNTED RATE

Let's say I wanted to ship to Colorado.  Here is a price comparison of the shipping cost between Etsy Shipping and the US Postal Service.  On Etsy, you can PRICE YOUR POSTAGE.  If you enter your address and the destination address, it will give you a price comparison between Etsy Shipping cost and the USPS shipping cost.  Check out the price savings.  If I use Etsy shipping labels instead of going to the post office, and having them weigh and price my package.  I save ~$1.70 by using Etsy Shipping Labels.  Yay!  

Another bonus is that Etsy Priority Shipping comes with $100.00 insurance.  At the post office, the insurance rate is only $50.00!  Another great reason to switch.  

2. CONVENIENCE

Shipping from home is so easy with USPS.COM.  Follow these easy steps..

Step 1:  Go to USPS.COM and on their home page select "SCHEDULE A PICKUP"

Step 2:  Enter the location of where the package will be picked up,  (name, address, etc...) and then click on CHECK AVAILABILITY.  I'm guessing at this point, if this service is not available from your USPS, then it will let you know.

Step 3:  If the service is available in your area, then it will ask you, "Where should we pick up?"  In the screenshot below, you can see that there are many options.

Step 4:  Here, I chose to have them pick up at the front door.  Then, I chose to have them pick it up during the regular mail delivery.  If you need a special pickup time, this will cost you more.

Step 5:  The last thing to do is to decide on the day you want your package to be picked up.  Simple as that!

After you have scheduled your pickup.  The only thing left to do is to wrap up your package, weigh it, go to your Etsy shop and print your shipping labels.  Then, tape the label onto your package and set your package at your designated location and that is it.  Your friendly little postman will pick it up when he delivers your mail.  Gotta love it!

You may be asking, "How do you print a shipping label?"  Well, that, we will have to save for another post.  It is very easy to do.  I figured it out my own, so I know you can to.  But, if you want a little guidance, the next time I get an order, (hopefully someday soon!), I will take screenshots of that process as well, and write up a Quick Tip and put a link HERE when it is ready.

Now, in order to ship your packages from home, you HAVE TO HAVE A SCALE.  I went to amazon and purchased a scale.  It had great reviews and was only about $20.00, I think.  It has been very reliable for me.  Once you have a scale, you also just need a printer to pint the labels.

I hope this quick tip will help you as you try to get your Etsy shop off the ground!









Blessings to you!