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I just became aware of the USPS postage increases that went into effect on January 17. While the domestic increases are going to surprise some people, the international shipping increases are going to be very painful. The retail price for a small flat rate priority mail box is $33.95. OUCH! The flat rate envelope and the padded envelope are one dollar less.All sellers (even Kickstarter users) need to be aware of these changes.

Yes, the new postage rates are awerful! I sent a 4 pound (1 brick) to Russia yesterday and it cost $64 dollars. the person only spent $94 total.

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Not only does it suck, it may have serious repercussions to past campaigns. This will negatively impact most kickstarter projects that have not yet been fulfilled, and quite significantly so. We might see a rise in projects failing to deliver simply due to lack of postage funds.

MagikFingerz wrote:Not only does it suck, it may have serious repercussions to past campaigns. This will negatively impact most kickstarter projects that have not yet been fulfilled, and quite significantly so. We might see a rise in projects failing to deliver simply due to lack of postage funds.

I hope the affected creators will have the courage to admit this problem to their backers so that they can be given the option to send the creator additional funds to ship their pledge.

This is also bad news for Australia and other countries. I have noticed a huge increase in Kickstarter projects (and other private companies and resellers) using international postage to reduce costs for domestic (US) buyers. Overseas buyers are already being screwed hard enough for postage, as intimated above.

That's a real shame. Shipping to Australia was already painful, especially with the exchange rate these days. This could be the hobby-killer for me.

USPS is going down the shitter anyways. Maybe Fed-Ex and others will overcome it.

Those services aren't any cheaper for international, heck they are worse. I guess if you aren't getting flat rate then it would be less money?

This will definitely hurt as $33 would turn into a lot more with the way currencies are and that is a double whammy for those outside the US.

The worst thing is, that in Germany ...dunno about other european countries... we pay customs fees for the total we had paid incl. shipping costs.
That means in example : 6 Decks each $9 = $54 plus $33 shipping makes a total of $87. Now on that total comes a 19% customs tax ($16.53).
So the total for 6 decks will be $103.53 makes it $17.25 for each deck.
Yeah i guess i will drop this hobby...its just going to be expensive

Sher wrote:

MagikFingerz wrote:Not only does it suck, it may have serious repercussions to past campaigns. This will negatively impact most kickstarter projects that have not yet been fulfilled, and quite significantly so. We might see a rise in projects failing to deliver simply due to lack of postage funds.

I hope the affected creators will have the courage to admit this problem to their backers so that they can be given the option to send the creator additional funds to ship their pledge.

I'm sure this can't happen under Kickstarter rules and also from a business point of view. Once the campaign has our money, it's up to them to deliver. The last thing I want happening is a flood campaigns, after they've had our money for months on end, asking for more money after the fact.

A good example of the price gouge on shipping is Jackson's - Crazy 8's campaign.

$27 for two decks ($12 standard (a bit overpriced) $15 for limited (regardless of the embossing/limited to 888)) and if your international add $12 shipping, but US only pays $4?

How is that even possible...? Does it really cost $12 for 2 decks or even $24 for 12 decks (internationally) but if your in the US it's only $10 for a brick of 12?

But again, if it's your campaign you can charge whatever you want, it's up to us (the backers) that choose to accept the price.

These are Priority Mail International prices, not First Class, which went up, but not nearly as much.

Domestic Priority went up for Flat Rate boxes less than a dollar, but they also eliminated the discount for printing your own postage, which was around 50¢ - $1.25, so the net is between $1-$2 per package.

They didn't make much noise, and I was not aware of it until I went to print postage Sunday. By law, only letter rate (still 49¢) must be advertised six months in advance, but other rates can be published in the Federal Register and usps.com site with little or no fanfare.

Of course, this is the first increase for Priority Mail rates in three years, so I guess it was overdue.

Cardians wrote:A good example of the price gouge on shipping is Jackson's - Crazy 8's campaign.

$27 for two decks ($12 standard (a bit overpriced) $15 for limited (regardless of the embossing/limited to 888)) and if your international add $12 shipping, but US only pays $4?

How is that even possible...? Does it really cost $12 for 2 decks or even $24 for 12 decks (internationally) but if your in the US it's only $10 for a brick of 12?

But again, if it's your campaign you can charge whatever you want, it's up to us (the backers) that choose to accept the price.

That actually sounds about right... A 2 lb. overseas package shipped from US can easily go over $20 and the US domestic flat rate envelope is about $6. I'm sure with the quantity Jackson ships he might get like a 10% discount or something.

49 cents! In Canada 1 stamp costs $1 for Canadian postage, though it's a bit less if you buy 10 (or 12?) at the same time but still nowhere near that. Hasn't been 49 cents since probably the 70s or 80s. Nevermind US or international letters, that's like $1.50 at least. It sucks I guess.

Cardians wrote:A good example of the price gouge on shipping is Jackson's - Crazy 8's campaign.

$27 for two decks ($12 standard (a bit overpriced) $15 for limited (regardless of the embossing/limited to 888)) and if your international add $12 shipping, but US only pays $4?

How is that even possible...? Does it really cost $12 for 2 decks or even $24 for 12 decks (internationally) but if your in the US it's only $10 for a brick of 12?

But again, if it's your campaign you can charge whatever you want, it's up to us (the backers) that choose to accept the price.

What you will see most project creators do is charge and average, that will end up more expensive for some, but cheaper for others and generally in an attempt to pelase the widest range of international backers where the amount will be average enough not to matter. Shipping is cheaper domestically, there's no way around that.

Mike Ratledge wrote:Of course, this is the first increase for Priority Mail rates in three years, so I guess it was overdue.

I respectfully disagree. If anything they should be lowering their prices along with the dropping gas rates. When gas was $4 per gallon it made sense. It's well under $2 now and dropping further which is saving the post office lots of money compared to 2-3 years ago. Prices rise- that's a fact of life and I'm not disputing that. But don't think the dropping gas prices aren't making the USPS, public transportation, airplane, etc. companies richer.

It's the government. They're trying to bleed the middle class dry. Next thing you know, they'll be offering free shipping for anyone on welfare.

vasta41 wrote:

Mike Ratledge wrote:Of course, this is the first increase for Priority Mail rates in three years, so I guess it was overdue.

I respectfully disagree. If anything they should be lowering their prices along with the dropping gas rates. When gas was $4 per gallon it made sense. It's well under $2 now and dropping further which is saving the post office lots of money compared to 2-3 years ago. Prices rise- that's a fact of life and I'm not disputing that. But don't think the dropping gas prices aren't making the USPS, public transportation, airplane, etc. companies richer.

Hard to argue about gas prices. Here's what I found at Costco in South Carolina today. It's between $1.60 & $1.75 elsewhere.

The thing is that it has nothing to do with gas prices. The USPS has been losing money on overseas Flat Rate shipping for years, and they bumped the price up to close that gap.

Also, one thing I f pointed out but failed to elaborate on, all discounts for printing your own postage were eliminated completely. You pay full price online (Click & Ship) as you do handing it over the counter at a post office.

Now that's stupid! It never was significant, maybe 50¢ or $1, but now they want you to believe it doesn't save them a little money if you prepay and affix your own postage?

Cardians wrote:A good example of the price gouge on shipping is Jackson's - Crazy 8's campaign.

$27 for two decks ($12 standard (a bit overpriced) $15 for limited (regardless of the embossing/limited to 888)) and if your international add $12 shipping, but US only pays $4?

How is that even possible...? Does it really cost $12 for 2 decks or even $24 for 12 decks (internationally) but if your in the US it's only $10 for a brick of 12?

But again, if it's your campaign you can charge whatever you want, it's up to us (the backers) that choose to accept the price.

$12 for international shipping for two decks isn't that crazy. I sent one deck in a small box through first class mail (calculated by weight) and it was $12. Priority mail padded flat rate envelope for up to 8 decks (depending on how you pack them) was $21.62

When I mail a deck domestically, it's definitely cheaper and $4 is within the range for 2 decks if placed in a padded envelope and sent through first class. A brick can be sent in a Priority Mail medium flat rate box for $12 or a Porosity Mail large flat rate box for $17. It might be cheaper if it's first class mail instead of priority (I just don't know the price off the top of my head, and price depends on weight).

Shipping is also slowing killing it for me. I'm ordering half of my playing cards from the U.S. and each time I pay around 30$ shipping for a package

I don't get it why the U.S. has some of the most expensive shipping costs I've ever come across. not that its such a small company...

This increase probably has more to do with the fact that the US government requires the post office to pre-fund pensions for all employees and the post office has been coming up short with these payments for years.

From the USPS website:

"Unlike any other public or private entity, under a 2006 law, the U.S. Postal Service must pre-fund retiree health benefits. We must pay today for benefits that will not be paid out until some future date. Other federal agencies and most private sector companies use a “pay-as-you-go” system, by which the entity pays premiums as they are billed."


I'm not happy about the increases, but I can see why it's happening.

Sher wrote: $12 for international shipping for two decks isn't that crazy. I sent one deck in a small box through first class mail (calculated by weight) and it was $12. Priority mail padded flat rate envelope for up to 8 decks (depending on how you pack them) was $21.62

When I mail a deck domestically, it's definitely cheaper and $4 is within the range for 2 decks if placed in a padded envelope and sent through first class. A brick can be sent in a Priority Mail medium flat rate box for $12 or a Porosity Mail large flat rate box for $17. It might be cheaper if it's first class mail instead of priority (I just don't know the price off the top of my head, and price depends on weight).

You can cheat and put two Small Flat Rate boxes in an envelope (Flat Rate padded) for $6 and change, so 12 decks anywhere in the US for under $7, international it's now $33..

LouCipherr wrote:This increase probably has more to do with the fact that the US government requires the post office to pre-fund pensions for all employees and the post office has been coming up short with these payments for years.

From the USPS website:

"Unlike any other public or private entity, under a 2006 law, the U.S. Postal Service must pre-fund retiree health benefits. We must pay today for benefits that will not be paid out until some future date. Other federal agencies and most private sector companies use a “pay-as-you-go” system, by which the entity pays premiums as they are billed."

I'm not happy about the increases, but I can see why it's happening.

Well you may understand but I don't. If the current system isn't working then they need to make changes not pass the buck on to consumers and shrug their shoulders. Why should people stand for this?

jerichoholic wrote:

LouCipherr wrote:This increase probably has more to do with the fact that the US government requires the post office to pre-fund pensions for all employees and the post office has been coming up short with these payments for years.

From the USPS website:

"Unlike any other public or private entity, under a 2006 law, the U.S. Postal Service must pre-fund retiree health benefits. We must pay today for benefits that will not be paid out until some future date. Other federal agencies and most private sector companies use a “pay-as-you-go” system, by which the entity pays premiums as they are billed."

I'm not happy about the increases, but I can see why it's happening.

Well you may understand but I don't. If the current system isn't working then they need to make changes not pass the buck on to consumers and shrug their shoulders. Why should people stand for this?

Shipping does and without a doubt will always suck for both the creators and consumers. There is no win for either the creator or consumer. If a creator lowers their shipping cost below actual rates they loose and end up going out of business or aren't able to fulfill. If the creators charge actual rates the consumer gets screwed just because the rates are so high. Unfortunately what you will start to see is people getting out of the hobby as consumers and you will see creators slowly stop offering international shipping. I sure am considering it, as I clearly see and feel the financial pain already with projects that were funded in 2015 and collected funds based on 2015 shipping rates but now have to ship based on 2016 rates. It sucks for everyone, and their is no solution for anyone that is a win win.

Mike Ratledge wrote: Hard to argue about gas prices. Here's what I found at Costco in South Carolina today. It's between $1.60 & $1.75 elsewhere.

tmp_20449-2016-01-21 22.26.501175101236.jpg

$1.75!!?? I WISH gas was $1.75... I live in Portland OR and I'm happy when I find a place that is a few cents below $3...

Justin O. wrote:

Mike Ratledge wrote: Hard to argue about gas prices. Here's what I found at Costco in South Carolina today. It's between $1.60 & $1.75 elsewhere.

tmp_20449-2016-01-21 22.26.501175101236.jpg

$1.75!!?? I WISH gas was $1.75... I live in Portland OR and I'm happy when I find a place that is a few cents below $3...

Hawai'i, Oregon and California are the worst, I am pretty sure.

South Carolina and Arkansas are almost always best, because we have the lowest state tax on gas.

Of that $1.50, 36¢ is state tax, so the actual price is $1.14 +. 36 tax.

Justin O. wrote:

Mike Ratledge wrote: Hard to argue about gas prices. Here's what I found at Costco in South Carolina today. It's between $1.60 & $1.75 elsewhere.

tmp_20449-2016-01-21 22.26.501175101236.jpg

$1.75!!?? I WISH gas was $1.75... I live in Portland OR and I'm happy when I find a place that is a few cents below $3...

Lol. Everything is relative. In Guam it's $3.35, down ten cents from last week, and at one point it was close to hitting $5. Alaska seems to have it the worst, since they have limited gas supply in some places. Someone told me it could be up to $7-8.

Anyway, I'm not sure how gas prices affect postage, but I'm just glad shipping to Guam via USPS doesn't cost more than domestic.

Hello all,

I need to know something. Is it possible to bulk mail kickstarter decks? I have a bulk mailing license and an artist asked me if they could use it...

Has it ever been done? Bulk mail don't have tracking codes so how would we be sure the customer isn't ripping us off?

Thanks!

tewodros.getenet wrote:Hello all,

I need to know something. Is it possible to bulk mail kickstarter decks? I have a bulk mailing license and an artist asked me if they could use it...

Has it ever been done? Bulk mail don't have tracking codes so how would we be sure the customer isn't ripping us off?

Thanks!

You can't, Teddy. That's why nobody ever uses bulk rate - especially for overseas.

I noticed when I shipped some Carat Card Cases™ yesterday that yes, the USPS.com "Click and Ship" (preprint ș affix your own postage) is indeed gone, but if you use PayPal (including from eBay), the discount is still there. Of course, that doesn't help campaign fulfillment....

that really suck so bad..I am not sure either if I can continue buying from US.