The 20-Minute Problem: Small Business Shipping and Mailing Solutions
Our latest survey reveals that 78% of small business owners make frequent trips to mailing locations, and 68% regularly interrupt important work to handle mailing tasks.
Maximizing Profits on eBay: Four Hot Products to Sell Now!
Even though I am an eBay seller and educator with 16 years' experience and 20,000 + feedback, I am constantly trying to think of ways to work smarter, not harder. Last January, right before COVID hit, I decided to downsize and streamline my eBay business. Instead of running it out of a warehouse, I moved it back to my house. When social distancing became the norm, I started doing all of the listing myself instead of paying someone to list. Because of all of these changes, I became laser focused on low-cost products that are easy to source, easy to store, and easy to ship. As a result, I sell less but make more!
The following four items are among the type of products I now sell on a regular basis. If you don’t have much space, and you want to maximize profits in 2021, don’t miss out on these easy-to-source products:
#1 Women’s bras and lightweight tops: Both of these products meet the aforementioned criteria. Heavily padded bras in all sizes from brands such as Victoria’s Secret are always hot sellers. Be sure to mention style names in the titles of the listings you create. Lightweight tops (especially camisole-type tank tops) from companies such as White House Black Market are also popular. Bras and tops are easy to find at yard sales where they often hide in large piles of clothing and can be purchased for next to nothing. In general, try to focus on those items that are light enough to be sent via First Class Package Service (under 1 lb.).#2 Swimsuits: Name brand swimsuits for men and women are also fun to sell. Swimsuits are easy to store, and they don’t weigh much. Focus on new or almost new name brand suits that are photogenic. As far as sizes go, the bigger the better. A few years ago, I purchased 90 name brand swimsuits at an end-of-the-summer sale at a local thrift shop. During COVID, there were no yard sales, and shopping at thrift shops was not an option. That’s when I pulled out the bags full of swimsuits I had purchased! #3 Lego Minifigures: Legos can be sold by the pound, but did you know that Lego minifigures can be sold individually for a nice profit? Minifigures (or minifigs) are small, lightweight figurines produced by the Lego company. Both children and adults collect minifigs, and they are sold individually or as parts of sets. Some are produced to fit a certain theme while others are specific characters from film, television, or game franchises. We often purchase large lots of Legos and sift through them looking for minifigs.#4 Vintage ashtrays and plates: I love listing vintage ashtrays and plates from bars, restaurants, and hotels, especially if the establishments no longer exist. I recently sold a set of four small vintage dessert plates from a hotel for $60. These treasures are relatively easy to find at estate sales and can be listed in just a few minutes from just about anywhere.
eBay Seller Tip! Remember, you make your money when you buy! So when you’re out and about sourcing for your online business, don’t miss out on these small, lightweight, easy-to-source items that will help you maximize profits in 2021!
Even though I am an eBay seller and educator with 16 years’ experience and 20,000 + feedback, I am constantly trying to think of ways to work smarter, not harder. Last January, right before COVID hit, I decided to downsize and streamline my eBay business. Instead of running it out of a warehouse, I moved it back to my house. When social distancing became the norm, I started doing all of the listing myself instead of paying someone to list. Because of all of these changes, I became laser focused on low-cost products that are easy to source, easy to store, and easy to ship. As a result, I sell less but make more!
The following four items are among the type of products I now sell on a regular basis. If you don’t have much space, and you want to maximize profits in 2021, don’t miss out on these easy-to-source products:
#1 Women’s bras and lightweight tops: Both of these products meet the aforementioned criteria. Heavily padded bras in all sizes from brands such as Victoria’s Secret are always hot sellers. Be sure to mention style names in the titles of the listings you create. Lightweight tops (especially camisole-type tank tops) from companies such as White House Black Market are also popular. Bras and tops are easy to find at yard sales where they often hide in large piles of clothing and can be purchased for next to nothing. In general, try to focus on those items that are light enough to be sent via First Class Package Service (under 1 lb.).
#2 Swimsuits: Name brand swimsuits for men and women are also fun to sell. Swimsuits are easy to store, and they don’t weigh much. Focus on new or almost new name brand suits that are photogenic. As far as sizes go, the bigger the better. A few years ago, I purchased 90 name brand swimsuits at an end-of-the-summer sale at a local thrift shop. During COVID, there were no yard sales, and shopping at thrift shops was not an option. That’s when I pulled out the bags full of swimsuits I had purchased!
#3 Lego Minifigures: Legos can be sold by the pound, but did you know that Lego minifigures can be sold individually for a nice profit? Minifigures (or minifigs) are small, lightweight figurines produced by the Lego company. Both children and adults collect minifigs, and they are sold individually or as parts of sets. Some are produced to fit a certain theme while others are specific characters from film, television, or game franchises. We often purchase large lots of Legos and sift through them looking for minifigs.
#4 Vintage ashtrays and plates: I love listing vintage ashtrays and plates from bars, restaurants, and hotels, especially if the establishments no longer exist. I recently sold a set of four small vintage dessert plates from a hotel for $60. These treasures are relatively easy to find at estate sales and can be listed in just a few minutes from just about anywhere.
eBay Seller Tip! Remember, you make your money when you buy! So when you’re out and about sourcing for your online business, don’t miss out on these small, lightweight, easy-to-source items that will help you maximize profits in 2021!
About the Author Miriam Otto is an e-commerce blogger and credentialed teacher with 16 years’ experience selling on eBay. She was a frequent guest on eBay Radio and has participated in eBay seller panels and projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I get in the Stamps.com Special Offer?
We offer new customers free supplies including free NetStamps and a 5 lb scale so they can get started with the basics required to get the most out of Stamps.com
Can I print multiple shipping labels at once?
Yes. Stamps.com allows you to print up to 10,000 labels in one click.
How does the 30-day risk-free trial work?
We offer new customers a 30-day risk free trial to see if Stamps.com is right for them. Cancelling any time within the 30-day time frame will result in no charges; however, if you continue past your 30‑day trial, you will be charged a monthly subscription including your first month's fee. Your service will continue uninterrupted unless you cancel.
How do I cancel my account?
Log in and navigate to your subscription page to cancel from within the app, or simply call our toll-free number 855-608-2677, M–F 8AM to 8PM CT and our customer support team will be happy to assist you. You can cancel any time.
How do I calculate domestic postage costs?
Our rate advisor feature helps you calculate exact postage or shipping rate for anything you send. All you need is your item's weight and dimensions -- we do all the math for you and recommend cheapest, fastest, and best rates across all carriers.
Does Stamps.com work on Macs?
Yes. Mac users can use our web app on any browser, or they can download our desktop app for Mac for free. Visit stamps.com/download to access all of our apps including our free mobile app.
Does Stamps.com support an ODBC connection to my database?
Yes. Stamps.com can pull order or customer information from virtually any database, from Excel to SQL. Stamps.com also creates an export file that includes mail class, mail date, shipping cost, and tracking number.
Do I need to purchase any special equipment?
No. All you need is a printer and your computer or phone. You can print shipping labels on plain paper or adhesive labels, postage on our NetStamps® labels or direclty onto any kind of envelope, and on Certified Mail® forms.
Can Stamps.com help me track my postage spending?
Yes. Our reports show you you activity and total spend by carrier, mail class, shipping service -- so you always know how much you send. You can customize your reports by date and, if you are on our multi-location plan, you can also view activity and spend per location and user.
Can more than one person use my account?
Yes. You can add users to the same Stamps.com account - user limits vary by plan. If your organization has multiple locations, you can switch to our multi-location plan. Visit stamps.com/multilocation to learn more
Can I import my orders from Shopify, eBay, Amazon, and other stores?
Yes. You can connect your shopping carts and marketplaces including Shopify, eBay, Amazon, and Etsy with Stamps.com in under 5 minutes. You can also import your orders from a CSV file, Microsoft Excel, XML, or your own ODBC.
I work in a company with multiple locations. Can Stamps.com work for us?
Our multi-location plan, designed for companies with 2+ office locations, gives each location the ability to print postage and labels as needed, while capturing information about how much is sent and spent in a single dashboard to give the business the ability to budget. No leases, no contracts, and best-in-class support available when your users need it. Visit stamps.com/multi-location to learn more
What are nonmachinable envelopes?
Nonmachinable envelopes might be non-rectangular, rigid, unevenly thick, or have non-paper closures, meaning they cannot be processed efficiently by USPS's automated sorting equipment, and require special handling, resulting in a surcharge in addition to the standard postage.
What is a USPS SCAN Form, and how is it useful for me?
The Shipment Confirmation Acceptance Notice (SCAN) form ensures that your packages are scanned by the USPS when they are dropped off or picked up by a mail carrier, so your customer can feel confident that their package is on its way.
Using Stamps.com, you’ll be able to create a SCAN form with a few clicks. Then, hand the form to the clerk or mail carrier, and they will scan the barcode on the form. This scan records an Acceptance event for all the packages associated with the form without having to scan each package individually.
What mailing and shipping services are available in Stamps.com?
Stamps.com gives you access to all mailing and shipping services from USPS, UPS, DHL, and other top carriers. Visit stamps.com/carriers for a full list.
What printers are supported by Stamps.com?
We support all printers from laser and inkjet to high speed thermal printers.
What shipping rate discounts can I get with Stamps.com?
With USPS, Stamps.com customers have access to Commercial Base, Commercial Plus, Cubic Pricing, and Negotiated Service Agreements. Savings include:
Up to 16% on all Priority Mail Express® shipments
Up to 30% on Priority Mail® shipments
Up to 7% on international shipments
Up to 40% on package insurance
With UPS, Stamps.com customers get up to 73% off UPS 2nd Day Air® and up to 77% off UPS® Ground Daily Rates.* Plus, many common surcharges are waived, including the residential surcharge for UPS Ground shipments.
*UPS rates are limited to shipping from the continental U.S. only. These rates and discounts exclude shipment origins from Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Alaska. These rates and any applicable discounts are subject to change at any time without notice.
Why is it easier to ship internationally with Stamps.com?
Stamps.com makes international shipping easy by offering international services from USPS, UPS, and other carriers including GlobalPost. We make customs forms hassle free, so you can complete them online with ou guidance, and simply print to include with your international shipment.
Will Stamps.com upload tracking numbers to eBay, Amazon, and my Shopping Cart?
After a label is printed, Stamps.com automatically uploads the USPS tracking numbers, order info, and mail class back to the order source, including eBay, Amazon, Etsy, and your shopping cart.
