Trying to sell on ebay for the first time, which shipping service is cheapest to use?

Yes Im in the US, I know to use the post office, but Im confused by the options..

US Postal Service Priority mail
UPS Ground
UPS 3 day select
Standard flat rate shipping Service
US Postal Service First class mail

and so on
It gives a ton of shipping options, which one is cheapest to use?

USPS is cheapest usually.

USPS First class is usually cheaper for DVDs and CDs.

USPS Media mail is usually cheaper for books and VHS tapes.

Priority mail is usually cheaper for heavier items that cannot be shipped Media mail.

Media Mail is cheap but slow, but if you put on the zip+4 and barcode it, it can cut a day or 2 off the shipping time.

when you go to buy it it'll tell you the one
that is the cheapest.
but i'd say usps.

USPS Parcel Post is usually the cheapest, and it depends on the item being shipped.

usps

You should use US Postal Service Priority mail.
I think it's like the second cheapest or something..I never really paid attention but my customers were happy with it.
Its affordable and quick.

For me its been US postal.

THE USPS PARCEL POST, or for books, DVDs, VHS tapes, all media, MEDIA MAIL is very cheap.

Try DHL, they are a fairly new company and their rates are pretty good, after that I would go to UPS ground shipping. As far as US Postal Service goes, if it is a heavy object DO NOT SEND, it will cost you and arm and a leg

You need to give the buyer a couple of options. If they want it in 2-3 days, then priority is the best. Standard flat shipping can take up to 9 days.

You need to go to the sites of the many shipping services and determine the best price for your product. Like whether you need insurance or delivery confirmation.
Most sites will provide a good estimate for you.

ups ground mail...its like regular mail for packages...to ship internationaly its about 5-10 dollars and even cheeper for locally....make sure you use pay pal too....and send the buyer their package tracking number

You might try going on the UPS and the US Postal Service websites and do a comparison. Depending on where you are sending an item, one may be less expensive.

Go look at your local Post Office and see their prices. FedEx, UPS, DHL and other carriers charge more money for their services.
It also depends on how safe you're packing your item that will also determine your price. Most EBay Members are willing to be charged a bit more than normal cost of shipping, due to that you're trying to make a profit.
Good Luck!

I use, and would recommend, USPS. Usually, buyers are eager to get their item, so you could offer Priority Mail (for over 13 ounces) or First Class (under 13 oz.) Go to www.usps.com to order free Priority Mail boxes.
Always weigh your items in the box and round up for packaging, and enter the weight into eBay's shipping calculator. Add your handling fee in the appropriate spot as well.

Standard flat rate would be if you charged $4 to ship a DVD to anywhere in the US, as an example. Only use that if you don't want to weigh each individual item and use the calculator. Standard flat rate is not a method of shipping, per se, just a method of charging shipping.

It really all depends by the weight. Sometimes you can ship as cheaply going Priority as you can 1st class. I never send anything any way but Priority. Less chance of the shipment getting lost because of the transit time, and you get a free tracking number to tell you when the package has arrived. Just make sure your buyer knows that is not to show where the package is, but if it has been mis-delivered or to show you where and when it arrives. If you ship Priority, you do not do anything but log on to USPS and schedule a pickup for the packages and all your boxes are free. Go Priority and invest in a little $34 scale from the post office so you can weigh your shipment. Then you will know exactly how much it will be, and you will not undercharge or overcharge. It is well worth every penny of it, and you will know exactly how much to quote to your buyer for shipping. I use the flat rate boxes when I can as you can stuff as much into the box, for flat rate up to 70 lbs. The boxes are not really large, but sometimes you can get a better break on the shipment cost for your buyer.

Depends on what you're shipping and the weight.

Priority mail can be good if 1) it fits inside one of the flat rate envelopes and boxes and it meets the weight limits and 2) you need to get it somewhere fairly quickly (though the shipping time is NOT guaranteed).

First class mail is best if the item is 13 ounces or less - shipping time is also good.

Parcel Post is the "normal" mailing service for items through USPS. If you are selling books, DVDs, videos and other media, you can use MEDIA MAIL which is cheaper than Parcel Post, but it is also a slow class for mailing (low priority). It can also be searched, and if it's found to not qualify for media, you'll have some problems with usps.

Standard flat rate is you coming up with your own price - you select the method and what you charge covers shipping and materials (hopefully).

I have rarely used UPS Ground or 3 day Select, though an international package to Canada went cheaper using this service rather than USPS.

You might want to do some research. Check out the USPS website and UPS website. Find out the weight of your items - determine what type of shipping materials you need, how much they will cost and where you can find them. Figure into your shipping any handling fees and you have to decide if you plan to offer insurance, delivery confirmation or, if needed, signature confirmation.

Perhaps the best thing would be to check similar items selling on eBay to see what services they offer. In the past, I sold almost exclusively books, so I had media mail and priority mail rates, except for international. For other items I used Parcel Post.

You also need to determine whether or not you want to use the shipping calculator. If you select individual services rather than the flat rate, you can put it a shipping/handling fee.

Try to be competitive in shipping. Buyers now rate sellers on shipping rates as well as item description/condition, etc.

Good luck. Hope this helps a bit. Without knowing the types of items you are selling or where you're willing to ship, can't be real specific. Have fun!

Well, USPS Priority is the best bet. USPS Ground is only a few cents cheaper and not worth the trouble and the same applies to their First Class service. UPS Ground is too expensive, and 3 day Select is insanely priced. Flat rate shipping depends on the carrier. USPS service offers a flat rate BUT, there is always a but, you have to be able to fit the product into their specific flat rate box which is always too small to make the use of this service worthwhile.

As a rule, for shipping small items like paper, post cards etc, just use first class mail. Small parcels use USPS Priority Mail. For larger packages and heavier items, use Fed Ex Ground, they are by far much cheaper than either the USPS system or UPS.

When listing an item judge, if it small like paper or a magazine, choose First Class Mail. If its an average sized and weight item, choose USPS Priority Mail. If its large and bulky and/or heavy, choose Fed EX Ground or if its not on the list just choose UPS Ground and when you ship use Fed Ex.