7. Postage
Audio tutorial
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You have chosen to sell your item for a certain amount of money… but don’t forget to add the cost of postage if you are sending it!
We can work out exactly how much posting your item will cost, in three simple steps! All you need is some weighing scales (ones you cook with work for lighter items and human weighing scales for heavier ones!), a ruler or tape measure, a pencil, and a postable box or envelope that your item fits into.
Parcels cost different amounts of money to send, depending on their size and weight! As you can imagine, smaller, lighter ones will be cheaper to send than bigger, heavier ones, so you have to work out if your parcel is small, medium or large!
Why do you think they get more expensive as they get bigger? Think of the space they take up in the delivery lorry… AND the heavier the parcel, the harder it is for the postman to carry around.
FIRST, work out the WEIGHT of your parcel. Pop the item that you are selling in a postable box or envelope and place it on the weighing scales. Have a pencil to hand to record the weight, in grams (make sure the scales are set to zero before you put your parcel!).
THEN, you work out the SIZE of your parcel by measuring its width, length and depth with your ruler or tape measure.
FINALLY, you can use all this information to work out the PRICE of your parcel! You do this by visiting the Royal Mail website (or you can download their app), filling in the details that you have recorded.
Are you sending it First class so it arrives quickly but is more expensive? Or Second class, which will take longer to get there, but will make it a bit cheaper for the buyer?
When you send your parcel, be sure to track the item with proof of postage, to reassure the buyer that you have sent it. You can photograph this and send it in ‘Chats’.
If your item is too expensive to send, then write that you would like‘Local collection’ only in the ‘Description’ box. But remember, you will need your responsible adult’s approval for local collection. Please watch our ‘Local collection’ tutorial before selecting this.