ALL shipping companies raised their rates over the last year or two. I ship a lot of smallish packages (typically a 12" x 12" x 10", slightly under 2 lbs. box) via USPS Priority Mail, across the US, usually costs right around $10, and gets to it`s destination in 2 days. Not too bad.
One caveat, though....the USPS really tries to push it`s "Flat-Rate Priority Mail" option, and that`s where they really gouge you....it`s about twice the cost of regular Priority Mail, and doesn`t get there any faster, The only benefit is that they allow a bit more weight, regular PM limits you to 2 lbs., then they start adding surcharges for weight.
It really depends where it is going as well. Flat rate to an opposite coast can be a god send. With increasing shipping costs sending something to the other side of the country from your location can get ridiculously expensive. If it's got some weight/size to it you are really in for a pretty big charge. Problem with flat rate is most of the packaging is not large enough/suitable for most of the toys we all usually deal in. That's when I go with FedEx, they routinely have the least expensive rates for larger/heavier items of all of the major carriers.
Now there's something I've never heard of before, thanks for the tip!Don't forget to check out USPS's Regional Rate Boxes A and B (each in two sizes) for Priority Mail. Depending on destination, they can go pretty cheap although securing postage can be a bit of a pain. (They're red-headed stepchildren to your local post office.)
...and yet you can get a huge/unwieldy 40 pound bag of dog food delivered same day/overnight for free, online. Go figure...
Can you imagine what that’d cost you if you walked into your post office and plopped that on the counter!
10 lbs of RTR tapes via Media Mail $7.43. Portland OR to NC. Ouch.