eBay Sellers: What do you weigh your items on to calculate shipping?

[Mono~rail]

I had a small kitchen scale that would way up to 15 pounds that I had picked up at a thrift shop for 25 cents, and now I can't find them since we've moved. They were accurate and right on the money too! Grrrr!

I'm dipping my toes back in the eBay water again by listing three auctions. We have digital bathroom scales so I weighed myself holding the items all packaged up. I don't feel like the weights are really accurate though. I think maybe I'm just being OCD because I like to know to the ounce how much my packages weigh.

I use the Paypal shipping labels and have the USPS pick up my packages so I need the weight to be accurate. Loading up the kids and taking them to the post office with my items is *not* an option.

How does everyone else weigh their packages?

 

[momma leaps]

I had a small kitchen scale that would way up to 15 pounds that I had picked up at a thrift shop for 25 cents, and now I can't find them since we've moved. They were accurate and right on the money too! Grrrr!

I'm dipping my toes back in the eBay water again by listing three auctions. We have digital bathroom scales so I weighed myself holding the items all packaged up. I don't feel like the weights are really accurate though. I think maybe I'm just being OCD because I like to know to the ounce how much my packages weigh.

I use the Paypal shipping labels and have the USPS pick up my packages so I need the weight to be accurate. Loading up the kids and taking them to the post office with my items is *not* an option.

How does everyone else weigh their packages?

I purchased a scale on Ebay for about $30. It weighs packages up to 55lbs. It's accurate and I can't ship without it. The bathroom scale was off too many times.
If you're seriously selling then you need a scale.

~Good Luck~

 

[Plantlady]

I bought a mailing scale at walmart for $20.. but, I think it only weighted up to 3 pounds.. many times I would weight different parts of the package seperately, and add all my weights together.

 

[Mono~rail]

I'm going to Bed, Bath & Beyond this afternoon to see if I can find a set similar to what I had. It is a bummer that I can't find my 25 cent set!

My old set was from the 70's (Harvest Gold), and they were just perfect.

 

[missj1975]

I bought a mailing scale at walmart for $20.. but, I think it only weighted up to 3 pounds.. many times I would weight different parts of the package seperately, and add all my weights together.

That is what I do too. I have a five lb scale that I bought through Staples for $30.00 so occasionally I have to weigh stuff separately and add it together. I wish I had a bigger scale but I am too cheap to go buy another one.

 

[disneysteve]

I bought a postage scale at Staples. It weighs up to 6 pounds, which covers 99% of the items I sell. I think it was about $20-25 but it's been about 7 years or so since I got it.

 

[Mono~rail]

I picked up a set of mechanical kitchen scales at Bed, Bath, & Beyond for $10 with tax. I tested them with a 4# bag of sugar and they are accurate. They weigh up to 6.5 lbs. I really don't list things that are heavier than that so I should be fine.

I still want my old set wherever they are!

 

[~Kathie]

I bought this one from Amazon but mine was yellow. It weighs up to 11 pounds. I combined it with a few other items to get free shipping. I like thta it has ther TARE feature so I can get the weight even if the package covers the screen.

Escali-Primo-Digital-Multifunctional-Scale

For larger packages I use the bathroom scale method and add a pound. I usually weight it by itself and then holding it to get a more accurate weight.

 

[GOOFY4DONALD]

I bought a great scale at Sam's Club. It was $50 and weighs up to 300 pounds (and ounces) it is large enough to handle big boxes and is a postal scale so it is acurate.

 

[Not so Dumbo]

I use an old baby scale.

 

[bord1niowa]

I've been doing ebay many years and found that the mechanical scales aren't accurate and if you short yourself enough times, it could have paid for itself. I use a 3 & 5 lb electronic postal scale and I found a steal on a 150 lb one at a garage sale $10. You would be better off with something like these for accuracy, especially if you are using the paypal postal printing also. You could be paying too much or too little and that would cause the item to be returned if short.

 

[Brenda in CA]

I bought a food scale at Bed, Bath & Beyond. It weighs up to 11 lbs. and is digital. It cost about $40-50.

 

[PrincessTiff]

They have a free one on I believe the USPS store site. I'll see if I can find the link.

 

[Kay1]

I take large items right to the Post Office and use the Priority Mail scale they keep in the lobby. I usually sell tapes and books which I weigh on my little kitchen scale.

 

[rocky41102]

I use a regular bathroom scale. If it's big, I weigh myself and then myself holding the package. IF it's small, I just put it on the scale myself. If the weight is close to the next price step, I usually go up to that amount just in case I'm off. So far it's been accurate, however, I don't sell tons just a few things here and there.

 

[brivers222]

I bought a scale on E-bay for $30... weighs up to 55lbs and was a nice little business write off for taxes 2 years ago

 

[Toby'sFriend]

I bought a cheapie postage scale off of EBAY. I think it weighs up to 30 or 50lbs or something -- one of the higher ones but I can't remember. The most I've ever needed is 12lbs.

It has been off by a couple of ounces before when I've checked it at the Post Office. I usually round the weight it gives me up by 2 ounces just to be safe. For most of my Packages (Priority Mail), a couple of ounces one way or the other doesn't affect the postage rate.