J.D. Hodges

Q. I need to ship a monitor that I sold on eBay. It is pretty big and I am shipping it via USPS, any recommendations on what exact method to use? (media mail? parcel? first class? priority? flat rate?)

-Grace S. Laurio

A. Priority mail or parcel select are probably going to be your best bet. Here is why:

–Media mail is limited to ‘media’ as as such it is not appropriate for computer hardware. Specifically, media mail is for books and recorded media (CDs, DVDs, etc.) only.

-First class is limited to 13 oz for parcels and your monitor probably weighs more than that 😉

-Flat rate is great for heavy items but unfortunately unless it is a very small monitor they do not have a box big enough 🙁

+Priority mail is perfect if you want it guaranteed to get there quickly (it should only take 2-3 days), the only drawback is that it may cost almost twice as much as parcel select…

+Parcel select is fairly economical and is a great choice if the buyer is not in a hurry, as it could take over a week to get there.

-Express mail is ridiculously expensive and I would not use it unless you absolutely have to get the item there in a hurry 😉

Package the item carefully

Make sure to package the item carefully so at to avoid damage, which would result in unnecessary problems for you and the buyer. Insurance (ShipCover or US Postal Service Insurance) may also be in order if the item is fragile/expensive enough to warrant it, or if the auction explicitly states that insurance will be purchased.

Compare Shipping Rates

Here is a screenshot showing some of the options for mailing a roughly 23″-24″ LCD monitor:

Shipping options for average sized monitor (click image for access to larger version)

The screenshot illustrates what I was talking about… there really are only two legitimate options: Priority Mail and Parcel Select.

I hope this has been helpful to you Grace and good luck in your eBay ventures!

Best regards,
–JD