Lettermail vs Small Packet USA

[littlemisswise]

So now that I have a few recent sales under my belt, I want to try to keep mailing costs lower and pass some of those savings onto my buyers. Of my sales so far, none of them have been to Canadians, and 80% to the USA.

Up until now, I was shipping those via tracked packet USA which was good because the tracking helped me know that the item arrived. But it's costly and even with shippo I'm just barely covering the shipping.

Most of the items I am selling are magazines. For about 75% of my magazines, they can fit (even with cardboard protecting it) through the dreaded lettermail slot. The question is, for those that ship to the USA with similar items, at what cost of your item would you choose small packet USA (untracked) vs. USA lettermail? What advantages, if any, are there for small packet over lettermail?

Also, if most of my items fit under the same rate for lettermail, is it better to buy stamps in bulk for that exact price category?

[zee-chan-jpn-books]

Under 200g I'd choose letterpost.

Under 250g I'd choose small packet.

Under 500g I'd choose small packet as well. 

And that's because with Shippo, you can print small packet air labels that comes with a "tracking number" and sometimes that tracking number works with eBay's internal tracking system. The difference between letterpost and small packet at the 500g weight is quite small so it's a no-brainer. 

It's not better to buy stamps in bunk because for USA mail, you don't need to pay tax for $5 postage or more (it's the case for BC anyway), whereas you need to pay tax for stamps. If you want to drop them off at street mailbox instead of going to postal outlet counter then yeah, buy stamps. There is also the option to buy discounted mint stamps (I'm sure someone will post more about it here) for letterpost. 

Personally I'd choose tracked packet for a $100+ sale. 

Feel free to check out this table I made for a list of shipping cost.

https://community.ebay.ca/t5/Seller-Central/2020-Canada-Post-unofficial-rates-chart-under-2kg/td-p/4...

[reallynicestamps]

There is also the option to buy discounted mint stamps (I'm sure someone will post more about it here) for letterpost.

*cough*