Priority for 1 pound and below IS $3.85 NATIONWIDE(used to be $3.50).
But a box of plants, IME, rarely weighs less than one pound. They're wet (or
should be), and that makes them heavy.
I have done some transactions online and when people use fixed rate S&H,
there is
always a thought of profit in it and I don't think the word "free" is just
here.
I think you're being unnecessarily cynical. Many people, especially those of
us giving away plant clippings, used a fixed shipping and handling charge.
It's just easier that way. You don't know for sure how much it's going to be
until you actually go to the P.O. And people like to know how much it's going
to cost them up front. I set the price so I lose money on some shipments and
make a little money on others. I'm sure I lose money overall, but I'm not
doing it for the money.
People with real interest in charging nothing would say "you pay shipping by
xxx
method for xxx weight from zip code #####" + $## handling fee.
Nonsense. You can't know how much it will cost until you take the package to
the P.O. and have it weighed. It's not like shipping widgets; the packing
material usually weighs more than the plants. And once the box is packed, it
has to be mailed. You can't take it back home and leave it on the hall table
while the prospective taker decides if he wants to pay that much. IOW, you're
assuming people are acting out of greed, when in fact they may simply be acting
out of laziness. And they have a right to. If they're giving away plants out
of the goodness of their hearts, they have a right to set up conditions that
are convenient for them, whether it's requiring PayPal or setting a flat rate
for shipping, even if that means some people pay more than the actual cost
while others pay less.
Profit from overcharging shipping and imposing handling fee is a major source
of
revenue for a lot of eBayers and online retailers believe it or not.
I believe it. EBay encourages sellers to set low prices and tack on huge
"handling" fees because they take a cut of the selling price but not of the
shipping and handling. Some states do essentially the same thing, charging a
tax on the cost of the item but not on the shipping and handling.
Leigh
http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/