No bones about it, this was a rough week. Some sort of non-flu virus invaded our home and then wrecked our groove. It took much of the week to finish uploading the last set I parted out last week! But we managed a few accomplishments regardless.
Shipping updates.
At the start of the week, the USPS increased prices again. This meant that we needed to adjust all our rate charts and the shipping cost calculations at both storefronts. While doing that, I also managed to make some improvements. First off, BrickLink now includes the USPS Flat Rate Padded Envelope as a shipping option. Setting these envelopes up on the site takes more work because, unlike other shipping costs, volume rather than weight limits the contents. I also configured options for somewhat larger weights, taking full advantage of the fact that First Class Packages can be slightly heavier for those using Commerical Base Pricing. Having automated shipping configured for these larger packages allows more of our customers to complete their purchases immediately without having to wait for an invoice. That’s a big plus for everyone!
I hope to configure options for shipping with Regional Rate boxes before too much longer. These boxes ship a fixed volume instead of weight – similar to a flat rate product. But they also include the shipping distance as a variable in the cost. In many cases, using Regional Rate boxes can save customers money. One order shipped this week saved more than three dollars by using a Regional Rate box over any other USPS service.
A few parts
I managed to get a few items added to the store this week. Do you need a LEGO® basketball hoop? Did you know they have them? If there’s a part you’re looking for, let us know in the comments and we’ll see if we can get them!
