shipping changes - the end of an era

I got word from my main shipping software provider this morning: USPS is now charging higher rates for packages under a pound going to "rural areas". They had a similar policy that took effect this past Sunday for non-CONUS destinations (ie Hawaii, Alaska, and the various territories and protectorates of the US, MOST of which we have shipped to at least once) and I adjusted the shipping rates to account for this. I was caught flat-footed this morning with the additional "rural" guidance.

As a small business (one guy who looks good in a cowboy hat), I have to implement a shipping policy that doesn't result in me losing money because we don't know up front if your location qualifies as "rural".

This will probably not affect many orders, but I favor transparency whenever possible, so here are the details:

All orders under 16 ounces will now be charged the 15 ounce shipping rate. This is unfortunate, as we do get a decent amount of orders for 8 ounce items (ie shakers of spices, or the meringues). So where BEFORE, you might pay less on shipping for an 8 ounce order or 12 ounce order, every order will be charged for 15 ounces minimum. I've always favored letting the customer choose what they want to order, and if they only want to order one thing, that's fine. And it still is, but the shipping may be a bit higher until I can figure out a more elegant solution that determines that NYC and Las Vegas are not "rural" but that Continental Divide, NM and Frognot, TX are. (I don't even know if they are, I'm just guessing... that's how dumb this policy is.)

Some items were entered in as weighing 8 ounces when they are an ounce or two less, and ordering two SHOULD qualify for the 15 ounce rate but may not get "weighed" appropriately. If you see this, do not hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to resolve the situation promptly.

If you are ordering one item and you feel the shipping cost is high, I probably agree with you. Honestly? And this might sound a little silly... but if you order two or more items, the shipping cost per item goes way down. It's like a bulk discount, additional weight doesn't cost nearly as much as the "floor" for shipping costs does.

TLDR? Shipping costs went up in a new and weird way, we're sorry and hope we can figure out a better solution, and as always, don't be afraid to contact me with any questions you might have about the whole mess. I'll do my best.

Finally, thanks to everyone who orders, I really appreciate the faith you have in me and the opportunity to delight you with your favorite Texas stuff.

(You want to really hear me complain? I remember when there were 15 different rates under 1 pound for First Class, and I used to cut cardboard off of boxes anywhere possible just to save a little money... this was several years ago, when a 15 ounce box probably maxed out around $5!)