I saw this yesterday when sending out my swap package, but my post office only had a laminated sign slapped on top of the normal pricing that prices are increasing due to fuel cost. I asked if they had anything about the new pricing and the clerk was less than helpful. It makes me sad 
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Shipping costs are what ruined international swaps. Sigh. Now the USPS is coming for our US swaps. 
A suggestion: for previous STS members in good standing with a proven record of sending on time - points become available as soon as the claim is confirmed (but not yet sent), send time is extended by a week. That would allow points to keep moving and allow shop owners to bundle multiple claims by the same person into a single package. For new STS shops or members who’ve previously sent late, old rules would apply.
That’s a big change though, swap mods might not okay it, and I don’t want to make more work for @irid3sc3nt when this is already an organizer intensive swap.
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I am okay with adding an extra week for shipping, but be aware that it will slow the swap down. It would also extend how long @irid3sc3nt would have to keep track if someone is late or a package is lost.
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I can extend the send time, but tracking points to use right away when an item hasn’t been sent would be a nightmare of negative points, imo. My brain would be frazzled
“Fuel costs.” I get it to some extent, but if fuel goes back down, the prices sure aren’t going to go back down.
Everything is increasing, except wages.
But not taxes for million and billionaires.
Anywho, I’ll put a notice on both this swap page and the official swapping swap page that has something about shipping.
Dates are in the first post of this page along with:
Please note that shipping within our country has INCREASED again and will definitely need to be seriously taken into account by you before you sign up.
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Yeah, I was worried it might make things even more hectic. Maybe we could compromise and extend send outs to 10 days? That would allow more time for claims from the same person. But it would slow down the swap. So could be a negative rather than a positive.
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Don’t forget anything that would have you more of a headache. This swap is a bear already and we appreciate all your hard work.
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I have to admit I felt a little less bad personally when they rolled out the “rural” increases a couple days after they increased the non-continental… just because it wouldn’t be only me claiming with increased shipping costs, but this all blows so much. This is the third increase this year, on top of the “holiday surge” pricing never going away the past (at least) two years. I’m sad for what is happening to the USPS, because if it goes away, the non-contiguous states and territories are really going to have a much harder time, as UPS/FedEx/etc. are already pretty cost-prohibitive for us.
editing to add: it’s probably an even bigger nightmare from an organizational standpoint, but I wonder if there’s a way claims and points can keep moving, but put sendouts at the very end, so each person only has to send to each claimer one time, and can send everything together. It takes away some of the fun, and I worry that I might have a hard time keeping track of my own stuff, BUT it might help save on shipping?
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It’s definitely a real challenge. I love STS, but I looked back at last year and with today’s prices, even using pirate ship, I’d be well over $100 just in shipping. I’d be for trying to figure out how to do bundled shipping or something, as I fear this might price me out. 
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I would have signed up this year, but knew shipping would be out of budget. If there was a way to ship just once to each swapper, I might reconsider. But of course, it’s riskier to set it up that way.
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That’s really tricky. We could be more intentional with our claims from shops. But….yea that wouldn’t matter.
Knowing all the shipping craziness are people still ok doing STS? (I am)
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Yes, I am still ok with doing the swap. This is my favorite swap.
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I’m still in for STS this year. I’m just trying to be very intentional about my items and already saving up for shipping.
I’m also willing to do whatever we can to not make @irid3sc3nt’s job harder but still help alleviate the shipping cost issues. I wish I knew what that answer was, though!
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I agree, I wish I knew a better way to handle shipping while not making organizing a huge hassle.
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If we waited until the end to send, it would be like a traditional swap plus if someone flakes…that’s going to be a BIG problem. They may not intentionally flake, either. Life happens.
I think it may be down to a series of choices: what you craft or what you save up or what you’re willing to sacrifice to make the swap work for you or being okay with asking for a personal swap instead. Or none of the above.
I’m wondering if there’s a way to show a “shop” somewhere else in the forum for your wares that you’ve made for potential personal swaps. I’ve seen people add their stuff to Pinterest, but then you’d have people not in LC that look at your stuff.
I guess right now USPS is still the cheapest. I dunno how long that is going to last. We all may not be able to swap someday.
Holiday hikes are a crock. It angers me that they do that.
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I agree with the holiday hikes being a crock. 
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We do have a gallery for showing of Personal Swap items, but if someone flakes on these, we are not responsible.
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Here’s my progress with Roger from One Piece a custom request from @Manders.
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He is amazing! 
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I love this swap and I’ve been crafting for it, but dang, I’m definitely concerned about the potential cost. My budget is a bit on the tight side as is. Still on the fence but if I can’t send enough stuff to make up a pound it might not be worth it for me this year.
Just saying- raising postage prices won’t help if people can’t afford to send stuff in the mail anymore. Next will come postal workers getting laid off…. Ugh.
If there was a way to just post up everything and just send ONE package to each “shopper” that would be awesome. And a logistical nightmare.
Maybe shortening the swap duration would help? We’d have less time to craft during the swap but might be able to reduce how many packages we ship that way….?
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Hey all, I’ll be restructuring the swap from conversations with the mods. An increase in initial points and set shipping dates are the proposals.
Hold onto your boots!
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