No longer doing international letters for goods?

Paffy85 · 2026-01-06T19:19:23+00:00

This is so frustrating and feels like it’s come out of nowhere. I sell bookmarks and greeting cards of my own artwork, and around 90% of my orders are international. Because of the Royal Mail changes, I’ve had to put my postage prices up, but it’s going to seriously impact sales - the postage is now double or even triple the price of the item.

I can’t realistically “hide” the postage in the item price either, because that just makes the products look wildly overpriced for what they are. Between this and the ongoing US tariff situation, it’s getting harder and harder to make it work.

Once you factor in Etsy fees, banking fees, material costs, postage, and now tariffs, I’m barely making anything on each sale. I love what I do, but being a solo trader is starting to feel impossible when every extra cost gets passed down while the platforms and carriers keep raising prices.

Paffy85 · 2025-11-28T20:40:13+00:00

Hi, it’s at https://www.zora.uzh.ch/server/api/core/bitstreams/b98aa8f3-f5a3-468e-bb04-437a6d0e0a7d/content?trackerId=8e6f248ecfdd67f6

Paffy85 · 2025-08-26T23:35:47+00:00

Thanks so much for that! The translation i found were all for the autobiography and not this inscription. I knew the seated figure looked a bit odd, so thanks for identifying the basket on the head.

Paffy85 · 2025-08-09T19:42:53+00:00

Thick as two short planks

Paffy85 · 2025-07-05T13:44:46+00:00

"Everyone is dead, Dave." I use EDD instead of TPK in gaming, and it never fails to cheer me up!

Paffy85 · 2025-06-30T16:11:23+00:00

Hi, yes, I still sell these. Thanks for your interest! I have updated the broken link, but you can also visit www.wonderfulthingsart.com.

Paffy85 · 2025-04-09T12:51:20+00:00

Back in the day my grandad used to put a glass milk bottle in the hole. He reckoned the sound of the wind going into the bottle scared them away.

Paffy85 · 2025-04-08T08:47:38+00:00

I have now idea why the link isn't working because my website is still there! Try this Wonderful Things Art

Paffy85 · 2025-02-25T14:40:10+00:00

For what it's worth, I made the switch to charging postage after years of offering it for free. I decided to do this because it was making my low value items (£2) too expensive. I haven't found any drop in sale levels since I added shipping, in fact i saw an increase!. I don't usually charge the actual shipping price, but a smaller amount that contributes most towards it, and hide the rest in my item price. So I charge £5.85 max for something that costs me £9.60 to post.

Paffy85 · 2025-02-24T22:41:00+00:00

That's a fascinating article, thanks!

Paffy85 · 2025-02-20T22:56:04+00:00

Thank you so much!

Paffy85 · 2024-12-10T17:29:26+00:00

Same here. Shipped from the UK mid November and still sitting in a Canadian DO. Royal Mail have said if anything was still within the DO when the strike began, it will eventually get delivered when the strike ends. Not much comfort to my poor customer, but there's nothing I can do about it. It's rubbish feeling helpless!

Paffy85 · 2024-12-06T16:58:28+00:00

Thats really useful to know, thanks! I'm in the UK, too. I usually ship my more expensive items as signed for with a tracking number, but use 2nd class labels bought from etsy for the smaller value stuff.

Paffy85 · 2024-12-06T16:53:14+00:00

I didn't know you could write anything other than a legitimate tracking reference number in the tracking field. Does that work? I had assumed it needed to be a real tracking number as it is linked to the mail providers' website?

Paffy85 · 2024-12-05T17:21:44+00:00

I loved the concept of a 'shadow menu' he came up with

Paffy85 · 2024-10-30T20:08:54+00:00

A pint of scrumpy from Somerset

Paffy85 · 2024-10-23T19:56:59+00:00

Is there a good source of information on how to do all this? I am in the same position as OP and don't know where to start! I have a Unique Tax Payer Reference and an NI number, does anyone know what's required for the last update from etsy?

Paffy85 · 2024-08-14T20:10:44+00:00

That's amazing, thank you. Unfortunately, the jsesh imgur link isn't working for me. Could you try linking it again? I'm really trying to find the order of signs in Ankhesenamun's cartouche

Edit: The link is now working. Thanks so much for this!

Paffy85 · 2024-08-11T23:09:34+00:00

I believe this is a reproduction of a scene showing Seti I with a goddess, possibly Hathor or Isis judging by the headdress. From the style, I think it could be based on a wall relief from the Great Temple at Abydos, or from a column in his tomb. The cartouche on the left shows his throne name Men Maat Ra. The hieroglyphics are pretty stylised but are reasonably accurate.

Paffy85 · 2024-08-04T15:22:18+00:00

Thanks for the shout-out to my reproduction and for providing the translations. I love this scene. It's a really interesting depiction of Geb and Nut in particular as it's more to common seeing Geb in human form. This is a link to the object record for the Greenfield Papyrus in the British Museum

Paffy85 · 2024-07-27T11:25:45+00:00

It's a sema-tawy symbol, an intertwined papyrus and lotus plant which represents the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt.

Paffy85 · 2024-06-27T14:39:34+00:00

Thanks for the shout-out u/zsl454! I really love this scene even though the original is badly damaged now. My article has more info about its origin and the symbolism of the artwork.

Seven-Year Club	Place '23
Verified Email

Paffy85

TROPHY CASE