Shipping is a major consideration for any Kickstarter project. We thought about it long and hard before we started; this is what we concluded.

The T5 Core book, hardcover, 600+ pages, weighs about 70 ounces = 4.3 pounds. A single box and packaging adds another pound, making it a 6 pound package (the postal service rounds up to the next pound). Add any swag or options, and its probably a 7 pound package. For planning purposes, we really need to use that 7 pound value.

In the USA, Priority Mail is $21, Parcel Post is $14, Media Mail is $5. Media Mail only works if the package is just the book, so it's not really a candidate. There is also a Priority Mail Flat Rate Medium Box
at $12 and a Priority Mail Flat Rate Large Box at $16.

We can put a T5 Core Rules Book into a nice "literature mailer" (which costs about a dollar) and that fits into the Medium Flat Rate Box with room to add some Swag and Options. The double-boxing helps protect the book from some disappointing shipping damage. If there is a lot of stuff, it can be bumped up to the Large Flat Rate Box.

That same packaging system works for shipments to outside the USA. The Medium Flat Rate Box ships to Canada for $33 and to the rest of the world for $48. The Large Flat Rate Box ships to Canada for $40 and to the rest of the world for $60.

Armed with this basic information, we established our basic shipping concept. Our Kickstarter rewards include shipping in the USA. We ask for a Pledge increase of $25 to get it to Canada and a Pledge increase of $40 to get it to the rest of the world. We may see a couple of dollars less cost on some shipments; but we'll probably see a couple of dollars extra charges on others. The differences average out and there is far less hassle for everyone (you and us).

Now, I had to make decisions before we went live, and I though this system was fair. I have had a few criticisms about the surcharge, but frankly, I don't know a better or less costly way to ship this material.

One request I have received (from several different people) is an option for a second book, for a friend, to save shipping. I expect to add an option to add a second book (just the book) to a shipment for $75. I invite your comments on this (to traveller5@farfuture.net).