If you have a small e-commerce store, or need to send a personal package, it can be challenging to find the cheapest way to ship a package. There are a variety of methods delivery can be done, it is important to have cost-effective prices as well as the correct timing for your customers.
On this blog post, we shall dive into the top methods which you can secure to get a lower shipping rate and how to do compiles with ease without losing the speed or simply quality of service.
Compare Shipping Carriers
The easiest way to do that is by stacking up shipping carriers against one another. The costs from the major carriers such as USPS, UPS, FedEx and DHL varies based on the size or weight of your package and how fast you want it delivered. Rate: Rates vary greatly between carriers dependent on the size of your package and its destination.
As a rule of thumb, the US Postal Service has the best rates for small packages (less than 5 pounds) being shipped domestically. UPS and FedEx, however, are proven to deliver larger or heavier items on time and quickly. You can compare them together and figure out which one is the cheapest to use.
Consider Flat Rate Shipping
Most shipping carriers have a flat-rate option, which is great for packages that fall within a specific size and weight. You can ship anything that fits in a USPS Priority Mail flat-rate box for the same price no matter it is weight. This is particularly useful to you if you are shipping heavy things and it does not cost as much.
Flat rates can be the best shipping rate for businesses who need to send packages that vary in size with some frequency, because they offer pricing somewhere between the low-end and high-end options on delivery speed.
Utilize Shipping Discounts
Frequent shippers can also sometimes get volume discounts from carriers that other reduce the cheapest shipping rate available to those businesses than ship more frequently. Another way of taking advantage of lower shipping rates is working with a platform such as ShipShop. Ship with majors carriers without spending a lot, and never comprise on delivery quality.
By leveraging ShipShop, businesses can quickly pull rates from a variety of different carriers and choose the one that is best for their business. Moreover, ShipShop offers cost-effective shipping options that are ideal for businesses aiming to achieve the desired level of service quality at a lower rate.
Package size and weight preference
You can also optimize the shape and weight of your parcels which is too plausible, paying less means learning more. Some carriers bill based on dimensional weight (the size of the box) instead of actual weight. Which means even if the package is light — using oversized boxes will cause your shipping costs to go up.
For the most cost-effective way to ship a package, always use packaging that is appropriately sized. Do not over pad or use much larger boxes that can increase your shipping rates. Instead, try to keep packaging as close to the dimensions of the packages you are sending out; pack items into boxes tightly.
Use Regional Shipping
Regional CarriersNational or international services are generally priced higher than regional carriers, especially for businesses that do most of their shipping in a specific region or area. This includes regional shipping companies, which focus on certain geographic locations providing fast delivery and cost effective options for your local shipping.
This is a good idea when most of your shipments are nearby (same state or region) and you need to find an affordable shipping rate while also guaranteeing timely delivery for customers.
Conclusion
Knowing how to get the cheapest way to ship a package means combining carrier comparison, flat rate shipping options and smart packaging optimization. A platform like ShipShop might help you get more affordable as well as reliable shipping options with all the major carriers provided that you’re delivering more frequently.
However, when you take the time to research your shipping options and discover a much more favorable shipping rate, you can greatly cut down on your shipping costs without sacrificing service. No matter if you are shipping domestically or internationally, a bit of research and the correct software can be what it takes to get even bigger savings, and keep your customers satisfied.
