If you sell products on Ebay, or have your own e-commerce site or you are moving to the other end of the country, you have to ship your goods. Shipping costs are sometimes extravagant and do make a dent in your resources. In this brief guide we will look into how you can find cheap shipping.
Guide to find cheap shipping
When shipping costs are reduced, you can make more money. You can post your requirement on the load board of sites such as Shiply, to get a cheap shipping rate. Here are some other modes of shipping which can work out for you.
Go For USPS (United States Postal Service)
USPS is one of the cheapest ways to ship, especially with their Forever Flat Rate Packaging. You have to pay for future increase in price beforehand. USPS does not charge a shipping fee for goods up to 70 pounds, and gives you a confirmation for free delivery.
Media items can be shipped at a much reduced rate, but the postal workers can rightfully inspect any media mail items to check if they fit the requirements. With private shipping sites, you get the privacy you need.
Some factors which affect the shipping rate
1. Speed
The rule is that you have to pay a higher price for speedy delivery. We all want to send and receive packages as soon as possible, but faster deliveries are more expensive. You can go for overnight delivery, next day, two day, three day delivery or you can accept the delivery time set by the company.
Overnight deliveries cost at least five times the standard delivery options. Some companies can offer better prices than the USPA if the packages are above 10 lbs. If you put your load or item up on a load board, you might get an inexpensive rate, especially if you ship regularly. You can negotiate a good deal with carriers and save money.
2. Weight
Weight of packages is another crucial factor when you’re looking at inexpensive ways to ship. The heavier the package is, the more it will cost. One way to reduce the weight of your package is packing it light. If it is not a delicate item, pack it with bubble wrap so that it is lightweight and waterproof. Choose packing materials wisely so that it does not add to the weight.
3. Distance
In the US, the shipping carriers divide the country into 8 zones, depending on the distance the package has to traverse, from your zip code. The further the zone you are shipping to, the higher the rate will be. International shipping costs more than domestic shipping.
A way to cut costs is to ship to distribution centers which are closer to your final destination.
Some shipping companies tie up with partners which have warehoused globally and in the US, so that your costs are reduced.
4. Size
Larger your package size, the higher your shipping cost. If your package is light, but the packaging makes its size bigger, then dimensional sizing is used. Most shipping companies will offer different options to optimize the package size.
Cubic pricing is also used by USPS Priority Mail to send heavy but small items which are under 20 lbs. It is calculated by Cubic feet – Length x width x height/1728.
Dimensional weight is used by carriers to find out a cheap rate for your package. It is calculated by dividing dimension i.e. LxWxH/Divisor. If the divisor is large, then the shipping is low. Find a carrier which offers the largest divisor so that your rate is the least possible.
Getting a cheap rate is great, but you should not forego insurance and tracking. Also check if you would have to pay handling fees separately which adds to the cost. Check for extra fuel and residential surcharge as well. Lastly, if you are a business delivering to customers, there should be a delivery guarantee, so that you deliver a good service.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
