Cheapest Way to Ship a Package: Beginners Guide (2022)

With costs on the rise, everything now, it’s important you do your research before making any expensive decisions – especially if you’re a small business thinking delivery strategy for the first time.

These days customers expect fast, cost-effective (or even free!) shipping options at checkout, so figuring out the most efficient and cheapest way to ship a package can take a lot of time and energy. To help make things easier, we’ve put together a quick guide to shipping costs, types and carriers so you can compare rates and find the best deal for your business plan and shipping strategy.

The cheapest way to send a package: A beginner’s guide

Shipping costs are very important because they affect whether a buyer buys your product or not. E-commerce research group, the Baymard Institutefound out that almost half of all online shoppers abandon their carts due to additional costs (such as expensive shipping and taxes). So keeping prices low will definitely benefit your business—but how do you make sure you have the best shipping rates every time?

Shipping costs depend on several factors; which body weight and size your package, how soon should it be delivered, and distance. Before you can accurately calculate shipping costs, you need to measure the dimensions of your package and know its weight.

Types of shipping options

There are several types of shipping methods to consider depending on your location and how quickly you can get the package to its destination.

• Flat rate shipping: The shipping price is not connected to the weight or size of the package. Customers will pay the same flat rate for each order based on generic package size options.
• Free shipping: Vendor covers shipping costs as part of the overall purchase.
• Real-time carrier rate: This is when the exact shipping rate charged by the carrier is automatically calculated at checkout, taking into account dimensions, weight and distance.
• Local delivery: An item is packaged and shipped directly to the customer without using a delivery service.
• Pick up: Customers pick up their package from a selected location.
• International shipping: Used when you send a package to another part of the world.
• Same day delivery: Orders arrive the same day the customer makes the purchase.
• Overnight delivery: Orders arrive the next day the customer makes the purchase.
• Expedited shipping: Any shipping method that is guaranteed to arrive at its destination faster than other regular shipping methods.

As it is there is no one-size-fits-all delivery strategy for each business, any of these can be included as part of your shipping options at checkout. Some (like flat rates and free shipping) are great because they help manage expectations and provide transparency, while others put speed over cost and ensuring packages are delivered as quickly as possible.

How to choose the right supplier

In the US there are many airlines that offer different rates based on various requirements. Shopify Shipping in the US has an exclusive savings offer with the US Postal Service (USPS), UPS and DHL Express and many other suppliers can be integrated through Shopify’s countless apps. Shipping rates depend on your requirements and location.

Delivery providers update their service costs every year—usually in January—in line with inflation, taxes and surcharges. It’s important to stay aware of shipping rate changes to protect your bottom line and avoid any costly surprises.

Below we’ve compiled a list of shipping calculators with ecommerce shipping rates for some of the largest and most popular shipping couriers so you can compare prices and options. If you’re a Shopify merchant and based in the US or Canada, you can pay for USPS, UPS, DHL Express, Canada Post and Sendle shipping options and receive pre-negotiated rates. See sample rates here.

Each supplier will offer different options based on distance, size and weight, which will affect the price of each shipment. For this article, we will focus on the cheapest way to send packages in general. However, the prices below are estimates. alternatively you can compare shipping prices and save up to 88% on all related carriers through Shopify Shipping.

What is the cheapest way to send a small package?

“Small packages” tend to constitute envelopes, packages or poly mailers that weigh less than 4.5 pounds. Each carrier will have its own guidelines on what is considered “minor”. Most carriers will offer basic guidelines for choosing.

The list below highlights the cheapest ways to ship small packages domestically, based on packages that are 6 inches long, 3 inches high, 1/4 inch thick (6 x 3 x 0.25). Package weight up to 5 lbs.

What is the cheapest way to ship a large package?

What is considered a large package varies greatly from courier to courier. Below are the maximum package restrictions for each major shipping company:

• USPS: Package cannot exceed 70 lbs. In most cases, packages may not exceed 108” in total length and girth.
• UPS: Package can be up to 150 lbs. Packages can be up to 165” long and female combinations.
• DHL Express: Do not accept shipments with more than total weight 3000 kg or any measurement above 300 cm.
• FedEx: Package delivered up to 150 lbs. Up to 108″ long and 165″ long and girth.
• Sendle: All standard-sized parcels must be under 864 cubic inches, under 20 pounds, and have a combined length and girth of 108” or less, and sides must not exceed 22” to fit a Sendle.

The list below is for standard weight packages (up to 35 lbs) and 12 inches x 12 inches x 6 inches.

Supplier	Services	Time	Prices start at:
USPS	Priority Mail – Large Flat Rate Box	1-3 Business Days	$19.20 Commercial Base
UPS	Flat Rate Shipping – UPS Easy Rate	1-5 Business Days	$19.60
DHL Express	Chicago to NYC using the DHL Express Calculator	1-3 Business Days	$146.53
FedEx	FedEx One Rate	1-3 Business Days	$24.20
Sendle	Sendle Standard	1-3 Business Days	$19.50

What is the cheapest way to send a package internationally?

Many couriers settle their international shipping costs by global import zone. Shipping to Canada will always be available cheapest international shipping rates, increasing the package that needs to go through. Having said that, international shipping prices will change dramatically depending on which country you live in and which country you are sending your package to.

Best rate for 2-3 day delivery

• For light packages, USPS First Class has the cheapest shipping prices, which start at $4.50 for 2-5 day shipping.
• For larger packages, USPS Priority Mail is also the most affordable, with prices starting at $8.70 for 1-3 day shipping.
• First Class only covers packages up to 13 oz. USPS Flat Rate Boxes are the best value for moneybecause you can ship items up to 70 lbs for a relatively low flat rate.
• If you are transporting goods to Canada, FedEx also offers One Rate boxes similar to the USPS Flat Rate box. Small FedEx boxes start at $12.05, with larger packages up to $39.10 for three-day shipping.

Best rate for next day delivery

Next day shipping is your best friend when you don’t have time on your side and need to ship your product as quickly and as quickly as possible. All major couriers offer next day delivery options, but USPS is still the cheapest, with regular prices starting at $26.95.

UPS Next Day Air Saver also offers competitive next-day rates, delivering by the end of the next day at prices starting at $29.66. FedEx Standard Overnight starts at $31.22 for next day delivery if the location is within 150 miles.

Save on shipping costs with Shopify Shipping

Shopify vendors can now reduce their shipping costs with Shopify Shipping, making it faster and easier to fulfill orders. You can manage products, customers, inventory and shipping all from your Shopify dashboard in one place. You can buy shipping labels, print multiple labels at once and get bulk orders quickly. Merchants can save up to 88% on shipping costs in the US and ship products worldwide with confidence.

Shopify Shipping gives you pre-negotiated discounts on rates from USPS, UPS and DHL Express, making it easier to offer free or flat-rate shipping to customers at checkout. You can also easily reach international customers with automatically generated customs forms and discounts for international shipping.

while USPS does have the cheapest service overall, it has struggled in recent years to keep up with demand. As a result, other shipping companies offer alternative services that may be more reliable—ones that may be worth spending a little more money to insure.

Tips to reduce shipping costs

While negotiating rates and researching couriers will help you create a successful shipping strategy, there are some tips and tricks small businesses can use to help keep shipping rates low and don’t let it be a burden to your success.

• Use the right size packaging – you don’t want to send air all over the place, so reduce the size and weight of your packaging by choosing a box that fits your items.
• Save on materials – cardboard is heavy, so replace it with poly mailers or other lightweight packaging if possible. Other lightweight options are air pillows, wrapping paper, bubble wrap, foam inserts, Versa Pak and excellior wadding rolls.
• Use flat-rate shipping when possible—flat-rate shipping is almost always the best value for money, especially for domestic shipping. Flat rate shipping means you can predict prices more accurately. No matter what type of package you have or what its dimensions or weight are, the price will always be the same.
• Offers local delivery and recruitment. By far, the cheapest delivery option is local delivery, or even better, pickup. For small businesses, local delivery services are a great way to connect with nearby customers, drive sales and provide a great customer experience.

Working out the cheapest way to ship a package may take some trial and error to begin with, especially as you get used to all the options, shipping methods, couriers and where most of your sales come from. However, once you have a solid shipping strategy and shipping costs that work for you and your customers, you’ll start spending less time fulfilling orders and more time growing your business.

Find Cheaper Shipping with Shopify

source: https://www.shopify.co.id/blog/cheapest-way-to-ship-a-package