E-commerce is an indispensable part of almost every retail business. Even if you have physical stores, giving your customers an online option will increase sales. however, for eCommerce businesses that sell large or heavy products, shipping can be expensive. Fortunately, there are ways to save money when shipping overweight or oversized packages. This is your guide to the cheapest ways to ship bulky and heavy items.
how to ship large items and oversized packages
The problem with shipping oversized packages has as much to do with dimensions as it does with weight. a product can be very light and still be subject to additional shipping costs. it all has to do with dimensional weight.
Dimensional weight or dim is a way to determine the price of shipping a package based on dimensions. Dimensional weight is calculated by multiplying package height by length x width and then dividing by the carrier’s dimension factor. UPS, FedEx, and USPS use dim factors to determine the dim weight of oversized packages.
If you’re shipping an oversized package, the reduced weight may increase your shipping costs. when a box weighs 10 pounds but the minimum weight is 15 pounds, you will be charged shipping 15 pounds. If the dim weight is less than the actual weight of your package, the shipping cost is based on the actual weight.
how to reduce reduced weight charges
However, there are several ways to reduce dimensional weight charges.
- packaging. placing your products in boxes that are too large may incur additional shipping costs. pack each order in the smallest box possible to ship safely. many large products are shipped in the product packaging without overpacking. review your packaging to find ways to pack your item more efficiently. some large items may be cheaper to ship if shipped unassembled.
- dim factor if you are a high volume shipper, you may be able to negotiate lower shipping rates. you can also negotiate your attenuation factor. a higher dim factor will reduce dim weight charges.
- ship by usps. the united states postal service has a dim factor of 166. both fedex and ups use a dim factor dim of 139 for commercial shipping accounts. a 50 pound package with dimensions of 24” x 24” x 30” would result in a reduced weight price of 125 pounds for fedex and ups. USPS would only charge you £105. however, even at the higher dim weight, ups and fedex would charge less to ship this oversized package to zones 5 through 8. usps is a better deal in zones 2 through 4. to see how prices compare dim weight for different carriers, use red stag dim weight calculator.
cheapest ways to ship large boxes
Shipping large packages in the smallest boxes possible is an art. your 3pl may be able to help. for example, red deer fulfillment uses technology that calculates the optimal box size for each order. then our custom packaging machine creates the perfect box. A box that fits better doesn’t just save you money on low-weight prices. you’ll also save by using less padding. Plus, when products are packed in the right size box, they’re less likely to slip and get damaged during shipping.
Another good way to save on shipping heavy or oversized packages is to reduce the number of shipping zones. Each of the major US carriers divides the country into shipping zones. zones are calculated from the point of origin to the point of destination. zone pricing adds the factor of how far the package must travel. the more shipping zones a package passes through to reach its destination, the higher the cost of shipping.
The price difference when you ship small items to more shipping zones can be as little as a couple of dollars. however, for oversized and heavy packages, additional zones can add 50% or more to the shipping cost. that can be a lot of money when you ship large boxes.
red deer fulfillment has addressed the shipping zone issue by choosing two warehouse locations that provide national fulfillment to 97% of the us. uu. in two days or less. Our e-commerce fulfillment centers in Salt Lake City, UT, and Knoxville, TN, are within a few shipping zones of most US addresses.
cheaper ways to ship heavy boxes
If your products are heavy, there are additional ways to reduce shipping costs. you will almost certainly want to choose ground delivery over air delivery. USPS Select Package offers competitive commercial shipping rates on packages up to 70 pounds. fedex ground also has trade discounts with a 70 pound weight limit.
For even heavier items, try the floor. the service accepts packages weighing up to 150 pounds. For very large and heavy items, like furniture, fedex freight can save you money on shipping.
Heavy products should be shipped in stronger cardboard boxes to remain secure during transit. this can add additional weight and additional cost. You can save by palletizing and shipping bulk products to a pickup location. this may be at your physical store or a third party receiving location. offer your customers a price incentive for taking care of the last mile to their homes. both you and your customers will save money on shipping.
Negotiated shipping prices are crucial for economical shipping of large or heavy boxes. If your business doesn’t have enough volume to qualify for discounted rates, check with your eCommerce fulfillment partner. Some logistics companies (including Red Deer Logistics) have volume shipping discounts with major carriers that they can pass on to their customers.
ship heavy or oversized packages cheaply
One of the best ways to ship oversized and heavy packages cheaply is to work with professionals. When choosing a fulfillment company, ask about their experience working with large products. At Red Deer Fulfillment, we pride ourselves on being the experts on heavy, bulky, and oversized shipments. we’re happy to help you find ways to ship your oversized packages cheaply. just give us a call!