Shipping margins are critical to the profitability and sustainability of e-commerce businesses. If you don’t ship your products in the most economical and efficient way, then you are leaving money on the table. one possible way to reduce shipping costs is with usps flat rate shipping.
With flat rate shipping, the weight of a package does not affect the cost of shipping. if you’re shipping heavy items, this will save you money. on the other hand, flat rate shipping may be more expensive if your packages are light.
How do you decide if flat rate shipping is right for your eCommerce business?
This article provides a detailed breakdown of Flat Rate Shipping, how it works, and whether or not you should start using it.
what is flat rate shipping?
USPS Priority Flat Rate is a shipping service provided by the US Postal Service. uu. which offers 1-3 day shipping services for a single flat rate. Flat rate service is attractive to many carriers as it essentially eliminates the need to weigh your packages to calculate shipping costs. As long as your package weighs less than 70 pounds, it can be shipped using USPS Priority Flat Rate Service.
why flat rate shipping is perfect for ecommerce stores
Flat rate shipping is an attractive shipping option for several reasons based on how shipping costs are typically calculated.
first, the further distance or shipping zones you ship your orders to, the more expensive they tend to be, and this only increases the heavier the order.
In addition, dimensional weight is a commonly used pricing technique that is calculated by multiplying the length times the width times the height of a package. Carriers like USPS, FedEx, and UPS calculate shipping charges based on whichever number is greater: the actual weight of the package or its calculated dimensional weight.
Flat rate shipping makes things quite simple and can be a great option for certain brands, especially those that are smaller and order themselves.
note: flat rate shipping can also refer to a technique for deciding how to price your shipping, where you charge a flat shipping rate for each order (instead of offering free shipping or passing the shipping rate on real time to the client). ). For the purposes of this article, we’re talking about USPS Flat Rate Shipping.
how does flat rate shipping work? 3 steps
Flat rate shipping means that the price of shipping is not related to the weight, shape or size of the item shipped, hence the term “flat rate”. It is based on how much you can fit in the USPS issued box. e-commerce companies ship products at a flat rate by following these steps.
1. Get a USPS flat rate box
Instead of packing items in your own box, choose from a variety of flat-rate boxes at your local USPS office. there are small, medium and large flat rate boxes; and the larger the box, the higher the shipping prices. the maximum weight allowed is 70 pounds.
2. pack your items and address your box
pack your items in usps flat rate box and ship to package address.
3. submit your articles
take your flat rate box to a usps office and ship the box priority mail.
how much does usps flat rate shipping cost?
the cost of flat rate shipping in the united states depends on the size of the box. see the table below for detailed prices and box sizes.
flat rate options & flat rate price:
what is the flat rate shipping time?
Packages shipped with flat rate shipping are typically delivered within one to three days (not counting Sundays). they are sent by priority mail and the exact delivery time depends on where the package is sent from and its final destination.
why use flat rate shipping for ecommerce?
Flat rate shipping can deliver big savings when it comes to shipping for small businesses by having a lower and more predictable cost. It won’t make sense for every eCommerce business, but it’s most often used by small business owners who pack the boxes themselves and go to the post office to ship the orders.
1. pack anything up to 70 pounds
There is no need to worry about weighing and calculating shipping costs for each package. As long as your package is under the 70lb limit, you can ship it with a flat rate shipping.
2. automatically insured up to $50
Instead of having to purchase separate shipping insurance, you’re already covered to a certain extent. each flat rate package is automatically insured up to $50. if the contents are worth $50 or less, your costs will be covered in the event of loss. they can also include a shipping certificate for added peace of mind!
3. drop off at any usps store
When your package is ready to ship, you can drop it off at any USPS office for shipping.
4. USPS tracking included
another essential e-commerce shipment, simply enter the package number into the usps tracker and you can track its progress to delivery.
usps priority mail restrictions
You don’t have to worry about weight with flat-rate shipping, but that doesn’t mean you can ship absolutely anything. The following items cannot be shipped via USPS Priority Mail:
- explosives
- firearm ammunition
- air bags
- alcohol
- gasoline
- and more
how to outsource your e-commerce shipping to shipbob
If your eCommerce business is outgrowing your current shipping methods, another way to lower your shipping costs and improve margins is with optimized shipping. shipbob is a third party logistics provider (3pl) that streamlines your shipping using integrated technology and multiple fulfillment centers. this is how shipbob fulfillment works.
1. connect your store
Shipbob’s platform syncs with your eCommerce store (to handle e.g. Shopify shipments and WooCommerce shipments), so you can easily manage inventory and monitor the fulfillment process from start to finish. end.
2. store your inventory at shipbob’s fulfillment centers
Store your products in Shipbob’s national network of logistics centers. this brings your products closer to your customers to reduce shipping costs and transit times.
3. make orders fill automatically
orders placed in your store are automatically sent to the optimal ecommerce fulfillment center, then picked, packed, and shipped by the shipbob team.
4. customers get tracking info
E-commerce order tracking information is sent to the customer once the package has been shipped, so they can track the progress of their package.
conclusion
Flat rate shipping is a popular type of USPS mail that can be a valuable tool in reducing shipping costs, but only if your packages are heavy enough that flat rate is cheaper than flat rate. regular. You can find out if flat rate shipping is worth it for your eCommerce business by comparing the flat rate to the rate you’re currently paying to ship your products. If most of your items are heavier but less than 70 pounds and your current rates are higher than flat rate, then flat rate shipping can save you money.
learn more about fulfillment outsourcing
Download the free eGuide, “How to Choose a 3PL for Your Ecommerce Business” to learn more about how a 3PL can help your business scale and get tips on choosing a fulfillment partner.