Tag Archive: shipping

USPS Rates for 2019 are now in Effect

January 23, 2019  Published by

Following in the footsteps of last year’s rate increases from UPS and FedEx, the USPS enacted several rate increases of its own on January 27 this year. To help you estimate the impact on your business, we’ve outlined some of the key changes below: Priority Mail Rates Across the board, Priority Mail services increased by an average of 5.9%. Other changes of note include the elimination of balloon pricing for parcels shipping to Zones 1-4, and an average 3.9% increase for Priority Mail Express rates. First Class Package Services For the first time, First Class Package service rates will now…... View Article

A Recap of UPS Rate Changes for 2019

January 16, 2019  Published by

UPS announced changes to its rates for 2019 in December last year – giving customers a mere 3 weeks before they went into effect. With the holidays in full swing, the entire fulfillment industry was extremely busy at that time – so if you missed the announcement or didn’t have time to process the details, you’re not alone. To help get you up to speed, we’ve highlighted the some of the most important changes in the list below. For full details and pricing information, visit UPS to read the official announcement. The rates for UPS® Ground, UPS Air and International…... View Article

Considerations for Optimized Shipping & Packaging

January 9, 2019  Published by

The cost of shipping is a major competitive differentiator in ecommerce. Shoppers will quickly abandon a cart or buy from a competitor if it means they will save money on shipping. To reduce shipping charges for your customers, you’ll need to go beyond investing in cheaper dunnage or renegotiating with carriers for better rates. In addition to those strategies, here are some more holistic considerations for improving the cost efficiency and customer-friendliness of your packing and shipping operations. Evaluate current packing materials and processes From material and labor costs, to DIM weight optimization and customer experience – you may find…... View Article

Cost Efficient Ways to Offer Free Shipping

February 14, 2018  Published by

Free shipping is the most effective promotion you can offer ecommerce customers, hands down. However, not every ecommerce site has the ability to shoulder the shipping costs for 100% of their orders. Fortunately, there are many different ways you can have free shipping, and some cost less than others. Below, we go over some ideas you can use to offer free shipping at a reasonable cost. Set a minimum order condition Look at your product margins and calculate how much a customer would have to spend on an order to make free shipping easier for you to offer. You can…... View Article

Should you open more Distribution Centers?

November 29, 2017  Published by

Expanding your ecommerce business by opening more distribution centers (DCs) can be a beneficial strategy for reducing shipping costs and delivery times. However, more isn’t always better. The expenses associated with opening, operating, and integrating additional DCs can easily negate the cost savings and logistical advantages they provide. To figure out if the numbers will work in your favor, you should consider the following variables.     Number of SKUs vs. Order Volume In general, the more SKUs you have, the more it will cost to coordinate with your suppliers to maintain inventory levels across multiple DCs. However, those costs can…... View Article

UPS & FedEx’s Seasonal Surcharges for 2017

October 11, 2017  Published by

UPS and FedEx have both announced pricing changes for holiday season 2017. Typically, these two shipping providers adjust their pricing in tandem – when one announces a change to their shipping & handling rates, the other announces a similar strategy soon after. But this year, that’s not the case. Effective 11/20 through 12/24, FedEx’s holiday season rates are pretty straightforward. Essentially, there will be no increased residential holiday season surcharges, except in the case of packages that are oversized (increased to $97.50 per package), unauthorized (increased to $415 per package), or that require additional handling (increased to $14 per package).…... View Article

Fulfillment Fundamentals for Ecommerce

October 4, 2017  Published by

Since order fulfillment is a “behind the scenes” process, newcomers to ecommerce don’t usually have a strong strategy in place for efficient fulfillment processes. In this post, we’ll cover some fulfillment fundamentals to help beginners avoid the costly mistakes of over-stretching or over-complicating their fulfillment operations. Free shipping vs. fast shipping Yes, offering free shipping is a surefire way to increase sales. However, it’s not free for the seller – and the costs can add up. Fortunately, there are many strategies you can use to reduce or recoup the costs of free shipping. For example, increasing the transit time decreases…... View Article

Tips for Improving Packaging Efficiency & Sustainability

August 30, 2017  Published by

Ecommerce businesses stand to benefit from implementing environmentally friendly business practices – and changing your approach to packaging is a great way to start. It can save you money, improve logistical efficiency, and drive home your brand’s commitment to the environment with every single delivery. Follow these tips to start your transition into more sustainable packaging.     Choose environmentally-friendly packaging materials Evaluate your current packaging for materials that can harm the environment – especially those that can’t be recycled, take a long time to breakdown (like polystyrene foam and plastics), or that release toxins as they breakdown (like certain inks…... View Article