If you are a small business, the products you specialize in are probably heavy. So, have you been searching for the cheapest way to ship heavy items? Great that you found this blog. We will spill on some tips and secrets to help you save big on the next shipping of your heavy products.
Shipping companies charge your products based on their size and weight. Even if your product is a featherweight, you might end up paying a lot in shipping charges just because it looks so big and requires a lot of space to accommodate.
Before we give you some tips, here are the maximum size and weights of the packages allowed by various famous shipping companies in the US.
- For USPS, the packages must not be more than 70 lbs. Further, the packages may not measure more than 108″ in total length and girth.
- For the UPS, the packages shouldn't be more than 150lbs, and the combined length and girth should be less than 165″.
- For FedEx, the packages should be less than 150 lbs and must not measure more than 108″ in length and 165″ when the length and girth are combined.
3 Tips to find the cheapest ways to ship heavy items
1. Go for by-road shipping
Shipping by air costs you a lot more than what it takes to ship by road. The price almost doubles when the items are heavy and oversized. If the delivery time is not an issue, then by-road shipping is far more feasible and, in some sense, far more durable when fragile items are considered.
Many shipping companies have divided the shipping distances into zones. The more zones you cover, the higher the shipping price will be. That said, by-road shipping is not always feasible, especially when the product has to cross multiple zones.
So at first, calculate the zones and then compare the price with air and by road shipping.
2. Don't opt for priority shipping unless necessary
Heavy items are already levied a huge shipping amount by the shipping companies. The amount almost doubles when you ask for priority shipping.
Unless the items are perishable or ordered specially by customers, there's no problem letting the shipping agencies take their own sweet time to deliver your orders. No matter how long it takes, the companies will tell you the estimated arrival date in advance and have complete transparency during the entire process.
When you opt for standard delivery, let your customer know that. Tell them the expected delivery date to maintain a solid bond with your customers.
3. Get your heavy items professionally packed
When you pack the items at home, you often add some extra layers of cardboard or whatever to ensure that your items don't get damaged on the way. It adds a lot more weight to the already heavy item, thus increasing the shipping charges.
Instead of wasting your time and money, hand your products to experts for handling and fulfillment. They keep inventory, pack your items as per order in the safest way possible and ensure that the delivery companies pick up and drop them off on time. This way, you can be assured of the quality of packing and be at peace of mind knowing that your items will reach safely. Further, you will be saving quite a significant amount on shipping charges as the weight of the items will be drastically reduced with careful packaging. You can also send out more products at a time, which means bulk shipping; therefore, you can strike quite a deal with the shipping companies.
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