The increase in ecommerce businesses and online retailers has skyrocketed along with the shipping services. With establishments like the United States Postal Services, even rural communities can receive the same shipping services as bigger cities with more carrier options. This in-depth guide will give you all the information you need to know about shipping with USPS to decide if this carrier is best suited for your business needs. If you're looking for a variety of delivery options and an extended shipping network, look no further than USPS. The high-quality, whole shipping supplies at Shop4Mailers, along with the right shipping service, will help keep your costs low, so stay tuned for more shipping tips.
USPS Shipping Considerations
There is so much that goes into choosing a shipping carrier. For a smooth shipping process, you will want to make sure the carrier you choose for your business offers services that align with your business needs and make shipping accessible and efficient.
When it comes to shipping with USPS, we will break down these shipping considerations:
- Shipping services
- Speed of delivery
- Size and weight requirements
- International shipping options
No matter which carrier you decide to use as a shipping provider, these shipping considerations should be carefully weighed. Consider making a chart of the shipping offerings and services relevant to your business and then seeing how each carrier stacks against it. You can also rate which factors are most important to you to help narrow down the decision. With USPS, shipping services have expanded to suit small businesses and ecommerce companies better. USPS' Priority Mail services are on par with other big delivery services and are what we will focus on with this carrier. No matter the size of your business, there is a delivery service that is suited for you and your business.
USPS Service Offerings
One of our ship tips is to reconsider your current shipping offerings to save money and provide your customers with a better shipping experience whenever they purchase your products. For your ecommerce business needs, USPS offers a variety of shipping services. With low costs and speed of delivery being top of mind for the customer, these are three excellent options to consider when shipping with USPS, all of which are Priority Mail:
- Flat rate shipping
- Priority mail regional rate
- Priority Mail Express
Priority Mail flat rate boxes are excellent for packages that will consistently fit into the flat-rate packaging. Flat rate boxes are a less expensive option for small but more substantial items traveling farther distances. With flat rate boxes, your pricing will not fluctuate, regardless of the weight of your package. In contrast with flat rate boxes, USPS also offers Priority Mail regional rates determined by both the destination and package size. These options have varying but much smaller weight restrictions. Regional rate offerings are optimal for businesses that ship nearby instead of longer distances.
Size and Weight Requirements
When it comes to calculating shipping costs, your packaged products' weight and size play a considerable role in determining the right shipping option. With USPS flat rate envelopes and boxes, varying shipping costs are not a concern. When shipping with flat rate boxes, you cannot exceed 70 pounds for the final package weight, and there must be a maximum combined length and girth of 108 inches. There are different packages for flat rate shipping, so you can choose an optimal option for the type of products that your business sells. The regional rate boxes must not exceed 15-20 pounds, depending on which type of box you use.
If flat rate boxes don't fit the bill, there are plenty of size options available with poly mailer bags from Shop4Mailers. These mailer bags are made of a lightweight and durable plastic material, yet will withstand any punctures, tears, and holes that may occur during transit. No matter your shipping needs, we can help you find the right mailer for your business. Regardless of what type of package you use, USPS can help you determine how to size your parcels with this guide to ensure you are getting the best value.
Speed of Delivery
With speedy delivery services, USPS can compete with big-name delivery services, especially when it comes to their Priority Mail options. The great thing about Priority Mail services is the speed of delivery, which we will dive into later. All of USPS’ Priority Mail services deliver within 1-3 days. A shipping tip we love is predetermining the cost and timing of your delivery before sending it off.
There are three USPS delivery options that we will cover here:
- Retail Ground
- First-Class Mail
- Priority Mail Express
These three shipping services give excellent options depending on the urgency of your delivery needs. The retail ground offers shipping services within 2-8 days, which is the slowest option but an excellent offering for larger packages. First-class mail offers services within 1-3 days, which is similar to priority mail shipping except for pack size and weight requirements are much smaller. This option is ideal for small, lightweight shipments in which products can fit in envelopes or small packages. Lastly, Priority Mail Express shipping offers guaranteed overnight delivery and is the fastest shipping service offered by USPS. No matter which option you choose, all packages come with USPS tracking for you and your customers. These options are great for domestic shipping, but in the case of international shipping, USPS has services that cover that too.
Delivery Destination
USPS offers international shipping with Global Express Guaranteed, Priority Mail Express International, Priority Mail International, and First-Class International Mail and Package services. Like domestic shipping services, you should consider size and weight, speed of delivery, tracking, and insurance when choosing an international shipping service with USPS. You can easily compare which international service fits best with your business needs here.
Shipping Supplies
Regardless of which shipping option you choose, you will need an array of essential shipping supplies. You can check out our best-selling poly mailer bags to see what’s trending in shipping supplies! When it comes to our wholesale shipping supplies, you can save on cost. Check out our must-haves for all your business shipping needs:
- White, color, or designed poly mailers
- Warning labels
- Shipping labels
Our easy-to-use poly mailer bags make packaging a breeze. With self-sealing technology, you can ditch the roll of tape and have a clean, tight seal on your packages. These poly mailer bags come in various sizes so that you can fit a multitude of different sized products. With warning labels and shipping labels, you can streamline your shipping station with a bulk stock. Our favorite ship tip is to set up a packaging station so that you have all your supplies at the tip of your fingers for quick packaging.
USPS Ship Tips
USPS has excellent shipping tips and the tools to make this process more comfortable and more efficient. With free package pick up, you don't have to haul packages to the post office for drop-off. This service can be scheduled to be most convenient for you and your business. USPS is the only shipping service that delivers to PO boxes and military addresses, which is crucial to consider for any business. Another shipping tip is to take advantage of business shipping rates when mailing at a higher volume. There are more small business shipping tips that can help you save money and time.
Shop4Mailers
You can streamline your business's shipping strategy with our shipping tips and wholesale supplies. With high-quality shipping products like poly mailers, shipping labels, warning labels, and more, you can feel good about shipping.
