Shipping can be an expensive part of business, especially if you have to pay out-of-pocket and your customers are spread out all over the country. Luckily, there are many ways to keep shipping costs down, so you can spend less on each package and still make money on your product or service. Here are some tips to help you save money when shipping items with a post office.
Do your research
Keep in mind that prices can vary drastically between carriers and services. Consider, for example, your proximity to a post office when comparing prices. Check out shipping rates and troy post office hours, check reviews, and pick a carrier. But also consider whether it’s really necessary to ship something. If you’re in desperate need of overnight delivery (we get it), go ahead and pay for overnight shipping—but if you want something delivered within a week, there are cheaper options that may be a better fit.
Get a Bulk Discount
A big part of shipping costs so much is that most shippers price their services based on weight. But if you’re a bulk buyer, you can get a better deal by grouping shipments together. In other words, if you send out 50 packages, that group will be more cost-effective than sending out 10 separate shipments of 5. You also can ask for discounts on shipping materials—such as boxes or tape—since they’ll likely have excess inventory lying around; it never hurts to ask!
Always Compare Prices
If you ship many items via truck or other delivery services, it’s easy to get taken advantage of by shady companies who prey on unsuspecting customers. Since shipping costs fluctuate based on time and location, it’s important to always compare rates before finalizing your choice. For example, if you have time on your side, it may be cheaper to drive your items across state lines instead of paying for overnight shipping. The savings can add up in a big way depending on how much stuff you’re shipping and where.
Use Post Office
It may be less expensive to ship with a private carrier for urgent but light packages, like https://postofficeshours.com/in/troy/troy. However, if you’re shipping something heavy or particularly fragile (like glass), using a private carrier will cost more. Sometimes, you can save money by having your item shipped from point A to point B overnight when it could have arrived in two days for less with ground service.
Calculate Freight Costs Online
Calculating freight costs online can give you a fairly accurate idea of what you’ll pay for shipping, but there are times when it’s necessary to phone in your order. First and foremost, if your item is a custom shipment or one that’s been out of stock for an extended period, you might be asked to confirm shipping details by phone. Also, certain types of shipments (particularly hazardous materials) may require special handling by a qualified professional and can’t be prepaid online. In some cases, it’s just as easy to calculate shipping costs over the phone as it is on some third-party sites. And if you’ve never used freight forwarding services before or don’t have a previous account with which to log in, calling might be your only option for getting started.
Leave a Reply