{"id":37294,"date":"2020-06-01T21:27:39","date_gmt":"2020-06-01T21:27:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shippingeasy.com\/?p=37294"},"modified":"2023-02-15T08:51:33","modified_gmt":"2023-02-15T14:51:33","slug":"how-to-ship-your-first-few-days","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shippingeasy.com\/blog\/how-to-ship-your-first-few-days\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Ship: Your First Few Days"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The rates in this blog post are the 2020 USPS rates. For the current 2023 USPS rates, visit our USPS 2023 Shipping Rate Changes: Flat Rate, Priority, First Class, w\/Tables<\/a> blog!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, e-commerce was on the upswing. That means more people are selling online, and therefore many people are learning how to ship for the first time. E-commerce shipping inherently has many nuances. There are numerous ways that merchants overpay on shipping, don\u2019t optimize their pick and pack processes, and waste precious time they could be spending on building their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To make life a bit easier for new and seasoned merchants alike, we\u2019ve put together some staple elements of your first few days of shipping\u2014what to consider, what to set up, choices to make that can save time and money, and more. Let\u2019s dive in!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note: As of October 19, 2022, ShippingEasy now offers the lowest USPS\u24c7 shipping rates in the industry, and the rates reflected in this blog are prior to this change and may not be accurate. For more information on these new rates, check out our blog!<\/a><\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

Choose your carrier(s)<\/h2>\n\n\n

Some merchants will simply find a carrier and\/or service they like and stick with it. While that may be convenient, it\u2019s not the most cost-effective option. Each carrier and their unique services can best serve different shipping needs, so a multicarrier and multi-service approach can save you a ton of money in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, if you simply default to using USPS Priority Mail\u00ae Small Flat Rate boxes<\/a> ($7.65 with Commercial Rates available through services like ShippingEasy) for all your smaller items, you could be vastly overpaying for anything under 1 lb. Using USPS First Class\u00ae Package service, the most expensive rate is $5.70. You\u2019re more likely to pay around $2.75 – $4.50, depending on the weight in ounces and distance traveled.<\/p>\n\n\n

Smart shippers take advantage of the best rates. Get discounted USPS and UPS rates with ShippingEasy now, free for 30 days<\/a>!<\/h6>\n\n\n

Benefits don\u2019t just exist with using the right service. Let\u2019s say you\u2019re sending a 6 pound package from Los Angeles to Seattle. Using USPS Priority Mail, you would pay $14.18. With a ShippingEasy account, you get discounted UPS\u00ae rates as well, and this package could only cost you $8.88 to ship using UPS\u00ae Ground. That\u2019s a savings of nearly $6 on a single package\u2014an amount that would add up quickly the more you ship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even without discounted rates, there are zones, package dimensions, and package weights where each of the three major carriers will win out over the others. If you\u2019re not doing rate comparisons, it\u2019s entirely possibly you\u2019re losing money. That\u2019s not how to ship smart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This can be tedious when you have to go browser tab to browser tab, re-entering information every time. ShippingEasy lets you input information and browse rates across carriers in one easy-to-use screen.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Browse<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

On the note of carriers, some carrier services include up to a certain level of shipping insurance, while others do not. The insurance offered may not be enough to cover the cost of individual or collective products in each package. In this case, you might consider adding additional insurance to valuable packages in case anything goes awry. ShippingEasy partners with an insurance provider to let customers purchase additional insurance when buying labels. This can even be built into shipping rules, which we will get to later.<\/p>\n\n\n

Take a multichannel approach<\/h2>\n\n\n

Where you sell matters. The more places you have your products, the more likely they are to be found. If you\u2019re moving from a brick-and-mortar to online store for the first time, you\u2019ll have plenty of options available to you for your online store. We could write an entirely separate article on choosing an e-commerce platform (hey, we just might!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ShippingEasy integrates with many of the top options, and each has their own benefits. Some you may consider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n