Why can shipping be so expensive? How do I reduce my cost?
Shipping methods and costs are always evolving. Why?
There are many factors that contribute to the shipping fees you receive,
- Weight
- Box Size
- Distance Traveled
- Speed of Travel
- Fuel Pricing
When we ship your order, Fedex, UPS and the Post Office consider all of these parameters when coming up with a cost.
The largest contributor for cost is dimensional weight. This is something that every shipping company factors in because it calculates how much room the package will take up in the truck, train, trailer, or plane.
What we are doing to help reduce your cost?
- We negotiate rates with shippers to get you the best price
- We pack your order in the smallest packaging available while still protecting the products. This can help greatly with dimensional weight
- We try to offer different shipping methods from different shippers that may help reduce costs
- Some shippers offer flat rate pricing for certain box sizes, so no matter what goes in the box, the price stays the same
What can you do to reduce your cost? Planning, Planning, Planning...
Orders with more than 1 item can greatly reduce shipping fees because the overall cost of shipping is divided among the items ordered. If you only need 1 shirt, maybe throw in a few basic black bow ties to reduce cost. Black bow ties can always be sold, so if it helps break up the shipping cost for that 1 shirt, it will be worth it!
Buy things in bulk that you know will easily sell later. If you know you will eventually use or sell a product that you purchase all the time, then consider buying that item to last you for a few months instead of weeks.
Avoid rush shipping if possible. When you ship items by air, you are basically having an Uber take it to the airport, board the plane (no in flight entertainment or food & drink), and then have another Uber pick it up and deliver to your doorstep. Of course, this cannot always be helped, but even 1 order saved per year from rush shipping can put an extra $50 to $100 in your pocket.
If you have an accounting system that tracks item sales, run a report of what you sold last year before the new season hits.
Purchase as early as possible. Waiting a day or two can be the difference of when you receive the items. Waiting too long can turn a cheaper ground shipment into a faster, more expensive air shipment.
Place orders online and explore available shipping options based on what you order.
All of these little things add up greatly over a year of ordering. Every dollar counts!