An Essential Guide
to eCommerce Shipping
Contents
01
INTRO
02 THE CARRIERS
03 DOMESTIC SHIPPING
USPS®, FEDEX®, UPS®, REGIONAL CARRIERS
08 INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING
I-PARCEL™, POSTAL QUALIFIED WHOLESALERS (PQW)
10
ONLINE STORES AND ECOMMERCE CARTS
12 SHIPPING SUPPLIES
14 SHIPPING INSURANCE
16 WHAT IS SHIPPING SOFTWARE? DO I REALLY NEED IT?
18 SHIPPING TERM GLOSSARY
20 WANT TO SAVE HOURS A DAY ON SHIPPING?
AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO ECOMMERCE SHIPPING
Introduction
Do you remember when you thought shipping was easy? Back
in the days when it meant going to the post office, or dropping a
stamped letter in the mail box? Now that you’re selling online and
you’re shipping more than the average person, you’ve realized
that shipping is one of the most challenging and mind-numbing
aspects of selling online.
That’s why we created this shipping guide.
The goal of this guide is simple. We want to educate you about
shipping so that it minimizes stress and ensures you’re shipping
in the most efficient way possible. Because we (ShipWorks) have
been working with all of the major U.S. shipping carriers and 80+
online shopping carts and marketplaces for nearly a decade, we
have a pretty good grasp of the ins and outs of shipping items
sold online. This guide will cover the basics of shipping in the U.S.
and give pro-shipping tips. By the end, you’ll be saving time and
money while growing your ecommerce business.
Let’s get started!
AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO ECOMMERCE SHIPPING
1
The Carriers
We’re often asked which carrier is the best. Unfortunately, there
is no cut and dry answer to that question. The answer depends
on three key things: 1) what you’re shipping (size and weight of
package), 2) where it’s going, and 3) when does it need to arrive
at its destination. Once you fill in these three blanks, the best
carrier choice becomes more obvious.
To begin, let’s talk a little about the carriers. You may think
of only three to choose from—USPS, FedEx, and UPS—but
that’s only the beginning!
AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO ECOMMERCE SHIPPING
2
THE CARRIERS
Domestic Shipping:
U.S. Postal Service® (USPS®)
USPS Services:
USPS has numerous delivery services, and we’ve highlighted the
main ones (chart below). This chart is not all inclusive, so if you have
questions, please check the carrier’s website for complete details.
Whether you call it the Post Office™, US Mail, or USPS,
the United States Postal Service is probably the shipping
USPS Rates:
service you’re most familiar with. The USPS has some
The USPS has four different rates: Retail, Commercial Base (CBP),
great benefits such as convenience, free supplies, free
Commercial Plus (CPP), and Negotiated Service Agreement
pickup and it has direct partnerships with many online
(NSA). You may think that if you’re an online seller you can only
retail sites, like eBay.
qualify for retail rates, but that’s not true. There are ways you
can qualify for commercial and negotiated level pricing, which
How to Ship with USPS:
There are two basic options when shipping with USPS:
1. Ship it from the Post Office. Visit your local Post Office
with your item boxed up and ready to ship. When you take
the box to the counter, they’ll weigh your package(s) and
will give you a discount on postage. We’ll talk more about how
you can get these discounts later, but for now, here’s a quick
overview of each of the rates:
• Retail rates are the rates you pay when you visit the post office.
• Commercial Base Pricing is a discounted rate offered to
USPS customers who buy and print shipping with an online
tell you how much postage you owe. Once you pay, they’ll
postage provider. Commercial Base Pricing is always
make sure it reaches its destination.
2. Ship it from your home. If you want to avoid waiting in line
at the Post Office, you can print postage and ship items
cheaper than rates at the Post Office.
• Commercial Plus Pricing is available for companies
who ship more than 50,000 packages per year and
from home. You will need to package the item in a box,
weigh it, and measure the length, width and height. Then,
visit USPS.com and create an account. The site will walk
have a customer commitment agreement with USPS.
• Negotiated Service Agreement is a contractual agreement
between the USPS and high volume shipping companies.
you through all of the next steps and will allow you to print
This type of pricing is also available through Express1 and
postage from your computer’s printer. The last step is to
IntuiShip (we'll explain Express 1 and IntuiShip below).
drop the box off at the Post Office or request a free pickup
from USPS (At least one item being mailed must be sent
• USPS rates do occasionally change. Here's a link to learn
Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, or Flat Rate to be
more about USPS rates: www.usps.com/business/prices.htm
eligible for free pickup).
USPS Service
Delivery
Priority Mail Express™
Overnight delivery to most U.S. locations
Priority Mail®
Expected delivery within 1, 2, or 3 business days.
Delivery date is an estimate, not guaranteed.
Flat Rate for Priority Mail Express or Priority Mail™
Overnight delivery or 1, 2 or 3 business days delivery.
First-Class Mail®
Delivery is within 2-3 days
Standard Post™ (Retail only)
Delivery in 2-8 days
Media Mail®
Delivery is within 2-3 business days
Parcel Select®
Delivery is usually within 7-10 days
Military Mail (APO/FPO/DPO)
Varies
*All pricing and facts from USPS.com and are subject to change. This chart highlights many services, but is not all inclusive, so please check the carrier’s website for complete details.
AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO ECOMMERCE SHIPPING
3
THE CARRIERS
USPS Pro-Shipper Tips:
• You can get free Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express and
Regional Rate boxes, envelopes and stickers at most Post
STAMPS.COM®
Offices and the supplies may also be ordered at USPS.com.
As a strategic USPS partner since 1999 and a proven leader
The supplies come with free delivery to your door.
in online mailing and shipping, Stamps.com has a high
• If you ship Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express, make sure
you use the correct box for your shipment. The packaging
indicates the service. So, if you use a Priority Mail box, you
will receive Priority Mail Service, and if you use a Priority Mail
Express box, you will receive Priority Mail Express Service.
• USPS only guarantees delivery by a specific day for Priority
Mail Express. Priority Mail will be delivered in an estimated
1-day, 2-days or 3-days, and is not guaranteed for delivery
within this time frame.
• To qualify for free package pickup at your door, at least
volume shipping platform designed for professional
shippers like you. With lower rates, enhanced tracking and
comprehensive delivery services, Stamps.com provides the
tool and technology to seamlessly access those rates and
services with unprecedented ease, reliability and speed.
Stamps.com supports customers who have received CPP
and NSA rates directly form the USPS or discounted rates
from USPS' reseller partners.
Customers can easily print both USPS Priority Mail and
one package being shipped must be sent via Priority
Priority Mail Express labels and First Class shipping labels,
Mail Express, Priority Mail or Flat Rate. You can schedule
all within one account.
a carrier pick up online.
• If you are shipping from home and you purchase postage
from USPS.com, know that their site doesn’t interface with
a digital scale. You will need to enter the weight manually
or select Flat Rate. We’ll also talk more about scales in the
supplies section.
• You can negotiate your rates with the USPS. The negotiated
rate will depend on the volume you ship annually, and may
require that you sign a contract to meet that annual volume.
• Did you know you can do “hidden postage” so that only you
and USPS know how much you paid for shipping? With this
feature, the postage is still encoded on the barcode so it will
be shipped like normal, but your customer will never see how
much was paid on postage.
USPS’ Partners:
Something that surprises many new shippers is that the USPS has
several approved partners that are authorized to provide internetbased USPS postage. ShipWorks is fully integrated with Stamps.
com, a leading provider of USPS postage, allowing you to buy and
print USPS-approved postage directly from our software.
AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO ECOMMERCE SHIPPING
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THE CARRIERS
FedEx:
FedEx Pro-Shipper Tips:
• FedEx also offers a variety of services like package redirect,
FedEx is a great choice for packages that need timely
hold at location and many others. Please visit their website
shipping options. Similar to the USPS, there are two basic
for a complete list of unique services that may be of interest
options when shipping with FedEx. You can take it to a
to you and your business.
FedEx location and they will do nearly everything for you,
or you can set up the shipment by yourself from your
home or office.
• FedEx has FedEx Ground, which delivers to both commercial
and residential addresses, and FedEx Home Delivery, which
delivers only to residential addresses Tuesday through
Saturday. These are two separate services so don’t get
confused! FedEx Ground will charge a surcharge if you ask
How to Ship with FedEx:
1. Ship it from a FedEx office. Visit your local FedEx office with
them to deliver to a residential address.
the item boxed and ready to ship. When you take the box to
• You can negotiate a rate with FedEx based on your shipping
the FedEx clerk, they’ll weigh your package(s), tell you how
volume. This will ensure that you’re getting a lower rate than
much you owe, and then ship it for you. It’s that easy.
what’s available online. The more you ship, the more you save.
2. Ship it from your home. If you want to be more
independent, you will need to package the item in a box,
weigh
it, and measure the length, width and height. Then, visit
FedEx.com and create an account. This is very easy to
• When customers sign up for a FedEx account via ShipWorks, they
are automatically able to receive a FedEx discount of up to 16%.
• FedEx rates do occasionally change. Here's a link to learn
more about FedEx rates: www.fedex.com/us/service-guide/
rates-surcharges
do on their site, and it will walk you through how to print
shipping labels online. After creating the label and applying
it to the package, you can schedule a pickup or drop it off at
a FedEx facility.
FedEx Services:
FedEx Service
Delivery
Same-day delivery cross-country or cross-city
Delivered door to door within hours (depending on availability)
FedEx First Overnight®
Delivered first thing the next business day morning
FedEx Priority Overnight®
Delivered the next business day morning
FedEx Standard Overnight®
Delivered the next business day afternoon
FedEx 2Day AM®
Delivered in 2 business days in the morning
FedEx 2Day®
Delivered in 2 business days
FedEx Express Saver®
Delivered in 3 business days
FedEx Ground®
Delivered within 1-5 days in contiguous US and 3-7 days to and from Alaska and Hawaii
FedEx Home Delivery®
Delivered within 1-5 days in contiguous US and 3-7 days to and from Alaska and Hawaii
FedEx SmartPost®
Delivered within 2-7 business days
FedEx One Rate®
Delivered within 1-3 days in contiguous US
*All information is from FedEx.com and is subject to change. This chart highlights many services, but is not all inclusive, so please check the carrier’s website for
complete details.
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THE CARRIERS
United Parcel Service (UPS®):
UPS Pro-Shipper Tips:
• You can negotiate a rate with UPS based on your shipping
UPS is a great option for larger packages, especially those
volume. This will ensure that you receive a lower rate than
that need timely delivery. They are the world's largest
what’s available online. The more you ship, the more you save.
package delivery company and ship to over 200 countries.
• UPS offers high-volume customers Mail Innovations
to help streamline and optimize domestic shipping.
As with the USPS and FedEx, there are two basic options when
shipping with UPS. You can take it to a UPS location and they will
do nearly everything for you, or you can set up the shipment by
yourself in the comfort of your home or office.
UPS Mail Innovations works with the USPS to obtain
more competitive postal rates and offers transit times
similar to that of First-Class USPS mail.
• My UPS is a unique online service offered by the UPS
that helps keep your shipping data in a customizable
How to Ship with UPS:
1. Ship it from a UPS office. Visit your local UPS office with
the item boxed and ready to ship. When you take the box
to the UPS clerk, they’ll weigh your package(s) and tell you
how much postage you owe. Or, if you don’t have a box at
home, you can take in the item and they’ll box it and ship it
for you. It’s that easy.
and easy-to-use format. Does that sound like something
you need? You can find more details on their site.
• UPS offers many additional value-add services like Saturday
delivery and Saturday pickup for select services. Please visit
their website for full details
• UPS rates do occasionally change. Here's a link to learn
more about UPS rates: www.rates.ups.com
2. Ship it from your home. It is also possible to ship UPS items
from home. First, package the item in a box, weigh it and
measure the length, width and height. Then, visit UPS.com
and create an account. This is very easy to do on their site,
and it will walk you through how to print shipping labels
online. After creating the label and applying it to the package,
you can schedule a pickup or drop it off at a UPS facility.
UPS Services:
UPS Service
Delivery
UPS Next Day Air® Early AM®
Delivers the next business day in the morning
UPS Next Day Air®
Next business day delivery by 10:30 am., 12:00 noon, or end of day, depending on destination
UPS Next Day Air Saver®
Next business day delivery by 3:00 or 4:30 p.m. where UPS Next Day Air® delivery is committed by 10:30 a.m. or 12:00 noon, respectively
UPS 2nd Day Air A.M.®
Delivery on the second business day by 10:30 a.m. or 12:00 noon to most commercial destinations
UPS 2nd Day Air®
Delivery by the end of the second business day. Some locations in Alaska and Hawaii require additional transit time
UPS 3 Day Select®
Delivery by the end of the third business day
UPS Ground
Delivery typically in 1-5 business days
UPS Mail Innovations
UPS Mail Innovations inducts your mail piece into the U.S. Postal Service within 48 hours of processing.
The U.S. Postal Service will then deliver the mail piece within three to five days, on average
All information is from UPS.com and is subject to change. This chart highlights many services, but is not all inclusive, so please check the carrier’s website for complete details.
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THE CARRIERS
Regional Carriers
i-parcel™
Regional shipping carriers cover a geographic region.
i-parcel is focused on helping internet retailers with their
They can often times provide lower rates than other
international online shopping experience. Their patent
carriers because they cover a smaller region. For example,
pending Cloud technology offers international shippers
OnTrac covers the West Cost and ships within California,
local currency shopping, multi-currency payments, fraud
Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Colorado
protection, online tracking, returns and more. They offer
and Idaho. If you ship within these states, you could save
several shipping services, but their primary offering is
money and gain the competitive edge with next-day
the i-parcel Preferred Service, a 5-7 business day, fully
delivery at ground rates. Similar to larger shipping
trackable international air express service with the ability
carriers, regional carriers offer a variety of shipping
to provide shoppers with shipping costs, duties and
services. For example, OnTrac offers Sunrise, Sunrise
taxes at checkout.
Gold, Super Sunrise Gold, OnTrac Ground, Palletized
Freight and COD Services.
Postal Qualified Wholesalers (PQW)
You can discover other regional carriers in your area by doing
PQW’s are an approved list of companies who work with
online research.
the USPS to send and mail packages outside of the US.
International Shipping:
Their goal is to help businesses with international shipping
and mailing. Those shipping internationally may want to
look at working with PQW’s to simplify their international
Is it easy to ship international? Yes, it can be. Are there additional
shipping process. A complete list of PQW’s is available
things you need to know? Absolutely!
online, and ShipWorks is integrated with many of these
approved PQW’s.
This guide’s primary purpose is to talk about domestic shipping,
but we’re going to give you a few nuggets to think about when
it comes to international shipping. As you’d expect, there are
numerous ways to ship international. All of the carriers we have
mentioned above (USPS, UPS, FedEx, etc.) provide international
shipping service. In addition, here are some others that you may
want to consider:
Pro-Shipper Tips:
• International shipping requires customs forms. Some programs,
like ShipWorks, will automatically generate the customs forms
you need to ship internationally so that you don’t have to worry
about your package getting stuck at the border.
• It’s important to know that customs regulations vary
by country and not all carriers ship to all locations.
• Costs can be considerably higher for international destinations,
so make sure the weight and dimensions of the package are
accurate. Also, make sure you ship with a service that will track
and insure your shipments.
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THE CARRIERS
Carrier Wrap-Up. So, what’s the
Bottom Line? Which Carrier is Better?
5. Can you get a discount on shipping?
Don’t forget, discounts are often available in a variety
After reading (or skimming) all of the above, you can understand
of ways that range from using an online shipping provider
why the “best” carrier will vary based on what you’re shipping. In
to shipping volume discounts. Talk to your carrier and see
general, if you’re shipping small items, start by researching USPS. If
if you’re eligible for any discounts.
you’re shipping larger items, start by researching FedEx and USPS.
6. Can you easily increase your shipping volume
In addition, here are six questions to ask yourself before
as the company grows?
ou pick a carrier:
Your ultimate goal is to grow your business, which means
1. What do you sell?
This question may seem basic, but your plan will take shape
as you start to think through this answer. Look at the item(s)
your shipping will grow too. As it does, make sure you keep
your future in mind, and continually evaluate your existing
infrastructure, storage, production, and shipping capabilities.
you ship the most. How much does it weigh? Is it fragile?
After knowing the answers to these basic questions, we
Will it need extra padding? Will it need refrigeration?
recommend visiting the carriers’ sites and calculating the cost for
2. Where do you usually ship items to?
Knowing this answer will help you determine if you
should consider using a regional or international carrier,
your specific type of package. All carriers have helpful shipping
calculators on their sites that will estimate the time and cost
of delivery based on the destination and service:
or if it’s better for your business to use a carrier that
delivers throughout the U.S.
3. What are your customers’ expectations?
Do your customers expect to have next day delivery? Do
they expect free shipping? Do they want both free shipping
and next day delivery? Once you determine your customers’
greatest desire, you can tailor your shipping services to
meet their needs.
4. Does the shipping provider charge any extra fees?
Watching your shipping costs is important so that you can
keep your administrative costs low. Dollars and cents add
• USPS Shipping Rate Tool:
postcalc.usps.com/
• UPS Shipping Rate Tool:
wwwapps.ups.com/ctc/request?loc=en_US
• FedEx Shipping Rate Tool:
www.fedex.com/ratetools/RateToolsMain.do?link=2
• DHL eCommerce Rate Tool:
http://dhlecommerce-usa.com/get-a-quote.aspx
• OnTrac Rate Tool:
www.ontrac.com/ziptools/default.aspx
up as your volume increases, so make sure you
understand all fees as invoiced by your respective carriers.
Pro-Shipper Tip: If you use ShipWorks, you can also see shipping
rates without having to toggle between multiple carrier websites.
AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO ECOMMERCE SHIPPING
8
Online Stores and
eCommerce Carts
If you’re reading this guide, it’s very likely that you’re
already selling online on marketplaces like eBay™,
Amazon®, or Etsy and/or have your own website.
Since shipping is intertwined with selling online,
we’re often asked questions about marketplaces
and carts.
AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO ECOMMERCE SHIPPING
9
ONLINE STORES AND ECOMMERCE CARTS
It’s no secret that your shopping cart is a critical component to
• Do you have IT or programming resources available? If yes,
the success of your online business. There’s just too much for us
that’s great and you would likely be fine with an open-source
to cover in this guide, so we’re intentionally keeping this section
or custom-made option. If not, you may want to go with a
short and sweet. However, here are a few things to keep in mind
plug-and-play, paid option shopping cart.
or questions to ask as you research eCommerce carts:
• There are three general types of eCommerce carts
available: paid, open-source, and multi-channel.
ºº Paid: An eCommerce cart hosts your online store for you
and usually has easy templates to use so you can build
• Do you want to host your own store or do you want someone
to do it for you? If you want to host your own store, than you
could go with an open-source cart.
• Remember that security is a huge component of an online
site because you will be taking credit card information.
your store. You’ll lose some flexibility with this option,
but it can also be easier to set-up.
ºº Open-Source: With an open source shopping cart, you
will have to install it, develop it and maintain it yourself (or
hire an IT guy). This means you will have greater flexibility
and will be able to customize it. However, it also means
that you will need to have someone on your team that’s
comfortable with technology and maybe coding.
ºº Multi-Channel: Multi-Channel eCommerce solutions
make it possible to integrate, manage and optimize
merchandise sales across hundreds of online sales
stores like Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and more.
AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO ECOMMERCE SHIPPING
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Shipping Supplies
There are a few shipping tools and supplies
that you will need in your shipping toolkit.
Thankfully, all of them are fairly inexpensive
and easy to get.
AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO ECOMMERCE SHIPPING
11
SHIPPING SUPPLIES
1. Shipping Scale: One of the must-have items for any shipper
3. Printer: You need a way to print shipping labels, and you have
is a scale because it ensures you’re not overpaying on
a choice between a standard printer and a thermal printer.
outgoing shipments. The cost for a scale varies from about
$20 to $250 each. Before purchasing, determine if you
primarily send heavier items or smaller items. If you’re
A standard printer uses ink or laser technology to print.
You probably already have a standard printer.
primarily sending smaller items, you’ll want a scale that
A thermal printer is dedicated to printing shipping labels. It
reads in pounds and ounces. If you primarily send heavier
uses heat to print (not ink), and usually does this in one of
items, most people can get by with a shipping scale that
two formats: EPL or ZPL. These are languages that tell the
accommodates up to 35 pounds.
thermal printer how to print the label. The benefits of thermal
Pro-Shipper Tip: When you weigh an item, always round
up. If the scale says 10.1 ounce, than your package must
be shipped at the 11 ounce rate.
Before you purchase a scale, you may want to do some
research and see if your scale integrates with your
shipping provider’s site—some do and some don’t.
If you buy a scale that doesn’t, you will be entering
weights by hand to their site.
2. Tape Measure: Once you start shipping a lot, it’s likely that
you will know your commonly used size package dimensions
by heart. Until that time, you will want to keep a tape
measure nearby. If you don’t have a tape measure, you
can also check the bottom of the box since many boxes
printers are that you never need to purchase ink or toner,
and they print labels much faster.
Either a standard or thermal printer will work for printing
shipping labels. Most customers start with a standard
printer and eventually graduate to a thermal printer as they
become more serious. When you do decide to look for a
thermal printer, we recommend supplies.shipworks.com
for thermal printers at over 20% off the retail price.
4. Shipping Supplies: Shipping supplies can be expensive,
but they don’t have to be. As mentioned already, you can
get free supplies from USPS, FedEx and UPS. You can also
purchase supplies at a discounted price from many online
sites including supplies.shipworks.com.
have the size on the bottom.
Pro-Shipper Tip: When you measure an item, always round
up to the nearest inch. Fractions or decimals are not allowed.
AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO ECOMMERCE SHIPPING
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Shipping Insurance
There are lots of insurance options. Even though carriers include
insurance protection, do you know what it really covers? Most
people try and ignore insurance until an item is lost or damaged
and they have to file a claim. That’s when they wish they had
researched insurance a little more from the get-go. After all, your
business is about growing revenues, and lost, stolen or damaged
shipments eat at the bottom line. If you know your insurance
coverage in advance, you’ll be much happier when (if) you ever
have to file a claim.
AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO ECOMMERCE SHIPPING
13
SHIPPING INSURANCE
Shipping insurance comes in two flavors: Cargo Insurance and
4. How much do I have to pay to insure a package?
Declared Value. They are night-and-day different from each other.
While carriers charge about $0.90 cents for every
Here are a few questions you should ask yourself about insurance,
$100 of insurance (with a $2.70 minimum), third-party
so that you make sure you’re getting the protection you need.
companies charge about $0.55 cents for every $100
1. What type of coverage are you getting? Is it declared
value or cargo insurance? This chart will help explain the
difference. Declared value is included by most major
shipping carriers at up to $50 or $100 of value. With this
(with no minimum). For example, ShipWorks Insurance
(managed by InsureShip) will charge as little as $0.55
cents for a package insured at $100, whereas UPS and
FedEx have minimums for the same package.
insurance coverage, the shipper must prove the carrier’s
5. How do I file a claim? Start your claim as soon as you
negligence directly resulted in the loss or damage to the
realize a package is damaged, lost or stolen. Carriers
shipment. Alternatively, cargo insurance (true insurance)
and third-party insurance companies have different
pays regardless of if the loss or damage was due to the
cutoff times for filing, so make sure you file soon so
carrier’s negligence, and is regulated.
that you don’t miss the allotted window.
2. Who are you getting your insurance from? Is it a carrier
Pro-shipper tip: Some insurance carriers, like ShipWorks
or a third-party? Getting insurance from a carrier may
Insurance, provide coverage on shipping costs. Want
seem the easiest, but third-party insurance is generally
more information about Shipping Insurance? Check out
less expensive and provides fuller coverage.
ShipWorks’ free insurance webinar, available 24x7.
3. How much should I insure packages for? Insure items for
what they are worth in retail channels, or what is most likely
to be spent to replace it. If you ever have to file a claim,
you are unlikely to get more insurance compensation for
the item than its current retail value, so do not pay any
additional fees that result from higher insurance values.
Cargo Insurance (Most 3rd party insurance coverage,
including ShipWorks Insurance)
Declared Value (Carrier shipment coverage)
Provides door-to-door protection
Yes
No
Pays whether or not transportation provider’s negligence is
proven to have caused the loss
Yes
No
Pays for losses occurring outside control of the carrier
Yes
No
Pays shipper for full invoice value of cargo lost or damaged,
plus the freight and other associated costs
Yes
No
Can pay for expediting replacement goods
Yes
No
Typically has a speedy payout process
Yes
No
Regulated by the Department of Insurance
Yes
No
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14
What is
Shipping Software?
Do I Really Need it?
Well, it goes without saying that we’re a little biased and
we think everyone needs ShipWorks shipping software.
AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO ECOMMERCE SHIPPING
15
WHAT IS SHIPPING SOFTWARE? DO I REALLY NEED IT?
software when they are shipping about 20-25 packages a week.
Recommended Questions to Ask when
Looking for a Shipping Software Provider:
Here are a few comments customers have shared on the
ShipWorks is one of several options when it comes to shipping
advantages they see using ShipWorks:
software. We know you’ll like our product if you decide to use it, but
On average, most ShipWorks' customers begin using shipping
• “It saves a ton of time. We can download orders directly from
our shopping cart, print dozens of labels at once, and then
have our cart automatically updated.”
• “I no longer spend my days copying and pasting addresses in
a carrier’s website. Now, I print labels quickly and I’m done.”
• “We are able to ship using FedEx, UPS and USPS without
switching shipping software and going back and forth
between websites.”
• “You can develop and customize shipping labels,
reports and more so that you look more professional
as your business grows.”
• “The ability to compare carrier prices all on one screen
saves me hundreds of dollars a year.”
What’s the Benefit of Shipping Software?
we also understand you may want to shop around. Here are a few
questions to ask each software provider to ensure you’re getting
software that will work best with your business.
1. Do you connect with my online store(s)?
2. Do you connect with the carrier(s) I like to use?
3. Do you offer free customer support? How will I get help?
Phone? Email? Social media? Online documents?
4. If I want to use more than one computer to manage my
shipping, do I need to pay for each workstation I run the
software on? If so, how much per workstation?
5. If I want more than one user to use the software,
does it cost more per user?
6. What printers/label formats do you support?
7. What shipping scales do you support?
Shipping software allows you to consolidate all of your orders from
8. Are you web-based or locally installed on the computer?
all online stores, and then ship with multiple shipping carriers.
9. If pricing is based on shipping volume, what happens
Depending on the software provider, you can also do things like
if I exceed or go under a specific shipping volume
compare carrier’s shipping rates (without having to visit each
for that month?
carrier’s website), print hundreds of shipping labels at one time,
automatically email your customers with their tracking number,
10. Is there an annual contract?
automatically update your store with the tracking number, purchase
shipping insurance that costs less and covers more, and manage
your customer database. Most shipping software offers a trial period,
so you can try one and determine if you like it.
It saves a ton of time. We can download orders directly from
our shopping cart, print dozens of labels at once, and then have
our cart automatically updated.
AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO ECOMMERCE SHIPPING
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Shipping Term Glossary
AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO ECOMMERCE SHIPPING
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SHIPPING TERM GLOSSARY
BATCH PRINT: ............................................. Printing more than one shipping label at a time.
CARGO INSURANCE: ................................... The type of shipping insurance from most 3rd party insurance providers
CARRIER: ................................................... The people who deliver your package from point A to B.
There are three main carriers in the US—FedEx, USPS and UPS.
DECLARED VALUE COVERAGE: ..................... The type of shipping insurance from most carriers.
ECOMMERCE STORE/CART/PLATFORM: ....... This is the place where you sell your goods such as eBay, Amazon,
Etsy, your own website, or a host of other online locations.
FEDEX: ....................................................... Acronym for Federal Express
FLAT RATE: ................................................. You pay one rate no matter the weight or where the package is going.
FREIGHT CONSOLIDATION: .......................... See zone skipping definition
RATE CALCULATOR: .................................... An online tool that will tell you how much it will cost to ship an item by carrier. Every carrier has their
own online rate tool, so visit the carrier’s site or you can also get links to the calculator in this guide.
REGIONAL CARRIERS: ................................. Regional shipping carriers cover a specific geographic area. They can often times
provide lower rates since they cover a smaller geographic area.
RETAIL: ...................................................... The price you pay when you use standard shipping services. If you’re a savvy shipper,
you’ll rarely, if ever, pay retail shipping prices.
SHIPPING CARRIERS: .................................. The big three are USPS, FedEx and UPS.
SHIPPING SOFTWARE: ................................ Software that streamlines your shipping processes and connects your
online store with shipping carriers.
SHIP WITH JOY: .......................................... This is what happens when you use ShipWorks to do all of your shipping.
SHIPWORKS: .............................................. Shipping software that connects all of your online stores with all major shipping carriers. Print hundreds of
shipping labels with one click, update online order status, send email notifications, and more. Free trial.
STANDARD PRINTER: .................................. uses ink or laser technology to print. You probably already have one of these.
STAMPS.COM: ............................................ Approved USPS partner. Authorized to provide internet based USPS postage.
THERMAL PRINTER: .................................... dedicated to printing shipping labels. It uses heat to print (not ink), and it does this
in one of two formats: EPL or ZPL. With thermal printers, you never need to purchase
ink or toner, and there is no paper jamming or wasted labels.
UPS: .......................................................... Acronym for United Parcel Service
USPS: ........................................................ Acronym for United States Postal Service
ZONE: ........................................................ Typically, carriers group together several geographical regions into zones
and provide shipping charges for movement between these zones.
ZONE SKIPPING: ......................................... This is primarily for advanced shippers or those with multiple warehouses. It’s a method
where you consolidate shipments going to a region by using “less than truckload” (LTL)
shipping and ship items together as a single larger shipment to get them closer to the
appropriate shipping zone or delivery point.
AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO ECOMMERCE SHIPPING
18
Want to Save Hours
a Day on Shipping?
We’d love to show you how ShipWorks can help
you grow your business and ship with joy.
THANK YOU SO MUCH! WE HOPE THIS EBOOK HAS TAUGHT YOU SOMETHING NEW ABOUT SHIPPING. WE APPRECIATE
THE TIME YOU TOOK TO READ THIS AND WE’D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT YOU THINK. PLEASE LET US KNOW YOUR
COMMENTS ON OUR WEBSITE, FACEBOOK, TWITTER OR [email protected]. THANKS AGAIN!
AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO ECOMMERCE SHIPPING
19
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St. Louis, MO 63102
314-821-5888
SHIPWORKS.COM