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?
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! 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! 2
THE CARRIERS Domestic Shipping: U.S. Postal Service (USPS ) Whether you call it the Post Office, US Mail, or USPS, the United States Postal Service is probably the shipping service you re most familiar with. The USPS has some great benefits such as convenience, free supplies, free pickup and it has direct partnerships with many online retail sites, like ebay. 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 tell you how much postage you owe. Once you pay, they ll 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 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 you through all of the next steps and will allow you to print postage from your computer s printer. The last step is to drop the box off at the Post Office or request a free pickup from USPS (At least one item being mailed must be sent Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, or Flat Rate to be eligible for free pickup). 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. USPS Rates: The USPS has four different rates: Retail, Commercial Base (CBP), Commercial Plus (CPP), and Negotiated Service Agreement (NSA). You may think that if you re an online seller you can only qualify for retail rates, but that s not true. There are ways you can qualify for commercial and negotiated level pricing, which 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 postage provider. Commercial Base Pricing is always cheaper than rates at the Post Office. Commercial Plus Pricing is available for companies who ship more than 50,000 packages per year and have a customer commitment agreement with USPS. Negotiated Service Agreement is a contractual agreement between the USPS and high volume shipping companies. This type of pricing is also available through Express1 and IntuiShip (we'll explain Express 1 and IntuiShip below). USPS rates do occasionally change. Here's a link to learn more about USPS rates: www.usps.com/business/prices.htm USPS Service Priority Mail Express Priority Mail Flat Rate for Priority Mail Express or Priority Mail First-Class Mail Standard Post (Retail only) Media Mail Parcel Select Military Mail (APO/FPO/DPO) Delivery Overnight delivery to most U.S. locations Expected delivery within 1, 2, or 3 business days. Delivery date is an estimate, not guaranteed. Overnight delivery or 1, 2 or 3 business days delivery. Delivery is within 2-3 days Delivery in 2-8 days Delivery is within 2-3 business days Delivery is usually within 7-10 days 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. 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 Offices and the supplies may also be ordered at USPS.com. The supplies come with free delivery to your door. 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 one package being shipped must be sent via Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail or Flat Rate. You can schedule a carrier pick up online. STAMPS.COM As a strategic USPS partner since 1999 and a proven leader in online mailing and shipping, Stamps.com has a high 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 Priority Mail Express labels and First Class shipping labels, all within one account. 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. 4
THE CARRIERS FedEx: FedEx is a great choice for packages that need timely shipping options. Similar to the USPS, there are two basic options when shipping with FedEx. You can take it to a FedEx location and they will do nearly everything for you, or you can set up the shipment by yourself from your home or office. How to Ship with FedEx: 1. Ship it from a FedEx office. Visit your local FedEx office with the item boxed and ready to ship. When you take the box to the FedEx clerk, they ll weigh your package(s), tell you how much you owe, and then ship it for you. It s that easy. 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 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 Pro-Shipper Tips: FedEx also offers a variety of services like package redirect, hold at location and many others. Please visit their website for a complete list of unique services that may be of interest to you and your business. 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 them to deliver to a residential address. You can negotiate a rate with FedEx based on your shipping volume. This will ensure that you re getting a lower rate than what s available online. The more you ship, the more you save. 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 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. 5
THE CARRIERS United Parcel Service (UPS ): UPS is a great option for larger packages, especially those that need timely delivery. They are the world's largest package delivery company and ship to over 200 countries. 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. 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. UPS Pro-Shipper Tips: You can negotiate a rate with UPS based on your shipping volume. This will ensure that you receive a lower rate than what s available online. The more you ship, the more you save. UPS offers high-volume customers Mail Innovations to help streamline and optimize domestic shipping. 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 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 UPS Next Day Air Early AM UPS Next Day Air UPS Next Day Air Saver UPS 2 nd Day Air A.M. UPS 2 nd Day Air UPS 3 Day Select UPS Ground UPS Mail Innovations Delivery Delivers the next business day in the morning Next business day delivery by 10:30 am., 12:00 noon, or end of day, depending on destination 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 Delivery on the second business day by 10:30 a.m. or 12:00 noon to most commercial destinations Delivery by the end of the second business day. Some locations in Alaska and Hawaii require additional transit time Delivery by the end of the third business day Delivery typically in 1-5 business days 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. 6
THE CARRIERS Regional Carriers i-parcel Regional shipping carriers cover a geographic region. They can often times provide lower rates than other carriers because they cover a smaller region. For example, OnTrac covers the West Cost and ships within California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Colorado and Idaho. If you ship within these states, you could save money and gain the competitive edge with next-day delivery at ground rates. Similar to larger shipping carriers, regional carriers offer a variety of shipping services. For example, OnTrac offers Sunrise, Sunrise Gold, Super Sunrise Gold, OnTrac Ground, Palletized Freight and COD Services. i-parcel is focused on helping internet retailers with their international online shopping experience. Their patent pending Cloud technology offers international shippers local currency shopping, multi-currency payments, fraud protection, online tracking, returns and more. They offer several shipping services, but their primary offering is the i-parcel Preferred Service, a 5-7 business day, fully trackable international air express service with the ability to provide shoppers with shipping costs, duties and taxes at checkout. Postal Qualified Wholesalers (PQW) You can discover other regional carriers in your area by doing online research. International Shipping: Is it easy to ship international? Yes, it can be. Are there additional things you need to know? Absolutely! 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: PQW s are an approved list of companies who work with the USPS to send and mail packages outside of the US. 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 shipping process. A complete list of PQW s is available online, and ShipWorks is integrated with many of these approved PQW s. 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. 7
THE CARRIERS Carrier Wrap-Up. So, what s the Bottom Line? Which Carrier is Better? After reading (or skimming) all of the above, you can understand why the best carrier will vary based on what you re shipping. In general, if you re shipping small items, start by researching USPS. If you re shipping larger items, start by researching FedEx and USPS. In addition, here are six questions to ask yourself before ou pick a carrier: 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) you ship the most. How much does it weigh? Is it fragile? Will it need extra padding? Will it need refrigeration? 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, 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 up as your volume increases, so make sure you understand all fees as invoiced by your respective carriers. 5. Can you get a discount on shipping? Don t forget, discounts are often available in a variety of ways that range from using an online shipping provider to shipping volume discounts. Talk to your carrier and see if you re eligible for any discounts. 6. Can you easily increase your shipping volume as the company grows? Your ultimate goal is to grow your business, which means 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. After knowing the answers to these basic questions, we recommend visiting the carriers sites and calculating the cost for 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: 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 Pro-Shipper Tip: If you use ShipWorks, you can also see shipping rates without having to toggle between multiple carrier websites. 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. 9
ONLINE STORES AND ECOMMERCE CARTS It s no secret that your shopping cart is a critical component to the success of your online business. There s just too much for us to cover in this guide, so we re intentionally keeping this section short and sweet. However, here are a few things to keep in mind or questions to ask as you research ecommerce carts: There are three general types of ecommerce carts available: paid, open-source, and multi-channel. º º Paid: An ecommerce cart hosts your online store for you and usually has easy templates to use so you can build your store. You ll lose some flexibility with this option, but it can also be easier to set-up. Do you have IT or programming resources available? If yes, that s great and you would likely be fine with an open-source or custom-made option. If not, you may want to go with a plug-and-play, paid option shopping cart. 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. º º 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. º º 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. 10
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. 11
SHIPPING SUPPLIES 1. Shipping Scale: One of the must-have items for any shipper is a scale because it ensures you re not overpaying on 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 primarily sending smaller items, you ll want a scale that reads in pounds and ounces. If you primarily send heavier items, most people can get by with a shipping scale that accommodates up to 35 pounds. 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 have the size on the bottom. 3. Printer: You need a way to print shipping labels, and you have a choice between a standard printer and a thermal printer. A standard printer uses ink or laser technology to print. You probably already have a standard printer. A thermal printer is dedicated to printing shipping labels. It uses heat to print (not ink), and usually does this in one of two formats: EPL or ZPL. These are languages that tell the thermal printer how to print the label. The benefits of thermal 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. Pro-Shipper Tip: When you measure an item, always round up to the nearest inch. Fractions or decimals are not allowed. 12
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. 13
SHIPPING INSURANCE Shipping insurance comes in two flavors: Cargo Insurance and Declared Value. They are night-and-day different from each other. Here are a few questions you should ask yourself about insurance, so that you make sure you re getting the protection you need. 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 insurance coverage, the shipper must prove the carrier s negligence directly resulted in the loss or damage to the shipment. Alternatively, cargo insurance (true insurance) pays regardless of if the loss or damage was due to the carrier s negligence, and is regulated. 2. Who are you getting your insurance from? Is it a carrier or a third-party? Getting insurance from a carrier may seem the easiest, but third-party insurance is generally less expensive and provides fuller coverage. 4. How much do I have to pay to insure a package? While carriers charge about $0.90 cents for every $100 of insurance (with a $2.70 minimum), third-party companies charge about $0.55 cents for every $100 (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. 5. How do I file a claim? Start your claim as soon as you realize a package is damaged, lost or stolen. Carriers and third-party insurance companies have different cutoff times for filing, so make sure you file soon so that you don t miss the allotted window. Pro-shipper tip: Some insurance carriers, like ShipWorks Insurance, provide coverage on shipping costs. Want more information about Shipping Insurance? Check out 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 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. 15
WHAT IS SHIPPING SOFTWARE? DO I REALLY NEED IT? On average, most ShipWorks' customers begin using shipping software when they are shipping about 20-25 packages a week. Here are a few comments customers have shared on the advantages they see using ShipWorks: 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? Shipping software allows you to consolidate all of your orders from all online stores, and then ship with multiple shipping carriers. Depending on the software provider, you can also do things like compare carrier s shipping rates (without having to visit each carrier s website), print hundreds of shipping labels at one time, automatically email your customers with their tracking number, 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. Recommended Questions to Ask when Looking for a Shipping Software Provider: ShipWorks is one of several options when it comes to shipping software. We know you ll like our product if you decide to use it, but 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? 8. Are you web-based or locally installed on the computer? 9. If pricing is based on shipping volume, what happens if I exceed or go under a specific shipping volume for that month? 10. Is there an annual contract? 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. 16
Shipping Term Glossary 17
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. 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 SUPPORT@SHIPWORKS.COM. THANKS AGAIN! 19
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