Are you an online store looking for the cheapest way to ship packages to your customers? In this blog, we’ll cover how you can avoid high shipping costs and which elements of shipping will impact prices in 2023.
Key Takeaways
- Evri, InPost, & DPD provide pocket-friendly shipping options for domestic customers.
- Speed, weight, size, and distance are the 4 key factors when trying to ship cheaper.
- Sendcloud’s secret to cheap shipping is to adopt a multi-courier approach to shipping.
With hyperinflation expected in 2023, e-commerce shipping expectations are changing. All online shoppers will look for cost-effective, cheaper shipping options. This means that high shipping costs will have even more impact between a sale and an abandoned cart.
In order for your business to avoid losing customers to your competition, you need to provide them with the cheapest way to ship packages in 2023. This will help you convert better in the price-conscious environment created by hyperinflation and ensure you remain profitable during this difficult period.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a simple one-size-fits-all answer to this problem. However, we have broken it down into bitesize sections with heaps of info you can use to enrich your shipping strategy.
- Which couriers offer the most affordable shipping?
- What’s the cheapest way to ship packages quickly?
- What’s the cheapest way to ship packages that are heavy?
- Which 5 factors impact the price of shipping?
- How does Sendcloud offer the cheapest way to ship packages in 2023?
Which couriers offer the most affordable shipping?
Although there isn’t a one-size-fits-all courier, there are couriers who offer considerably cheaper pricing options than their competition. However, these affordable prices do come at the cost of things such as speed of delivery, tracking options, and weight of delivery among others.
Evri (the new Hermes)
When you think of affordable shipping in the UK, you automatically think of Evri. Formerly known as Hermes, Evri has ruled over the affordable shipping space for the last few years.
Sendcloud has exclusive shipping rates with Evri for various delivery methods including Next Day, Standard, Locker, and Parcelshop. Prices start at around the £3-4 mark for lighter parcels.
Learn more about Sendcloud’s exclusive rates with Evri using the form below.
InPost
A courier that isn’t far behind is InPost. Its best known for parcel locker delivery and returns. They are becoming more popular among shoppers due to the convenience of not having to sit indoors all day waiting for a parcel.
Some lockers are also in public places, meaning they can be accessed 24 hours a day. This is a huge benefit over service point delivery.
Sendcloud also has exclusive rates with InPost starting at around £3-4.
Learn more about Sendcloud’s exclusive rates with InPost using the form below.
Yodel
Yodel is another courier that is making noise in the UK for their more cost-friendly shipping rates. Though not the fastest shipping service in the world, Yodel is known for having excellent 4-7 day shipping prices as well as reliable tracking.
UPS Access Point
UPS Access Point, not to be confused with UPS, is a drop shop service provided by UPS. Though slightly pricier than the aforementioned couriers, UPS is one of the most popular and reliable courier services in the world.
They have excellent options for next-day (even during peak periods) and general delivery.
FedEx
Last but not least is FedEx. FedEx is another huge name in the courier sphere and their next-day drop-off service also falls under the cost-effective shipping umbrella.
What’s the cheapest way to ship packages quickly?
The first thing you need to establish is what counts as shipping quickly. To a business like yours, you may think that a week is quite fast to receive an order, pack, label, and get it to the customer.
However, in an increasingly more impatient world, quick shipping is anything up to 3 days. If your customer hasn’t received their parcel in that time, they’ll be passive-aggressively refreshing your tracking page.
What are the cheapest couriers for next-day and 2-3 day shipping?
We’ve sort of touched on these in the previous section. So to save time here’s a quick-to-digest list;
- Evri
- FedEx
- UPS Access Point
- DHL
- DPD
Your customers want next-day/quick delivery. Not with every order but it’s important to give them the option for when they have an urgent need.
What’s the cheapest way to ship large or heavy packages?
Shipping heavy and large packages can be a hassle and also very expensive. However, there are cheaper options for shipping larger or heavier items as long as you don’t mind them taking a bit longer. It’s also important to note that customers understand that larger items generally take longer to be delivered.
With that in mind, which couriers are best for shipping packages that weigh up to 15kg?
*Sendcloud has exclusive pricing for this courier
- Evri*
- UPS*
- DPD
- DHL
- Parcelforce*
Which 5 factors impact the price of shipping?
If cheap shipping was simple, every company would offer it. Believe it or not, cheap shipping comes at a price (geddit?). That price can be speed of delivery or maximum weight, among others.
Let’s break down 5 factors that impact the price of shipping.
Speed
The most obvious shipping factor that will skyrocket your prices is how quickly a parcel is delivered. It’s not that shocking but quicker deliveries cost more.
It’s important to consider your customer base. Do they expect quick shipping? Or do they only select it because you offer it? In certain industries, quick shipping is the norm. However, with other products such as home & garden, small furniture and appliances, and decor customers are generally more patient.
Weight
Weight is another obvious reason why shipping prices start to increase. Many businesses now use ultralight packaging in order to keep weight down to a minimum. It’s also important to keep an eye on the weight splits and thresholds as prices can hugely increase due to a couple of extra grams that might be avoided with lighter packaging.
Size
Dimensions are similar to weight here. The larger a box, even if it’s super light, the more expensive shipping can be. Again, consider your packaging here. Don’t use oversized boxes. It’s unnecessary and costly.
Distance
If you ship to the other end of the country or to a different country altogether, this comes at a price. These prices are usually set by shipping zones. Ensure that your shipping prices make sense with regard to the shipment price. Many businesses employ minimum amount thresholds to avoid cheaper shipments with costlier shipping prices.
Courier Features
Each courier has its own distinct features. Whether it’s insurance, state-of-the-art tracking, handling fees, surcharges, etc. all of these factors contribute to more expensive shipping.
You need to consider which of these individual courier features are important for your customers. Maybe they value state-of-the-art tracking or insurance very highly.
How can Sendcloud help you ship cheaper?
Sendcloud is one of Europe’s most popular shipping solutions with connections to 100+ couriers & 50+ shop systems and selling platforms. This allows Sendcloud to offer ultra-competitive discounted shipping rates and help businesses save time on everyday processes. In which ways can Sendcloud help you ship cheaper?
Discounted shipping rates
One huge benefit of shipping with Sendcloud is the discounted rates with some of the UK’s (and Europe’s) best couriers. Evri, DPD, Parcelforce, UPS, and more.
Save money with fully automated shipping
“We are saving the salary of one whole employee! Sendcloud has cut out many unnecessary steps in our shipping process. I can’t imagine doing business without them. It’s an easy-to-use and very reliable platform.” Atelier Missor
Cover all the shipping bases
Sendcloud’s platform offers you solutions for every step of the shipping process. Centralise all couriers & print labels in bulk, personalise your tracking experience, and discover new marketplaces & their benefits.
Create your Sendcloud account today!
