WORST Ways to Save on Shipping
Shipping can be expensive, especially when prioritizing delivery speed or shipping bulky items. It’s no surprise, then, that many people are looking for ways to reduce shipping costs. Unfortunately, some of these methods are unreliable and often backfire, resulting in additional expenses. What are the worst ways to save on shipping?
Using cheap/insufficient packaging materials and/or reusing damaged boxes. While buying cheap packaging materials won’t save you much money, it will compromise the integrity of your package, which may lead to damage. In the case of commercial packages, it can also harm your reputation. For example, using weak packing tape or too little of it can cause your package to open mid-transit. Using too little padding can cause the contents of the package to jostle around and get damaged. Reusing a weak, damaged box can cause it to tear or collapse during transit.
Understating package dimensions or weight. Most carriers charge for shipping by gross or dimensional weight, whichever is greater. Some senders try to save money on shipping by entering lower-than-actual package weight or dimensions on the shipping label, but this rarely works as they hope. Carriers typically reweigh and remeasure packages and adjust the shipping cost accordingly, often at premium rates.
Using a box that is too small for flat rate shipping. With flat-rate shipping, you pay a set shipping fee based on the size of the box you choose. Some senders try to save money by choosing the smallest box that will fit their items. However, if the box is too small and lacks sufficient padding, its contents may be damaged during transit.
Not purchasing additional insurance for high-value items. Most shipping options have some amount of insurance coverage included in the shipping cost, usually around $100, depending on the carrier and shipping service. If you don’t purchase extra insurance for items costing more than the coverage amount, you save on shipping but won’t be compensated for the items’ full cost in case of package loss or damage.
Mislabeling the package. Senders who purchase and print their own shipping labels may be tempted to mislabel packages to reduce shipping costs. For example, they might use a flat-rate label for a regular package or send non-media items in a package labeled as Media Mail. However, this rarely works since carriers check packages and adjust the shipping cost if there are any inconsistencies.
Providing incorrect information on customs declarations. International shipping is expensive, and recipients may need to pay customs fees and taxes. To avoid this and save on shipping costs, some senders deliberately provide incorrect information on the customs declaration. For example, they may mark a commercial package as a gift or undervalue the package. However, lying on your customs declaration only attracts scrutiny and can lead to various consequences, including having your package seized or returned to the sender and being subject to customs fines.
In short, you should not try to cut shipping costs by using methods that compromise the safety of your package or that are illegal. You might get lucky once, but using such methods continuously will eventually backfire, resulting in shipping delays, extra costs, a damaged reputation, or even legal action.
Fortunately, there are safe and legal ways to save on shipping without putting your package at risk. They include:
- Comparing different shipping options and choosing the most cost-efficient one.
- Opting for ground shipping when delivery time is not crucial.
- Using flat-rate shipping for small, heavy packages, but avoiding it for large, lightweight items.
- Optimizing your packaging by making sure the box is just the right size for the items you’re shipping and sufficient padding.
- Purchasing discounted shipping labels.
With PostageMaker, you can purchase and print USPS and UPS shipping labels at discounted rates, saving up to 50% off retail prices. It’s completely legal: we receive discounts from carriers based on our shipping volume, which we then pass on to our customers to help them reduce their shipping costs.