Flat Rate Shipping-What You Need To Know

Jan15
2012 Leave a Comment Written by admin

As more and more businesses conduct commerce online, traditional retail is frequently displaced as a shopping method, in favor of the lower prices and virtually unlimited selection customers encounter online. In this environment the question of how best to deliver goods to people has increased relevance to both individuals and companies, as shipping costs can potentially turn a very good deal one finds online to a marginal proposition. Specifically, flat rate shipping has been introduced as a way for a customer to pay a fixed amount for shipping, regardless of the volume or weight of an item delivered to your home or office.

The idea behind this site is to help customers determine when flat rate methods are superior to traditional shipping methods–based on the weight of the product to be shipped– and when it is definitely not the best deal.

Flat Rate Shipping

Whether you are a company in need of reliable transportation of your goods across the nation or to other parts of the world, or a customer trying to arrive at the ideal combination of delivery time and price as you shop online, you’ll likely approach shipping with some trepidation, as costs immediately come into play. You may be aware that both shippers and customers have two basic alternatives, which are paying by weight/size or flat rate shipping, but when does paying a fixed rate make sense?

Flat rate shipping is offered by FedEx, the US Postal Service, eBay, and many other companies ostensibly to give customers more choice as to shipping methods, but there is some controversy surround it, because often customers don’t realize until after the fact that the small item they had delivered using a flat rate shipper cost much more than it needed to, just for that reason!

Having said that, let’s begin with some of the advantages of flat rate shipping, especially for merchants, as offered by the USPS:

  • Flat rate shipping generally makes sense for heavier items, because increased weight can drive the cost of shipping very high indeed, and also simply because you do not have to go through the hassle of measuring and weighing of the item(s) that you plan to ship.
  • The USPS ships flat rate packages using its ”Priority Mail’ designation, which usually provides for delivery in two or three days.
  • With flat rate services, you get to know your actual shipping costs ahead of time so that you can fit the expense into your budget. You do not have to go through the process of getting a quote based on the weight of items you may not be able to quantify.
  • Flat rate shipping may seem like a marginal proposition for lightweight goods; but it is frequently faster. This is great for time-sensitive items.
  • Boxes for shipping are normally offered at no extra charge.

Aside from the aforementioned benefits, you need to find a shipping service that also has the following:


Experience: A shipping service that has a lot of experience will know how to get your shipment to its destination safely, quickly and at a rate that is kind to your wallet.

Superior customer service: If you are shipping for personal or business reasons it is vital to ensure that you pick a shipping company that will offer world-class customer service. Thankfully, there are a lot of large and small package shipping services with knowledgeable and friendly customer personnel who will bend over backwards to ensure that you get the best service.

If you want to ship a very small package, then it makes sense to search for small package shipping provisions, which usually means shipping by weight. Reputable flat rate shipping companies will get the shipments processed and delivered as soon as possible. This will help you meet the even the strictest shipping time limits, particularly on short notice shipments.

Posted in Advantages Of Flat Rate Shipping, What Is Flat Rate Shipping?

Controversy Surrounding Shipping Flat-Rate Policies?

Jan14
2012 Leave a Comment Written by admin

Many retailers have been embroiled in a consumer backlash viz-a-viz their policy of offering shipping with various flat rate options. Many online shoppers believe that merchants’ flat rate polices are taking advantage of online customers.


For those who purchase large quantities of goods from a single online store, the flat shipping charges will often–not always–benefit them because they would be paying less by weight and by distance for goods purchased. But for those who only purchase a single (small) item, the cost of having their single item shipped using a flat-rate pricing structure might be overkill.

These days, no matter how small the item purchased many online retailers attempt to route consumers through some form of one-price shipping method. Remember too that if you are given the option of a reduced rate based on an item’s weight or volume that lower prices can mean longer delivery times! Unfortunately some less than scrupulous merchants who charge lower shipping rates simply rely on using slower shipping methods.

Here are some of the reasons why many online shoppers think that flat-rate online merchant shipping can be a bad deal:

It is simply a waste of money to pay a huge sum in order to ship a small item to the same destination as a larger and heavier item.

Charging a lower flat rate often forces retailers to raise the price of some items. This is because resellers must recoup their expenses somehow, and one way is obviously to increase the cost of the items that they are reselling in order to cover the cost of the shipping and also make a profit.

The backlash against shady shipping practices has made many people prefer to do their shopping at brick and mortar stores, or at the very least a loss of goodwill towards the retailer. In this way, even a retailer with the best of intentions may find that ‘offering’ a flat rate option is more trouble then it’s worth.


People in the drop-shipping business will also be greatly affected by merchants who are charging higher shipping prices. With drop-shipping, the unit cost of each item is usually higher than when a large quantity of goods is purchased. This is because the supplier of the goods will need to cover their own end of the operation where the packing and of course shipping costs are involved; thus, reducing the profit margin of the drop-shipper.

For people who purchase large quantities of goods,making use of the flat rate option when shipping often makes sense, but for those who purchase smaller items, it’s a good idea to think twice before paying a lot of money to have items delivered. Do keep in mind though, that since the USPS uses its Priority Mail for flat rate items, if they need to meet a tight deadline then shipping this way might be worth every cent.

Posted in Disadvantages OF Shipping Flat Rate, USPS, What Is Flat Rate Shipping?

Checking Shipping Rates And Freight Charges

Jan12
2012 Leave a Comment Written by admin

Let’s be honest: shopping online is not only fun but also very convenient–maybe too convenient! There are endless merchants online all offering infinite selection, along with a plethora different shipping rates and methods. If you plan on purchasing items online, then it is natural for you to drill down to find out the merchant’s shipping charges in order to know how much it would cost you to have the package delivered to you in one piece.


The basic options that will be presented to you by many online merchants when you want to ship a heavy package are Pay by Weight/Size, Priority Mail or Flat Rate.

For many seasoned online shoppers, flat rate for heavy items makes more sense as it allows them to save time and money.

Here’s the basic thing you have to keep in mind for bulkier items: when you are choosing an online merchant, it is better to search for one that offers flat rate for heavy items.

Here are just some of the advantages of selecting a merchant that offers flat rates:

You get the best value for your money. Flat rate shipping will help you save some money as you will not be paying shipping charges for the actual size of your package.

The merchant will not have to go through the whole process of weighing or measuring your item before they can bill you. In the past, merchants would have to correctly measure the height, width, weight and length of your shipment in order to get a quote and then determine the shipping charges. With flat rate shipping, to get a quote to have your package shipped to you is fast and easy. Flat rate for short distances may seem like a sub-optimal deal, but at least you can count on having your packages delivered quickly.

Merchants who offer flat rate shipping offer you the chance to know exactly how much you will need to spend to ship your package ahead of time. This way, you will be able to include the cost of shipping your item in your budget.

Merchants that offer flat rate shipping can make the process of shipping your purchased items a lot easier.


If you prefer paying less by weight and distance, then priority mail is often better. But nowadays not every merchant offers this alternative. More and more, buyers are being encouraged to go with shipping flat rate, even when it’s not necessarily in their best interests to do so.

Before you start the process of shopping for your desired item, ensure that you check the online merchant’s shipping rates first, especially if you are shopping from a retailer situated outside your country. Every merchant has a page where you can check their shipping charges and shipping policies.

Posted in Best Shipping Methods, Disadvantages OF Shipping Flat Rate, What Is Flat Rate Shipping?

Alternatives To Shipping Flat Rate

Jan11
2012 Leave a Comment Written by admin

If you own a business where you have to ship physical items to your end clients/customers, at some point you will need to determine just how to get the products you sell to their destinations. Shipping flat rate is one of the most common methods used by online merchants today to ship packages to their end customers, although it has been a source of contention recently between companies and customers.


As any consumer advocate will tell you, it’s not necessarily the cheapest way to ship all items. To avoid possibly alienating customers, some online merchants still simply utilize traditional shipping solutions to the exclusion of flat rate.

The United States Postal Service (USPS) does offer flat rate options, but if you want to avoid overpaying for a small item or getting customer service calls from irate customers who have done so, it is a shipping solution used by both online and offline merchants that should at least avoid controversy!

Flat Rate shipping box--USPS

The USPS is historically an affordable shipping alternative, especially if the package you wish to ship weighs less than 2lbs. Parcels which weigh 13 ounces or lower that qualify as first class postage are way more affordable to ship.

Presently, USPS offers three major shipping services:

  1. Express Mail – Arrives in 1 to 2 business days (this depends on the location)
  2. Priority Mail – Arrives in 2 to 3 business days
  3. First Class Mail – Arrives in 2 to 5 business days

If you are on a pretty tight shipping budget and you usually ship packages that weigh less than two pounds, it makes sense to choose an affordable shipping solution such as USPS. If the parcel you wish to ship weighs more than two pounds and can conveniently fit into a priority mail flat rate box, you will be glad to know that US Postal Service is still a great deal. As a matter of fact, at the time this article was written the Express mail alternative is the most affordable next day delivery service offered in the United States.

The only potential  issue with Express Mail is that United States Postal Service only offers a second day delivery–to the exclusion of overnight delivery– to locations in the remote parts of the country. For instance, if your client/customer resides in Fox Rock, Wyoming, it would certainly take two days for your package to arrive there.


Even though the priority shipping rate of USPS is usually lower than flat rate charges, it is important that the low price for choosing any shipper doesn’t come at the cost of reliability. Aside from Express Mail, the USPS doesn’t offer guarantees for the delivery date of your package. Translation: you will not be able to predict when your package will arrive. In fact, there are cases where it took more than three weeks for packages to arrive at their destination: that’s right even in the USA!

Posted in Best Shipping Methods, USPS