Flat Rate Shipping Cost Everything you need to know
Flat rate shipping is one of the most cost-effective, hassle-free shipping options available today to efficiently handle your shipping management. All the leading courier companies provide free flat rate envelopes and boxes of various sizes. Dispatchers can simply browse all the available options and choose the size that can contain the goods that are to be shipped. You can collect these from any of their local branches near you or even get them delivered at your doorstep by registering online.
So, how much is the flat rate shipping cost? Well, there are several factors that affect the cost. Letβs look at some of them here for a better understanding.
Factors affecting the costs of flat rate shipping:
The costs of getting your goods shipped at flat rates depend on the following factors:
- Size of the box: Flat rate shipping costs largely depend on the size of your parcels. Since one size doesnβt fit all, shipping companies offer a variety of box sizes for the customers to choose from. Selecting the type that best suits your needs will ensure that your delivery remains cost-effective.
- Shipping/Delivery Distance: Another factor that controls your flat rate shipping costs is the distance between the origin and destination. Once you calculate the delivery distance, you can compare the rates provided by various shipping companies and select the option that best suits your budget.
- Shipping/Delivery Time: The flat rate shipping time is a critical deciding factor that drives your shipping costs. The quicker you want your shipment to reach its destination, the costlier the delivery gets.
Flat rate shipping costs around the world
Different countries offer different shipping options. We have gathered information on various flat rate shipping options and their costs for your convenience.Β
Flat Rate Shipping Services in the USA
In the US, both federal organizations like the United States Postal Service (USPS), as well as leading commercial courier companies like FedEx provide flat rate shipping services across the country as well as internationally. Here is a comparison between USPS and FedEx on how much they charge for shipping some of the most popular package sizes at flat rates.
What can you use it for? | Costs | |||
USPS | Fed-Ex | |||
Envelope | Letters, documents, greeting cards, etc. | Starts from $8.50Β | Starts fromΒ $7.55 | |
Small Box | Magazines, brochures, stationery, etc. | Starts from $9.50 | Starts from $8.05 | |
Medium Box | Shoes, a pair of jeans, small electronics, etc. | Starts from $12.35 | Starts from $13.60 | |
Large Box | Board games, a bunch of books, laptops, etc. | Starts from $19.50 | Starts from $18.70 |
Source: https://www.usps.com/ship/priority-mail.htm#2
https://www.fedex.com/en-us/shipping/one-rate.html#packing-supplies
Note: Here, the currency is US dollars.Β
Flat Rate Shipping Services in Canada
Apart from the US, flat rate shipping is also offered by leading courier companies the world over. In Canada, the Canadian Post provides highly competitive and efficient flat rate shipping services.
Hereβs how much it would cost to get your goods delivered via Canadian postal service at flat rates:
Small | Medium | Large | |
Maximum Weight | 5 kg | 5 kg | 5 kg |
Price | $17.99 | $22.99 | $29.99 |
Source: https://www.canadapost.ca/cpc/en/personal/sending/parcels/flat-rate-box.page
Note: Here, the currency is Canadian dollars.
Flat Rate Shipping Services in Australia:
The Australian Post Office also offers flat rate shipping on satchels and boxes. However, they charge separately for the satchels as well as the boxes.
Satchels, or pouches, are available in various sizes:
Once you decide the right size for your goods, refer to the following table to know how much youβd pay if you send them via flat rate postage.
Flat Rate Postage Rates | Small | Medium | Large | Extra Large |
Parcel Post | $8.95 | $12.20 | $15.35 | $18.50 |
Source: https://auspost.com.au/business/shipping/satchels-and-packaging/flat-rate-satchels
Note: Here, the currency is Australian dollars.
Flat Rate Shipping Time
One of the most important aspects of running an ecommerce business is zeroing in on a shipping option that meets your requirements and fits right into your budget. Getting the product delivered to your customers quickly ensures an excellent user experience and drives more sales in the future.
Almost all the flat rate shipments are considered βPriority Mail,β and the delivery time for the goods ranges between 1 to 3 business days. This means that with flat rate priority shipping, you can get your products delivered quickly without having to cough up exorbitant delivery charges.
Many leading courier services, like FedEx, also offer a variety of delivery time options to their customers to choose from. This feature helps you optimize your delivery costs by choosing the right delivery time as per your requirements. While USPS provides priority delivery at flat rates under their service called βPriority Mail,β FedEx provides similar services titled βOne rateβ wherein the customers are charged flat rate shipping costs for their packages.
Conclusion
If youβre moving small or medium-sized products, Flat Rate shipping is one of the most convenient ways of transporting them quickly without having to worry about the weight or the dimension based shipping costs.
As the old adage goes,β If it fits, it ships.β
Devansh Trivedi
'There are no boring topics, only boring content. There also are no interesting topics, only interesting content' - is the gist of why I write. A politics buff and a music aficionado, passionate about all things tech. Perpetually adding places to his travel bucket list and checking them off- a trip at a time.
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