Taking a look at everything you need to know about oversea shipping prices and the best tips and advice for cutting costs on your business shipping needs.
People worldwide are stuck at home with nothing to do and are shopping online for essentials, entertainment, and other goods. It seems that shopping is a stress response for some.
What does that mean for you? It means it’s time for your business to become competitive!
Know what’s trending and fit in, adjust and increase your marketing, and you can get business from all over the world. This is a great opportunity for you to increase revenue.
If you’re just now getting international attention, you may be concerned about oversea shipping prices. Aren’t they high? Isn’t it hard to ship goods overseas?
It’s true that oversea shipping prices can be expensive, but they may be cheaper than you think. It’s not so difficult to ship overseas or to work out the costs.
Postal carriers will do all the pricing for you, and the easiest option you have is to ship flat-rate, when it’s available. That way, you know exactly how much shipping will cost before you even sell your product.
Plus, with these tips on cutting business shipping costs, you can offer cheap oversea shipping that will attract international customers. Here’s what you need to know about business oversea shipping.
Overseas Shipping Prices to Expect
You’ve probably heard rumors about how high oversea shipping costs are. They can be high, but the reality is that how much you spend on international shipping is going to depend on which mail carrier you work with. Of course, it can vary based on from and to where you’re shipping to, as well, or you may have the option to ship flat-rate.
From the United States, the least expensive carrier is the United States Postal Service (USPS), hands down. They sometimes get a bad reputation, but any business shipping overseas will benefit from their low prices and have their goods insured, too.
What’s the difference? Well, shipping a small package starts at $26.50 for a flat rate box with the USPS. Depending on where you’re shipping to, even a small package with Fed-Ex or UPS — the other two most popular carriers — can cost over $100 to ship.
The reason the costs are so different is that Fed-Ex and UPS are private companies, so profit is factored into the cost of their shipping. On the other hand, the USPS is a government service and can keep costs low.
Unfortunately, the USPS was recently denied funding and is unable to offer international shipping to a number of countries at this time. If you can use it, you should in order to save money and to hopefully save this affordable shipping option.
Fed-Ex and UPS are still operating except where banned, but Fed-Ex has cut its money-back guarantee for the time being, owing to the pandemic. Keep that in mind if the money-back guarantee is something you or your customers rely on.
How to Cut Business Shipping Costs
Since the current public health crisis has reduced cheap oversea shipping options, how can you cut shipping costs?
If your business operation is small — or even if it isn’t — you may be used to accepting the price the postal carrier charges. After all, you have no power over it, right? Well, actually, as a business, you do have some say in the matter.
Personal mail is what the public imagines when they think of mail carriers, but individuals don’t provide the majority of carriers’ revenue.
Instead, because businesses such as yours regularly ship large quantities of goods, mail carriers rely more on your business to keep running. So, when you’re shipping, talk to multiple carriers and tell each of them about how you’ve been looking at the others. If one is offering a better price, tell the more expensive carrier, and see if they drop the price for you.
Another strategy is to work with your supplier to ship using the same account number, which will increase both of your shipping volumes. Again, because carriers badly want to keep your business, they often lower rates the more you ship.
If you need to insure your packages for more than the amount included in your carrier’s shipping price, look into third-party insurers such as U-PIC and Parcel, as their rates are lower.
As mentioned, flat-rate shipping is easiest, but it’s not always the least expensive option. A big part of why flat-rate is so reasonable is that using the carrier’s uniformly sized, rectangular sturdy boxes is efficient for their business.
For the same reason, you can save money by using the shipping carrier’s packaging when not shipping flat rate. This option makes things easier for both you and the carrier.
Looking for More Vital Business Information?
The current situation has made it more important than ever to be up-to-date on shipping costs and procedures, and to offer as wide of a range of shipping options as you can. Shipping is limited, but now you know how to get the most out of your money.
Now that you’ve read all about business oversea shipping prices and how to save when shipping internationally, you’re all set to attract international business. How is the rest of your business doing? Do you know how to process your taxes, how to do payroll, or how to optimize your marketing strategy?
If you’re not sure how to best attract new customers or to manage your business in this new environment, don’t worry. We know you’re in need of information, and we’re here to provide it to you. Just browse our site for all the newest and best business tips.
