an essential guide to ecommerce shipping - · pdf filethis guide will cover the basics of ......

An Essential Guide to eCommerce Shipping

Contents

01 INTRO

02 THE CARRIERS

03 DOMESTIC SHIPPING

USPS®, FEDEX®, UPS®, REGIONAL CARRIERS

08 INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING

I-PARCEL™, POSTAL QUALIFIED WHOLESALERS (PQW)

10 ONLINE STORES AND ECOMMERCE CARTS

12 SHIPPING SUPPLIES

14 SHIPPING INSURANCE

16 WHAT IS SHIPPING SOFTWARE? DO I REALLY NEED IT?

18 SHIPPING TERM GLOSSARY

20 WANT TO SAVE HOURS A DAY ON SHIPPING?

AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO ECOMMERCE SHIPPING

IntroductionDo you remember when you thought shipping was easy? Back

in the days when it meant going to the post office, or dropping a

stamped letter in the mail box? Now that you’re selling online and

you’re shipping more than the average person, you’ve realized

that shipping is one of the most challenging and mind-numbing

aspects of selling online.

That’s why we created this shipping guide.

The goal of this guide is simple. We want to educate you about

shipping so that it minimizes stress and ensures you’re shipping

in the most efficient way possible. Because we (ShipWorks) have

been working with all of the major U.S. shipping carriers and 80+

online shopping carts and marketplaces for nearly a decade, we

have a pretty good grasp of the ins and outs of shipping items

sold online. This guide will cover the basics of shipping in the U.S.

and give pro-shipping tips. By the end, you’ll be saving time and

money while growing your ecommerce business.

Let’s get started!

1AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO ECOMMERCE SHIPPING

The CarriersWe’re often asked which carrier is the best. Unfortunately, there

is no cut and dry answer to that question. The answer depends

on three key things: 1) what you’re shipping (size and weight of

package), 2) where it’s going, and 3) when does it need to arrive

at its destination. Once you fill in these three blanks, the best

carrier choice becomes more obvious.

To begin, let’s talk a little about the carriers. You may think

of only three to choose from—USPS, FedEx, and UPS—but

that’s only the beginning!


Domestic Shipping:

U.S. Postal Service® (USPS®)

Whether you call it the Post Office™, US Mail, or USPS,

the United States Postal Service is probably the shipping

service you’re most familiar with. The USPS has some

great benefits such as convenience, free supplies, free

pickup and it has direct partnerships with many online

retail sites, like eBay.

How to Ship with USPS:There are two basic options when shipping with USPS:

1. Ship it from the Post Office. Visit your local Post Office

with your item boxed up and ready to ship. When you take

the box to the counter, they’ll weigh your package(s) and

tell you how much postage you owe. Once you pay, they’ll

make sure it reaches its destination.

2. Ship it from your home. If you want to avoid waiting in line

at the Post Office, you can print postage and ship items

from home. You will need to package the item in a box,

weigh it, and measure the length, width and height. Then,

visit USPS.com and create an account. The site will walk

you through all of the next steps and will allow you to print

postage from your computer’s printer. The last step is to

drop the box off at the Post Office or request a free pickup

from USPS (At least one item being mailed must be sent

Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, or Flat Rate to be

eligible for free pickup).

USPS Services:USPS has numerous delivery services, and we’ve highlighted the

main ones (chart below). This chart is not all inclusive, so if you have

questions, please check the carrier’s website for complete details.

USPS Rates:The USPS has four different rates: Retail, Commercial Base (CBP),

Commercial Plus (CPP), and Negotiated Service Agreement

(NSA). You may think that if you’re an online seller you can only

qualify for retail rates, but that’s not true. There are ways you

can qualify for commercial and negotiated level pricing, which

will give you a discount on postage. We’ll talk more about how

you can get these discounts later, but for now, here’s a quick

overview of each of the rates:

• Retail rates are the rates you pay when you visit the post office.

• Commercial Base Pricing is a discounted rate offered to

USPS customers who buy and print shipping with an online

postage provider. Commercial Base Pricing is always

cheaper than rates at the Post Office.

• Commercial Plus Pricing is available for companies

who ship more than 50,000 packages per year and

have a customer commitment agreement with USPS.

• Negotiated Service Agreement is a contractual agreement

between the USPS and high volume shipping companies.

This type of pricing is also available through Express1 and

IntuiShip (we'll explain Express 1 and IntuiShip below).

• USPS rates do occasionally change. Here's a link to learn

more about USPS rates: www.usps.com/business/prices.htm

USPS Service Delivery

Priority Mail Express™ Overnight delivery to most U.S. locations

Priority Mail® Expected delivery within 1, 2, or 3 business days. Delivery date is an estimate, not guaranteed.

Flat Rate for Priority Mail Express or Priority Mail™ Overnight delivery or 1, 2 or 3 business days delivery.

First-Class Mail® Delivery is within 2-3 days

Standard Post™ (Retail only) Delivery in 2-8 days

Media Mail® Delivery is within 2-3 business days

Parcel Select® Delivery is usually within 7-10 days

Military Mail (APO/FPO/DPO) Varies

*All pricing and facts from USPS.com and are subject to change. This chart highlights many services, but is not all inclusive, so please check the carrier’s website for complete details.

THE CARRIERS


USPS Pro-Shipper Tips:• You can get free Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express and

Regional Rate boxes, envelopes and stickers at most Post

Offices and the supplies may also be ordered at USPS.com.

The supplies come with free delivery to your door.

• If you ship Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express, make sure

you use the correct box for your shipment. The packaging

indicates the service. So, if you use a Priority Mail box, you

will receive Priority Mail Service, and if you use a Priority Mail

Express box, you will receive Priority Mail Express Service.

• USPS only guarantees delivery by a specific day for Priority

Mail Express. Priority Mail will be delivered in an estimated

1-day, 2-days or 3-days, and is not guaranteed for delivery

within this time frame.

• To qualify for free package pickup at your door, at least

one package being shipped must be sent via Priority

Mail Express, Priority Mail or Flat Rate. You can schedule

a carrier pick up online.

• If you are shipping from home and you purchase postage

from USPS.com, know that their site doesn’t interface with

a digital scale. You will need to enter the weight manually

or select Flat Rate. We’ll also talk more about scales in the

supplies section.

• You can negotiate your rates with the USPS. The negotiated

rate will depend on the volume you ship annually, and may

require that you sign a contract to meet that annual volume.

• Did you know you can do “hidden postage” so that only you

and USPS know how much you paid for shipping? With this

feature, the postage is still encoded on the barcode so it will

be shipped like normal, but your customer will never see how

much was paid on postage.

USPS’ Partners:Something that surprises many new shippers is that the USPS has

several approved partners that are authorized to provide internet-

based USPS postage. ShipWorks is fully integrated with Stamps.

com, a leading provider of USPS postage, allowing you to buy and

print USPS-approved postage directly from our software.

STAMPS.COM®

As a strategic USPS partner since 1999 and a proven leader

in online mailing and shipping, Stamps.com has a high

volume shipping platform designed for professional

shippers like you. With lower rates, enhanced tracking and

comprehensive delivery services, Stamps.com provides the

tool and technology to seamlessly access those rates and

services with unprecedented ease, reliability and speed.

Stamps.com supports customers who have received CPP

and NSA rates directly form the USPS or discounted rates

from USPS' reseller partners.

Customers can easily print both USPS Priority Mail and

Priority Mail Express labels and First Class shipping labels,

all within one account.

THE CARRIERS


FedEx:

FedEx is a great choice for packages that need timely

shipping options. Similar to the USPS, there are two basic

options when shipping with FedEx. You can take it to a

FedEx location and they will do nearly everything for you,

or you can set up the shipment by yourself from your

home or office.

How to Ship with FedEx:1. Ship it from a FedEx office. Visit your local FedEx office with

the item boxed and ready to ship. When you take the box to

the FedEx clerk, they’ll weigh your package(s), tell you how

much you owe, and then ship it for you. It’s that easy.

2. Ship it from your home. If you want to be more

independent, you will need to package the item in a box,

weigh

it, and measure the length, width and height. Then, visit

FedEx.com and create an account. This is very easy to

do on their site, and it will walk you through how to print

shipping labels online. After creating the label and applying

it to the package, you can schedule a pickup or drop it off at

a FedEx facility.

FedEx Services:

FedEx Pro-Shipper Tips:• FedEx also offers a variety of services like package redirect,

hold at location and many others. Please visit their website

for a complete list of unique services that may be of interest

to you and your business.

• FedEx has FedEx Ground, which delivers to both commercial

and residential addresses, and FedEx Home Delivery, which

delivers only to residential addresses Tuesday through

Saturday. These are two separate services so don’t get

confused! FedEx Ground will charge a surcharge if you ask

them to deliver to a residential address.

• You can negotiate a rate with FedEx based on your shipping

volume. This will ensure that you’re getting a lower rate than

what’s available online. The more you ship, the more you save.

• When customers sign up for a FedEx account via ShipWorks, they

are automatically able to receive a FedEx discount of up to 16%.

• FedEx rates do occasionally change. Here's a link to learn

more about FedEx rates: www.fedex.com/us/service-guide/

rates-surcharges

FedEx Service Delivery

Same-day delivery cross-country or cross-city Delivered door to door within hours (depending on availability)

FedEx First Overnight® Delivered first thing the next business day morning

FedEx Priority Overnight® Delivered the next business day morning

FedEx Standard Overnight® Delivered the next business day afternoon

FedEx 2Day AM® Delivered in 2 business days in the morning

FedEx 2Day® Delivered in 2 business days

FedEx Express Saver® Delivered in 3 business days

FedEx Ground® Delivered within 1-5 days in contiguous US and 3-7 days to and from Alaska and Hawaii

FedEx Home Delivery® Delivered within 1-5 days in contiguous US and 3-7 days to and from Alaska and Hawaii

FedEx SmartPost® Delivered within 2-7 business days

FedEx One Rate® Delivered within 1-3 days in contiguous US

*All information is from FedEx.com and is subject to change. This chart highlights many services, but is not all inclusive, so please check the carrier’s website for

complete details.

THE CARRIERS


United Parcel Service (UPS®):

UPS is a great option for larger packages, especially those

that need timely delivery. They are the world's largest

package delivery company and ship to over 200 countries.

As with the USPS and FedEx, there are two basic options when

shipping with UPS. You can take it to a UPS location and they will

do nearly everything for you, or you can set up the shipment by

yourself in the comfort of your home or office.

How to Ship with UPS:1. Ship it from a UPS office. Visit your local UPS office with

the item boxed and ready to ship. When you take the box

to the UPS clerk, they’ll weigh your package(s) and tell you

how much postage you owe. Or, if you don’t have a box at

home, you can take in the item and they’ll box it and ship it

for you. It’s that easy.

2. Ship it from your home. It is also possible to ship UPS items

from home. First, package the item in a box, weigh it and

measure the length, width and height. Then, visit UPS.com

and create an account. This is very easy to do on their site,

and it will walk you through how to print shipping labels

online. After creating the label and applying it to the package,

you can schedule a pickup or drop it off at a UPS facility.

UPS Services:

UPS Pro-Shipper Tips:• You can negotiate a rate with UPS based on your shipping

volume. This will ensure that you receive a lower rate than

what’s available online. The more you ship, the more you save.

• UPS offers high-volume customers Mail Innovations

to help streamline and optimize domestic shipping.

UPS Mail Innovations works with the USPS to obtain

more competitive postal rates and offers transit times

similar to that of First-Class USPS mail.

• My UPS is a unique online service offered by the UPS

that helps keep your shipping data in a customizable

and easy-to-use format. Does that sound like something

you need? You can find more details on their site.

• UPS offers many additional value-add services like Saturday

delivery and Saturday pickup for select services. Please visit

their website for full details

• UPS rates do occasionally change. Here's a link to learn

more about UPS rates: www.rates.ups.com

UPS Service Delivery

UPS Next Day Air® Early AM® Delivers the next business day in the morning

UPS Next Day Air® Next business day delivery by 10:30 am., 12:00 noon, or end of day, depending on destination

UPS Next Day Air Saver® Next business day delivery by 3:00 or 4:30 p.m. where UPS Next Day Air® delivery is committed by 10:30 a.m. or 12:00 noon, respectively

UPS 2nd Day Air A.M.® Delivery on the second business day by 10:30 a.m. or 12:00 noon to most commercial destinations

UPS 2nd Day Air® Delivery by the end of the second business day. Some locations in Alaska and Hawaii require additional transit time

UPS 3 Day Select® Delivery by the end of the third business day

UPS Ground Delivery typically in 1-5 business days

UPS Mail Innovations UPS Mail Innovations inducts your mail piece into the U.S. Postal Service within 48 hours of processing. The U.S. Postal Service will then deliver the mail piece within three to five days, on average

All information is from UPS.com and is subject to change. This chart highlights many services, but is not all inclusive, so please check the carrier’s website for complete details.

THE CARRIERS


Regional Carriers

Regional shipping carriers cover a geographic region.

They can often times provide lower rates than other

carriers because they cover a smaller region. For example,

OnTrac covers the West Cost and ships within California,

Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Colorado

and Idaho. If you ship within these states, you could save

money and gain the competitive edge with next-day

delivery at ground rates. Similar to larger shipping

carriers, regional carriers offer a variety of shipping

services. For example, OnTrac offers Sunrise, Sunrise

Gold, Super Sunrise Gold, OnTrac Ground, Palletized

Freight and COD Services.

You can discover other regional carriers in your area by doing

online research.

International Shipping:

Is it easy to ship international? Yes, it can be. Are there additional

things you need to know? Absolutely!

This guide’s primary purpose is to talk about domestic shipping,

but we’re going to give you a few nuggets to think about when

it comes to international shipping. As you’d expect, there are

numerous ways to ship international. All of the carriers we have

mentioned above (USPS, UPS, FedEx, etc.) provide international

shipping service. In addition, here are some others that you may

want to consider:

i-parcel™

i-parcel is focused on helping internet retailers with their

international online shopping experience. Their patent

pending Cloud technology offers international shippers

local currency shopping, multi-currency payments, fraud

protection, online tracking, returns and more. They offer

several shipping services, but their primary offering is

the i-parcel Preferred Service, a 5-7 business day, fully

trackable international air express service with the ability

to provide shoppers with shipping costs, duties and

taxes at checkout.

Postal Qualified Wholesalers (PQW)

PQW’s are an approved list of companies who work with

the USPS to send and mail packages outside of the US.

Their goal is to help businesses with international shipping

and mailing. Those shipping internationally may want to

look at working with PQW’s to simplify their international

shipping process. A complete list of PQW’s is available

online, and ShipWorks is integrated with many of these

approved PQW’s.

Pro-Shipper Tips:• International shipping requires customs forms. Some programs,

like ShipWorks, will automatically generate the customs forms

you need to ship internationally so that you don’t have to worry

about your package getting stuck at the border.

• It’s important to know that customs regulations vary

by country and not all carriers ship to all locations.

• Costs can be considerably higher for international destinations,

so make sure the weight and dimensions of the package are

accurate. Also, make sure you ship with a service that will track

and insure your shipments.

THE CARRIERS


Carrier Wrap-Up. So, what’s the Bottom Line? Which Carrier is Better?After reading (or skimming) all of the above, you can understand

why the “best” carrier will vary based on what you’re shipping. In

general, if you’re shipping small items, start by researching USPS. If

you’re shipping larger items, start by researching FedEx and USPS.

In addition, here are six questions to ask yourself before

ou pick a carrier:

1. What do you sell?

This question may seem basic, but your plan will take shape

as you start to think through this answer. Look at the item(s)

you ship the most. How much does it weigh? Is it fragile?

Will it need extra padding? Will it need refrigeration?

2. Where do you usually ship items to?

Knowing this answer will help you determine if you

should consider using a regional or international carrier,

or if it’s better for your business to use a carrier that

delivers throughout the U.S.

3. What are your customers’ expectations?

Do your customers expect to have next day delivery? Do

they expect free shipping? Do they want both free shipping

and next day delivery? Once you determine your customers’

greatest desire, you can tailor your shipping services to

meet their needs.

4. Does the shipping provider charge any extra fees?

Watching your shipping costs is important so that you can

keep your administrative costs low. Dollars and cents add

up as your volume increases, so make sure you

understand all fees as invoiced by your respective carriers.

5. Can you get a discount on shipping?

Don’t forget, discounts are often available in a variety

of ways that range from using an online shipping provider

to shipping volume discounts. Talk to your carrier and see

if you’re eligible for any discounts.

6. Can you easily increase your shipping volume

as the company grows?

Your ultimate goal is to grow your business, which means

your shipping will grow too. As it does, make sure you keep

your future in mind, and continually evaluate your existing

infrastructure, storage, production, and shipping capabilities.

After knowing the answers to these basic questions, we

recommend visiting the carriers’ sites and calculating the cost for

your specific type of package. All carriers have helpful shipping

calculators on their sites that will estimate the time and cost

of delivery based on the destination and service:

• USPS Shipping Rate Tool:

postcalc.usps.com/

• UPS Shipping Rate Tool:

wwwapps.ups.com/ctc/request?loc=en_US

• FedEx Shipping Rate Tool:

www.fedex.com/ratetools/RateToolsMain.do?link=2

• DHL eCommerce Rate Tool:

http://dhlecommerce-usa.com/get-a-quote.aspx

• OnTrac Rate Tool:

www.ontrac.com/ziptools/default.aspx

Pro-Shipper Tip: If you use ShipWorks, you can also see shipping

rates without having to toggle between multiple carrier websites.

THE CARRIERS


Online Stores and eCommerce CartsIf you’re reading this guide, it’s very likely that you’re

already selling online on marketplaces like eBay™,

Amazon®, or Etsy and/or have your own website.

Since shipping is intertwined with selling online,

we’re often asked questions about marketplaces

and carts.


ONLINE STORES AND ECOMMERCE CARTS

It’s no secret that your shopping cart is a critical component to

the success of your online business. There’s just too much for us

to cover in this guide, so we’re intentionally keeping this section

short and sweet. However, here are a few things to keep in mind

or questions to ask as you research eCommerce carts:

• There are three general types of eCommerce carts

available: paid, open-source, and multi-channel.

º Paid: An eCommerce cart hosts your online store for you

and usually has easy templates to use so you can build

your store. You’ll lose some flexibility with this option,

but it can also be easier to set-up.

º Open-Source: With an open source shopping cart, you

will have to install it, develop it and maintain it yourself (or

hire an IT guy). This means you will have greater flexibility

and will be able to customize it. However, it also means

that you will need to have someone on your team that’s

comfortable with technology and maybe coding.

º Multi-Channel: Multi-Channel eCommerce solutions

make it possible to integrate, manage and optimize

merchandise sales across hundreds of online sales

stores like Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and more.

• Do you have IT or programming resources available? If yes,

that’s great and you would likely be fine with an open-source

or custom-made option. If not, you may want to go with a

plug-and-play, paid option shopping cart.

• Do you want to host your own store or do you want someone

to do it for you? If you want to host your own store, than you

could go with an open-source cart.

• Remember that security is a huge component of an online

site because you will be taking credit card information.


Shipping SuppliesThere are a few shipping tools and supplies

that you will need in your shipping toolkit.

Thankfully, all of them are fairly inexpensive

and easy to get.


SHIPPING SUPPLIES

1. Shipping Scale: One of the must-have items for any shipper

is a scale because it ensures you’re not overpaying on

outgoing shipments. The cost for a scale varies from about

$20 to $250 each. Before purchasing, determine if you

primarily send heavier items or smaller items. If you’re

primarily sending smaller items, you’ll want a scale that

reads in pounds and ounces. If you primarily send heavier

items, most people can get by with a shipping scale that

accommodates up to 35 pounds.

Pro-Shipper Tip: When you weigh an item, always round

up. If the scale says 10.1 ounce, than your package must

be shipped at the 11 ounce rate.

Before you purchase a scale, you may want to do some

research and see if your scale integrates with your

shipping provider’s site—some do and some don’t.

If you buy a scale that doesn’t, you will be entering

weights by hand to their site.

2. Tape Measure: Once you start shipping a lot, it’s likely that

you will know your commonly used size package dimensions

by heart. Until that time, you will want to keep a tape

measure nearby. If you don’t have a tape measure, you

can also check the bottom of the box since many boxes

have the size on the bottom.

Pro-Shipper Tip: When you measure an item, always round

up to the nearest inch. Fractions or decimals are not allowed.

3. Printer: You need a way to print shipping labels, and you have

a choice between a standard printer and a thermal printer.

A standard printer uses ink or laser technology to print.

You probably already have a standard printer.

A thermal printer is dedicated to printing shipping labels. It

uses heat to print (not ink), and usually does this in one of

two formats: EPL or ZPL. These are languages that tell the

thermal printer how to print the label. The benefits of thermal

printers are that you never need to purchase ink or toner,

and they print labels much faster.

Either a standard or thermal printer will work for printing

shipping labels. Most customers start with a standard

printer and eventually graduate to a thermal printer as they

become more serious. When you do decide to look for a

thermal printer, we recommend supplies.shipworks.com

for thermal printers at over 20% off the retail price.

4. Shipping Supplies: Shipping supplies can be expensive,

but they don’t have to be. As mentioned already, you can

get free supplies from USPS, FedEx and UPS. You can also

purchase supplies at a discounted price from many online

sites including supplies.shipworks.com.


Shipping InsuranceThere are lots of insurance options. Even though carriers include

insurance protection, do you know what it really covers? Most

people try and ignore insurance until an item is lost or damaged

and they have to file a claim. That’s when they wish they had

researched insurance a little more from the get-go. After all, your

business is about growing revenues, and lost, stolen or damaged

shipments eat at the bottom line. If you know your insurance

coverage in advance, you’ll be much happier when (if) you ever

have to file a claim.


SHIPPING INSURANCE

Shipping insurance comes in two flavors: Cargo Insurance and

Declared Value. They are night-and-day different from each other.

Here are a few questions you should ask yourself about insurance,

so that you make sure you’re getting the protection you need.

1. What type of coverage are you getting? Is it declared

value or cargo insurance? This chart will help explain the

difference. Declared value is included by most major

shipping carriers at up to $50 or $100 of value. With this

insurance coverage, the shipper must prove the carrier’s

negligence directly resulted in the loss or damage to the

shipment. Alternatively, cargo insurance (true insurance)

pays regardless of if the loss or damage was due to the

carrier’s negligence, and is regulated.

2. Who are you getting your insurance from? Is it a carrier

or a third-party? Getting insurance from a carrier may

seem the easiest, but third-party insurance is generally

less expensive and provides fuller coverage.

3. How much should I insure packages for? Insure items for

what they are worth in retail channels, or what is most likely

to be spent to replace it. If you ever have to file a claim,

you are unlikely to get more insurance compensation for

the item than its current retail value, so do not pay any

additional fees that result from higher insurance values.

4. How much do I have to pay to insure a package?

While carriers charge about $0.90 cents for every

$100 of insurance (with a $2.70 minimum), third-party

companies charge about $0.55 cents for every $100

(with no minimum). For example, ShipWorks Insurance

(managed by InsureShip) will charge as little as $0.55

cents for a package insured at $100, whereas UPS and

FedEx have minimums for the same package.

5. How do I file a claim? Start your claim as soon as you

realize a package is damaged, lost or stolen. Carriers

and third-party insurance companies have different

cutoff times for filing, so make sure you file soon so

that you don’t miss the allotted window.

Pro-shipper tip: Some insurance carriers, like ShipWorks

Insurance, provide coverage on shipping costs. Want

more information about Shipping Insurance? Check out

ShipWorks’ free insurance webinar, available 24x7.

Cargo Insurance (Most 3rd party insurance coverage, including ShipWorks Insurance)

Declared Value (Carrier shipment coverage)

Provides door-to-door protection Yes No

Pays whether or not transportation provider’s negligence is proven to have caused the loss

Yes No

Pays for losses occurring outside control of the carrier Yes No

Pays shipper for full invoice value of cargo lost or damaged, plus the freight and other associated costs

Yes No

Can pay for expediting replacement goods Yes No

Typically has a speedy payout process Yes No

Regulated by the Department of Insurance Yes No


What is Shipping Software? Do I Really Need it?Well, it goes without saying that we’re a little biased and

we think everyone needs ShipWorks shipping software.


WHAT IS SHIPPING SOFTWARE? DO I REALLY NEED IT?

On average, most ShipWorks' customers begin using shipping

software when they are shipping about 20-25 packages a week.

Here are a few comments customers have shared on the

advantages they see using ShipWorks:

• “It saves a ton of time. We can download orders directly from

our shopping cart, print dozens of labels at once, and then

have our cart automatically updated.”

• “I no longer spend my days copying and pasting addresses in

a carrier’s website. Now, I print labels quickly and I’m done.”

• “We are able to ship using FedEx, UPS and USPS without

switching shipping software and going back and forth

between websites.”

• “You can develop and customize shipping labels,

reports and more so that you look more professional

as your business grows.”

• “The ability to compare carrier prices all on one screen

saves me hundreds of dollars a year.”

What’s the Benefit of Shipping Software? Shipping software allows you to consolidate all of your orders from

all online stores, and then ship with multiple shipping carriers.

Depending on the software provider, you can also do things like

compare carrier’s shipping rates (without having to visit each

carrier’s website), print hundreds of shipping labels at one time,

automatically email your customers with their tracking number,

automatically update your store with the tracking number, purchase

shipping insurance that costs less and covers more, and manage

your customer database. Most shipping software offers a trial period,

so you can try one and determine if you like it.

Recommended Questions to Ask when Looking for a Shipping Software Provider:ShipWorks is one of several options when it comes to shipping

software. We know you’ll like our product if you decide to use it, but

we also understand you may want to shop around. Here are a few

questions to ask each software provider to ensure you’re getting

software that will work best with your business.

1. Do you connect with my online store(s)?

2. Do you connect with the carrier(s) I like to use?

3. Do you offer free customer support? How will I get help?

Phone? Email? Social media? Online documents?

4. If I want to use more than one computer to manage my

shipping, do I need to pay for each workstation I run the

software on? If so, how much per workstation?

5. If I want more than one user to use the software,

does it cost more per user?

6. What printers/label formats do you support?

7. What shipping scales do you support?

8. Are you web-based or locally installed on the computer?

9. If pricing is based on shipping volume, what happens

if I exceed or go under a specific shipping volume

for that month?

10. Is there an annual contract?

It saves a ton of time. We can download orders directly from our shopping cart, print dozens of labels at once, and then have our cart automatically updated.


Shipping Term Glossary


BATCH PRINT: ............................................ Printing more than one shipping label at a time.

CARGO INSURANCE: .................................. The type of shipping insurance from most 3rd party insurance providers

CARRIER: .................................................. The people who deliver your package from point A to B.

There are three main carriers in the US—FedEx, USPS and UPS.

DECLARED VALUE COVERAGE: .................... The type of shipping insurance from most carriers.

ECOMMERCE STORE/CART/PLATFORM: ...... This is the place where you sell your goods such as eBay, Amazon,

Etsy, your own website, or a host of other online locations.

FEDEX: ...................................................... Acronym for Federal Express

FLAT RATE: ................................................ You pay one rate no matter the weight or where the package is going.

FREIGHT CONSOLIDATION: ......................... See zone skipping definition

RATE CALCULATOR: ................................... An online tool that will tell you how much it will cost to ship an item by carrier. Every carrier has their

own online rate tool, so visit the carrier’s site or you can also get links to the calculator in this guide.

REGIONAL CARRIERS: ................................ Regional shipping carriers cover a specific geographic area. They can often times

provide lower rates since they cover a smaller geographic area.

RETAIL: ..................................................... The price you pay when you use standard shipping services. If you’re a savvy shipper,

you’ll rarely, if ever, pay retail shipping prices.

SHIPPING CARRIERS: ................................. The big three are USPS, FedEx and UPS.

SHIPPING SOFTWARE: ............................... Software that streamlines your shipping processes and connects your

online store with shipping carriers.

SHIP WITH JOY: ......................................... This is what happens when you use ShipWorks to do all of your shipping.

SHIPWORKS: ............................................. Shipping software that connects all of your online stores with all major shipping carriers. Print hundreds of

shipping labels with one click, update online order status, send email notifications, and more. Free trial.

STANDARD PRINTER: ................................. uses ink or laser technology to print. You probably already have one of these.

STAMPS.COM: ........................................... Approved USPS partner. Authorized to provide internet based USPS postage.

THERMAL PRINTER: ................................... dedicated to printing shipping labels. It uses heat to print (not ink), and it does this

in one of two formats: EPL or ZPL. With thermal printers, you never need to purchase

ink or toner, and there is no paper jamming or wasted labels.

UPS: ......................................................... Acronym for United Parcel Service

USPS: ....................................................... Acronym for United States Postal Service

ZONE: ....................................................... Typically, carriers group together several geographical regions into zones

and provide shipping charges for movement between these zones.

ZONE SKIPPING: ........................................ This is primarily for advanced shippers or those with multiple warehouses. It’s a method

where you consolidate shipments going to a region by using “less than truckload” (LTL)

shipping and ship items together as a single larger shipment to get them closer to the

appropriate shipping zone or delivery point.


SHIPPING TERM GLOSSARY

Want to Save Hours a Day on Shipping?We’d love to show you how ShipWorks can help

you grow your business and ship with joy.

THANK YOU SO MUCH! WE HOPE THIS EBOOK HAS TAUGHT YOU SOMETHING NEW ABOUT SHIPPING. WE APPRECIATE

THE TIME YOU TOOK TO READ THIS AND WE’D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT YOU THINK. PLEASE LET US KNOW YOUR

COMMENTS ON OUR WEBSITE, FACEBOOK, TWITTER OR [email protected]. THANKS AGAIN!


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