Tips for Finding Cheapest Way to Ship Large Packages

One of the most challenging things when it comes to shipping is finding the cheapest way to ship large packages . The headache begins early on when you think about the best way to ship large boxes. Despite making your packing stronger, you have to make it more protective so that it does not incur damage. Why make it stronger? The answer is simple, forklifts. Processing heavy packages is complicated. A forklift is often used to load the items onto a container before the actual shipping. Moreover, if you recall, forklifts have forks, which means if your package is not strong enough, it might be damaged.

So what could be the Best Way to Ship Large Items !!!!!

To stay on the safe side, you have to invest in getting your heavy items properly packaged. Hydraulic lifts used in most warehouses of popular shipping companies are not kind to items and damage in most cases is certain. Before you find the cheapest way to ship large packages, here are the things you have to make sure of-

• Make sure that your packaging can withstand drops.
• Make sure your packaging can withstand conveyor belt vibrations.
• Make sure your package can withstand compression.
• Make sure your packaging is heatproof and can withstand humidity.

Now Finding a Cheapest Shipping Service Providers

Besides the packaging, one other pain point is choosing a shipping service provider to send your large package. Yes, I know, you might be thinking that choosing a courier service provider is easy. Well, that is not the case. There are many options to choose from namely UPS, FedEx, DHL, and Many others out there, which is good. The only problem with all these services is that they charge for each kilogram. This means, if you are shipping large packages or heavy items, it’s very easy for your total cost of shipment to go out of hand. In fact, I’ve heard some people complain when their shipping costs became way more than the items price.

The question now remains, how do you choose the cheapest way to ship large packages ? There are three things to consider which are:

1. Price per kg. Check the price of the courier service provider for each kg.
2. Price per kilometer. In addition to the price per each kilogram shipped, check the price per mile. This companies sometimes charge per mile, so you don’t want any surprises.
3. Experience and quality. Experience is important. You wouldn’t want your item to be confiscated by the IRS because your courier would not have paid all the dues that might need to have been paid.

So what could be the Best Way to Ship Large Boxes

This seems obvious enough. If you are sending a large package like a TV or anything close, cheapest way to ship large packages it is by road especially if you are thinking sending domestically within the USA. Air travel is great, convenient, and fast but might be costly as compared to road. The price per pound shipped for Road Travel is much less than that for Air.

For shipping internationally, however, if your item weighs 65 pounds or less, you might need to use air travel as compared to water. The reason why this is so is that, depending on the destination of the package, shipping by water can be a pain and requires you to be patient. Vessels often wait for them to fill up before they can depart and that can take anywhere from days to weeks to months. If you don’t want to wait for long, then use air freight.

Cheapest way to ship boxes between USPS, UPS, DHL and FEDEX

When it comes to shipping couriers, the first ones to come to mind are USPS, UPS, DHL, and FedEx. Each of these is great for sending large items but some are better than others. Here is a comparison of each of the methods to give you a better perspective.

1. USPS

USPS is one of the most popular mail services in the US. Here is what you can expect from this provider.

Pricing: If you are sending a large package weighing 65 pounds or less, expect to pay $100 to get it between any two states in the US with USPS. This do not make USPS cheapest way to ship boxes.

Max Weight: The maximum weight for items shipped by USPS is 70 Pounds for both local and international shipping. If your item is larger than 70 pounds, then it’s not ideal to use USPS for your heavy items, you have to find an alternative.

Services offer and delivery time: USPS offers many delivery options ranging from 1 to 30 business days depending on how fast you need your large package.

2. UPS

UPS is an acronym short for United Parcel Service. They are a popular freight service based in the USA but ships worldwide.

Pricing: UPS has a cost-effective pricing model that enables you to ship anything cheaply without incurring inflated costs. With UPS, sending a 10-pound item will cost you an average of $10.85 if your destination is within the US. For the same weight, FedEx will charge you about $55. For larger items, you can just use an incremental ratio to compare the pricing. The same applies to international shipping.

Max Weight: UPS has no limits whatsoever when it comes to the weight of your items. One thing to note is that UPS items cannot exceed 165 inches in both length and breadth. This make it difficult to send heavy items.

Service and delivery times: Delivery times for packages differ depending on location. Shipments within the United States take anywhere from 4-7 days before delivery. International and road shipments, however, can take up to 72 business days depending on size. Ups offers economy shipping service and expedited shipment.

3. FedEx

FedEx, short for Federal Express is a popular US shipping service provider. It is one of the best private courier companies out there. However is not the cheapest way to ship large packages. It can be a bit pricey but the value is worth it for the price.

Pricing: To send a 70-pound item within the US with FedEx, expect to fork out at least $94.29. For international shipment, the price can increase by 25 – 40% depending on the destination of shipment.

Max Weight: FedEx, unlike UPS, has a limitation on their package weights and pricing. The max weight for shipping both internationally and domestically with FedEx is 70 pounds. The item must not be larger than 165” in both width and breadth.

Service and Delivery Times: The delivery times of FedEx are great as the company is a reputable and well-resourced one. You can get your package delivered from anything between 1 – 8 business days depending on the destination and method of shipping.

4. Is DHL the cheapest way to ship boxes

DHL is one of the best cheapest way to ship boxes offering competitive rates coupled with fast turnaround times. Depending on the destination it could be cheapest way to ship large packages.

Pricing: If your large box weighing 31 Kg can set you back at least $40 within the US and $70 internationally.

Max Weight: The Maximum size for shipping items with DHL is 7okgs. You can also ship palletized goods weighing up to 1000 kgs.

Service and Delivery: DHL is a professional delivery courier that focuses on quality and safety. Their delivery times are also fantastic delivering within 15 days for domestic shipments and 30 for international shipments.

5. Now the cheapest way to ship large packages is with a Local Courier

Choosing a Dedicated Local Courier is often cheapest way to ship heavy items as compared to professional services but will require you to do your homework first to find out their offering in terms of pricing and weight limits.

Most local couriers will charge you per kilometer shipped especially when going by road. The average price for most couriers is $1.5 per mile traveled. Weight is not usually a problem with local couriers depending on their carrying container. In addition, the service offered and delivery times will depend on the courier company itself, so it might make a lot of sense to make an inquiry first.

To conclude, finding the cheapest way to ship boxes is not as simple as shipping smaller items. You just have to find out more information by doing thorough research beforehand, as proper research can be helpful to help you find information that is more relevant. The best place to do your research is by visiting the resources section on Linbis Shipment platform of the courier companies. We can help you find the cheapest way to ship large packages.