New Ways To Save On Mailing And Shipping Costs In 2021
Published on: January 16, 2021
Last Updated on: June 19, 2024
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2021 has arrived, and it should give everyone lower costs than 2020, right? Actually, that is not true: mailing costs are going to increase.
Regarding small businesses, mailing, and shipping costs often eat up the major portion of the profit.
But if you know how to plan for it, it might become easy for you to stay strong in this competitive landscape while paying low for the shipping (or maybe even free shipping?).
Mailing and shipping costs are set to increase in 2021. Don’t panic: there are ways to cut costs on mailing and shipping.
There is no need to spend more money at the post office. Instead, take a look at some of these tips and tricks below! They will help you keep your 2021 mailing costs down.
The Concept: Mailing And Shipping
It is a little difficult for traditional customers to understand the difference between shipping and mailing. I doubt if it is something the consumers are dying to know about.
However, the scenario is different in the logistics industry. When you land on the service page of your delivery partner, you can see different services, such as mailing and shipping.
You might be wondering, “Are there any kind of differences between them?” Well. Yes!
The term shipping mainly comprises the process of transporting large items from point A to point B using trucks, ships, and airplanes. On the other hand, mailing refers to the process of sending letters using traditional postal services.
In simple terms, the difference between mailing and shipping is that Shipping is more like a process of moving goods from one location to another.
Whereas, mainly, a package or letter is being delivered to a specific postal landmark.
What Is The Mailing And Shipping Cost?
The shipping expenses mainly comprise the process of transferring a product from its shelf to the customer’s doorstep. These expenses typically comprise:
- Expenses of packaging, tape, labels, and boxes.
- Transportation expenses, including fuel, tolls, etc.
- Expenses of hiring and paying wages to a worker for selecting, packing, and dispatching items.
- The courier is to retrieve and transport items.
- The import and export expenses when it is shipped internationally.
Regarding mailing costs, it is basically the changes for carrying the letter. The system is usually prepaid, and you may have to pay for the postal stamp/s.
The mailing and shipping cost slightly differs from one another. The shipping cost depends on the weight, distance, and transportation speed.
On the other hand, mailing costs include size, weight, class of the letter, or other matters.
Strategies That Can Help To Save On Mailing And Shipping Costs
Use Email or Online Services Instead if Possible
You can bring your mail costs down when you use email. If it is not necessary to mail a printed document, then try to use email instead. You can even scan your documents from a scanner to a PDF.
For many document types (such as invoices, contracts, and signed documents), it is common to send via email or to use online services like HelloSign to help you get the job done.
You can also use online services or apps to pay bills or complete other tasks online. It is a great alternative to shipping costs.
Buy Shipping And Mailing Materials In Bulk
Buying in bulk is a great way to cut mailing and shipping costs. When you buy the needed envelopes, boxes, and postage in bulk, you will save on costs later.
The lower price you purchased the materials at stays the same as costs continue to increase. It is a win-win situation!
Offer Local Pickup And Delivery
Local delivery and pick-up is one of the most radical ways to decrease mailing and shipping costs. If you are shipping local orders, try to deliver them by yourself.
Otherwise, the local businesses can also allow their customers to pick up their purchases from an agreed location.
The local delivery and pick up can also help you to:
- Make valuable connections with the locality. This way, the local people can find it easier to purchase from your brand.
- It also helps in improving better customer experiences.
- Low delivery costs help in increasing sales.
Hire The Best Shipping And Logistics Company
If you have been in business for some time, you know that not all logistics companies charge equally. You also should know that different shipping operators have varying timelines in terms of delivering goods and services.
This is why you need to work with credible and established logistics solutions to ensure that you are getting the best cost affordability as well as service. This will help give a sizable boost to your business in terms of saving additional costs, as well as improving turnaround times.
Look Out For Different Prices With Packaging And Envelopes
You do not need a weirdly shaped envelope to send most things. A majority of the time, you can use a standard envelope size to send your letters or documents.
This also holds true for packaging sizes. While that box might look tempting, your mailing costs for packages depend on the destination of said package, the weight of it, and the box size you choose. You may pick a box when in fact you can mail it in a padded envelope instead.
Pack and mail smartly! For example, if you have a document that weighs very little, there is no need to mail it flat. Fold it into a standard business envelope, and you are good to go!
Print Certified Mail Labels from Home Or The Office
You can print certified mail labels to keep your mailing costs down too.
Your registered mail costs are guaranteed to stay affordable if you do this. There is no need to go to the post office and hash it out when you can do it easily online and from the comfort of your home or office!
This is a great way for you to know how to save on postage too.
Reduce The Overall Weight Of Packages
When you are choosing between mailing and shipping, package weight is just as important as the package size. Remember, the weight of the total shipment translates directly into costs.
So, there is a chance that you might end up paying a small fortune for your heavy packages.
To mitigate the issue, you can pack your products in corrugated boxes and poly mailers. Corrugated boxes have air-filled grooves between layers that minimize the weight, while poly mailers are lightweight and cost-effective.
Mailing Costs Don’t Have To Be A Headache
The increase in mailing costs for 2021 doesn’t have to be a headache. If you plan ahead, you can save money by purchasing materials in advance and relying on email or online services more.
You can also print mail labels from home and watch out for price-gouging on different packaging and envelopes at the post office.
Want to know more about cutting costs in 2021? Check out the rest of our blog!
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