7 Cheapest Ways to Ship Large Boxes

If your business needs to ship large boxes on a regular or even daily basis, then the cost of shipping is very important to you. You will need to find the cheapest way to ship large boxes. You want to keep your business as profitable as possible through any savings made on shipping. This will not only increase your profit margins, but it will also allow you to offer more competitive pricing to your customers.

If this sounds like something that is important to you, you could start saving on shipping right now. Below are the seven cheapest way to ship large boxes:

1. Send the boxes by freight

This is one of the cheapest ways to ship large boxes and can save you a great deal of money, if you were previously using a company like FedEx or UPS. Changing any shipping method can result in unforeseen delays and complications. It is wise to make sure that you are fully aware of any shipping timelines that come with any saving in cost.

The last thing that you want to do is save a few bucks and lose a client as an item was not delivered on time. If you, and the client or customer is happy with the new timeline then great! Switching to a freight carrier could work wonders for both of you. Just be careful to manage expectations and you will be free and clear.

2. Reuse packaging

When shipping large boxes, the cheapest way to save money is to reuse packaging. Sometimes, the packing material that you use to ship your products might seem cheap, but it can add up over time. If you are receiving a great deal on inbound shipments, you should look to anything that can be reused or recycled. Bubble wrap, packing peanuts, even boxes can be repurposed to ship your goods. The trick here is to make sure that you are not compromising on quality.

If you can make sure that the packaging supplies and materials that you reuse are still viable, then what’s stopping you? You will not only be saving money, you will be saving the planet too!

3. Make the weight lighter and measurements smaller

When you make the shipping weight and measurements fit a certain specification, this will help you reduce the costs of shipping. It may not always be possible to adjust the size, but try your best anyway. If you are shipping the same items over and over again, then you will have a good idea how much each item costs to ship.

Shipping a wide variety of goods that come in all shapes and sizes can present a challenge to accurately estimate shipping costs. The sooner that you are able to get a handle on how to calculate the cost to ship each item, the more accurately you will be able to communicate this to the client. This will save the business money by not underestimating the shipping cost.

4. Print your own shipping labels

It might seem that printing labels is the easiest part of the whole shipping process. In many ways it is. By having your own label printer in house you will be able to make a significant saving over time. Printed labels also look a lot more professional. You can even have the printer synced up with your ordering software so that this part of the process is automated. This can save a great deal of time and money.

5. Outsource the shipping

By using a company that handles shipping of this size and weight on a regular basis you will be able to leave all of the logistical worries behind you. You will be able to enjoy all of the benefits that come from dealing with a team of professionals. The company that you are outsourcing your shipping needs to will have a fleet of vehicles and many employees. This means that they will be able to pass on the savings from having such a large operation to you. It doesn’t hurt to look around and find the best possible quote available.

Another advantage of outsourcing your shipping needs is that you will no longer be distracted by day to day shipping concerns. You will be able to give your full attention to growing the business.

6. Shop around for the cheapest shipping service

This might seem obvious at first, but many companies consider shipping costs as fixed costs that cannot be negotiated. If you are currently locked into one carrier and have been for many years it can be easy to overlook this as a potential way to save money.

By doing your research and reaching out for quotes on shipping you might be amazed to find out just how much you can save. By changing providers, or using the new quote as leverage you can slash your costs overnight.

7. Only ship the essentials

You don’t always have to ship everything. If there are any particular items that you don’t need to ship, then don’t include it into your final product.

When shipping an item to a client or customer, it is important that you understand their needs. Are they able to accept delivery of very large packages? If they do not have a loading dock or door large enough to receive the package, then you will need to alert them to this logistical problem. They may have considered the size of the item but not the size of the box that it needs to be shipped in.