What's The Cheapest Shipping Company to Use This Holiday?

It’s that time of the year when there are more orders than usual coming through, so that must mean we’re in the holiday season! If you have lots of orders to prepare then it’s likely that you’re looking for the cheapest shipping company to use in order to get your orders delivered on time.

If that's the case then you're not alone. There is always a lot of competition when it comes to the peak season, and holiday shoppers have a lot of companies to choose between to find the best offer. That's why retailers often plan ahead and give themselves as much time as possible to promote their offers, attract customers, avoid shipping deadlines and stay ahead of the game.

Holiday Season Key Dates

From the 1st November to December 31st 2022, it is expected that online shoppers worldwide will spend around $209.7 billion on their holiday shopping. With Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas being 3 of the biggest sales events of the year, many companies around the world are taking part and it's no surprise that sales are higher than ever during the holiday season. Cyber Monday on its own is expected to hit $11.2 billion in online sales.

With such a high amount of sales over the holiday season it is essential for businesses to plan ahead and find the cheapest shipping company to save on their shipping costs. With so many companies offering free shipping in order to convert customers and gain extra sales, customers now always expect free shipping over the holiday season. Due to this, eCommerce sellers will need to find the lowest shipping rates possible so they can offer free shipping to their customers and keep everyone happy. In this article we’ll compare some shipping rates and look into finding the cheapest way to ship a package.

Which Shipping Company Is the Cheapest?

When shipping many orders at a time (which let’s face it - you’ll be doing a lot over the holiday season) it’s important to know which shipping company is the cheapest so you can save money on your shipping costs. UPS, USPS and FedEx are 3 of the top choices when it comes to reliable couriers but which courier can offer the best shipping rates? There's only one way to find out. We'll take a look at some different examples - shipping a 2lb package within the US, shipping a 2lbs package internationally, and shipping a 40lbs package within the US, and shipping a 40lbs package internationally.

Related post: USPS vs UPS vs Fedex

First up let's start with a lighter package.

Shipping a Lightweight Package

Let’s take a look at the cheapest way to ship a 2lb package within the US using Easyship’s free shipping calculator and discuss the best options.

As you can see from the screenshot above, the most affordable option is USPS - Media with a price tag of just $4.16. Though the price is the lowest out of the options shown, the delivery time is the longest with an expected delivery time of 3-5 business days. Of course, it is expected for the lowest shipping rates to have a slightly longer delivery time.

When shipping lightweight packages it is common for there to be more options available than when shipping a heavier package as a lot of major carriers have weight limits, meaning there are less shipping options available. The screenshot shows the top 3 cost effective options, however there are a lot more options available when using the free shipping calculator.

Now let’s look at shipping the same 2lb package from the US to Nigeria to see how the pricing differs when shipping small packages internationally.

The screenshot above shows that USPS comes through again and proves to be the cheapest shipping company. To ship a package to Nigeria, USPS - First Class International is not only the cheapest option but the best value for money with a price tag of $25.18. Easyship users save $1.33 when using this shipping service so this seems to be the best option to go for when considering your international shipping needs.

Shipping a Heavy Package

Shipping heavy packages? Now let’s look at shipping a 40lbs package within the US to see if there is a cheaper courier option.

This example shows that USPS - Media is the cheapest option yet again costing just $31.31. However, UPS is also a great choice with faster delivery and great savings. Every quote will differ when it comes to the size, weight and destination of each package so when it comes to package weighing time, it is very important to be accurate and get the correct dimensions so don't rush the process.

Let's see how much it costs to ship this same 40lb package internationally.

Interestingly, UPS is now the best courier service to choose with UPS Worldwide Expedited® being the clear choice. Not only is it the most affordable shipping option, but also the fastest and the best value. This goes to show the difference that a packages weight can have when it comes to the available options.

Overall, the examples we've looked at today show that USPS is the cheapest shipping company to use when shipping lightweight packages domestically and internationally, and UPS is the most affordable option when it comes to shipping a heavy package internationally.

Remember to get an accurate shipping quote before you ship so you know what to expect and if you can afford to offer your customers free shipping over the holiday season.

Will You Offer Free Shipping This Holiday Season?

Many customers expect free shipping over the holiday season and with lots of businesses competing to get sales, it is important to offer free shipping if you are able to. Also, remember to check holiday shipping deadlines to ensure your orders get out on time this peak season.

Don’t have time to create a shipping policy for your store? We’re here to help! Easyship offers a free shipping policy generator including important returns info so your customers will always know what to expect. We're here to help with your holiday shipping needs.

Ready to ship? Sign up for a FREE Easyship account and get instant access to high-volume discounts this holiday season and find the cheapest shipping company to get your orders out on time