The US-UK trade channel has been promising for eCommerce business owners. Statistics prove that the UK's eCommerce revenue is worth about £2,089.6 billion as of February 2022. This figure signifies a vast market opportunity for both US and UK merchants.
If you already ship from the US to the UK, you could be considering the best shipping options to explore to help you keep shipping costs low. If you are new, this guideline will explain fundamental factors that impact shipping costs so that you can prepare better and have a seamless shipping experience.
We have compiled the most informative tips on how to get the cheapest shipping options from the United States of America to the United Kingdom. You also get access to tricks to cut down costs by using automated tools that will help you when you ship anytime.
What Impacts the Shipping Cost?
There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to shipping. Before you send your package to the shipping company, some factors will impact your shipping cost. Understanding these factors is the first step to helping you save costs. These factors are:
To stay ahead in your shipping game, it is essential to consider these factors carefully before going on to ship. Sometimes, you may want to cut down on the weight and dimension of your package by choosing the most suitable packaging and doing away with excess packaging materials. You could also consider comparing prices from available couriers. Easyship’s free shipping calculation is your go-to solution on this.
Most importantly, the delivery speed significantly determines how much you'll be spending to ship your parcel from the US to the UK. If you want it delivered early, expedited shipping is an excellent option, though it will cost you more. Slower services will cost you less, but you and your customer decide on which to prioritize between cost and lead time.
What's the Cheapest Shipping from the USA to the UK?
There are several cheap shipping options you can rely on for sending your package from the US to the UK. While shipping couriers offer competitive and fast services, there are also a few cheap ones to help you save money. However, it's important to remember that the more affordable options have a longer delivery lead time, which can stretch up to 10 days and even beyond.
If you're not particular about the delivery date but concerned about getting your goods delivered and saving some bucks, these are options you should consider during your next shipment.
- USPS Priority Mail
- DHL eCommerce - Parcel Direct
- UPS Worldwide Expedited®
In the table below, we will compare the prices of shipping a 5-pound shipment from the US to the UK, and we'll see how well they compare to other shipping services in terms of cost and lead time.
Courier Service | Lead Time | Tracking | Total Cost |
Flat Export | 8 - 13 working days | Limited | $39.88 |
UPS Worldwide Expedited® | 3 working days | Excellent | $48.67 |
Aramex - Parcel | 9 - 11 working days | Basic | $54.23 |
UPS Worldwide Saver® | 2 working days | Excellent | $54.44 |
UPS Worldwide Express® | 2 working days | Excellent | $58.44 |
Asendia - Epaq Select | 4 - 9 working days | Regular | $63.92 |
DHL - Express Worldwide | 3 - 5 working days | Excellent | $71.20 |
USPS - Priority Mail International | 7 - 12 working days | Basic | $80.83 |
USPS - Priority Mail Express International | 7 - 13 working days | Basic | $92.90 |
As seen from the table above, shipping costs vary and are primarily determined by the delivery speed.UPS Worldwide Expedited® offers the best value in terms of price and delivery, compared to UPS Worldwide Express®, which is more expensive, but faster delivery date. DHL also offers different shipping prices from the US to the UK. However, the delivery dates are quite stretched compared to UPS and the price is higher.
Related Post The Best Parcel Delivery Service in The UK
Tips for Finding the Cheapest Shipping from the USA to the UK?
One of the best ways to get the cheapest shipping from the US to the UK is to compare prices from available couriers. While this is correct, we cannot underestimate vital elements that you could incorporate to make shipping cheaper. Here are some of our top picks:
Use a shipping platform for discounted rates
Trying to ship on your own can be pretty challenging. The most tedious part could be comparing prices from different couriers, navigating through their websites and making multiple entries to get estimated shipping. You could be discouraged along the way if you compare with many couriers.
A better way to automate this process is to use an all-in-one shipping platform that allows users to compare prices from different couriers in one dashboard. Instead of going through the hassle of switching from one website to another, a shipping platform optimizes the process for you, allowing you to access all available couriers, their services, delivery time and costs.
Another upside of shipping platforms is that you get discounted shipping rates from time to time. So a shipping platform will not only save you some good time, but it will also save you some bucks.
Use free packages from USPS and UPS
Apart from the shipping cost, you will likely spend money on packaging materials. Some entrepreneurs add this cost to their shipping expenses which is the right thing to do. The good news is that you can cut down costs on packing materials.
Couriers like UPS and USPS give customers free packaging boxes as part of their customer service so that you can take advantage of them every time you ship. These free boxes are available on request, so use them, and you'll be glad you did.
Reuse packaging materials
Did you receive a package recently? Did you trash the box or recycle it? One good thing about packaging boxes and materials is that you can reuse them for future shipping. Instead of getting new ones, reuse the old ones to save you extra money for getting new ones.
The Cheapest Shipping from the USA to the UK with Easyship
Every shipping comes with its hassle, regardless if you are shipping domestically or internationally. The whole process can be quite a task, from trying to package correctly to getting the best courier and a great shipping option. When you ship from the US to the UK, you want to get the cheapest shipping options to help you save costs.
Easyship helps eCommerce business owners to get the cheapest shipping options from one dashboard. Instead of visiting various websites and navigating through shipping services, rates, and delivery times, Easyship offers you an automated option. Easyship's free tools help you compare prices from major couriers in one screen. When you open an Easyship account, you get even more options. You also get to enjoy more Easyship tools like the following.
Easyship Shipping Rates Calculator: Access high-volume discounts from major couriers. Plus, get instant access to delivery lead times from premium shipping couriers for faster shipping
Global Fulfillment: Easyship has warehouse partners on four continents so that you can reach your customers all across the world. Plus, Easyship helps scale up fulfillment capabilities without increasing overhead costs
Duties & Tax Visibility: Easyship works out all duties and taxes for your international shipments so you can easily handle your international orders. Calculate your duties for overseas shipments here
Ready to ship? Sign up for a FREE Easyship account and get instant access to high-volume discounts up to 91% off for hundreds of shipping companies