As the holidays approach, you will probably spend much, MUCH more time on planning your holiday gift list than you will thinking about how your holiday gifts will get to their final destination. However, we encourage you to give this some thought to ensure you make the most of your budget this holiday!
Here are 5 tips for saving money on holiday shipping.
1. Plan ahead
The speed of shipping is the biggest factor in the price. While shipping a package ground might cost $17, the same package may cost $109 to ship overnight. So, if you’re trying to ensure your package makes it by Christmas, make sure to give yourself plenty of time to ship it using the slowest method.
This is also true when you are purchasing from a business – there is almost always a surcharge, and often a steep one, for rush shipping.
2. Buy small
This is one tip you likely already know. But the larger an item is, the more it will cost to ship. Alternatively, if a package is small, but really heavy, that can also cost you. Just keep in mind that weight and size both play a role in the cost of shipping an item.
3. Be square
Odd dimensions of boxes can result in surprisingly high shipping costs. So, something like a folding lawn chair, which comes in a long skinny box, may cost as much to ship as you spent on the gift! It can also be difficult to find a shipping box that works with this kind of item, which can make the box even bigger and more costly.
4. Evaluate free shipping
Honestly, the cost of shipping is built into every company that offers free shipping. Take our company as an example. We incorporate the cost of shipping into the price of our luxury corporate gift boxes. So, when you see the beINTENTIONAL box at $119, that cost includes our UPS charges. We do this because most people, ourselves included, prefer to know the cost of the item upfront rather than being surprised with the shipping cost at checkout. That said, our customers do pay for shipping of our gift boxes – it’s just factored in up front.
However, because most companies do more shipping than individuals do, they often have access to better rates. So, sometimes you are getting a better price than you would if you bought the item and shipped it yourself.
5. Use your own supplies
Chances are, you have a box or two you could use to package your gift. If you don’t, and you have to purchase the supplies, just know that the main shipping companies like FedEx and UPS are probably the costliest places you could get said supplies. So, purchasing them anywhere else will save you a few bucks.
This holiday, we know you want to spend your money on the actual personal and corporate gifts that are going to touch your friend, family member, client, or co-worker. We hope these tips help you allocate more of your Christmas budget toward the gifts and less on getting the gift to them!
We’re curious – what’s the most you’ve ever spent on shipping a gift?
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