How Fast Is Expedited Shipping And Is It Worth It?

Americans ship millions of packages through the mail every day. 

But there are several different shipping options to choose from, and each one has a different price and speed. So how are you supposed to tell them all apart?

We’ve put together this guide to break down the ins and outs of expedited shipping. Asking yourself, “How fast is expedited shipping?”

Make sure you keep reading below to learn more. 

What is Expedited Shipping?

Expedited shipping is a delivery method that’s faster than the standard shipment process. 

If you choose expedited shipping when you check out online, your package will be placed on a truck that makes little to no stops before it reaches your home. 

While this is a helpful shipping option, there are a few things you should know about expedited shipping before you pay for it. Here’s a quick look at three important questions about expedited shipping. 

How Fast is Expedited Shipping?

Expedited shipping doesn’t have a set speed, like overnight or next day shipping. 

Instead, expedited shipping is simply “faster than standard shipping.”

The exact amount of time expedited shipping will take depends on the company. However, standard shipping often takes between 5 to 10 business days. So expedited shipping might get your package to you in 4 days instead. 

Most expedited shipping takes between 2 to 3 days. This makes it slightly faster than the standard delivery. 

How Much Does It Cost?

It’s important to know expedited shipping is more expensive than standard shipping options. 

And we aren’t just talking about a few bucks. Expedited shipping can be $10 or even $20 higher than the normal cost of shipping. 

But again, it depends on the company. Some companies charge a lot more for expedited shipping than others. 

Can You Track It?

Most companies give you the option to track your package with expedited shipping. This means you can see exactly where it is every step of the delivery process. 

Tracking your package is a helpful feature. 

It keeps you updated on the progress, and it gives you peace of mind that your package is where it’s supposed to be. You should always track your package if you have the option. 

Expedited Shipping isn’t the Same as Express Shipping 

Don’t confuse expedited shipping with express shipping. Though they sound similar, they are two very different things. 

Express shipping is faster than expedited shipping, and because of this, it’s a lot more expensive. For example, Amazon lists its express shipping as next-day delivery. 

Pay careful attention to these two options when you’re shopping online. Each company defines expedited shipping and express shipping in different ways. 

You don’t want to pick the wrong one by mistake and spend more on shipping than you intended. 

Is Expedited Shipping Worth It?

It depends. 

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. 

If you’re a casual online shopper who’s not in a rush for the items to show up on their doorstep, expedited shipping probably isn’t worth the extra cost. But there are many times paying the extra money is well worth it—even necessary. 

It all comes down to your specific needs and circumstances. 

Times Expedited Shipping Comes in Handy 

There are several times paying extra for expedited comes in handy. If you are shipping one of these items, it’s always a good idea to choose expedited shipping—even if you aren’t in a hurry. 

Perishable Food

Perishable food has to stay below a certain temperature. Otherwise, it will spoil before it reaches its final destination. 

You should always send perishable food through the mail with expedited shipping. It doesn’t matter how many cold packs you use. You don’t want to risk the food gong bad. 

This is even more important if you’re shipping frozen items, such as meat. This food could make someone very sick if it spoils, so always choose the fastest shipping you can. 

Fragile Items

The mail is generally a safe and secure place for your packages. However, it comes with its fair share of bumps and bangs. 

This puts fragile items at risk of breaking. The longer the stay in the mail, the higher their chance of getting damaged. 

If you’re sending something fragile through the mail, you should use expedited shipping. This will protect it from getting any damage. 

Expensive Items

Shipping companies don’t lose packages very often. However, if you’re sending a valuable or expensive item through the mail, you to make its trip as short as possible. 

Expedited shipping can cut your packages time in the mail by half. This will lower the risk of anything happening before it reaches its final destination. 

You Have a Time Limit 

Of course, if you need your package to arrive before a specific time limit, you should choose expedited shipping. This will ensure you get it on time, whereas standard shipping might take too long. 

Understanding the Ins and Outs of Expedited Shipping 

So how fast is expedited shipping?

This type of shipping usually takes between 2 to 3 days, but the only real answer to this question is that it’s faster than standard shipping. 

The question you have to ask yourself is if expedited shipping is worth the extra cost. Many times, spending a bit of extra money is worth the speed and guarantee that your package will arrive on time. 

Looking for a reputable shipping company to handle your important packages?

We can help!

Make sure you click here to get a free quote today!

Why Courier Shipping Services Are More In Demand This Year

Did you know that, among shipping services, couriers specifically have experienced great success over the past few years? We also believe they are one of the least understood modes of shipping.

Courier service is one of the most personalized modes of delivery and, therefore, one of the most reliable. It is also commonly used for local deliveries–especially in larger cities, where a hand-delivery could take up to half a day

You might say that couriers do their work right in front of our eyes without us even noticing. Perhaps that’s one reason for their popularity. And that’s what we’ll discuss in this article.

Shipping Services vs. Courier Services

It might be surprising to learn that UPS and FedEx, common household names, rank highest among those offering courier service, along with the U.S. Postal Service.

This is because all three also offer shipping as well as courier services. This is one reason why there is a fine line between shipping and courier services. We’ll try to sort this out now.

What is Shipping Service?

Shipping is a very encompassing term, referring to the “process of transporting an item, usually through the mail. Shipping is a very basic, common way of getting an item from one place to another, or from one person to another.”

Shipping services deliver both parcels (smaller packages weighing less than 70 pounds) and freight (200-10,000 pounds).

What is Courier Shipping Service?

What is a courier? This is somewhat more complicated. With courier service, an individual delivery person is responsible for carrying out the exchange of items between two or more parties.

Couriers are usually employed by companies that charge a flat rate to the party shipping a given item.

There are two main types of courier service:

Standard Local Courier Service

Commonly used by businesses, local courier service involves the local delivery of an item by an individual courier. This might be, for example, a confidential document of an office machine part needed for a timely repair.

Since this category also includes rush and on-demand services, it is sometimes used by individuals for urgent needs ranging from delivery of documents to emergency medical supplies.

In such situations, items might be handed off to a major carrier for expedited long-distance shipping and then delivered by a different local courier at its destination.

Local couriers also pick up and deliver luggage for airline and other mass transit passengers.

Regional Couriers

Also known as regional parcel carriers or delivery services, are hybrid shipping companies and local courier operations, with services such as overnight delivery and warehousing–sometimes even freight handling.

International Courier Service

Several shipping services deliver both freight and parcels overseas. However, courier services that specialize in international delivery will offer the best rates.

They will pick up the parcel at your location and hand it off to one of their international carrier partners. Then a local courier will deliver it to its destination.

International couriers have special expertise and certain advantages when it comes to international deliveries–for example, better connections with port authorities, ability to acquire permits, and tax discounts.

Regional and local courier services in the U.S. consist of air transit services, ground deliveries and other services including messengers and local deliveries. Couriers specialize in the delivery of envelopes and parcels, not items over 100-150 pounds.

While technically not courier businesses themselves, Federal Express, UPS, DHL, and the USPS all employ couriers to hand-deliver expedited mail and packages.

Recent Demand for Courier Services

Over 50% of online businesses plan on providing same-day delivery in the next 3-5 years. And 18% of consumers say fast delivery is the biggest factor in choosing their favorite store.

Given that last-mile delivery by local couriers has been key to expediting deliveries, this should signal a bright future for that industry if the trend continues.

E-Commerce

It won’t surprise anyone that much of the demand for courier services today can be attributed to the nearly daily supply chain innovations of Amazon.com and e-commerce generally (led by Amazon).

Amazon puts pressure on smaller operations to keep innovating in order to both keep pace with Amazon and serve its competitors.

So, it makes sense that much of today’s demand for courier services involves B2C (business to customer/consumer) orders, which often means the delivery of items purchased locally.

Local Businesses

Small businesses are also finding ways to use courier services to save their own staff time, thereby reducing their overall expenses.

Nearly all small businesses, especially those wishing to remain independent and local, have to find ways to hold their own against Amazon!

Food Delivery

The recent proliferation of food delivery services–a form of courier service if there ever was one–has increased demand for couriers generally, because of requests of traditional couriers to deliver food (in areas not served by others)…

This is also due to the many food-delivery services that have sprung up–including UberEATS, Doordash, Grubhub, and Postmates. And it’s because of the pressure on local restaurants to beef up their own delivery operations as well.

Expanding the Taxi Niche

Uber and Lyft emerged seemingly out of nowhere around 2010 and rapidly took on the long-standing taxi industry.

Now, not only have the new shared ride services expanded their services into areas such as food and package delivery, but they’re also setting a standard for other “ad hoc” courier services. What will we see next?

Regional Carriers

Yet another factor in the flourishing of local couriers has been the growth of regional shipping and transportation companies mentioned previously, such as Winnesota above, Lone Star Overnight, and US Cargo.

Couriers and Innovation

A sort of “dog chasing its tail” scenario has come about due to couriers’ well-established need and motivation to track their deliveries.

After all, they have to both compete and collaborate with logistics “giants like UPS, FedEx, and the USPS–not to mention Amazon. So they have entered the pursuit of innovating to create even more demand for innovation.

The investment advising company Market Realist reminds us how much these technologies and the increased reach of the Internet have led to greater transparency and advanced methodologies for online tracking.

Shipments can now be tracked online from the moment of ordering through the actual delivery. It has only grown more sophisticated.

Delivered on Time!

Shipping services, including courier services, seem to have played a significant role in defining and reinforcing 21st-century needs regarding shipping logistics and consumers’ parcel-delivery expectations.

This will be an interesting industry (or group of industries) to watch over the coming years. Time will tell whether or not their current role in accelerating other businesses’ innovations will continue.

Of course, we have a stake in all this ourselves. In fact, our services span a few of the areas discussed here. Keep an eye on where and our industry generally are going by reading our blog–which we believe is a great information source!

Weighing Your Costs: The Delivery Cost Comparison Guide

Globally, annual online consumer shopping will reach $4.8 trillion by the year 2021. In just a few years, analysts forecast that e-commerce will be the largest retail shopping channel on the planet.

Today, people aren’t only spending more time shopping online – they’re spending more during each session. Resultantly, businesses are competing fiercely to attract their share of the estimated 1.92 billion people who will shop online in 2019.

Studies show that 85% of all shoppers browse online reviews when trying to make a buying decision. Of those, 77% go on to make a purchase.

The delivery cost is one part of the shopping experience that consumers write about frequently. Even if you offer free shipping, excessive costs to deliver goods can eat away your profits.

Because of this, business owners must do a carrier cost comparison to understand shipping rates for different packages. This way, they can save money while carving out their share of the $4.8 trillion online shopping pie.

Why Delivery Cost Matters

Unchecked shipping costs can become expensive. Still, there are times when consumers need goods right away. This can range from last minute gifts to parts needed to repair a vital household appliance.

The three major United States shippers – USPS, UPS and FedEx – offer similar services. These are the main shippers for same-day, overnight and today delivery. Still, packaging guidelines and pricing vary somewhat.

Same-day delivery service bodes well with consumers. It can create a seemingly seamless shopping experience. As more consumers come to expect same-day shipping, retailers will be compelled to deliver.

When it comes to attracting and retaining buyers, it’s all about consumer convenience. Same-day shipping has emerged as a way to make shopping more convenient and closer to an in-store experience.

Now, with the click of a mouse, consumers can have goods arrive at their doorstep anywhere from a few hours to a few days. For retailers, the trick is to keep shipping costs under 7% to 8% of consumers’ total shopping cart total.

Cost of Delivery By USPS

For guaranteed overnight delivery, the United States Postal Service offers Priority Mail Express. The service is available seven days a week.

Priority Mail Express is the cheapest option for shipping flat, lightweight goods. USPS offers the service for $24.70. You can ship anything that fits in the Mail Express envelope to anywhere in the U.S.

The USPS also ships packages overnight. For example, a:

  • 1-pound shipment costs $39.40
  • 5-pound shipment costs $63.20
  • 10-pound shipment costs $93.15
  • 50-pound shipment costs $288.45

The United States Postal Service is the most cost-effective choice for shipping items that weigh less than a pound.

For a long time, reliability was a big issue for the government-run service. Relatively recently, however, they have redeemed themselves as a dependable carrier by delivering parcels more consistently.

One advantage of using USPS is that they provide free boxes. You can even have shipping boxes delivered to your business.

Delivery Pricing for FedEx

FedEx offers First Overnight for next morning delivery. FedEx Priority Overnight, however, is available for next day delivery before 10:30 a.m. or in the same afternoon for rural areas. The carrier also offers FedEx Standard Overnight for delivery to rural areas between 3:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. and private residences before 8:00 p.m. the next day.

Starting at $46.30, you can ship overnight packages using FedEx Standard Overnight. FedEx First Overnight comes with a heftier price tag, starting at $81.69.

FedEx next day package shipping rates are higher than USPS. Comparing similar packages, a:

  • 1-pound shipment costs $81.11 to $123.05
  • 5-pound shipment costs $102.99 to $141.08
  • 10-pound shipment costs $141.83 to $175.05
  • 50-pound shipment costs $390.12 to $429.71

However, there is a relatively new caveat with FedEx shipping.

You want to avoid getting charged with a “Ground Unauthorized Package” fee. Starting September 03, 2018, FedEx rolled out new fees for oversized shipments along with additional handling surcharges. The new penalty is a hefty $675 fine.

FedEx laid out several criteria for Ground Unauthorized Packages. These include packages that are:

  • A combined length, width and depth of 165 inches
  • More than 108 inches long
  • Weigh more than 150 pounds

If FedEx pinpoints one of your shipments as a Ground Unauthorized Package, they may refuse or return it. In other words, adding insult to injury, they will charge you the fee and refuse to accept your shipment.

UPS Delivery Options

When you need to move items in a hurry, UPS offers Next Day Air for $46.58. You can use the service to ship items that weigh less than 8 ounces. The next tier of service, UPS Day Air Early costs $80.98.

UPS overnight package options are similar compared to FedEx for lighter packages but are less for shipping more substantial items. For example, a:

  • 1-pound shipment costs $81.47 to $122.52
  • 5-pound shipment costs $103.47 to $140.63
  • 10-pound shipment costs $142.45 to $174.77
  • 50-pound shipment costs $208.42 to $240.80

If you’re not careful, however, you can also face fines if you don’t choose your shipping options carefully.

Starting June 2018, UPS rolled out a penalty system that’s similar to the FedEx Ground Unauthorized Package fine. The UPS version, however, is less punitive.

UPS will penalize shippers if weekly charge corrections total more than $5. The Audit Fee is $1 per package correction or 6% of the total amount of corrections, whichever is higher. Accordingly, you’ll want to double check every shipment to make sure that your items comply with UPS guidelines.

Putting It All in Perspective

It’s important to note that overnight shipping services guarantee that your goods will arrive when indicated. In reality, however, a 100% success rate is impossible. What the guarantee means that if the carrier cannot fulfill their promise, you’ll receive a refund for the shipping fee.

As more consumers shop online, delivery cost will become more critical for retailers. It’s essential to keep shipping costs down for the benefit of both consumers and your business.

If you have questions about shipping best practices and optimization, contact us today to speak with a friendly representative. Ask about our free app that you can use to arrange same-day and next-day shipping across the United States.

Who’s The Real Star Of A Stellar Online Customer Experience?

We all know that shopping online has taken over the way companies do business. But what you may not know is that shipping options can make or break the deal for the majority of buyers. 

About 85% of Amazon users won’t buy a product because of the shipping charges. Then 60% of Prime users won’t buy your product if the shipping is too slow. 

How do your delivery options stack up? You are probably missing out on a lot of sales because your delivery options aren’t what shoppers are looking for. 

Let’s go over the delivery options that you have available to you. 

Tracking 

First things first, no matter what shipping options you offer your buyers, you must provide tracking. Your customers want to know when their order ships and when they can expect it. 

In fact, they are more likely to be happy with a longer shipping time as long as they know when the delivery will happen. By offering them an online portal to track their shipment you give them a higher level of communication and build trust.

Rush or Expedited Shipping 

Amazon has proven that some customers want their items fast. In fact, there is a whole community of Prime members who pay a yearly fee just to have two-day shipping on all of their orders. 

Sephora has followed suit and they offer a yearly membership of $15 to get their FLASH shipping. That’s free 2-day shipping on all orders. 

The advantage for you is that these customers are more likely to order more product because they know they have free shipping. 

One Off Rush Shipping 

You don’t have to offer a membership to offer rush shipping. This will be a more most expensive shipping option, but your customers will expect that. 

This option is about service and speed, not price. 

Low-Cost Shipping 

You need to provide a low cost or free shipping option. This will cover all of your customers who don’t want to pay for shipping. 

Now this means that you need to cover the shipping cost yourself. You could build the cost of shipping into the price of the product. This isn’t always possible though. 

Your other option is to reduce your shipping costs. One way to do this is to work with a shipping service that provides warehousing

You would then hire them to store and ship your inventory. This does two things for your business. First, it reduces your shipping costs by streamlining the process. It also reduces costs by allowing you to leverage the shipper’s volume for lower rates. 

The second thing it will do is place your product closer to your future customers.

Think about it this way, if your company is in Florida, but most of your customers are in New Jersey, then they have to wait for their order to go from Florida to New Jersey every time they order. 

Instead, have your company in Florida, but warehouse your inventory in New Jersey or nearby. Then when a customer orders it only travels a short distance, getting to your customer faster. 

In-Store Pickup

Another popular option is in store pickup. Walmart and Target have been leaders in this type of shipping service. It works well for your business because you already have the logistics infrastructure in place to support it. 

It can also streamline your inventory management since the product may not even need to be shipped. It may already be located in the store. 

There is also the added benefit of getting your customers in the store. This increases the likelihood of buying more once in the store. 

For those who do business online and in brick and mortar locations, this is an option that should be embraced. About 60% of shoppers aged 15 to 49 would be happy to have and want to use this service. 

Shipping Large Items 

If you are in the business of shipping large items then carrier or parcel shipping isn’t for you. In this case, you can provide your customers with the highest level of customer service by arranging shipping for them. 

If you work with a broker you ensure that they get full service at the best price. Your customers may not know that they will have to pay extra for last mile and in-home delivery. 

You can get the best rates for both of these by leveraging your broker’s shipping volume. This also takes all of the headaches and work out of the buying process.

Your customers will appreciate the prompt on-time delivery. This type of service is what will separate your business from your competitors. 

Delivery Options for Your Business 

You don’t need to give buyers all of the delivery options that are out there. You just need to offer a couple of different options. This will allow you to cater to the needs of a wide range of shoppers. 

You want to have one low-cost option. This will cover those who don’t care how long the shipment takes, they want the lowest cost possible. 

Then you want a mid-grade option, people who are willing to pay a little bit to get their item slightly faster than the cheapest option. Many buyers will choose this option because it seems like a better option. 

Finally, you want a fast shipping option. This is for those who want their item RIGHT NOW. These shoppers are willing to spend extra money to make sure they get their item as fast as possible. 

With these options, you are sure to have something to satisfy the biggest amount of people. 

Contact us today and let us help you formulate your shipping strategies. 

What Can Courier Companies Do for Your Business?

same day delivery

If your day to day delivery requirements have an impact on your success and reputation, you may need something more than UPS or FedEx.

Fortunately, courier companies offer a number of options the large parcel delivery services can’t provide. It may be time to make a switch.

But exactly what does a courier service do for you? If you’re asking yourself this question, keep reading.

We’re going over some of the primary benefits of using a courier service and how they can help your business.

Fast Service

Whether you’re sending products out to customers or need business documents delivered across town, speed is always important.

A courier company can provide you with a level of timeliness the larger parcel services can’t. Couriers offer a much more personalized experienced, pacing your needs as their top priority.

When you hire a courier, they can show up when requested and will guarantee your package makes it to its destination on time. This is a level of service UPS or FedEx doesn’t have the ability to provide.

With them, your delivery gets grouped in with the rest. Even if you pay for faster service, there’s no guarantee it will arrive when promised.

In addition, a courier company is available 24/7 and can even provide service on holidays. This comes in handy if you have an emergency delivery.

Professional couriers also have an intimate knowledge of the city and know the best routes to take in order to ensure prompt delivery. With postal services, you never know for sure.

Reliability and Care

Damaged or missing items could mean a loss of business. Knowing your package is in good hands is an invaluable service, especially when shipping important documents or products.

You’ve likely heard stories about packages getting abused and damaged by the larger parcel services. Maybe you’ve experienced this yourself.

When you use a professional courier, you eliminate this worry. They understand the importance of your delivery and will handle it with care.

One reason you can trust your package with a courier is that they’re handling fewer deliveries at once. They’re not throwing you package in the back of a truck with a hundred others.

For salaried couriers, they have an obligation to provide good service for every customer. If they don’t, they could lose their job.

Many courier companies also offer freight services with the same level of care and reliability. Regardless of the size of the item, you get to have the peace of mind it’ll arrive safely and on time.

Cost-Effectiveness

Depending on your shipping needs, using traditional methods could be extremely expensive. There’s a good chance a courier service will provide better rates. Plus, you get more personalized care for the money.

Courier companies don’t have the same fees and regulations as the large parcel services. Instead, they offer different options such as flat-rate or per-mile.

Choosing to enter into a contract with a courier can make your daily delivery requirements much more cost-effective. You’ll know upfront how much you’ll pay each week, which makes forming and adhering to a budget much easier.

If you often ship heavy objects, you’ll likely see huge savings. Courier services typically don’t charge exorbitant amounts for items over a certain weight. They can also offer discounted rates for shipping larger volumes.

The cost-effectiveness of a courier can also allow you to provide better shipping rates to your customers. This is great for client retention.

You can often get online quotes from couriers, so you’ll know upfront how much you’re about to spend.

Better Customer Service

The customer experience you’ll get is one of the biggest benefits of using a courier service. What’s even better is this customer service is extended to the recipients of your deliveries as well.

Couriers are trained to provide a professional, personalized experience for every customer. This is one of the things that sets them apart from traditional parcel services.

They maintain a good appearance, are polite and have quality vehicles. This means a lot to businesses who have high delivery requirements. A courier’s professionalism is an extension of your business and can help maintain a good reputation.

On your end, you’ll enjoy a level of customer support the large parcel companies don’t have the resources to provide. This includes online ordering, phone support, easy tracking, and instant quotes for every type of service they provide.

Courier companies can also send electronic proof of delivery, so you know the second your package arrives. This could be by phone or email.

Streamlining the entire delivery process is what courier companies are all about. Postal services simply don’t have the resources to provide this level of service.

More Delivery Options

When working with an established courier company, fast delivery service isn’t the only thing available to you. Many companies offer a full range of shipping and storage options.

This may include warehousing service for items that need to be stored until a future shipping date. They may also offer refrigerated services for perishable items.

These services are great for online retail businesses and companies that need help storing inventory until a specific delivery date.

You’ll also be able to take advantage of pre-scheduled deliveries and same-day delivery. Regardless of your business’s needs, a reliable courier service can become your one-stop resource for all your delivery needs.

Discover How Courier Companies Can Help Your Business

If traditional shipping methods are no longer getting the job done for your business, it’s time to hire a courier service. Not only can they provide faster service, courier companies can offer a number of other resources that will help your business function smoothly.

Consider your daily shipping needs and determine what kind of commitment you need from a courier. Regardless of what you need, finding a professional service will solve a number of problems at once.

We offer a full range of courier and warehousing solutions in the Miami and Fort Lauderdale area. Contact us today to learn what we can do for you.