You’ve made a sale! And now it’s time to ship your merchandise to your customer – Whether you’re a new online business owner or simply interested in exploring your shipping options, the breadth of choices can feel overwhelming at first glance. Rather than worrying about price charts and the different service levels available, try using the USPS Shipping Calculator instead.
This is a great tool that makes it simple to key in different inputs – destination, zip codes, dates, service level and weight – to compare prices and delivery times in a snap. You can even use the USPS Shipping Calculator to plan ahead and include shipping costs in your retail price – This is especially useful in the holidays, when many online retailers offer free shipping.
How Does the USPS Shipping Calculator Work?
Once you’ve decided on the USPS as your carrier, you’ll need to consider the various options and costs. Measure and weigh your package ahead of time so that information is at your fingertips, then follow these steps.
Domestic Mail
1. Go to http://postcalc.usps.com/.
2. Select United States (Domestic and APO/FPO/DPO Mail) for Destination.
3. Input the appropriate data for Zip Codes and select a Mailing Date.
4. Is Flat Rate a good option for your product? Experiment with the different Flat Rate choices with dimensions you need.
5. For other shipping options, provide the total weight of your package and click Continue. (To view both Flat Rate and weight-based offerings on the same screen, select Display All Options.)
6. Click Add Extra Services to include protection, delivery confirmation and other services.
7. See the Post Office Price and Online Price for your shipment.
8. Pay for postage, print your label and you’re ready to ship!
International Mail
1. Go to http://postcalc.usps.com/.
2. Select your international shipping Destination from the drop-down menu.
3. Enter your item’s value in the box below your destination country and select a Mailing Date.
4. Select a Flat Rate option or choose the Shape of your package.
5. Click Continue to see the shipping price.
6. Click the Customs Forms and Extra Services button and fill out any applicable forms online.
7. See the Post Office Price and Online Price for your shipment.
8. Pay for and print your postage and affix your shipping labels, along with any necessary forms to your package.
Some Tips …
• When shipping packages, keep a measuring tape and postal scale handy! You’ll need these to input the exact measurements and weight of your packages to determine the correct shipping costs!
• Postage prices can and do increase. Double-check rates every time you ship to save hassles on either end of the shipment.
• Trying to choose between Flat Rate and other USPS options? A good rule of thumb is that if your item is heavy, Flat Rate almost always saves you money.
Number-Crunching Made Easy!
Why use the USPS Shipping Calculator? It just makes sense! Eliminate the guesswork and anxiety over what the best options are for you and your customer and educate yourself on the exact shipping costs. You’ll save yourself time, money … and possibly your sanity, too!
