UPS offers multiple shipping rates to match your budget and timeline. Whether you need a parcel to get from New York to Los Angeles by nightfall or to Singapore by Friday, you’re going to find the option that works best for your business. One service provided by UPS that has become beneficial for many businesses is the use of flat rate shipping & UPS boxes, known as UPS Simple Rate.
What is Flat Rate Shipping?
When shipping a parcel the traditional way, the cost is never a sure-fire thing. You need to factor in weight, size dimensions, as well as the distance being traveled – as well as any other added value fees, etc. – to calculate the cost of shipping. Flat rate shipping takes out all the calculations and measurements and replaces it with one charge per parcel no matter how much it weighs or where it’s going. It’s an easy and guaranteed way to send parcels – especially if they all fit within the same sized UPS box.
It’s important to mention here that flat rate shipping is only available when shipping nationally. If you are shipping a package across the border or over an ocean, you will need to ship with one of the UPS international shipping options.
Things to know about UPS Simple Rate Shipping
When shipping with UPS Simple Rate, you’re not restricted to only one sized box or standard shipping times as you may be familiar with other carriers’ similar services.
When using UPS Simple Rate, you can choose from multiple box sizes (or use your own) up to 50 pounds as well as from shipping times including UPS 2nd Day Air and UPS Ground.
Choose one or more options that match up well with the products you’re shipping and the amount of time you need to have your packages reach their destinations.
How to Ship Using UPS Simple Rate
If shipping from your website, you can implement an automated system that prints shipping labels based on your choice of using flat rate shipping. So, the process is simple because there’s no work needed by your team – only a sticker placed on a box.
If you’re using the UPS website to ship your flat rate parcel, the process is still an easy one although it requires some steps from yourself to complete.
According to UPS, the steps to using Simple Rate include:
- Click on “Create a Shipment” on the UPS website
- Input the “to” and “from” details and select the “Get flat rate shipping up to 50 lbs.” option. For packages that weigh more than 50 lbs., explore the many other shipping options available on UPS.com
- Enter the size of your package (Extra Small, Small, Medium, Large, or Extra Large) or use the “Calculate volume” link and input your package dimensions to determine the Simple Rate size
- Choose how quickly you want the package to be delivered
- Schedule a pickup or drop off the package at one of UPS’s convenient locations, from The UPS Store to a UPS Access Point
Benefits of using UPS Simple Rate & UPS Boxes for my business
Many businesses, small to large, are benefiting from using UPS Simple Rate to ship their products to their customers. There is much more to take advantage of than just a predictable shipping cost.
- Boxes can be branded with your logo and other images you like without needing to be reboxed by UPS before shipment. You can use your own boxes so your customers will know exactly where their package is coming from when they find it at their front door
- You can use multiple box sizes, and therefore multiple flat rates, based on how much each customer is purchasing. This is helpful when upselling at check-out. Offering a lower (or free) shipping rate if their total reaches a certain dollar amount
- Your entire shipping process becomes easy and streamlined
- Your shipments can be up to 50 pounds and can be shipped anywhere within the country. This can save you a HUGE amount of money if you’re shipping products that are heavy and are often sent from coast to coast. The money saved on these packages alone is enough to make up for the cost of shipping close by (which still isn’t too much less if at all than the flat rate fee).
Shipping Cost for UPS Flat Rate & UPS Boxes
The cost of shipping with UPS Simple Rate varies. There are 5 different UPS flat rate box options based on the size.
- An XS box starts at $8.80 USD and can hold something small like a pair of sunglasses or a t-shirt.
- An S box starts at $11.50 USD and can hold something around the size of a book.
- An M box starts at $13.90 USD and is about the size of a shoebox.
- An L box starts at $18.40 USD and can hold something about the size of a basketball.
- An XL box starts at $22.85 USD and can hold a small appliance or small sporting equipment.
If you want to find out more about the cost of shipping with UPS flat rate shipping, read UPS Flat Rate Shipping Cost.
You can see how these sizes can work well for any business, providing an amazingly cost-effective option for shipping products across the country – even those heavy ones.
If you’re a small business seeking to optimize the shipping process while keeping costs low, you can benefit from learning more about UPS flat rate shipping.
PluginHive provides UPS shipping solutions that integrate UPS shipping capabilities within the top eCommerce-based platforms. You can optimize your flat rate shipping and boxes through these services. To find out more, reach out to our support team.
