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What Is the Difference Between USPS Retail Ground and Parcel Select?
Even though ground delivery is relatively slow, a lot of people choose it for non-urgent shipments because it is inexpensive and well suited for large parcels and hazardous materials that cannot be transported by air. The United States Postal Service offers two main ground shipping options: Retail Ground and Parcel Select. What is the difference between the two?
What Is Expedited Shipping?
Most people in our fast-paced world don’t like to wait for things. For example, when we order something online we usually want our order to arrive as soon as possible. To accommodate customers with time-sensitive shipments, most carriers offer some type of expedited shipping. What exactly is expedited shipping and how does it differ from standard shipping?
The Pros and Cons of Ground Shipping
Some people are quick to dismiss ground shipping thinking it’s too slow, but it has its pros and cons just like any other shipping method, otherwise postal and courier companies wouldn’t offer this delivery option. Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of ground shipping so that you can make an informed choice when selecting the most suitable shipping method.
What Is Ground Shipping and How Can You Benefit from It?
A lot of people equate ground shipping with slow delivery. While it is true that ground shipping is slower than other shipping methods like shipping by air or by sea, it has a number of benefits, so you shouldn’t count it out in situations where delivery speed is not your top priority. Let’s take a closer look at ground shipping services provided by major carriers and figure out how you can benefit from them.
What Is the Difference Between Same-Day Shipping and Delivery?
Almost half of all consumers who shop online expect their orders to arrive within the next two or three days, and when their order is time sensitive, they hope to receive it by the next business day. So it is not surprising that a lot of online shops have to offer their customers same-day shipping or delivery in order to stay competitive. Although the two options sound similar, there is actually a not insignificant difference between them.
5 Tips for Shipping Valuable Items
Getting you package damaged or lost while in transit is always unpleasant, but when this happens to a high-value item, it can be nothing short of disastrous. This is why you should take all precautions imaginable to ensure that your valuable items arrive at their destination undamaged, or that at least you get compensated for your losses if they don’t. Let us offer you a few tips for shipping valuable items that might be helpful.
How to Pack and Ship Comic Books
Whether you sell vintage comic books on eBay or just want to gift a few of your favorite comics to a friend, you should know how to pack comics properly and choose the best shipping service if you want them to arrive in a timely manner and intact. Let us share a few tips on how to pack and ship comic books that might come in handy.
How to Prepare for Peak Shipping Season: A Few Tips for Small Online Retailers
Most online retailers have to go through peak shipping season (or seasons!) every year, and if they don’t want to deal with unhappy customers, they should start preparing for peak shipping season beforehand to not be overwhelmed with the influx of orders when the time comes. Let us offer you a few tips that might come in handy when you’re preparing your business for peak season.
A Few Tips for Shipping Toys, Games and Puzzles
Shipping toys, games and puzzles, whether as gifts or purchases, is easier than, say, shipping musical instruments or perishable items. However, there are still things to consider if you want your package to arrive in good condition. Let us offer you a few tips for shipping toys, games and puzzles.
A Few Tips for Shipping Musical Instruments
Shipping musical instruments can be quite a challenge because they are both fragile and expensive; in addition, many musical instruments are both oddly shaped and bulky, which hikes up the shipping cost. Let’s figure out together how to find the safest and most cost-effective way to ship musical instruments.
What Is USPS Media Mail and What Can You Ship With It?
Many people think that First-Class Mail is the cheapest shipping service provided by the USPS, but it is not quite true. Media Mail is generally cheaper, but there is a catch: just like its name suggests, Media Mail can by used only to ship certain types of media. Let’s figure out what items are eligible for Media Mail and how to mail them correctly.
What Is the Difference Between a Postage Stamp and a Shipping Label?
The United States Postal Service (USPS) issues two main types of labels to customers who pay postage: postage stamps and shipping labels. They are used for different types of shipments and have several other major differences that you need to be aware of if you are going to send something via the USPS and want your shipment to arrive without a hitch. So how exactly is a postage stamp different from a USPS shipping label?
What Time Do the USPS and U.S. UPS Deliver?
Sometimes when you’re waiting for a package to arrive, knowing the expected delivery date is not enough; you also want to know the expected delivery time if your shipment is time-sensitive or if you need to be there to sign for it. What time do the United States Postal Service (USPS) and U.S. UPS deliver packages?
USPS and U.S. UPS Holiday Operating Schedules
Postal and courier companies normally close their offices and do not deliver on major holidays, but each of the companies has its own holiday schedule. Let’s take a closer look at the United States Postal Service (USPS) and U.S. UPS holiday operating schedules so that you can plan your time-sensitive deliveries accordingly.
7 Common Causes of Shipping Delays
Although shipping carriers do their best to deliver mail and packages as quickly and efficiently as possible, shipping delays are bound to happen every now and then. There are many reasons for shipping delays; some of them are preventable, while others are caused by circumstances beyond our control. Here’s a list of the most common causes of shipping delays.
How Much Time Does International Shipping Take?
Whether you’re an online retailer or a regular customer, you probably want to know how long international shipping takes when you send a parcel overseas. International shipping speed is affected by many factors, some of which are beyond our control, but it is generally possible to predict when your package is going to arrive.
6 Factors That Affect International Shipping Time
When you ship something internationally, you obviously want to know how long it is going to take for the package to arrive, especially if your shipment is time-sensitive. The time in transit of an international mailpiece depends on many factors ranging from the chosen shipping method to various unforeseen circumstances. Here are 6 main factors that affect international shipping time.
How to Email Prepaid Return Shipping Labels to Your Customers
Returns are an inevitability in almost any kind of retail business, but especially in online retail: the average e-commerce return rates are between 15% and 40%, compared to approximately 9% in brick-and-mortar stores. The way an online store handles returns affects customer retention, therefore it is crucial to make the return process as easy as possible for customers. For example, some merchants include prepaid return shipping labels in all packages or email them to customers upon request. How to send a return shipping label by email?
The Pros and Cons of Prepaid Return Shipping Labels for Online Merchants
Returns are much more common in online retail than in traditional brick-and-mortar stores, and most customers are more likely to buy again from a store with a good return policy even if they end up returning the first purchase. Providing your customers with free return labels may be beneficial for your store, but it has its drawbacks as well.
What to Do If You Missed a UPS Delivery
A missed delivery is an unpleasant situation, but it is not the end of the world. Missed deliveries happen all the time because people can’t just stay home all day waiting to collect their packages, but eventually most packages do get delivered. What should you do if you missed a UPS delivery?