Online shopping is not only common but is considered mandatory for the majority of individuals these days. During the buying or selling process, one is certain to deal with package delivery services. Consider USPS flat rate shipping to make things simpler: It is reasonably fast and has a fixed price that allows you to handle your deliveries efficiently.
It is also a term used in every industry based ecommerce system whereby all your customers pay a standard rate for shipping regardless of what they are purchasing from you or how large and bulky the products are or vice versa. In this article, you will learn more about flat rate shipping rates, delivery time and the services offered.
What is USPS Flat Rate Shipping?
Flat rate shipping is also another priority mail service from the USPS where you can get a standard price depending on some conditions which are based on the size of the shipment. For instance, when sending a parcel, the cost depends on the size of the box that your package fits into, regardless of its weight.
These boxes are available online at the USPS, or you can get them at the post office. The small sized boxes are cheaper as compared to other sizes; hence, utilize the correct size of the box while packing the goods. Different USPS flat rate boxes exist to fit different sizes of parcels.
They all have different dimensions but the maximum amount of weight one is allowed to send through USPS is 70lbs. It is, however, important to note that as the dimension increases, the cost of shipping also increases; just in case you haven’t done so already, consider checking out the USPS shipping rates.
How Long Does Flat Rate Shipping Take To Deliver
Flat rate shipping is among the USPS fastest shipping since delivery takes 1-3 business days or even less. Saturday delivery is also available in case very urgent shipments are to be delivered.
What are the Services Provided by Flat Rate Shipping
Apart from the flat rate shipping services, USPS near me can also provide you with other convenient services. Let's quickly discuss some of them.
- USPS Scheduled Pickup: It allows you to organize pickup of your items and deliver them directly to their destinations, whether at your home or workplace.
- USPS Informed Delivery: It allows the ability to view letters and control package deliveries even if one is not at the house.
- USPS Online Shipping: It is an opportunity to purchase flat-rate shipping without leaving home. Following that, you can generate your own USPS shipping labels and also arrange a pickup.
It is as such understandable that the flat rate shipping service does not include USPS international shipping. For international mail, It is recommended to use USPS first-class package shipping, and you should also check for USPS international shipping costs. International shipping is often more costly than domestic shipping, so try and be aware of how much this will cost you before going through with it.
Is Flat Rate Shipping with USPS Costly?
Actually, it is not costly at all – it is rather cheap. But do not forget that the cost increases when the boxes are larger. The price of sending a parcel through flat-rate services will slightly depend on the size of the box you are sending, the destination of the parcel, and the time you want the parcel to arrive. Thus, the flat rate envelope will be the least expensive, while the big box will be the most expensive.
However, it does mean that there are cases where flat-rate shipping for the same parcel can be more costly than some of the services USPS provides. But, if you want to find the cheapest shipping option possible, compare all the carriers with the USPS shipping rate calculator.
When you use the USPS shipping calculator, it shows you the exact price that you will have to pay to send your package, and you get several USPS shipping quotes from popular courier services in one place so you can decide on the best deal.
Advantages of Using Flat Rate Shipping
- The package will be tracked.
- You can add insurance coverage.
- Delivery by mail to any USPS post office.
- Send all types of products as long as they can fit in a box.
- Free or low shipping rates – up to 70lbs max.
- Reduced bulk shipping rates when booking online and printing labels.
- It is most preferred that one uses clear packaging tape when putting items inside the box.
- In particular, one should read the prohibited items list in order not to violate the rules.
Conclusion
USPS flat rate shipment is quite the convenient and affordable shipping option that replaces traditional mail services. Compared to other forms of shipping it is relatively cheap but may be a little more costly at times. Besides, you will not have to spend days calculating postage rates, which is also a good saving because, you know, time is equal to money.
FAQs
1. How does flat rate shipping USPS work?
Priority mail flat-rate boxes are available at any post office. Give them to a post office letter carrier when picking up a business mail. Schedule a next-day pickup without any additional cost using carrier pickup (which is offered in many areas) through online notification on the USPS website.
2. How much is the USPS flat rate, and how long does it take to deliver?
Flat Rate shipping normally takes between one to three days to reach the destination, excluding Sunday or any other specific holiday. All flat rate shipping will be done through USPS priority mail; the estimated shipping time is 1 – 3 days.
3. What methods of payment are accepted for USPS flat rate shipping?
Once you have filled your boxes, you can mail the box to the post office, where you will be charged the shipping cost of the particular box. You can also pre-order your cost of shipping at the post office and then proceed to mail your box from home. You can also print shipping labels, as well as purchase postage online.
4. How much does the USPS ship at a flat rate?
It begins at $9.65 for priority mail service, meaning the shipping price is fixed, not depending on the package’s weight or the distance it needs to be shipped across the United States.
5. Is it always cheaper to use a flat rate with USPS as compared to using FedEx?
It is cheaper to use the USPS flat rate when sending small to medium parcels over short distances than to use FedEx.