Holiday shopping online is convenient, but those shipping fees can really eat away at your shopping budget. In a year where every dollar is just that much more important, how can you avoid them?
"If I see free shipping after you spend a certain amount, usually I'll go for those," said Bailey Martin, a local shopper. "If the shipping is too high, sometimes I won't even end up buying it."
Opt for in-store or pickup - Some stores will even offer same-day pickup at a local store, or free shipping to the store itself so you can swing by and pick up your order. It can help you avoid the lines and the shipping fees.
Free delivery services - If you subscribe to a service like Amazon Prime or Walmart+ you may already get free shipping with no minimum purchase. Make sure you're taking advantage of any memberships you already have.
Credit card perks - Some credit cards may offer free delivery perks at certain stores, or have plugins you can install in your browser to help find coupon codes that may give you discounts or free shipping.
Filler items - If you're trying to find items to reach that "free delivery" threshold that many stores offer, look for items you know you will need at some point. That way you can save in the long run without buying things you don't always need.
Finally, remember that the faster you'll need an item, the more you'll end up paying. So try to get any online shopping and orders done quickly.
Opt for in-store or pickup - Some stores will even offer same-day pickup at a local store, or free shipping to the store itself so you can swing by and pick up your order. It can help you avoid the lines and the shipping fees.
Sometimes, shopping online is easier and more convenient than going into a store. If you happen to live near one of the retailer's store locations, you may be able to place your order online and then pick it up from the store at no additional cost.
In a recent survey by First Insight, a third of the respondents – 62% more than last year – said they'd be willing to pay shipping costs of at least $10. Three out of four Gen X and Boomer respondents (roughly ages 60 to 75) said they'd be okay paying $20 or more.
The major causes for higher shipping costs are inefficient cargo ships, shipping container shortage globally, limited supply of commodities, and increased consumer demand. Each of these factors add pressure on the international shipping rates.
Once you've looked at your shipping data, you can find opportunities to negotiate the following:
Base rates. If you're working with multiple couriers, you can compare rates to your frequently shipped destinations and see if prices can be more competitive or matched.
USPS Priority Mail is generally the cheapest shipping service for 2-3 day shipping. FedEx, UPS, and other courier companies offer delivery services with similar lead time expectations, but USPS offers the lowest rates.
While shipping rates steadily increase over time due to inflation and increased labor and material costs, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the supply chain in multiple ways and thus caused shipping costs to rise exponentially.
A free shipping option requires you to absorb the cost of dispatching orders. The easiest way to do that is to build the cost of shipping into your product margins. By doing this, the customer will unknowingly cover the cost while still receiving the free shipping incentive.
The courts ruled that if a seller specifies charges only for shipping then their cost is the only thing that can be charged. If a seller, on the other hand, charges shipping and handling or shipping and processing then they can charge whatever they want for the handling or processing part.
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Introduction: My name is Msgr. Benton Quitzon, I am a comfortable, charming, thankful, happy, adventurous, handsome, precious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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