This April, the USPS is changing the costs of shipping larger packages. Specifically, they’re adding what is colloquially referred to in the industry as “dims” (short for “dimensional fees”). These dims are added fees based on package dimensions, and depending on what your brand ships each day, some, all, or none of your parcels may be affected.
What’s Happening
Starting Sunday, Apr 3, 2022, the USPS will charge additional fees for specific shipments. These “non-standard package fees” and “non-compliance fees” will affect—and be enforced on—parcels shipped via the following services:
First-Class Package Service
Retail Ground
Parcel Select Ground
Priority Mail
Priority Mail Express
So, if you use any of these services when shipping your products, look for the fees described below.
The “Non-Standard Package Fees”
These fees are based on the size of the package you are sending. Not the internal measurements of the product or items in the package but the amount of space the whole thing will take up in a mail truck. They base these fees on two measurements: the length and the cubic volume.
The “Length Fee” affects all packages over 22” in length:
For packages over 22” in length but not over 30”, the fee is $4
For packages over 30” in length, the fee is $15
The “Cube Fee” affects all packages over two cubic feet in volume, regardless of other measurements. This fee is $15 for any package that exceeds the limit.
Now, unless you’re familiar with the USPS Priority Mail Cubic service, you might not be used to calculating the cubic volume of a package you’re using, so here’s how you can get that figure:
Measure the Length (L), Height (H), and Width (W) of the package in inches
Multiply L x H x W to get your cubic volume in inches
Divide that figure by 1728 (which is 12 inches cubed, i.e., one cubic foot)
The final result is your package’s volume in cubic feet
If that final number is more significant than 2, the $15 cube fee applies.
One final note on non-standard package fees: they’re additive. In other words, if your package is over 22” long and more than two cubic feet in volume, the fee total will be $19. If it’s longer than 30” and more than two cu. Ft., the total is $30.
The “Dimension Non-Compliance Fee”
There’s one other fee to watch for. If you hand off your package without properly labeling it with accurate dimension measurements (and thus, paying for the appropriate fees as part of the postage), you’ll also get hit with a non-compliance fee. This $1.50 fee applies to any package that’s:
Longer than 22” in length or
Greater than one cubic foot in volume
But the fee only applies if you fail to provide dimensions or if the measurements you provide are inaccurate (such as listing the measurements of the product inside or the internal measurements of the box it’s in). It’s important to note that most shipping boxes list their internal dimensions, not their external ones, so be sure to double-check those figures.
Does This Affect Your Shipping Costs?
While few (if any) brands sell products that use identical shipping packages across the board, not all brands sell products that require boxes big enough to incur these fees. In other words, any package you ship more minuscule than the above dimensions won’t be affected, and you won’t see any price increase.
You might also have noticed that several other USPS offerings weren’t included in the list of those affected by the fees, such as:
Priority Mail Flat Rate
Priority Mail Cubic
Priority Mail Regional
That’s because the requirements to ship via these programs are already under the abovementioned limits: flat rate and regional both use boxes provided by the USPS, and cubic limits every measurement to 18” or less. So if you primarily use these services, you’re in the clear.
If you find that your packages fall into these additional fees, reach out to us to see if there’s a way to ship your products for less.
If online retailers have sold products to anyone in the European Union (EU) as of July 1, 2021, they’re most likely aware that taxation changes have been made. Non-EU retailers have been given new options for VAT payment in the EU. Online retailers, as well as consumers, will need to know what these changes and new rules are, why these changes have been implemented, and the options for businesses to incorporate them.
What has changed with EU import VAT?
The EU eliminated its €22 tax de minimis, implemented new value-added tax (VAT) regulations, and encouraged online retailers to adjust their methods of importing goods into the EU.
Before July 1, anyone importing goods into the EU valued under €22 was not charged VAT. Now (post-July 1, 2021), all low-value imports (where the total value of goods is less than or equal to €150) are charged a VAT fee applied to the COGS value (cost of goods sold).
Why the change?
There are several reasons why the EU decided to remove the €22 de minimis and distance selling threshold that previously voided the VAT fees for orders under the threshold, including the following:
1. VAT fraud A massive amount of VAT fraud has been occurring in the EU, averaging around €7B in VAT fraud each year. The new rules aim to make shipments more secure and eliminate processes that allow fraud to occur quickly.
2. Level the playing field The EU incorporated the VAT scheme in an attempt to level the playing field between domestic and foreign retailers. Online EU retailers previously paid VAT on all orders, regardless of the value of the delivered goods, while retailers from countries outside of the EU could slide under the de minimis, allowing them to offer more competitive pricing. As of July 1, 2021, non-EU retailers must also pay VAT fees on all of their shipments into the EU, helping EU retailers stay competitive.
it’s extremely important to consider what kind of experience retailers want their customers to have
Non-EU online retailers also have the cost of international shipping and the task of finding and paying for an intermediary/fiscal representation. EU retailers do not need an intermediary, and their domestic shipping costs are significantly less expensive than international shipping costs. While the EU initially intended to level the playing field for domestic EU sellers, the changes have given them quite the advantage over non-EU retailers.
An intermediary is a European tax representative, usually an international accounting firm, who acts as an in-country agent for online retailers selling into the EU. After retailers acquire an IOSS number, the monthly remittance of VAT for all EU sales will need to be paid to their intermediary, who will then go on to pay it on the seller’s behalf to the country that they’ve selected for representation.
3. Tax revenue A more obvious benefit, but a benefit nonetheless, is that the EU’s removal of the de minimis causes an increased tax revenue.
4. Simplify The new VAT scheme is intended to simplify the VAT collection process. IOSS offers a new optional method of VAT collection by pre-collecting the EU import VAT.
Were online retailers and consumers ready?
Despite months of news coverage, many retailers were not prepared for the VAT scheme when it launched and have had difficulty incorporating the new scheme. Some local governments were unprepared to enforce the new rules, and communication has been less than ideal. The EU, retailers, and customers are still experiencing somewhat of a transitional period; however, implementation is getting better. Despite the difficulties of these changes, businesses should never try to cheat the system, engage in illegal shipping conduct, or fail to comply with the new VAT scheme because it will result in penalties.
What does the new EU VAT scheme mean for online retailers and consumers?
With the new VAT scheme, online retailers must decide how they want their EU consumers to receive their packages. While there are several different options to handle VAT collection, this article focuses on IOSS.
IOSS service
The Import-One-Stop-Shop (IOSS) service allows retailers to register in one European country (their choice) and report all European sales in a single VAT return to that country. For example, if a seller registers for an IOSS number in Ireland, they will report and remit taxes for all EU sales there. Ireland would distribute the VAT collected to the countries where the sales occurred.
This simplifies the registration and remittance process because retailers don’t have to register in multiple countries as they did previously with the distance selling thresholds. However, it does require non-EU businesses to appoint and pay for an in-country representative who will go on to disperse their collected VAT and take on liability if the non-EU businesses don’t pay.
When using an IOSS registration number on import documents, retailers must select DTU/DAP to ensure they will not be charged carrier disbursement or advancement fees on their shipments into the EU. Bypassing these fees can save sellers up to $16 (USD) per shipment, which adds up.
It’s also important to note that once sellers register for IOSS, they must stick with it. Sellers cannot pick and choose which orders to collect VAT on and ship with their IOSS number…it’s all or none. All low-value orders imported into the EU must include the online retailer’s IOSS number. However, if sellers decide they need to withdraw from using IOSS, it is possible to deregister, but they will have to cancel their VAT registration. They must also be on good terms with the country of VAT registration (current on VAT payments).
IOSS is only applicable for B2C (business to consumer) shipments where the value of the products is equal to or under €150. Retailers considering IOSS should evaluate how many shipments fall under the threshold. Many carriers have gone on record stating that they support the IOSS program since the VAT will be prepaid, and the online retailer will avoid paying the carrier’s advancements or third-party collection fees. Other carriers have said they will only work with IOSS-registered merchants.
IOSS can potentially have a quicker transit time than DDU (delivered duty unpaid) packages. IOSS also has the capacity to provide the best customer experience. The presence of an IOSS number on a package helps increase the potentiality for a more efficient customs clearance process because it lets customs know that VAT will be remitted later to HMRC (Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs), which allows the package to move directly out for delivery once it has been cleared.
The IOSS number is required on every shipment. Displaying and collecting VAT at checkout [along with the other fees that make up a landed cost] also provides price transparency, letting customers know the entire landed cost at the time of purchase with no surprise fees upon delivery. This allows for a good customer experience, resulting in great reviews, fewer returns or abandoned packages, and possible repeat customers.
Other options
The additional options to manage VAT collection are as follows:
Special Arrangement – DDU (delivered duty unpaid) carrier collects VAT from customer (⚠️ not recommended)
Send DDP – (delivery duty paid) landed cost calculated and collected at checkout and paid to the carrier (no IOSS number)
Note that it’s extremely important to consider what kind of experience retailers want their customers to have—displaying and collecting VAT, along with all other fees that comprise the landed cost, at checkout results in a clear, simple, and positive customer experience.
For the pleasure that you bring when you make that doorbell ring, no trip will be too far.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year for e-commerce retailers.
Whether your store sells perfume for Singles Day (China’s version of Black Friday), dreidels for Hanukkah, candles for Kwanzaa, or giant, blow-up Rudolph lawn ornaments for Christmas, holiday spending accounts for as much as 35% of retailers annual sales.
Here at eHub, the holidays are our championship playoff. We train year-round to help our e-commerce clients meet the increased demands of the season. Keep reading to see what our top-notch team of shipping elves says about how you can use your shipping program to capture more of the projected $910B consumers will spend online this holiday season.
1. Google is making a list. Check it twice. Taking advantage of Google’s new shipping annotations is one of the best ways to promote your online store this holiday season. Available for both free and paid listings, Google Shopping has added the following annotations to their existing “free” and “fast” tags:
Free delivery by Fri, Dec 24
Get it by Dec 24
Free X-day (this is for shipping promotions like Free 2-day or 3-day shipping)
Free returns by X
2. Holidays are plural—prep for all of them. Christmas is not the only holiday people are shopping for. Neither is Hanukkah or Kwanzaa. Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, and even Giving Tuesday are all opportunities for you to boost sales and capture new customers.
3. Take a bus, take a train, go and hop an airplane (Offer multiple shipping speeds). It’s no secret that supply chains and shipping channels are a mess right now. The combination of COVID-related labor shortages, exponential increases in online shopping, and totally random events like boats getting stuck in the Suez Canal have caused unprecedented slowdowns in global commerce. And consumers know it, so they are shopping earlier than usual for the holidays. If you are not already offering free shipping, give your customers multiple options and prices for getting their packages delivered.
4. Mele Kalikimaka (Shipping outside the lower 48)If you have many customers who don’t live on the US mainland, having a reliable shipping partner will ensure your success this holiday season. Ehub’s customizable API and status as a premier shipping aggregator means we have the knowledge, relationships, and experience your company needs to find the best, most affordable shipping options for you and your customers.
5. Make sure your customers are watching your countdown We aren’t discussing the New Year’s Eve ball drop countdown. Instead, you must ensure you promote and display ordering deadlines to guarantee delivery before whatever holiday your customers celebrate, especially since that drop-dead date will probably be earlier this year than usual.
6. Optimize for mobile You can expect most customers to have digital wish lists this year, so your site needs to be optimized for desktop and mobile users. Do user experience testing to ensure your checkout process is streamlined and simple. UX testing doesn’t have to be expensive or fancy—you can even have your employees try to buy something on your site in a staff meeting—but you can’t fix a glitchy, clunky, or slow checkout if you don’t know it’s there.
7. Wear out your (digital) mailing list No one likes an inbox full of spammy sale offers and promotions, but innovative retargeting campaigns that reach out to customers with abandoned carts or a purchase history and offer shipping discounts to quickly and easily boost sales.
8. Keep your workshop in order (Manage your inventory) Your store is likely impacted by the same shipping slowdowns affecting your customers. This means it’s more important than ever to stay on top of your inventory so you don’t inadvertently add backorder delays to the potential shipping delays.
9. Be good for goodness sake (Improve your customer service) Shipping and supply delays make it likely your customer service department will field more calls than a normal holiday season. Make sure your team has the training they need to stay on the nice list when customers call to cry and pout.
10. What are you doing on New Year’s Eve? (Simplify your post-holiday return process)Offering free returns is a great way to help consumers avoid purchase anxiety, but it’s not the only way to have a customer-friendly return process. One-click and no-hassle returns, extended return periods, and return purchase incentives can give your buyers confidence in you and your business.
If you have many customers who don’t live on the US mainland, having a reliable shipping partner will ensure your success this holiday season
Whether you need help negotiating with carriers, navigating international shipping laws, pricing out branded packaging, or finding the best rates, EHub can help. Give yourself the gift of a shipping expert this year and contact us for a quote.
If you own an e-commerce business, you’ve probably had someone tell you Priority Mail flat-rate shipping is the only way.
You’ve also probably had people tell you flat rate shipping is a scam.
Here’s the honest truth straight from our shipping experts: there is not a universally “right” way to ship a package. The right solution will vary by box size, package weight, and final destination.
What is flat-rate shipping?
Most people who talk about flat rate shipping are talking about Priority Mail Flat Rate, but that is only one type of USPS flat rate shipping USPS (the other two are Priority Mail Regional Rate and Priority Mail Cubic).
Each of these “flat” rate services uses the same network to provide the same services (tracking, insurance, guaranteed delivery window, etc.), but the pricing structure varies based on package weight, size, and destination.
Priority Mail Flat Rate—designed to simplify shipping large, heavy packages that need to travel long distances, Priority Mail Flat Rate charges a flat fee for any package under 70 pounds that can fit into a free flat rate box.
Priority Mail Regional Rate—similar to Priority Mail Flat Rate, Priority Mail Regional Rate is perfect for medium-sized packages between 15–20 pounds that don’t have to travel too far to reach their final destination.
Priority Mail Cubic Rate—best for small, heavy packages, Priority Mail Cubic charges a flat shipping rate, calculated by delivery zone, for packages that weigh less than 20 pounds and have dimensions smaller than 18” for the longest side (basically the size of a shoebox).
Priority Mail Flat Rate
Priority Mail Regional Rate
Priority Mail Cubic Rate
Package Size
Whatever can fits into a flat rate box
Medium-sized but still what fits into a flat rate box
Small packages no bigger than .5 cubic feet
Package Weight
Up to 70 pounds
15–20 pounds
Up to 20 pounds
Package Destination
Long distances
Short-range shipping
Rates change by zone
For the purposes of this article, we are going to lump Priority Mail Flat Rate and Priority Mail Regional Rate together and compare them against USPS Priority Mail Cubic.
USPS Priority Mail flat rate vs. USPS Priority Mail Cubic
One of the most significant advantages of USPS flat-rate shipping is that shippers don’t need to weigh their packages or buy their own boxes. For e-commerce companies that self-fulfill orders, those two benefits alone deliver much-needed time savings.
USPS Priority Mail Flat rate also has three boxes ranging from small to large, which gives merchants affordable options for multiple package sizes. The standard pricing model of Priority Mail flat rate allows e-commerce businesses to estimate their monthly or quarterly shipping costs accurately.
The problem is that even if your shipping estimates are accurate, if you aren’t careful, Priority Mail flat rate will cost you more than you need to pay. If you aren’t filling that flat rate box to the brim, or if you’re not shipping something all the way across the country, regional or cubic rates could save you anywhere from $1–$4 a package.
Depending on where you’re shipping, Priority Cubic can save you anywhere from $7–$123 per package
Which means those free boxes aren’t really free at all.
USPS Priority Cubic doesn’t provide free boxes, but it does deliver significantly better rates than Priority Mail flat rate for small, heavy packages.
Priority Cubic is a hidden secret in the shipping world, partially because this program is only available to companies that ship over 50,000 packages a year (small and mid-sized e-commerce companies can get around this requirement by using a shipping aggregator like eHub).
Depending on where you’re shipping, Priority Cubic can save you anywhere from $7–$123 per package over Priority Mail flat rate prices for small, heavy items. With savings like that, it doesn’t matter that Priority Cubic doesn’t provide free boxes. You can design and produce fantastic packaging branded with your company logo and still save money on shipping.
So, how do I know which program to use when?
That’s the magic question, isn’t it?
Most business owners don’t have the time or energy to figure out the most cost-effective shipping option for every single package they send—that’s why Priority Mail flat rate is so popular in the first place!
Shipping is EHub’s business, but it’s also our passion. Our shipping API fully integrates with over 200 e-commerce and shipping websites and gives you side-by-side rate comparisons, which makes finding the right shipping solution for every shipment fast and easy.
Even better? Our status as a significant shipping aggregator means you’ll have access to pre-negotiated discount rates lower than you could get working directly with carriers. If you’re curious about what Ehub can do for you, let’s talk.
Flat rate FAQs
Still have questions about Priority Mail flat rate and Priority Cubic? Check out our FAQ below.
How much are USPS Priority Mail flat-rate shipping boxes?
Zero. Zilch. Zip. Nada. Nothing. But remember, using free boxes doesn’t necessarily mean you are saving money.
How long does USPS Priority Mail flat rate shipping take?
While it has no money-back guarantee, all three USPS Priority shipping options promise delivery within 1–3 business days.
How much is flat-rate shipping?
Flat Rate Envelopes
$7.75
Legal Flat Rate Envelopes
$8.05
Padded Flat Rate Envelopes
$8.45
Small Flat Rate Box
$8.25
Medium Flat Rate Box
$14.25
Large Flat Rate Box
$19.20
APO/FPO/DPO Large Flat Rate Box
$17.70
Does USPS Priority Mail flat rate ship to Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Mexico?
Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico? Yes. (Side note: Guam, American Samoa, and the US Virgin Islands qualify too!)
Canada and Mexico? No.
Even though Canada and Mexico are closer to the mainland US than Alaska or Guam, Priority Mail flat rates aren’t based on proximity alone. Packages destined for Canada and Mexico must cross international borders, so they are subject to customs agreements and additional taxes/inspections.
The good news is that there is a Priority Mail International program that delivers packages to our North American neighbors in 6–10 business days.
Can I use my branded boxes for USPS Priority Mail flat rate?
Both USPS Priority Mail flat rate and Regional flat rate require the use of USPS Priority Mail boxes. If you want to use your own packaging or boxes marked with your company brand, you can still pay similar rates using USPS Priority Mail Cubic.
Nearly every parent has experienced abandoning a shopping cart filled to the brim with ice cream, frozen waffles, and fruit snacks as they drag a screaming, flailing toddler out of a grocery store at least once.
Luckily for the store stockers, the parent, and the toddler, that doesn’t happen often.
But if your online store were an actual, physical place, you’d probably have more abandoned carts littering your aisles than products on your shelves.
What is shopping cart abandonment?
Shopping cart abandonment, when online shoppers start to checkout but quit before clicking “complete order,” is a natural and expected part of e-commerce. The virtual version of telling a salesperson, “I’m just looking, thanks,” consumers hit “add to cart” because they want to:
Keep an item they are interested in easily accessible
Compare items and prices
Estimate the cost of shipping and taxes
Experience the rush of retail therapy without breaking the bank
Test a coupon code
Even though it’s just part of doing business, shopping cart abandonment is an $18-billion-dollar problem for retailers annually.
The average documented shopping cart abandonment rate across all industries is a whopping 69.57%. For mobile users, rates jump up to 85.65%.
That’s a lot of money left on the virtual table. Essential Hub wants to help you get it back.
Top 5 reasons for online shopping cart abandonment
The top 5 reasons consumers give for checkout abandonment are:
Extra costs (shipping, taxes, fees) are unexpected or too high (49%)
The site will not allow checkout without creating an account (24%)
Shipping and delivery timelines were too long (19%)
The checkout process was too long or confusing (18%)
The checkout portal did not appear to be secure (17%)
It’s a tough pill to swallow, but the truth is that Amazon’s Prime program has dramatically impacted consumers’ online shopping and shipping experience.
According to the statistics above, a whopping 68% of online shopping carts are explicitly abandoned because businesses don’t meet consumer shipping expectations. Even more strikingly, 28% of shoppers will abandon their carts if shipping costs show up as an unexpected “gotcha” during the checkout process.
When you combine the expectation of free and fast shipping with increased consumer privacy rights, those top reasons for shopping cart abandonment make a lot of sense.
EHub’s shopping cart abandonment solutions
You’ll never be able to eliminate shopping cart abandonment completely, but there are things you can do to reduce it significantly:
Offer free shipping.
If you don’t have free shipping, be upfront about all extra costs, like shipping, taxes, and fees, from the first click.
Simplify and secure your checkout process to improve page load times and reduce confusion.
Free shipping According to AlixPartners, 72% of US consumers said that including free shipping “greatly impacts” their online purchasing decisions. There are multiple use cases from businesses that have seen their orders increase by as much as 90% after implementing free shipping.
You must be thoughtful about adding free shipping to your customer service arsenal if you want to stay in the black. Setting up simple reports to track product pricing, profit, and shipping expenses can give you the data to adjust your market pricing strategy effectively.
At EHub, we help you crunch the numbers to determine which of our streamlined shipping solutions will meet your needs. Because we aggregate shipping costs across all our customers, EHub can offer cheaper solutions than you’d get working directly with the shipping company.
Basically, we make offering free shipping more accessible, cheaper, and faster than you thought possible.
Be upfront about shipping costs If free shipping isn’t feasible, shipping costs must be clearly visible throughout the entire shopping process. Customers will abandon carts with lightning speed if they are hit with an unexpected shipping charge, even if it’s only $15.
EHub’s proprietary API can seamlessly integrate with your checkout processes to make sure your customers know exactly what kinds of shipping costs to expect (which, as we mentioned, are among the industry’s lowest if you use EHub).
Additionally, EHub can deliver faster, provide tracking, and give you detailed reporting and analytics capabilities that will take shipping from your biggest headache to a walk in the park.
It’s a tough pill to swallow, but the truth is that Amazon’s Prime program has dramatically impacted consumers’ online shopping and shipping experience
Simplify and secure your checkout processes Checkout optimizations can improve your conversion rates by 35.26%, which translates to significant profit growth for a small business. Offering guest checkout, optimizing images for faster page loads, adding a progress tracker, and using HTTPS connections are all steps we can take to help you streamline your checkout process and decrease your shopping cart abandonment rates.
Get those carts to the registers
EHub is here to help you optimize your checkout processes and offer shipping solutions to keep your customers digitally pushing their carts to the “complete purchase” button. Contact us today to see what we can do for you.
How eHub’s API can turn your clunky shoe of a shipping process into a sleek glass slipper that won’t disappear at midnight
What is a shipping API?
An API (application programming interface) is a software program that enables communication between separate apps. Any time you use Facebook Messenger, search for a hotel on Travelocity, or use PayPal to purchase something from a website, you’re using an API.
Shipping APIs are magic wands that let e-commerce businesses automate and uncomplicate their shipping processes by allowing their website or shopping platform to interface directly with shipping carriers’ systems. Properly installed, shipping APIs can:
Validate customer addresses
Generate shipping labels for multiple carriers
Shop for the best carrier rates/support features for each package
Track shipments with real-time updates
If you’re looking at those bullet points and thinking, “I spend so much time on those things,” then eHub is ready to be your fairy godmother.
As a premier shipping aggregator, we have a proven track record as domestic and international e-commerce shipping experts committed to providing our customers with transparent, easy-to-understand shipping management services.
Keep reading to discover how our API is the magic bean you need to grow your business.
Alakazam vs. Presto Chango: the differences between a shipping API and a shipping software platform
Businesses that haven’t fully automated their shipping processes often use the terms “shipping API” and “shipping software platforms” interchangeably, but they aren’t quite the same thing.
A shipping API comprises unique code that exists solely to connect existing software platforms. Because APIs work behind the scenes to move information between your selling channels and your preferred carriers, there isn’t a portal or user interface where users do their work.
By contrast, shipping software platforms must be opened to access their features.
Here’s a non-shipping example of the difference between the two:
Say you live in Chicago, but you need to go to Dallas for a convention in two months. Here are two possible ways you could end up booking your flight:
OPTION 1 Using Google Flights, you type in your travel dates, select your preferred airports, and choose departure and arrival times. Almost instantly, Google Flights will show you flight options on Delta, United, American, and Southwest. You pick the outbound and inbound flights that work best for you (they’re both on Delta) and book them without leaving Google Flights.
OPTION 2 You have a Delta voucher from a flight you had to cancel a few months ago. If you use the voucher, your flight won’t cost you anything, but you must book directly through Delta’s website. After searching their site for options, you log in to your Delta account and book the ticket directly with them.
This example is a little oversimplified, but it gives you a good idea of the principles underlying APIs and platforms.
In this scenario, the first option (Google Flights) is an example of an API. Google Flights’ API searches multiple travel websites for selections that match your parameters and brings all the information back to you on the same page. After you book the ticket, the API sends your personal and payment information to Delta to complete the booking process.
The second option, booking directly with Delta, is an example of a software platform. You might end up on the same flight as you would have if you’d used Google Flights, but all your information stays within Delta’s system the whole time.
Knowing which option—a shipping API or a shipping software platform—is suitable for your e-commerce business depends on multiple factors, including the size of your company, the number of packages you ship, whether you ship internationally, your budget, and how much time you have to get your system up and running.
The following chart can help you make your decision:
SHIPPING APIs
SHIPPING SOFTWARE
Works best for mid-size to large shippers (but can absolutely help small businesses)
Any size business
Work completed in existing workflows
Work completed inside the program
Developer-led installations
Quick, easy installations
Immediately functional
Requires extensive employee training
Making it work—integrating a shipping API
To be fully functional, shipping APIs have to be installed by a software developer. They have the spells er, and technical skills needed to successfully connect platforms that may be built using different programming languages.
EHub’s shipping API has over 200 existing integrations, including for major carriers such as UPS, FedEx, USPS, and DHL, as well as shopping platforms like WooCommerce, Shopify, and Magento.
You can find our complete list of integrations here but know that if we don’t have an integration for your platforms, our talented developers can build one in a snap.
Whether you work on a platform we support or need a custom integration, EHub’s expert team takes pride in guiding you through the entire implementation process so that your processes are as efficient as possible.
Don’t believe us? Check out what our client Sean Clark, CEO of Black Label CBD, says about our implementation process:
Ingredients in the potion: shipping API features
APIs aren’t “programs” like Microsoft Word. They are more like the spell check, word count, and design settings within Word itself.
When you are looking at shipping APIs, you should be looking for a company whose API enables multiple features, including:
Discounted rates for domestic and international shipping
Order aggregation
Rate comparison capabilities
Multicarrier support
Address verification
Label generation
Package tracking
Returns management
Inventory management
Analytics reporting
Options for insurance
EHub’s shipping API offers all the features above, and then some. We’ve negotiated global discount rates with all major carriers (USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc.) that are lower than their published discounts. We can help you track and insure your packages or use your performance data to drive new efficiencies.
But the most significant difference between EHub and our competitors is the personal touch we’ve made our calling card. Instead of relying on automated chatbots or outdated FAQ pages on a website, our customers know they can call our in-house support team or reach out to their sales representative before, during, or after implementing EHub.
Not to brag or anything, but we’re basically a crystal ball that can answer all your questions.
Mastery is its own form of magic
Okay, this may surprise you a little, but EHub isn’t actually magic.
But we are a company of shipping experts and developer pros who are so good at our jobs that we make it look like magic. If your shipping management program is ready for a bit of abracadabra, let’s talk.
Thanks to Amazon Prime and other large retailers, 75% of consumers expect free delivery on e-commerce orders, even for orders less than $50. When you contrast that statistic with the fact that non-Amazon US retailers sell over $82.5 billion internationally, it’s easy to see the challenges and the opportunities facing small businesses considering going international. So, let’s answer the question: Why is international shipping expensive?
Why is international shipping so expensive?
The expense of international shipping often scares small business owners, but that’s because they don’t know the intelligent shipper savings tips that can save them money and make the expansion they’ve dreamed of possible.
Formulating international shipping rates is complicated, but there are five areas where you can cut costs: package dimensions, fuel surcharges, minimum package charges, value-added services/accessorials, and customs.
Package dimensions
Shipping companies use the square footage and weight capacity (or similar metric) of their transport vehicles in their rate calculations, which means larger, heavier boxes cost more than smaller, lighter ones.
Smart shipper savings tip: Small businesses looking to expand into international markets can reduce their initial costs by selecting a few products with similar dimensions that can be packed in standard boxes. This will allow you to buy your packaging in bulk and accurately forecast your international shipping costs.
Fuel surcharges
You pay fuel surcharges for domestic and international (aka cross-border) shipping, but since international shipping involves longer distances with sometimes dramatic differences in fuel prices between countries, international fuel surcharges are substantially higher.
Fuel surcharges are the average, not the actual, fuel cost your carrier pays to deliver your products. Your carrier agreement likely has terms setting a base fuel rate and a base fuel mileage as part of its terms. When the fuel price exceeds your agreed-upon base fuel rate, the surcharge kicks in.
Small business savings tip: Fuel surcharges aren’t set in stone, and they don’t have to be a mystery. A reputable carrier will be upfront about how they calculate their fuel surcharge. It’s also often possible to negotiate a lower fuel surcharge with your carrier(s).
Formulating international shipping rates is complicated, but there are five areas where you can cut costs
Minimum package charges
One of the primary methods carriers use to protect their profits is minimum package charges, meaning the lowest price a carrier will accept to deliver a package. If you aren’t careful, this fee can cost you a lot of money.
Say your minimum package charge is $7, and your carrier service agreement has a 50% discount on packages shipped to London. You have a package that would typically cost $10 to send across the pond, which, with your discount, should cost $5. But that minimum package charge means you’ll pay $7, and the 50% discount you had budgeted for is now only a 30% discount.
The same thing goes if you are sending a tiny package of earrings to a shop in Notting Hill. Instead of paying the $4.25 it actually costs, that sneaky $7 minimum will cost you an additional $2.75.
Smart shipper savings tip: Like fuel surcharges, minimum package charges can be negotiated. Start tracking how many of your shipments are affected by the minimum package clause in your agreement. If you’re regularly paying more than you should or not getting the total discount in your contract, ask to renegotiate your minimum package charge.
Value-added services & accessorial fees
Many of the features consumers take for granted are actually value-added services (VAS) or accessorial fees that you, as the shipper, have to pay for. Examples of these fees include:
COD
Delivery confirmation
Return services
Declared value
Residential delivery/pickup (yes, you can be charged more for having customers in residential neighborhoods)
Special-handling (documentation, hazardous materials certifications, medical equipment, etc.)
Delivery issues (liftgate delivery, unsafe delivery locations, or improper equipment for shipment receipt)
Non-delivery due to business closure, no recipient present, or security delays
Small business savings tip: Small businesses, especially e-commerce businesses, ship internationally are much more likely to be adversely affected by these fees. As with minimum package charges, data is your friend when negotiating these fees (which you can do).
First things first, you need to keep track of which charges show up the most often, which accessorials are the most expensive, and what packages/locations are most likely to trigger those charges. Then, examine your operations. Can you pack your products in smaller boxes? Can you use more than one carrier? Can you verify addresses before releasing packages for shipment?
After you’ve lowered your expenses as much as possible on your end, you can negotiate which fees you are assessed and how much you are charged with your carrier.
Customs/duties/taxes
This is one area you have to budget for. Customs and duties are taxes charged at both ends (export/import) of international shipping, and you can’t avoid them.
Small business savings tip: An international e-commerce shipping software can help you build an accurate estimate of what your customs costs will be so you aren’t ever surprised.
Level up with international shipping solutions for your business
If you want to save money on your international shipping, optimize your packaging, understand your carrier agreement, and negotiate your fees. Click here to find out more about how eHub’s e-commerce shipping software can help you do all of that and more so you can capitalize on opportunities for international trade.
Suppose it seems like UPS peak season surcharges are not only higher but lasting longer, too; you’re right. Since March 2020, UPS has had to adapt to the significant changes in e-commerce and the global supply chain. In a nutshell, people were buying more online… a lot more. Thanks to this increased demand, most shipping carriers had to adapt, UPS included.
One adaptation included changes to peak season surcharges. Typically, peak season is just around the 4th quarter, the busiest time of the year for retail. Since the logistics industry hasn’t quite recovered from 2020 (have any of us?), we’re seeing peak season stretch beyond 4th quarter.
It’s already here. Not only that, we’re seeing it split into what resembles a tier system. If you thought surcharges were expensive, well, I have some not-great news for you.
Peak Season Surcharges: Tier 1
July 4 — October 2, 2021 Fees: The following applies to all US domestic, import, and export shipments, qualifying customers who have shipped >1,000 total packages or more than ten that required Additional Handling during any week following February 2020.
Additional handling charges increased from $3.00 per package to $3.50
Large Package peak surcharge increased from $31.45 to $40.00
Peak Season Surcharges: Tier 2
October 2, 2021 — January 15, 2022 Fees: The following applies to all US domestic, import, and export shipments, qualifying customers who have shipped >1,000 total packages or more than ten packages that required Additional Handling during any week following February 2020.
Additional Handling peak surcharge increases from $3.50 to $6.00 per package
Large Package peak surcharge increased from $40.00 to $60.00 per package
The following will apply to all US domestic, import, and export shipments.
The Over Maximum Limits peak surcharge will be $250.00 per package
Handle your shipping costs and communication to customers accordingly, and have a plan for when things go sideways
Bonus Round of Surcharges for High-Volume Shippers
October 31, 2021 — January 15, 2022 Volume-Based Fee: The following applies to certain UPS Air Residential, UPS Ground Residential, and UPS SurePost, who have shipped more than 25,000 packages during any week following February 2020.
October 31, 2021 – January 15, 2022
UPS SurePost
110% to 200% of February 2020 volume
$1.15 per package
> 200% to 300% of February 2020 volume
$2.15 per package
> 300% to 400% of February 2020 volume
$3.15 per package
> 400% to 500% of February 2020 volume
$4.15 per package
> 500% of February 2020 volume
$5.15 per package
UPS Ground Residential
110% to 200% of February 2020 volume
$1.15 per package
> 200% to 300% of February 2020 volume
$2.15 per package
> 300% to 400% of February 2020 volume
$3.15 per package
> 400% to 500% of February 2020 volume
$4.15 per package
> 500% of February 2020 volume
$5.15 per package
UPS Next Day Air Residential
110% to 200% of February 2020 volume
$2.15 per package
> 200% to 300% of February 2020 volume
$3.15 per package
> 300% to 400% of February 2020 volume
$4.15 per package
> 400% to 500% of February 2020 volume
$5.15 per package
> 500% of February 2020 volume
$6.15 per package
All Other UPS Air Residential
110% to 200% of February 2020 volume
$2.15 per package
> 200% to 300% of February 2020 volume
$3.15 per package
> 300% to 400% of February 2020 volume
$4.15 per package
> 400% to 500% of February 2020 volume
$5.15 per package
> 500% of February 2020 volume
$6.15 per package
Current Service Levels With UPS Service Guarantee:
The following applies to certain UPS Air Residential, UPS Ground Residential, and UPS SurePost, who have shipped more than 25,000 packages during any week following February 2020.
UPS Next Day Air
UPS Next Day Air Saver
UPS Next Day Air Early
Domestic Express Plus
Domestic Express
Domestic Midday
Domestic Express Saver
UPS Worldwide Express Plus
UPS Worldwide Express
UPS Worldwide Express NA1
UPS Worldwide Express Saver
UPS Worldwide Express Freight Midday
UPS Worldwide Express Freight
Transborder Express
Transborder Express Plus
Transborder Express Saver
How Does This Affect Your Peak Season?
I think the most important thing to remember is that the peak season results in a lot more shipments, which can mean increased waiting times for customers, delays, and maybe increased charges. Handle your shipping costs and communication to customers accordingly, and have a plan for when things go sideways.
It could also be worth taking a look to make sure you’re getting the best rates on your business shipping. Our shipping specialists can perform an analysis that tells you where you’re already shipping most efficiently and exactly where you could be saving more. Contact us to get started on a custom analysis for your business.
While the technologies used to manage and ship products have changed dramatically over the last century, the business model for shipping companies looks almost the same. For decades, shipping companies have offered small businesses a single pricing formula based on weight and distance.
Think of it this way: a 40” smart TV weighs 20 pounds. So does a 20-pound dumbbell.
But the box the TV comes in is 43”x23”x5”, and the dumbbell can fit in a giant shoebox. With traditional shipping models, you’d pay the same amount to ship both a 40” smart TV and a single dumbbell to your store in Duluth even though the TV box will take up more space in the truck.
The United States Postal Service (USPS) has developed an innovative program to meet the modern needs of many small businesses by changing shipping prices for small packages.
Under Cubic, businesses are charged based on the package’s dimensions instead of the package’s weight. This means it costs less to ship small, heavy packages with Cubic than with traditional methods.
And Cubic doesn’t just offer lower prices. It includes USPS priority mail delivery within 1 to 3 business days and free package tracking.
It’s a great deal if your business regularly ships things like clothing, candles, food, small home goods, books, subscription boxes, etc.
If it’s so great, why isn’t everyone using Cubic?
Cubic is a very specific program with strict rules that make it an excellent solution for some businesses but not others.
If you want an in-depth overview of Cubic, check this out, but here are the basics:
USPS Cubic mail is only available to businesses that ship at least 50,000 packages annually.
Packages shipped with priority Cubic shipping have to weigh less than 20 pounds.
USPS Cubic box, soft package, or priority mail poly bag dimensions must be .5 cubic feet or less with sides less than 18” (about the size of a shoebox).
What’s the Cubic formula?
USPS Cubic pricing is based solely on the size of your package. Here’s how to calculate your Cubic shipping price (sorry for the math):
1. Measure your package’s length, width, and height with each dimension rounded to the nearest quarter inch. For example, say that shoebox with your 20-pound dumbbell measures 14 x 8 x 5”
2. Multiply the dimensions (height x width x length) and then divide that number by 1728 (the number of cubic inches in one cubic foot). For your shoebox, it looks like this:
14 x 8 x 5 = 560
560/1728 = .3240
3. Round the decimal to the next tenth, meaning the .3240 of your shoebox rounds up to .4 cubic feet. (Note: you always round up, never down, with USPS Cubic).
4. Congratulations! Your package qualifies for USPS Priority Mail Cubic.
Is Cubic right for your business?
We know that what you really want to know is, “How much will this save me?” Check out this chart:
Zone 1–2
Zone 3–4
Zone 5–6
Zone 7–8
Zone 9
Priority Mail
$23.20
$29.20–$35.85
$49.80–$59.75
$69.35–$80.50
$140.35
USPS Priority Cubic
$7.32
$7.32
$7.32
$7.32
$7.32
A 20-pound Zone 1 package (something shipped 1–50 miles) costs $23.20 to ship with USPS Priority Mail, and the price increases as the distance to the destination increases.
But that same 20-pound package shipped with USPS Priority Cubic starts at only $7.32 to ship.
But here’s the deal—that $7.32 is the commercially listed starting price USPS offers.
EHub has negotiated low rates for our customers.
This means that you’ll still be saving money even after you pay for our API. But you’ll also get easy-to-print labels, order tracking history, address verification services, and insurance options.
At EHub, we know that shipping is essential, but overpaying isn’t. Drop us a line today to see how we can simplify your shipping and save you money.
If you’re an e-commerce store looking to grow your sales, you must get serious about pop-ups.
Contrary to popular belief, pop-ups don’t have to be annoying. Executed correctly, they have the power to make a big difference in your conversions. It all goes down to segmenting them correctly and making them relevant to your visitor.
Today, we will look at the seven best pop-up tools you can use to take your conversion to new heights. Let’s get started:
The easy-to-use program makes it easy to experiment and tweak your email popups. You can test different messages based on color, design, display time, and more to see what works the best, even with no coding skills.
Another area where Privy excels is segmentation. To make your popups relevant to the visitor, you can segment them based on which country they come from, how they landed on your website, how much they have in their shopping cart, etc.
Pros:
A/B testing feature for the best results
Customizable pop-ups to make sure you send the right message at the right time
Creates beautiful newsletters
Reduces your cart abandonment rate
Cons:
Limited templates
A/B and advanced reporting are only available on premium plans
Pricing:
Free plan: up to 5000 average monthly page views
Privy Convert: $20/month for up to 10,000 average monthly page views
Privy email: $10/month for up to 1000 mailable contacts and $5 per additional 1000 afterward.
Privy text: $10/month for up to 100 textable contacts and $10 per additional 100 afterward.
Sumo is a top-rated conversion tool trusted by over 600,000 businesses worldwide. The platform includes multiple features to help stores win more sales, generate conversions, and increase subscribers.
From the platform admin, you can create unique offers and discounts to get your customers’ attention. By making customers sign up, you’ll increase your store’s average order value and boost sales.
Just as shoppers are about to leave their cart, Sumo reaches out with a popup that encourages them to follow through with their purchase. It also retargets customers with a follow-up email when subscribers view your product without buying.
Pros:
Easy-to-read guides on how to use the app
Free customer support
A/B testing
Cons:
The sumo logo shows up on your popups when you’re on the free plan
Limited integrations
Can’t send emails to individual subscribers, only in groups
Justuno uses artificial intelligence to boost conversions with pop-ups, exit offers, countdown timers, and more. It offers endless ways to customize your upsell and cross-sell offers.
The platform’s AI software analyzes billions of data points to tailor pop-ups based on each visitor. It tracks visit frequency, geolocation, cart value, and more to ensure your store sends the right message at the right time.
Justuno comes with advanced analytics to track your marketing success and measure performance. You’ll gain exact insights into what strategies work and what don’t.
Pros:
Artificial intelligence to help you get the best results
Mobile and SEO optimization
Upselling and cross-selling features
A vast library of resources to help you out
Cons:
Limited design and templates
Pricing:
Free plan: all standard features are available for up to 5,000 monthly visitor sessions.
Pro plan 1: $29/month with all features available up to 10,000 monthly visitor sessions.
Pro plan 2: $49/month with all features available up to 25,000 monthly visitor sessions.
Pro plan 3: $99/month with all features available up to 50,000 monthly visitor sessions.
Omnisend is one of Shopify’s most popular email marketing apps, with a near-perfect 4.7 rating. It connects your email efforts with other channels such as SMS, Facebook, and Google.
On top of using pop-ups to generate sales, you can optimize your landing pages for conversion. It’s also known for its Wheel of Fortune pop-up that offers customers the chance to win a special voucher on your store.
Pros:
It makes it possible to target customers across different channels.
Various pre-built automation workflows to choose from
24/7 support
Cons:
Inability to integrate multiple shops at once
You’ll need to upgrade to the premium plan to get access to SMS and push notifications
Pricing:
Free plan: 15,000 emails a month
Standard plan: $16/month for 15,000 emails a month with SMS
Pro plan: $99/month for 15,000 emails a month with SMS, push notifications, and Facebook custom audiences
Sales Pop helps you use social proof to boost sales by displaying real-time customer activity. When visitors know that others are buying from your store, they are more likely to buy themselves. It also makes your store look busy and creates urgency.
The app does this by connecting to your Shopify and tracking recent sales. Customers will also be able to click on the pop-up to look at the purchased product.
Pros:
Live real-time sales pop-up notifications
Fully supports more than 22 languages
Mobile optimized
Cons:
Limited to only 1,000 monthly unique visitors on the free plan
Pricing:
Free plan: up to 1,000 monthly visitors
Starter plan: $21/month for up to 10,000 monthly visitors
Growth plan: $54/month for up to 50,000 monthly visitors
With Pixelpop, you can capture visitors’ emails and sync them to Mailchimp, Klaviyo, Constant Contact, or Conversio. You can also add banners that display special offers, such as free shipping.
Pixelpop has various ways to style and customize pop-ups on your store. The different types of pop-ups you can use on your website include email signups, announcements, coupon codes, social follow, etc. The sky’s the limit!
Pixelpop doesn’t require any coding background to get started and only takes a few seconds to install on your store.
Pros:
Simple to use
Integrations with some of your favorite tools, such as Mailchimp
Various templates to choose from to style your pop-up
Cons:
You’re limited to only 500 monthly pop-up views in the free plan
You get charged by pop-up
Pricing:
Free plan: 500 monthly pop-up views
Starter plan: $12/month for 10,000 monthly popup views
Growth plan: $24/month for 50,000 monthly popup views
Pro plan: $48/month for 300,000 monthly popup views
Thanks to its drag-and-drop editor, Wisepops makes it possible to create high-converting emails within seconds.
One aspect that makes Wisepops stand out from other popup tools is its vast choice of templates. The platform makes it easy to find designs that reflect your brand.
Wisepops sends the right message at the right time with contextual targeting. You can target customers based on various factors such as their cart value, their timezone, location, and more.
Pros:
Extensive library of templates to style your pop-ups
24/7 customer support
Easy-to-use interface
30+ targeting options
Cons:
No free plan
Pricing:
Basic plan: $49/month for 100,000 pageviews/month
Pro plan: $99/month for 500,000 pageviews/month
Conclusion
Pop-ups are great for growing your email list and landing more sales. We hope this list of tools will help you pick the right pop-up tool for your business. Experiment with each platform and see which fits you the best!
