Priority Mail Cubic Shipping
The Secret to Discounted Shipping Rates for Business.
What is Priority Mail Cubic?
While it’s a mouthful to say, think of the priority mail cubic program as the USPS’ way of rewarding you for shipping smaller, heavier packages that weigh between 1 and 20 lbs. As the US Post Office starts replacing their fleet of vehicles, they want to make the most out of the carrying capacity of their trucks. What better way to do that than to incentivize businesses with cheaper rates?
How Does Cubic Mail Pricing Work?
The basis of cubic is to give you a price based on the dimensions and shipping distance of your package rather than strictly weight and distance like most carriers do. This allows ecommerce retailers to ship heavy packages for a much lower rate without sacrificing service levels, increasing the overall value. Really, the only catch is that there are specific dimensional requirements, which you can find out more about below. You still receive tracking and fast delivery within 1 to 3 business days, but at a discounted rate. That isn’t just compared to other USPS programs either. Your business can save between 20-50% compared to UPS and FedEx!
Advantages of Cubic Review
- Save 20-50% on shipping rates
- Still receive tracking info
- Speedy delivery in 1-3 business days*
*There are times where external forces may cause delays.
Shipping’s dirty little secret: A lot of shipping companies add tons of markup to the postage pricing on cubic shipping. To show you the difference, we will take your current shipping data to show you any opportunities for savings you may have. On average, people save 33% on their shipping with us.
2021 USPS Priority Mail Cubic Rates by Zone
Cubic rates still take distance into account with rates split by zone. The closer a zone is, the lower the rate. Zone 9, while still domestic, seems high because it covers US states that aren’t part of the contiguous states (sorry, Alaska and Hawaii). To give you an idea of what most published rates are, here’s a breakdown of cubic shipping prices across domestic destinations.
Cubic Pricing Tiers Explained
Cubic gets its name since pricing is based on the cubic feet of a package rather than weight. Packages cannot measure more than 18 inches on any one side, and they must stay at or below .5 cubic feet (half of a cubic foot) in order to qualify for cheaper shipping. So, how do you know if your packages are .5 cubic feet or less?
Cubic Shipping Rates vs Other Shipping Rates
Now, those savings were about one specific box shipping to one specific zone. So, let’s expand this test a bit and take 3 different types of cubic-eligible packages at 3 different weights. Below, each table details the cost and service level for each package across each zone.
.2 Cubic Rates by Zone
| Zone 2 | $8.14 |
| Zone 3 | $8.46 |
| Zone 4 | $8.71 |
| Zone 5 | $9.00 |
| Zone 6 | $9.68 |
| Zone 7 | $9.93 |
| Zone 8 | $10.31 |
| Zone 9 | $17.09 |
.3 Cubic Rates by Zone
| Zone 2 | $8.77 |
| Zone 3 | $8.96 |
| Zone 4 | $9.28 |
| Zone 5 | $9.97 |
| Zone 6 | $11.79 |
| Zone 7 | $12.45 |
| Zone 8 | $13.25 |
| Zone 9 | $24.69 |
.5 Cubic Rates by Zone
| Zone 2 | $9.08 |
| Zone 3 | $9.58 |
| Zone 4 | $10.22 |
| Zone 5 | $11.50 |
| Zone 6 | $16.02 |
| Zone 7 | $18.08 |
| Zone 8 | $20.58 |
| Zone 9 | $38.28 |
Choose from Boxes or Soft Pack with Cubic
As long as you follow the dimensional rules above, you have options when it comes to packaging. Choose whether to ship cardboard boxes or softpack envelopes to ship merchandise. This allows for increased flexibility in your shipping. Boxes are a better option for fragile items such as jars, electronics, or other items that will benefit from the protection of cardboard. On the other hand, softpack envelopes/bags work exceptionally well for products that aren’t damaged by bumping around in transit, like apparel and accessories. Using both methods allows your business to take on more savings while using the best packing material for the job.
How to Start Shipping With Cubic Priority?
Getting started with the cubic program isn’t too complicated. Once you contact eHub, there’s only a few steps to get you set up and saving. With support from the eHub team, you’ll implement the eHub API into your shopping cart, set up business rules so finding the best rates is automated, then you start printing your labels. The best part? The eHub team is on-hand for support. You can always contact us by email or phone, and if you prefer, we’ll even come out to you to get you set up for no additional cost. From there, the only thing you need are the right packing materials to ensure that your dimensions are under .5 cubic feet.
What Types of Products Can You Ship With Cubic?
Getting started with the cubic program isn’t too complicated. Once you contact eHub, there’s only a few steps to get you set up and saving. With support from the eHub team, you’ll implement the eHub API into your shopping cart, set up business rules so finding the best rates is automated, then you start printing your labels. The best part? The eHub team is on-hand for support. You can always contact us by email or phone, and if you prefer, we’ll even come out to you to get you set up for no additional cost. From there, the only thing you need are the right packing materials to ensure that your dimensions are under .5 cubic feet.
What Can You Ship With Cubic Priority Mail?
“We see the savings on a daily basis — and we noticed it right away… Not only on shipping but the shipping supplies we request.”
– Brayden Halliday,
Warehouse Manager
Selling outdoor accessories of varying sizes and weights.
Saving around $30k a year.
“The financial impact is literally hundreds of thousands of dollars. We save on nearly every package we send.”
– Andy Collins,
General Manager
A 3PL company that warehouses and fulfills orders for other companies, shipping around 7,500 orders a day.
Savings equals $100s of thousands a year.
“We immediately saw results. As soon as we signed up we were saving money.”
– Julian Arango,
Owner
Selling 2lb boxes of CBD-infused chocolates.
Went from paying $17 for shipping to cutting their costs in half thanks to cubic.
Common Questions About Priority Mail Cubic
While there’s still quite a bit to know about the cubic program, we took some of the most common questions and answered them below.
Can I use my own box?
Absolutely! Quite a few businesses are customizing their packages with branding, or they can find great deals on packing materials. As long as it fulfills the dimensional requirements of Height x Width x Length / 1728 must equal .5 or less.
Do you need a specific box for priority mail cubic?
No, you as long as your cubic foot measurement is less than .5 you can a variety of different box sizes.
Can you use poly mailer for priority mail cubic?
Yes, you can use poly mailers to ship priority mail cubic.
Does priority mail cubic have to be in a bag?
No, you have the option to ship with a bag or a box.
How to measure cubic for mail?
To figure out the cubic measurement, multiple height by width by length. Then divide that product by 1728.
Do you have a software that works with my shopping cart?
Yes! We offer software to connect your shopping cart to carriers with 100s of integrations including BigCommerce, Magento, WooCommerce, Wix, Shopify, and more. In fact, given the amount of automation it’s capable of, many users end up saving 30-50% of their time when it comes to shipping.
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