When to ship with SPD vs LTL (Ground vs Pallet)
Shipping by ground UPS Ground is Amazon's partnered carrier for ground deliveries -- aka "SPD" or Small Parcel Delivery -- is usually the better shipping method for a balance fo speed and cost.
Amazon has deep discounted rates with UPS, so the average fee to ship from FBAFlexPrep to Amazon's fulfillment center (which is FTW1 for the majority of standard sized items) will be about $0.15-25/lb depending on the total weight of your shipment.
SPD (UPS GROUND)
- Faster to ship
- Faster to receive by Amazon
- Higher rate of damage (because ground handling is rougher); Higher rate of lost packages (due to multiple smaller shipments being shipped)
- Higher cost at generally over ~300-400lb or very bulky (>60cbft)
LTL (PALLET)
- Slower to ship by 1 day (picks up next business day)
- Slower to receive by Amazon (appointment required by freight carrier; Amazon takes longer to process)
- Cheaper cost at generally over ~300-400lb or very bulky (>60cbft)
FAQ
- What is the largest box size I can ship with to save money on shipping?
- 25x25x25 and 50lb is your theoretical most cost-effective box configuration. However in practice, most suppliers will ship in 20x20x20 or variation up to 25x25x25 box. For weight it is better to keep it a few lbs under 50lb to allow for different scale calibrations because Amazon will penalize you if their scale happens to weigh it 50lb or over.
- 25x25x25 and 50lb is your theoretical most cost-effective box configuration. However in practice, most suppliers will ship in 20x20x20 or variation up to 25x25x25 box. For weight it is better to keep it a few lbs under 50lb to allow for different scale calibrations because Amazon will penalize you if their scale happens to weigh it 50lb or over.