Cheap International Shipping Tips

As a former pricing analyst of a large international shipping company, I have first-hand experience in the world of small package shipping. If you're shipping one package or thousands, there are some easy ways to cut your international shipping costs without a lot of work on your part. Before going to DHL, FedEx, UPS, or the USPS to ship your packages, you will want to consider certain factors to ensure that you get cheapest international shipping price possible.

International Priority versus International Economy: Faster International Priority shipments can actually be less expensive than slower International Economy shipments. In the past, International Priority shipments have been eligible for higher incentives than International Economy shipments, making for lower overall International Priority rates. This is especially true for envelope and pak shipments, which can have special international pricing programs. Before deciding whether or not to ship via International Priority or International Economy, ask your sales representative for international net rates and compare the Priority and Economy rates to determine the most cost effective method of shipping. This will allow you to see what your true rates are after incentives and will include minimum shipment rates, which may or may not be spelled out on your pricing agreement.

International Import Shipping: Determining your actual rates for import shipments into the United States can be particularly challenging. The list rates for import shipments are often set by the origin country and are subject to change at any time. In addition, the origin country can set incentive "caps" which will override the incentive offered by the US sales representative. For example, if India has a 20% incentive "cap," this will be the highest import incentive that you can receive, even if the US sales representative states that you are eligible for a 45% incentive.

International Freight Shipping: If you plan to ship a large number of packages to one international address at one time, you should ask your sales representative to provide you with special International Hundredweight or International Freight pricing. These special rates can provide you with significant savings on these shipments, but you must ask for it in order to receive it. The same holds true if you plan to ship freight domestically. There are often special international freight pricing programs that will provide special savings, but you will only receive these rates if you ask for them specifically. Note that these domestic and international freight programs do have minimum shipment rates, so keep these in mind when determining the actual shipment price.

The international shipping marketplace is very competitive and you can lower your rates considerably by doing your homework before making your shipments. Following the steps above should help as you start your pursuit of cheap international shipping.