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International shipping is expensive. Fulfilling international orders with expedited or express courier services can drive your logistics costs up and make a serious dent in your profit margin. Fulfilling international orders with a cost-effective shipping solution can give your business the profit margin it needs to thrive by saving on shipping costs.
Economy international shipping is the cheapest solution for high-volume businesses that send packages overseas and have expected delivery times. Read on to find out how economy international shipping works, its benefits, shipping costs, how fast a package will reach it's destination country and more.
Economy international shipping is a cheap but reliable mailing solution for international senders or international destination. The service helps businesses keep their shipping costs down, and its only disadvantage is that it generally takes longer than expedited shipping solutions.
Even though all major courier brands offer economy international shipping services, you will find the service under different names, according to the provider.
Most international shipments are delivered by air freight. When you send a package internationally via expedited shipping, your courier service provider will use its airline contracts to make sure that your parcel is included in the next flight out to the destination country.
On the other hand, when you send out a package using an economy international shipping service, the courier will warehouse the parcel for a time, waiting for other packages leaving to the same destination country or having a corresponding international destinations list.
This enables courier companies to ship the warehoused items in bulk, earning them a discount from the airline. That discount is factored into your price, which is why economy shipping is more affordable.
The restrictions for economy shipping services may differ depending on the courier service. However, most carriers do not accept bulky items. They only accept packages with an unlimited total shipment weight of up to 150 lbs (68 kg) that are 108” (274 cm) in length, and 130” (330 cm) in length plus girth thus making sending an international package limited to a certain weight and shape.
You can calculate the dimensions using the following formula: L + 2W + 2H, where L is length, W is width, and H is height.
There’s no standard economy shipping delivery time. The delivery time depends on the courier company you use and the recipient’s location - the shipping zone or country you send your package to.
However, major couriers guarantee average delivery times of 6 - 15 business days for most major destinations.
Economy international shipping is the cheapest option for international deliveries. The courier service you use gets discounts for sending items in bulk, and those discounts are factored into your price.
Choosing economy options over standard shipping can help you save a lot of money in the long run.
International economy shipping is not fast. Most couriers deliver international packages within 6 - 15 days. However, most international clients will be satisfied with the average delivery time if the package you ship is not time-sensitive.
There aren’t so many options available when you use an economy international delivery service. This means that, depending on the shipping company you choose, you may not be able to track your package. However, some companies offer real-time tracking for all their international shipments.
Economy shipping is slower but more affordable than expedited shipping. The difference between the two shipping solutions can be significant when you send packages overseas.
Businesses that regularly ship internationally can see a consistent increase in their profit margins if they choose economy over expedited solutions.
A third-party logistics company can help you ship internationally. Based on your business model and objectives, the 3PL service provider will most likely ship your international orders using economy shipping services when possible, in order to keep your costs down.
Shipping internationally via LTL shipping is a possibility if your country is located on the same continent as your package’s destination.
International LTL shipping may be more affordable than economy international shipping, but it may also take longer.
Economy shipping is slower but more affordable than overnight shipping. Overnight international shipping is one of the most expensive shipping methods out there because the delivery speed comes at an additional cost. This is why overnight shipping only makes sense if your shipment is time-sensitive.
Economy international shipping may not be the perfect solution for all your shipping needs, but it can help with growth when it comes to shipping for small businesses while keeping their customers satisfied. After all, shipments that are not time-sensitive shouldn’t be expensive.
Thankfully, there are multiple economy international shipping solutions out there. All major courier companies offer this service, and you may be able to find one that will deliver your packages swiftly.
Economy shipping is ideal for eCommerce businesses operating on eBay or marketplaces because it helps them keep their costs down. eBay offers three default international shipping options - Economy, Standard, and Express.
Choosing Economy is a great way of lowering your costs and maximizing your profits. This is especially true if the courier company provides a tracking service, as it will meet your customers’ expectations.
Ship Expert can help you find economy international shipping services for all your orders across the border.
Use our shipping rate calculator to get personalized quotes and estimated transit times from the largest international carriers. When you use Ship Expert, you access exclusive volume discounts that can help you save while fulfilling your orders across the globe.
Director, Ship Expert
Greg Woo is a seasoned expert in the logistics and distribution industry, with a career spanning over two decades. He has a comprehensive understanding of shipping and distribution needs, and has extensive experience integrating with e-commerce stores as well as customer specific WMS (warehouse management systems) and ERP’s (enterprise resource planning software). His tenure in the industry and established courier and LTL partnerships have allowed clients to benefit from reduced shipping expenses, as well as improved operations through software and specialized integrations.
Greg is currently the Director at Ship Expert Inc., a role he has held since February 2015. Prior to his role at Ship Expert, Greg held significant positions at Juxto, a telecommunications and managed internet service provider.
