For any start-up or small business, choosing cheaper shipping options such as economy shipping are crucial to maintain profits. There are other many factors to consider as well to save on shipping costs.
Let's dive in.
Economy shipping is typically the cheapest shipping option provided by carriers for your packages. It is also usually the slowest, so use it for non-urgent deliveries and inform your customers accordingly. Remember, some shipping providers refer to economy shipping as standard or ground shipping.
Most customers and businesses choose this shipping option because it can help them save more. It allows them to allocate the remaining budget from the money they save from shipping to the other aspects of the business, such as marketing and admin tasks.
On a side note, when choosing this shipping service, you should not expect the parcel to arrive at lightning speed like priority mail or priority mail express. It will take a few days to a week for the goods to arrive at their destination, depending on the geographical location and season.
So, you'll need to contact your customers and inform them about the schedule to ensure they won't give you a bad review. The services, like Stallion Economy, can also offer savings passed onto the customer due to the low-cost but longer transit times.
While each service has specific details and offerings, you can still check the details below to differentiate what postal services, freight consolidations, third-party logistics providers, and regional or local carriers can offer.
| Postal Services | Freight Forwarders | Third-Party Logistics Providers (3PLs) | Regional or Local Carriers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost Savings | Economy shipping options are cost-effective deliveries for smaller, non-urgent shipments. These services are typically less expensive than premium or expedited shipping choices. | It aims to let the senders save money by combining individual shipments into consolidated ones. By combining shipments, the transportation costs, handling, and documentation, are shared among participants, resulting in potential cost reductions. | They provide competitive rates based on their negotiation power with carriers and operational efficiency. | They offer cost-effective shipping solutions for specific regions or local areas, focusing on providing efficient and affordable services within their geographic coverage. |
| Weight and Size Considerations | They typically impose weight and size restrictions on economy shipments to ensure efficient processing and transportation within their network, which vary between postal services. | They consider the package weight, size, and dimension to optimize space utilization within transportation vehicles. Oversized or irregularly shaped packages may require special handling or may not fit within standard space allocations. | Weight, size, and dimension considerations are managed by third-party logistics providers based on their arrangements with carriers and their consolidation strategies. | Regional or local carriers have specific shipment guidelines and limitations, making the weight and size restrictions vary. |
| Delivery Times | Postal services' economy shipping choices typically have lengthier arrival periods than premium or expedited shipping services. Delivery timeframes vary depending on the destination, distance, and service level selected. | Consolidated shipments may take longer to reach their destinations than direct shipments because of the numerous consolidation processes, including shipment aggregations, transportation route optimization, shipment synchronizations, additional handling at distribution centers, and final delivery. | The delivery times of the third-party logistics providers depend on their network, carrier partnerships, and service level agreements. | They often have faster delivery times within the specific coverage areas than national or international shipping options. |
| Tracking System | They often provide essential services for economy shipping tracking, which may be limited compared to premium services, and tracking updates may be less frequent. | Its tracking system differs based on the involved service provider and carriers. Some consolidators may provide advanced tracking options, while others only offer basic tracking information. | Third-party logistics providers often offer comprehensive tracking systems that provide real-time visibility into the shipment status, regardless of the shipping service used. | The tracking services vary depending on regional or local carrier, as some only provide basic economy shipping tracking, while others use more advanced tracking systems in place. |
| International Shipping Coverage | They generally have extensive international shipping coverage, providing a cost-effective way to deliver products to various destinations worldwide. | Freight consolidation for economy international shipping depends on the consolidator's skills and partnerships with international carriers. | They often have a wide international carriers network that can offer economy shipping options for international shipments to many destinations. | Many regional or local carriers have limited international economy shipping services, as they focus on domestic or regional economy delivery service. |
| Handling and Documentation | They have established processes for handling and documentation of economy shipping services, giving the sender the responsibility to label and provide the necessary documentation, including customs declaration for international shipments. | It involves handling and documentation processes similar to standard freight shipments. Consolidators coordinate the participating shippers' pickup, consolidation, and shipment documentation. | They handle the documentation and ensure proper handling of shipments, including any necessary customs documentation when shipping internationally. | Regional or local carriers have their own handling and documentation procedures tailored to their operations and requirements. |
It is essential to note that having a proper consultation with the respective service providers is better to ensure precise information regarding their economy shipping options.
The Stallion Economy shipping option is another domestic and cross-border shipping option provided by Stallion Express to sellers in which they can save further.
Stallion leverages Canada Post for final-mile delivery to the recipient. Zone skipping happens with our internal network of trucks to zone skip between regions, only passing onto Canada Post for final-mile delivery (therefore longer transit times but lower cost).
Stallion and Canada Post have worked together to establish five strategic delivery hubs: Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, and Halifax. However, you can only use this service when you ship the package through your Stallion account, so remember to create one!
They provide two options to the sellers: Economy Canada and Economy Standard shipping.
The difference is how parcels are transported from the warehouse to the destination.
Economy Canada is a shipping option introduced by Stallion, aiming to provide customers with lower shipping rates and improved efficiency. Through collaboration with Canada Post, Stallion Economy Canada has established 5 strategic delivery hubs in Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, and Halifax. This lowers the cost of transportation by allowing them to skip zones and route packages directly to the nearest destination of their partner carrier.
Meanwhile, Economy Air offers air shipping coast to coast with final mile delivery by a trusted carrier. It covers major metropolitan cities, with 2 to 5 business days transit times, and fully tracked shipments via FleetOptics. Pricing starts at $6 per package, and customers can opt for Stallion Protection for added security. However, returns are not available for this service. Stallion Economy Air is available from Ontario and British Columbia regions.
Regardless of the selected option, they have the same features, like tracking and returns services. You can also purchase Stallion Protection, like any economy shipping service offered by Stallion.
It takes 3 - 8 days at best for a package to reach its destination with Economy Shipping. This depends on the receiver's location.
The delivery for packages sent from Canada to the United States usually takes five to seven or days or more through the national carrier. However, Stallion offers a better shipping time with its economy shipping service. With Stallion Express' Economy USA, you can reliably expect your parcel to arrive between three to five business days, depending on the destination.
Stallion Express offers more than quick shipping time and economical shipping. Customers also get to enjoy the following perks:
Stallion does not have direct economy shipping services for overseas shipments. However, you can still ship internationally affordably with us through our partner courier services.
You can grow your eCommerce business internationally with Stallion Express. As we partner with courier services, APC Postal Logistics and PostNL, we can ensure that you will get fast and reliable services when shipping internationally. You can effortlessly ship to any international destination, easily track your packages, and expand your customer base.
Stallion has established strong partnerships with APC Postal Logistics and PostNL, and as we collaborate with these trusted carriers, we can ensure competitive pricing and expertise in handling international deliveries.
These two major carriers offer strengths unique to their companies, which you can use as a basis when choosing the best shipping partner for your brand. It is crucial to consider and evaluate your specific shipping needs and factors affecting your shipments, like the destination, service level, pricing, coverage, and customer support.
Stallion offers competitive rates for international shipping from Canada, providing you with the cheapest options available. You can save up to 85% on shipping costs compared to other carriers. The average delivery period ranges from 4 to 12 business days, depending on the destination.
Full tracking is available for your shipments, allowing you to stay updated on their progress. Optional shipment protection is also offered for further package security.
Refer to the sample international shipping rates from Toronto to various destinations:
| Location | Size | Competitor’s Price | Stallion’s International Shipping Rates |
|---|---|---|---|
| London, England | 4oz (113g) | $41.73 | $6.20 |
| Sydney, Australia | 4oz (113g) | $59.61 | $11.16 |
| Hong Kong | 15oz (425g) | $58.30 | $12.19 |
Please note that the specific pricing and delivery lead time vary depending on factors, including package weight, destination, and service options.
The Economy Standard option is one of the economic shipping choices for entrepreneurs on a budget. While it may be slower than overnight or express shipping, you can still guarantee your package will arrive with a reasonable time period.
Looking to start saving on shipping? Sign up for a free account below and grow your business with the leading shipping partner in Canada today!
Aman looks after the content marketing department at Stallion Express. He is passionate about helping businesses grow by providing informative and up-to-date trends in the eCommerce industry. Outside the office, you can find him on the soccer field cheering on Real Madrid.
Read all posts written by Aman Chopra
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