Top 5 Best International Shipping Services for Amazon Small Businesses

If you are an Amazon seller, you’ll probably understand how shipping is pretty much an essential part of your business. Getting the best international shipping service for small businesses that carefully handles your packages and timely delivers to your customer’s doorsteps is a significant factor in the success of your e-commerce business. 

Based on Amazon’s Small Business Impact Report, American Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) sold more than 3.4 billion products on Amazon and averaged 6,500 products sold per minute. Amazon small business owners’ success came from working closely with creators, delivery business, and IT solution partners. With the e-commerce business continuously growing, the need for a reliable international shipping service is a must. 

Amazon small business owners have to work with third-party shipping to help ship and deliver their products. It may be daunting since you will be putting your trust in these shipping services. Fortunately, we have evaluated different reputable international shipping services. 

But, before we discuss the details, you need to understand the costs of shipping a product. 

To get the most value for your money, let’s know the factors for your shipping cost:

Shipping Size

The shipping size of a package is one of the most critical factors determining the cost of a package or container. The smaller and lighter is the package, the cheaper the cost. The same way if a package is more extensive and heavier, it will be more costly.

Whenever you plan on shipping a package, take note of the measurement and weight of the product. You don’t want an angry and furious customer calling you for a wrong shipping cost assessment. Try investing in a postal scale to help you with the weight of your packages.  

Cargo

The type of product you ship will affect the packaging, shipping size, and price. Most shipping services will charge higher if you plan to ship food or hazardous materials. It costs more since the items need to be insulated during delivery. 

Shipping Volume

The volume and frequency of your shipment can also affect your shipping cost. We can observe that sellers who ship daily get better rates than those who ship once or twice a month. Sellers who ship frequently can negotiate for cheaper deals or bundles because they’ve already built a good working relationship with the shipping company.

The shipping company will also greatly benefit from the bulk of packages received from the seller. There are also added benefits given to those who frequently ship, such as cash-on-delivery and loyalty points. 

Packaging

Packaging and shipment sizes work together when it comes to calculating the shipping cost. The size and weight of the product you will be shipping will affect the packaging. Small-sized packages that are lighter than others can be placed in a small-sized envelope or packages while larger items should be placed in boxes. 

Foam and paper cushions  also add to the cost since these ensure that your package will arrive neatly and in good condition on your buyer’s doorstep. It is nice to note that other shipping services offer flat rate shipping. Flat rate shipping is when a single rate is charged to all packages. 

If your item can fit a medium-sized box despite being heavier and bigger, your shipping cost will be based on the medium-sized box. A flat rate can help you save money whenever you plan to ship more items. 

Delivery Time

The usual standard time for shipping orders is 1-5 business days. But what if your customers want to receive their package at a speedier time frame? The general rule is: they’ll have to pay higher than the standard rate. 

The cost can depend on the destination, but most shipping services can offer you overnight shipping or same-day delivery shipping for a price higher than the standard rate. You’ll also have to decide if you want to pass the cost to your customer. 

Shipping Method

The shipping method can affect the time of delivery because some shipping methods are faster than others. Your customers’ packages can be shipped via land, air, or sea. Some customers have the choice if they want to ship through air or sea, while others do not. It is up to you if you wish to make the decision or let your customers decide on the shipping method they prefer. There are also different prices for each shipping method. 

Distance Being Shipped

The distance you are shipping the product can affect your shipping cost. Most shipping services have an estimate on how much it will cost to ship to a specific destination from your location. It is best to note these details for your customer to be aware of the possible shipping cost.

Insurance 

Shipping insurance is a protection for shippers against lost, damaged, or stolen packages. If a package wasn’t delivered, or arrived broken on the buyer’s doorsteps, then the shipper is reimbursed equivalent to the declared value. 

Most shipping services will provide a basic insurance package for your shipments. It is up to you to choose and buy additional insurance for your delivery. Also,  note that the coverage will also depend on the value of the item, shipping destination, and shipping method.

Carrier liability insurance is the most common type of shipping insurance you’ll get. This insurance covers up to $100 of the shipping cost in the event the item gets lost or damaged. You may also purchase shipping insurance from a third-party provider.

Different shipping services will charge you different shipping rates based on these factors. 

Before you plan on choosing a service provider, understand what your business is about, the goods you will be shipping, and the areas you will be shipping to. 

Once you can answer these questions, you may now pick an international shipping service for your business. 

5 Best International Shipping Services for Small Businesses

1. United States Postal Service

Best for small businesses looking to ship small items.

The United States Postal Service (USPS) is a shipping service that offers you the best price for a package under five pounds. If you plan to ship small and lightweight products, this is the best option. Regardless of the size, packaging, destination, and delivery time, they will offer you an affordable deal. 

The standard delivery period for USPS is 2-8 business days. 

Some of the services offered are Priority Mail Express, which offers daily overnight express; USPS Retail Ground, which delivers in two to eight business days; Media Mail, which provides the distribution of books and periodicals; and a flat-rate option based on the packaging of the product. 

The commercial price for a priority mail envelope is $6.95, while a large box is $19.95. If you are a high-volume shipper, USPS can offer you a lower price. As for the pick-up and delivery, you can download your postage and shipping labels from the USPS website. Afterwards, just leave the item for pick-up, or you can drop it off at any USPS offices or drop boxes. 

If your item is less than 5 pounds and you want an affordable option, you can pick USPS. 

2. United Parcel Service (UPS)

Best for shipping large packages.

United Parcel Service (UPS) is best for shipping large packages. Items that are heavier than five pounds shall be shipped under UPS. They offer better deals for larger packages. However, they don’t provide flat-rates, unlike USPS. The standard delivery period for UPS is 1-5 business days. 

Some of the services UPS offers are their overnight, international, and ground shipping. Their UPS eFulfillment solution allows you to focus on your work while they fulfill your orders. What you can do is send your inventory to them, and they pick, pack, and ship everything to your customers. 

To make it even easier on your part. You can integrate UPS in your store. Simply use UPS Marketplace Shipping Solution to help you manage your shipment in various platforms. Lastly, UPS allows insurance of up to $100. 

3. Federal Express (FedEx)

Best for rush shipping. 

Federal Express or FedEx is a shipping service known for its fast delivery period. If you need  rush shipping, then pick FedEx. Their services include overnight shipping, cross-country same-day shipping, and regular delivery for domestic and international shipping. The standard delivery period for FedEx is 1-4 business days.

FedEx also offers flat rate shipping. As for the cost of shipment, FedEx is slightly cheaper than UPS. To ship using FedEx, you may pay a fee for the item to be picked up at your place, or you may drop it off a service location.  

FedEx packages also have insurance of up to $100. Similar to UPS, FedEx can be integrated into your e-commerce platform for speedy fulfillment. 

4. DHL

Best for international shipping.

DHL has delivered to more than 220 countries in the world, and they have an online quote generator to know the cost of shipping the package. You may pay online, with or without a DHL account, and schedule a pick-up.  

Due to the nature of the shipping condition, the standard delivery period is 3-8 business days. Insurance is highly advisable if you’ll be shipping to different parts of the world. Lastly, you can talk to their brokerage offices to ask for aid in custom-related queries. 

5. Stallion Express

Cheapest international shipping service from Canada.

If you need the cheapest international shipping from Canada, then Stallion Express is your answer. We closely work with APC Logistics and PostNL to bring you the fastest and trustworthy international shipping service to grow your market worldwide. We will offer you competitive rates based on the package size!

If you plan to ship internationally, you’ll only pay as low as $6.20 instead of $41.74! Check more of our cheapest pricing offers here. Plus, your packages will be shipped within 4-12 business days. You also have full tracking options to monitor your packages. Among our other services is their insurance package, where they offer you full coverage protection on your packages. 

You may integrate Stallion Express to your online store too, and help ship your packages to Amazon FBA. If you need a reliable, friendly, and cheap international shipping service, then Stallion Express is for you. 

Key Takeaways

Choosing a reliable and affordable international shipping service is an important part of the success of small businesses. The delivery of your products to the doorsteps of your customers is equivalent to taking care of them. Putting your trust in a shipping service to handle the delivery of packages is a privilege and a responsibility. 

We hope the factors and shipping services discussed above can help you pick which shipping service you’ll need. Keep in mind that you can use a combination of two or three shipping providers. Also, your customers should be aware of your shipping terms, so explain it to them or post more information online. 

Here at Stallion Express, we provide the cheapest international shipping service to sellers. If you need to know more about our service, you can call at +1 877-863-7447 or email [email protected].  

Cyrel Nicolas