Things are hard for a lot of people right now, and the eCommerce world is no exception. We understand saving money wherever you can is definitely worth it. With this in mind, we’ve compiled a list of some of our best shipping tricks and tips to help you with shipping costs, including how to score some free shipping supplies.
Learn how to order shipping supplies straight from your ShippingEasy account in our Onyx Products® Shipping Supply Store blog!
One Balance and card rewards
USPS and UPS One Balance postage are both taken out of the One Balance funds on your Carrier Funds page. If you won’t be sending shipments for a while, or if you don’t want your account to be automatically refilled every time it’s below a certain amount, you can turn off the option to “Automatically refill my balance.” This way, money won’t be automatically transferred from your account.*
*Note: USPS and UPS adjustments will be taken from your One Balance account automatically, even if funds aren’t available, and these will have to be paid to resume using your One Balance account and keep it in good standing. Also, the minimum deposit for a One Balance account is $10.
We don’t recommend opening new credit cards or other accounts if you don’t have the option/just don’t want to. But, if you do have an active credit card and/or debit card, it’s worth reaching out to your provider to see what rewards might be available for using this card like cash back rewards or frequent flyer miles. Updating your payment method to this card for your postage could benefit you with these rewards, so your shipping makes you money!
Order free shipping supplies from USPS
Unlike UPS and FedEx, USPS doesn’t require an account for you to order free shipping supplies – you’ll just need a valid mailing address where you can receive packages. Some free USPS supplies include:
- Priority Mail Flat Rate BoxesⓇ
- Priority Mail Regional Rate A & B BoxesⓇ
- Priority Mail Flat RateⓇ – APO/FPO Boxes
Order free shipping supplies from FedEx
FedEx, much like UPS, also sends its customers free shipping supplies, and you’ll need to sign up for an account to receive a FedEx ID and a valid address to receive the supplies. You’ll also need to place a credit card on file, but the supplies themselves are free. You can also visit the FedEx Pack and Ship locations nearest you to grab supplies in person and get additional help on packing your shipment.
Learn more about Commercial USPS rates in Commercial Shipping Simplified with ShippingEasy!
Save on Thermal Printers
Thermal printers, including Zebras and DYMO LabelWriters, quickly print your labels, don’t use traditional toner and printer ink cartridges, and are also compatible with ConnectEasy. The one big downside to thermal printers like the Zebra is the price tag – a new one usually costs around $350-$450. A good thermal printer is worth the investment, but this price tag is brutal.
However, we have good news! Marketplaces like Amazon and eBay do sell refurbished Zebras for around $150-$250 instead. Amazon and eBay also both offer warranties for these products, so you have some wiggle room available if there are issues with your thermal printer. We recommend searching both marketplaces for reliable sellers and reading all of the notes in the product descriptions, so you receive the thermal printer of your dreams.
Zebra thermal printers have the advantage of printing shipping labels quickly and requiring no ink so you don’t have to pay for overpriced toner and ink to print proper shipping labels. We also have a large number of customers that opt for the Dymo LabelWriter 4XL. Both are reliable and highly recommended thermal printers.
There is one downside to Zebra printers, though: a retail price tag of $450. While the investment is worth it in the long term, there is an abundance of perfectly functioning refurbished units all over the web. You can get a fully functional Zebra label printer refurbished online for anywhere from $100-$250, which saves you as much as $350 on your purchase. There’s obviously a risk with purchasing a refurbished unit, but there are warranties that usually come with a purchase and third-party warranties that will keep your purchase safe for years.
Where to buy: eBay, Amazon, and independent sites all sell refurbished units. Try to buy from a trusted seller and add an extended warranty if available (SquareTrade extended warranties on eBay purchases are $47.99 for 2 years).
To get started, here’s a search results page on eBay for GX420 thermal printers that can help you find one.
USPS Commercial Rates and UPS One Balance Rates
All ShippingEasy users have access to USPS Commercial Rates and UPS One Balance Rates. USPS Commercial Rates give you up to 43% off of the USPS Retail Rates. But, it doesn’t stop there! ShippingEasy users can also use GlobalPost for international shipping, which comes with additional international shipping discounts and a more efficient international shipping process, as GlobalPost uses a network of carriers to get your shipments to their destination.
UPS One Balance users get up to 86% off daily rates (international services), up to 69% for UPS 2nd Day Air service, and up to 55% off UPS Ground shipments. These savings will definitely add up quickly, and we even have a free Starter plan available, which allows you to send up to 25 shipments a month! You also get immediate access to these rates, and you can connect other carriers you might use like FedEx, and your established rates will be invoiced for your ShippingEasy packages.
Get USPS Commercial Rates and UPS One Balance Rates and make Shipping Easy today!
Baillee Perkins
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