Think fast! In this edition of Shipping Unboxed, we’re answering all of your questions on expedited shipping. We’ll cover everything from expedited carrier services to customer expectations to make the world of expedited shipping a little less terrifying. Without further ado, let’s dive into this edition of Shipping Unboxed.
Question Quick Jump
- What is expedited shipping?
- What is the difference between same day and overnight shipping?
- Do customers expect expedited shipping?
- What is USPS Priority Mail Express®?
- How do I file a Priority Mail Express® service claim?
- Are there carrier restrictions with expedited shipping?
- Is expedited shipping important during the holiday season?
- Is expedited shipping through USPS available on weekends?
- Can I schedule Saturday USPS pickups for Priority Mail ExpressⓇ shipments?
- What domestic expedited shipping services does UPS® offer?
- What international expedited shipping services does UPS offer?
- Which pickup and delivery options does UPS offer on Saturdays?
- Can I connect my DHL Express and DHL Ecommerce accounts to my ShippingEasy account?
- Can I drop off packages on the weekend?
- Can I drop off UPS packages on the weekend?
- How does ShippingEasy help me with expedited shipping?
Did you miss the last Shipping Unboxed? Check out Shipping Unboxed: FAQs about International Shipping.
What is expedited shipping?
Expedited shipping is when your packages are delivered to your customers in a shorter time frame. The different types of expedited shipping options are:
- Same day – When a shipment arrives the same day it’s ordered
- Overnight shipping – When a shipment arrives the day after it’s ordered
- 2-day – When a shipment arrives two days after it’s ordered
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What is the difference between same day and overnight shipping?
Same day shipping is when a package is shipped the same day it’s ordered, and overnight shipping is when a package arrives the day after it’s shipped. These timelines may vary by the service. For example, some services might not count the initial day of shipping as the first day if the package is sent later in the day; there might be a grace period included for holidays, inclement weather conditions, and other obstacles.
Learn more about overnight shipping in What Are the Cheapest Overnight Shipping Options?
Do customers expect expedited shipping?
In our recent study with Retail Economics, 20.8% of customers said shipping speed was the biggest factor in deciding whether or not they’ll purchase from a business. We totally understand that this holiday season is going to be financially stressful, so expedited shipping options might not be an option for your business. If your business isn’t able to offer expedited shipping, consider using carrier services like Priority Mail® because they have a 1-3 day delivery window and include tracking for your customers.
Are your expectations for this holiday season aligned with your customers’ expectations? Find out!
What is USPS Priority Mail Express®?
Priority Mail Express® is a USPS service that can be used when you need shipments to arrive faster than the delivery windows seen with other services. Priority Mail Express® shipments have a delivery window of next-day to 2-day delivery by 6PM. Priority Mail Express® also has flat-rate packaging options, tracking, and $100 of included insurance for most of the packages sent using this service. This is helpful because your customers can track their packages along the way and have insurance included in case anything goes awry.
For more overall information on Priority Mail, read our blog – USPS Priority Mail: A Full Breakdown!
How do I file a Priority Mail Express® service claim?
Unlike Priority Mail®, Priority Mail Express® packages are eligible for a refund if your shipment doesn’t arrive during the given delivery window. To file a claim with USPS, you’ll provide them with your package’s tracking number, the PDF version of your label, and the proof of purchase for your label. Just make sure you file the claim within 30 days of when you purchased the label!
To submit your information, you’ll log in to your USPS account and select the Request a Refund option. After USPS has processed your claim, you can submit a form to our team if the full amount of your shipping wasn’t returned. This way, you can see if your shipment is eligible for ShippingEasy to cover the remaining balance.
Learn how to file insurance claims over in our blog.
Are there carrier restrictions with expedited shipping?
As with other carrier services, there are restrictions on what you can send in the mail. For example, some foods might need specific labels and additional packaging like dry ice to keep your tasty treats intact. You can find more USPS guidelines and restrictions on their website.
Get a taste of specialty shipping in our How to Ship Food blog!
Is expedited shipping important during the holiday season?
Yes! Especially when holidays like Christmas fall on the weekend. You may have last-minute shoppers who still need their gifts to arrive on time. If your business is able, offering your customers expedited shipping options might be the way to go. And, the closer it is to the holiday season, the more your customers might be willing to pay for expedited shipping.
You can find more tips on communicating with customers in How to Communicate with Customers This Holiday Season.
Is expedited shipping through USPS available on weekends?
It depends. Services like Priority Mail Express® do have the option for Sunday delivery or holiday delivery. But, these options do come with additional fees and destination restrictions. We recommend contacting USPS directly for more information.
Can I schedule Saturday USPS pickups for Priority Mail ExpressⓇ shipments?
Currently, Saturday pickups are unavailable for scheduling in your ShippingEasy account. However, you can schedule weekday pickups in your ShippingEasy account, so there’s no need to fear.
Start scheduling your weekday USPS pickups with a 30-day free trial!
What domestic expedited shipping services does UPS® offer?
UPS has the following domestic expedited shipping service offerings:
- UPS Next Day Air® Early: Early morning delivery
- UPS Next Day Air®: Next-day delivery service
- UPS Next Day Air Saver®: UPS’s most affordable next-day delivery service
- UPS 2nd Day Air A.M.®: Second day morning or noon delivery
- UPS 2nd Day Air®: Second day delivery
If you need an expedited service to deliver your shipments, UPS 2nd Day Air A.M. is the service for you! UPS 2nd Day Air A.M. offers on-time delivery by 10:30 a.m. or 12:00 p.m. on the second business day to metropolitan commercial destinations in the 48 contiguous states where UPS Next Day Air® delivery is committed by 10:30 a.m. or 12:00 p.m., respectively. UPS 2nd Day Air also delivers to all 50 states and Puerto Rico, with some limitations, in Alaska and Hawaii by the end of the second business day.
What international expedited shipping services does UPS offer?
UPS’s international expedited shipping options are:
- UPS Worldwide Express®: Time-definite service to 140 countries and territories
- UPS Worldwide Express Plus®: Time-definite delivery to 140 countries and territories with morning delivery
- UPS Worldwide Expedited®: Day-definite expedited delivery to over 220 countries and territories
- UPS Worldwide Saver®: Day-definite delivery by the end of the business.
- Next business day delivery by the end of the day to Canada and second business day delivery by the end of the day to Mexico
Which pickup and delivery options does UPS offer on Saturdays?
Your shipping doesn’t have to stop on the weekend! UPS has both weekend pickup and delivery services to keep your shipping going throughout the week. These services include:
- Saturday pickups – UPS offers Saturday pickup for shipments, regardless of the service level*
- Commercial delivery on Saturdays – UPS offers Saturday commercial delivery.
- Saturday residential delivery to over 100 metropolitan US areas with no additional fees for certain UPS® Ground shipments**
*Saturday Ground pickup is available in the contiguous 48 states.
**Select Ground Packages with a committed delivery day of Monday or Tuesday may be eligible to receive delivery on the Saturday prior to their committed delivery date in territories eligible for Saturday Residential delivery.
Can I connect my DHL Express and DHL Ecommerce accounts to my ShippingEasy account?
Absolutely. To connect your DHL accounts to ShippingEasy, you’ll go to Carrier Funds and scroll down to the DHL section. Just click on the account you’d like to connect and enter the following information:
- Client ID
- Username
- Password
- Pickup Number
- Distribution Center
- API Key
- API Secret
After you enter this information, you’ll just click the Connect Account button, and voila!
You can find more information about carrier integrations in Shipping 101.
Can I drop off packages on the weekend?
Some USPS locations keep their lobbies available to customers on the weekend so that people are able to check their PO boxes and buy postage for standard envelopes and packages. If you’re sending an oversized package or any package that needs specialized packaging and handling, we recommend visiting USPS during regular business hours. This way, you don’t run the risk of getting adjustments and/or your package being returned.
Learn how to ship to PO boxes with the help of our blog!
Can I drop off UPS packages on the weekend?
UPS Access Point® locations can be found in thousands of The UPS Store® locations and other businesses like CVS and Michaels, and these locations have both drop off and pickup options. To drop off a package, all you’ll need to do is pre-label your shipment. Your customers can also use a UPS Access Point® location to avoid shipments being left outside unattended for peace of mind. To find your closest UPS Access Point® location, visit UPS’s website.
How does ShippingEasy help me with expedited shipping?
Shipping rules are sets of If/Then statements that help automate your shipping and get your orders to customers faster. Shipping rules can be created for expedited shipping, so you can assign expedited carrier services to specific orders. For example, if all of the orders from one of your stores need to be sent using Priority Mail Express®, you could make a shipping rule to assign this specific service to those specific orders. This way, you don’t have to individually assign your expedited shipping options to those orders, and you can get packages to your customers with ease.
Start creating shipping rules today with a 30-day free trial!
Baillee Perkins
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