What Is Standard Shipping?
by Jaidyn Farar
Standard shipping, also known as economy shipping, is the baseline shipping option offered by ecommerce businesses. Because standard shipping uses ground transportation rather than air, it’s the slowest method available, sometimes taking up to seven business days. However, it’s also the most cost-effective way to ship packages to customers in the United States.
With so many online shoppers wanting—and expecting—free (or cheap) two-day delivery, you might be wondering if offering standard shipping is a good idea. This article will explore the pros and cons of standard shipping, break down the costs, and look at standard offerings from USPS, UPS, and FedEx.
Benefits of standard shipping
With many customers expecting fast, affordable delivery, some businesses have chosen to offer free shipping. They might build shipping costs into product prices or use a free shipping threshold to drive up the average order value.
However, offering free shipping isn’t the right strategy for every business. Which leaves us with a question: how else can you tailor the delivery experience to budget-conscious consumers?
The answer is simple: provide a standard shipping option. Too-high shipping fees are the top reason for cart abandonment, so offering affordable shipping methods helps convince customers to stay on your website and complete their purchases. Affordable shipping also contributes to a great overall delivery experience, which increases the chances that customers will continue buying from you.
But customer satisfaction and retention are just a few benefits of standard shipping; let’s look at some others.
- Most cost-effective method. For non-urgent deliveries, standard shipping is the cheapest option. If you cover shipping costs for customers, standard shipping will save your business money. If you ask customers to pay for shipping, standard shipping will save them money. Sounds like a win-win!
- The only way to ship some HAZMAT items. Some items and materials, such as lithium batteries, are strictly regulated when it comes to their mode of transportation. Often, these hazardous materials aren’t allowed on planes due to the risk of fire. Since standard shipping uses ground transportation, it’s a safe—and legal—way to ship these products.
- Lower environmental impact. Air travel might be the fastest transportation method, but it also produces the most greenhouse gases. One source estimates that when shipping a large package from Los Angeles to New York City, air transportation produces nearly five times more CO2 than ground. Standard ground shipping allows you to decrease emissions, which can help you meet your organization’s sustainability goals.
- Delivery times may be faster than expected. Depending on how close customers live to your fulfillment centers, standard shipping can take significantly less time than estimated. When this happens, customers receive their deliveries in just a few days without having to pay the higher cost for expedited shipping. (If you need guaranteed delivery within a few days, though, go for the faster service.)
Of course, standard shipping has its downsides too. Standard shipments usually change hands more than expedited ones, meaning they’re at higher risk for damage. And of course, standard shipping isn’t a viable option for shipping perishables like refrigerated or frozen food or temperature-sensitive prescription drugs.
How long does standard shipping take?
Standard shipping usually takes between three and seven days, though it’s common for packages to arrive in fewer than three days. Delivery times are affected by many factors, including distance, weather, and carrier operations.
If packages aren’t time-sensitive, standard shipping is a great option. If you need guaranteed delivery within a certain time frame, try using an expedited or overnight option.
How much does standard shipping cost?
Standard shipping costs depend on the carrier, shipping distance, package weight and dimensions, and value-added features like insurance or signature proof of delivery. Standard shipping is the most affordable shipping method, especially if you negotiate rates with your carrier or use multi-carrier shipping software to access discounted rates.
Let’s look at an example. Imagine you’re sending a 2-pound package from Phoenix, Arizona to Nashville, Tennesee using one of the standard services discussed in the next section. Each carrier’s rate calculator (USPS, UPS, FedEx) provides an estimated retail price.
Note: For more exact pricing, visit a carrier’s website and enter your package’s exact specifications.
Carrier | Standard shipping retail price |
|---|---|
USPS | $13.60 |
UPS | $16.23 |
FedEx | $15.76 |
If those costs look high, don’t worry! The estimates above are retail pricing: what the average person would pay if they walked into a carrier’s store to ship a package. Businesses have lots of options for bringing costs down.
For example, businesses that use the EasyPost Shipping API to print shipping labels automatically get discounts of up to 83% on carrier rates. EasyPost can also optimize shipments, finding the best carrier and shipping method for each package, which saves even more money.
Standard shipping carrier options
When using standard shipping, you can choose between national carriers, such as USPS, UPS, and FedEx, and regional ones. Regional carriers cover limited geographic areas, which allows them to streamline their delivery networks, minimize package handling, and offer lower costs.
While this section will focus on standard shipping services offered by national carriers, it’s in your best interest to also explore regional carriers that deliver to areas where your customers are located.
USPS standard shipping options
USPS Ground Advantage® is a relatively new shipping service. In July 2023, USPS merged three services (Retail Ground, Parcel Select Ground, and First-Class Package Service) under the new mail class Ground Advantage.
Ground Advantage can be used to ship domestically to all 50 states, as well as to U.S. military territories, possessions, and Freely Associated States. USPS offers free package pickup at homes or offices, as well as up to $100 worth of free insurance for each shipment.
Ground Advantage doesn’t deliver on Sundays, but it delivers on Saturdays for no extra charge.
UPS standard shipping options
If you’re looking to ship standard with UPS, then UPS Ground® is the way to go. While the official delivery window is between one and five business days, the UPS website tells us that 90% of Ground packages show up in three days or fewer.
UPS Ground delivers to both homes and businesses in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, with Saturday delivery available for most residential addresses.
FedEx standard shipping options
FedEx offers two standard shipping options: FedEx Ground® and FedEx Home Delivery®. The services are similar, but Ground delivers to businesses, while Home Delivery delivers to residences.
For both services, delivery takes between one and five business days (though shipping to Alaska or Hawaii can add on a couple of days). One great thing about FedEx Home Delivery is that it delivers every day of the week; Sunday delivery is available for over half of the U.S. population.
Standard shipping FAQs
Still have questions about standard shipping? Find the answers here.
Should I charge for standard shipping?
While charging for standard shipping might be off-putting for some customers, it’s perfectly acceptable—just do everything you can to ensure that standard shipping is affordable for the average consumer. Choosing carriers with the best rates, negotiating discounts, and using shipping software can help you keep costs low for your customers.
If you decide to provide free standard shipping, consider offsetting shipping costs by incorporating them into product prices.
Does standard shipping come with tracking?
Yes, most standard shipping services come with package tracking. USPS Ground Advantage, FedEx Home Delivery, and UPS Ground all include package tracking in the price.
Does standard shipping include weekends?
Each carrier has its own policy regarding weekend delivery for standard shipments. USPS Ground Advantage delivers on Saturdays, UPS Ground delivers on Saturdays to select locations, and FedEx offers both Saturday and Sunday delivery to some residential locations.
Save on standard shipping with multi-carrier shipping software
Standard shipping is the baseline offering, making it the cheapest way to get a package into your customers’ hands. But the cost of shipping still adds up fast, making it difficult for some ecommerce businesses to find a shipping method that works for them.
That’s where multi-carrier shipping software comes in. With a shipping API like EasyPost, businesses of all sizes can integrate with over 100 carriers, including national, international, and regional ones. EasyPost negotiates rate discounts so you don’t have to, then makes it easy to print and pay for these discounted labels.
EasyPost users can save up to 83% with carriers like USPS, UPS, and FedEx.
Sign up here (it’s free for up to 10,000 packages per month).