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Shipping Basics
UPS Shipping Rates & Cost Estimates
UPS shipping rates are important for businesses of all sizes. United Parcel Service America, Inc. (or UPS for short) is a parcel delivery service based in the US that delivers to almost every country on Earth with an average daily package count of 15,000,000. Because of their global network and good customer satisfaction rating, UPS is a go-to for many merchants and customers around the globe. UPS rates are competitive for their services offered. In fact, the USPS even relies on UPS and other global carriers to help deliver its express domestic and international parcels. So, let’s break down common UPS shipping services and how to estimate shipping costs.
How Does UPS Calculate Shipping Costs?
UPS calculates shipping costs similar to other carriers. While weight, dimensions, and delivery destination are the main factors, other charges can apply too. Extra fees like customs and import taxes, residential and delivery area surcharges, as well as other factors, can increase the rates.
UPS Shipping Rates & Cost Estimates:
- UPS offers competitive shipping rates globally, vital for businesses of all sizes.
- Shipping costs are determined by factors such as weight, dimensions, and delivery location.
- ShipStation users can access UPS services with deep discounts and simplified rate comparisons.
- Understanding UPS surcharges can help businesses manage shipping expenses effectively.
- Utilizing ShipStation for UPS services streamlines order fulfillment and enhances shipping efficiency.
How Package Weight Determines UPS Rates
UPS uses weight to determine a shipment’s label’s base rate. This is true of most other carriers as well. If the weight increases to the next pound, the rate will rise. The maximum package weight for UPS is 150 lbs.
How Package Dimensions Determine UPS Rates
Dimensions play a big part in shipping costs. Typically, they work as a maximum threshold for a parcel’s size. However, smaller packages can cost substantially less than larger ones. UPS allows a maximum size of 165 inches in length and girth combined.
How Delivery Destination Determine UPS Rates
UPS uses zones to determine the base rate to charge for a domestic parcel. The higher the zone, the higher the rate. Additionally, the UPS has Residential, Fuel, Extended Area, Remote Area, and Saturday delivery surcharges which can also increase a parcel’s label fees.
How International Destinations Impact UPS Rates
UPS has a higher base rate for international shipments than it does for domestic ones. All carriers do. However, many of the additional costs associated with shipping internationally with UPS are also applicable to many other carriers. For instance, VAT taxes, customs fees, import fees, and the cost to return a parcel if undeliverable are all ways a shipping rate will increase.
Additional Common UPS Surcharges
UPS’s surcharges fees can vary depending on the type of service and the location of final delivery. One way to avoid paying these full surcharges is to use UPS for ShipStation.
UPS Delivery Surcharges
| UPS Delivery Area Surcharge Type | 2021 UPS Residential Surcharge Rate |
| Ground Residential Surcharge | $4.30 |
| Ground Residential Extended Surcharge | $5.90 |
| Air Residential Surcharge | $4.70 |
| Air Residential Extended | $5.90 |
UPS Accessory Surcharges
| UPS Accessory Charge Type | 2021 UPS Accessory Charge Cost |
| Remote Area Surcharge Alaska | $32.50 |
| Remote Area Surcharge Hawaii | $10.65 |
| Address Correction | $18.00 |
| Fuel Surcharge | Varies week to week |
Available UPS Services in ShipStation
Because ShipStation is a UPS Ready® certified partner, ShipStation customers can use almost all of the Ground and Express services available through UPS Worldship or other UPS Ready® programs. The UPS services available in ShipStation are:
Available UPS Domestic Shipping Services
- UPS 2nd Day Air Am ®
- UPS 2nd Day Air®
- UPS 3 Day Select®
- UPS® Ground
- UPS® Home®
- UPS Next Day® Air
- UPS Next Day Air® Early
- UPS Next Day® Air Saver
- UPS Saver®
- UPS Surepost®
Available UPS International Shipping Services
- UPS® Ground International
- UPS® Standard
- UPS Worldwide Expedited®
- UPS Worldwide Express®
- UPS Worldwide Express Plus®
- UPS Worldwide Saver
Shop UPS Rates via your ShipStation Account
ShipStation is a UPS Ready® application. This means you can quickly connect an existing UPS account to your ShipStation account and start shipping orders. But, even better is that ShipStation has a partnership with UPS that gives you deep discounts on many UPS services. It even can reduce some additional surcharges that many standalone UPS accounts pay unless their rates are further negotiated.
If you want to try UPS for free and see how their rates stack up against other domestic and international carrier services, ShipStation’s direct integration with UPS is available to all customers as soon as you sign up. Compare the UPS and USPS discounted rates and many more available carriers. Compare all available rates for any order you have regardless of which selling channel it originates from. And use the cheapest shipping option for both outbound and return labels for your customers’ orders.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are UPS shipping costs calculated?
UPS shipping costs are calculated based on weight, dimensions, delivery destination, and additional surcharges such as residential or extended area fees.
What is the maximum weight for UPS packages?
The maximum weight for UPS packages is 150 lbs. Exceeding this limit will result in additional charges or the need for alternative shipping solutions.
What are UPS surcharges?
UPS surcharges can include residential delivery fees, fuel surcharges, and remote area surcharges. Understanding these can help businesses manage costs effectively.
How can I get UPS services through ShipStation?
ShipStation is a UPS Ready® certified partner, allowing users to access UPS services, print labels, and manage shipments directly from their ShipStation account.
What discounts are available for UPS through ShipStation?
ShipStation customers can access significant discounts on UPS services compared to standard UPS rates, making it an economical choice for businesses.
Get a UPS Shipping Quote with ShipStation
UPS is perhaps the world’s best-known parcel delivery service. UPS provides small business owners and ecommerce merchants with the services needed to offer any customer with fast, efficient delivery. Using UPS with ShipStation allows you to quickly and easily fulfill your orders, compare cheap shipping rates, print shipping labels, notify the selling channel and customer, and be done with your day’s shipping.
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