Standard Shipping 101: Everything Ecommerce Retailers Need to Know

Customers want convenience, and the majority of buyers would choose to buy from shops that provide more delivery alternatives. Giving consumers the option to select their own shipping method allows you to make additional sales.

However, standard shipping is the default choice for every shopper.

Standard shipping, on the other hand, is both cost-effective and time-consuming. This may be off-putting to some clients who are used to next-day or same-day deliveries. Customers have many different reasons for selecting a certain delivery option, so you should allow them to choose whatever they want.

Fulfillment by Amazon offers a wide range of fulfillment options and solutions to meet the needs of K-12 school districts, academic institutions, or anyone else searching for reliable, fast, and accurate shipping. As such, we cater to merchants looking for the greatest ecommerce shipping alternatives possible that are both timely and cost-effective.

Read on to learn what standard shipping is, how the shipping process works, and why a 3PL might help retailers satisfy their consumers.

What is standard shipping?

One of the most popular and cost-effective shipping options accessible by shipping carriers is standard delivery. Your goods will travel by truck and arrive at the destination in three to five business days if you choose regular shipping with a domestic courier service based in the United States.

International delivery by surface is generally 7 to 30 days.

How does standard shipping work

Businesses that want to inexpensively distribute small to big boxes should select standard delivery. The shipping rate varies according on the distance traveled and weight of the box.

When a customer selects this choice, you must provide them with a comprehensive shipping policy that details shipping costs and processes, as well as delivery dates and more.

Standard shipping is a delivery method that works independently of the customer’s location. Orders are picked, sorted, and packed by the shipping firms before being sent via road to customers in 3 to 7 business days.

Standard shipping compared to other shipping methods

When customers order goods via standard delivery, retailers save money on shipping and may pass that savings on to the consumer. However, this isn’t always enough. Customers want more than what is offered.

To avoid losing sales due to shipping restrictions, make sure you provide alternative delivery choices that meet the demands of customers depending on their preferred transit speed and budget.

In this part, we’ll look at how standard shipping compares to express, ground, and international delivery.

Standard shipping vs. express shipping

Standard shipping has a transit time of three and seven business days from the time the order is sent. Express delivery, on the other hand, is both faster and more expensive.

Express and expedited shipping are sometimes used interchangeably. If a store offers both, be aware that express delivery will get your goods to you faster (sometimes the next day or in two days). Expedited is simply another term for faster than standard delivery.

Customers who need their goods delivered as quickly as possible frequently seek out expedited shipping, which is often referred to as premium shipping. Launch Fulfillment offers its merchants access to low-cost 2-day delivery.

Standard shipping vs. ground shipping

Standard and ground shipping are the same thing. Parcels are collected from warehouses and delivered to customers via ground transportation for domestic shipments. The products take 3 to 5 business days to arrive.

Customers who reside in a more rural region of the United States may experience delays in receiving their shipment. This is when hiring regional parcel carriers can be beneficial.

Standard shipping vs. international shipping

As opposed to expedited international shipping, the standard service-level agreement (SLA) for worldwide delivery is slower and less expensive.

Customers can expect to receive their orders within 1 to 3 weeks with standard shipping, and in case of customs delays, it can take up to 5 weeks. On the other hand, it will take only 1 to 6 business days with expedited shipping.