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UPS offers a host of services to ensure that your packages are delivered quickly to customers. Small improvements in which service you pick can have a big impact on customer experience and profitability, so in this guide we’ll walk you through your options and how to make the right choice for your business.

What is UPS 2nd Day Air?

As customer expectations for fast shipping increase, services like UPS 2nd Day Air gain prominence. UPS 2nd Day Air is an alternative for businesses that require fast, but not overnight delivery. It’s simple – slow delivery speeds blunt online store growth because products with slow shipping are added to carts less frequently, and their carts are abandoned more often than products that ship quickly. A 2023 Hanover Research study found that 86% of online shoppers see 2- to 3-day delivery as the baseline, and 63% say they would switch retailers if they could not receive their items within this timeframe.

UPS 2nd Day Air is one of a few expedited shipping options from UPS, and they describe it as their “economical option for shipments that do not need overnight service”. Designed to meet domestic shipping needs across the continental United States and Puerto Rico, 2nd Day Air ensures that a package will arrive at its destination in two business days but the ‘type’ of 2nd Day Air you choose will affect the delivery time.

UPS 2nd Day Air provides day definite delivery; ensuring packages arrive within a specified timeframe. But there are two different types of 2nd Day service – standard service and AM. When someone absolutely needs an item first thing in the morning, you need to spring for the much more expensive 2nd Day Air AM. Without 2nd Day Air AM, UPS only guarantees an end-of-day delivery time, which can of course stretch late into the night.

In addition to 2nd Day Air, UPS also offers 1-day and 3-day expedited services. The 1-day service is called UPS Next Day Air, and as you can imagine the 3-day service is called UPS 3 Day Select.

Benefits of Using UPS 2nd Day Air

UPS 2nd Day Air is a popular shipping option for businesses that need to deliver products quickly and efficiently. Here are some benefits of using UPS 2nd Day Air:

• Fast Delivery: UPS 2nd Day Air guarantees delivery by the end of the second business day, making it an ideal option for businesses that need to deliver products quickly. This ensures that your customers receive their orders promptly, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty.
• Cost-Effective: Compared to overnight shipping, UPS 2nd Day Air is a more cost-effective option. It allows businesses to save on shipping costs while still providing expedited delivery. This balance between speed and cost can be crucial for maintaining profitability in a competitive market.
• Reliable: With UPS 2nd Day Air, you get the peace of mind that comes with guaranteed delivery. UPS guarantees delivery within two business days, ensuring that your packages arrive on time and reducing the risk of delays that could impact your business operations.
• Flexible: UPS 2nd Day Air offers a range of shipping options to meet different needs. Whether you require morning delivery, afternoon delivery, or residential delivery, UPS has you covered. This flexibility allows businesses to cater to various customer preferences and special delivery instructions, enhancing the overall shopping experience.

UPS 2nd Day Air Delivery Times

UPS 2nd Day Air delivery times vary depending on the destination and the time of day the package is shipped. Here are some general guidelines for UPS 2nd Day Air delivery times:

• Business Days: UPS 2nd Day Air delivery times are based on business days, which are Monday through Friday and do not count the date of shipment. This means that packages shipped on a Friday will typically be delivered by the end of the day on the following Tuesday.
• Delivery Begins: Delivery begins at 10:00 am, and the first packages are typically received by 10:30 am. This early start ensures that businesses can receive their shipments promptly and begin processing them without delay.
• Afternoon Delivery: For those who prefer later delivery times, UPS 2nd Day Air offers afternoon delivery, with packages typically arriving by 4:30 pm. This option is ideal for businesses that operate later in the day or for customers who are not available in the morning.
• Residential Delivery: UPS 2nd Day Air also caters to residential delivery needs, with packages typically arriving by 7:00 pm. This ensures that customers who are not home during the day can still receive their packages in the evening.

Overall, UPS 2nd Day Air is a reliable and cost-effective shipping option that offers fast delivery times and flexible shipping options. Whether you need to meet tight deadlines or provide convenient delivery times for your customers, UPS 2nd Day Air has the solutions to meet your needs.

How Much Does Shipping UPS 2nd Day Air Cost?

Cahoot’s internal shipping metrics show that UPS 2nd Day doesn’t come cheap – in fact, we observe that it’s often roughly two times as expensive as UPS Ground.

If you’re used to paying $8 or $9 to ship your packages via Ground and seeing them take a week to deliver, 2-day delivery is going to cost you somewhere in the upper $10 dollar range. In the hyper-competitive ecommerce world, an extra $5-10 in shipping costs can often be the difference between making and losing money on an order.

UPS 2nd Day Air AM balloons the cost of shipping far beyond the standard version of 2-day. Our data shows that the AM option nearly doubles the cost of standard – so it often comes in at nearly 4 times more expensive than UPS Ground. To us, the small added benefit of an early delivery won’t often justify the large added cost.

How to Ship Fast Without UPS 2nd Day Air

To quickly recap – customers expect fast shipping, so you need to offer it to boost growth. However, fast shipping is prohibitively expensive. If you’re like the vast majority of ecommerce merchants and can’t eat $10 extra in shipping on every single item, you need a better way.

The solution to this riddle is to ensure that you always have inventory close to the customer so that UPS Ground delivers in 1- to 2-days without the extra cost of 2nd Day Air – many call this a “distributed fulfillment strategy”. Typically, this means ensuring that you never ship farther than Zone 4, and it requires ~4 fulfillment locations strategically placed throughout the United States. This simple principle, though, is anything but simple in execution.

Here’s the three ways that merchants can adopt a distributed fulfillment strategy:

1. Open Multiple Fulfillment Centers: merchants can open multiple US fulfillment centers and manage the four walls themselves. While having control may seem appealing, there’s never been a worse time to try to stand up merchant-operated fulfillment. Warehouse rents are hitting record highs, and if you can even find people to work for you, you’ll have to pay them $29.00 per hour to compete with Amazon’s rates. This strategy is also time-consuming and risky – you’ll spend countless managerial hours on operations instead of selling, and you’ll have to tie up significant capital.
2. Marketplace Fulfillment Services: Amazon and Walmart offer their own in-house fulfillment networks; Amazon FBA and Walmart Fulfillment Services, for sellers on their platform. They enable fast shipping nationwide, and crucially, they allow vendors to place Prime Badges and Walmart TwoDay tags on their listings to boost visibility and conversion. While attractive, these solutions come with significant drawbacks. They’re designed for small products, so FBA is much more expensive for large items, while Walmart doesn’t accept them at all. Additionally, they’ll only solve your fulfillment needs for the marketplace itself. Amazon FBA’s multi-channel solution, Amazon MCF, is significantly more expensive than FBA, while WFS only works for Walmart orders.

   

3. Third-Party Logistics Companies (3PLs): Your last option is to outsource fulfillment to one 3PL with national fulfillment services, or to multiple single-location 3PLs. The best 3PLs will have 10 or more locations across the United States, so they can strategically place your inventory right near your customer base. Modern 3PLs designed for ecommerce also have built native integrations with all major marketplaces and shopping carts, so you can use one provider for all of your fulfillment needs. Fulfillment costs will vary between 3PLs, though, and not all of them can meet the strict SLAs needed to win the Buy Box on every marketplace. Be sure to use something like a 3PL request for proposal (RFP) template to get an apples to apples comparison.

Cahoot Enables 2-day Shipping at Ground Rates

Cahoot’s nationwide network of over twenty warehouses provides affordable national ecommerce order fulfillment for ecommerce merchants. Thanks to our dense network, we’ll strategically distribute your inventory so that you reach 99% of the country in 2 days but always pay low ground rates.

Unlike other providers, Cahoot has the flexibility to upgrade existing merchant-owned warehouses (if you have them). We’ll analyze your existing network and customer base, then add a few locations of our own to seamlessly extend your network into a nationwide footprint. With this approach, you can continue to get value out of your existing assets while delighting your customers and your bottom line with affordable fast shipping.

Getting started with Cahoot is fast and easy – with pre-built integrations for major ecommerce channels like Amazon, Walmart, Shopify, and BigCommerce, we can get merchants started in as little time as it takes to send us your inventory.

Talk to one of our experts today and explore how we can be the key that unlocks the next level of your profitable ecommerce growth.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is UPS 2nd Day Air?

UPS 2nd Day Air is a shipping service that guarantees delivery within two business days.

What Does 2 Business Days Mean?

UPS counts standard week days as a business day. This means a package picked up on Friday will deliver by Tuesday end of day.

What is the Package Weight or Size Limit?

UPS 2nd Day Air shipments must be 150 lbs or less. Packages should be no more than 119 in long or 165 in combined length plus girth dimensions.

Does UPS 2nd Day Air offer Saturday Delivery?

UPS 2nd Day Air offers Saturday delivery if packages are picked up on Thursday by UPS.

Written By:

Indy Pereira

Indy Pereira helps ecommerce brands optimize their shipping and fulfillment with Cahoot’s technology. With a background in both sales and people operations, she bridges customer needs with strategic solutions that drive growth. Indy works closely with merchants every day and brings real-world insight into what makes logistics efficient and scalable.

If you’re shipping large items, then you know the pain of high storage, handling, fulfillment, and especially shipping costs eating up your margin. While you’ll always pay more to ship a chair than a pen, you shouldn’t resign yourself to eating sky-high rates. With higher shipping costs come larger opportunities to save money; cutting a few dollars of cost off of each order goes straight to your bottom line.

In this article, we’ll cover three of the top ways that you can reduce your cost while shipping heavy and/or large items. Implement them and watch your profit jump and headaches melt away!

Understanding Heavy Item Shipping

Heavy item shipping refers to the transportation of goods that exceed standard weight and size limits. These items require specialized handling, equipment, and logistics to ensure safe and efficient delivery. Whether you’re shipping industrial machinery, medical equipment, or large furniture pieces, understanding the nuances of heavy item shipping is crucial for minimizing costs and maximizing efficiency.

Heavy vs Large Packages

First, we need to make a distinction between heavy and large items. Often large items are heavy, and heavy items are large, but that’s not always the case. When you ship heavy packages, it’s crucial to understand the specific rules, limitations, and pricing options of different carriers to ensure shipping cost-effectiveness and compliance. Improper shipping and handling can also include additional surcharges, double penalizing shipping heavy items. Shipping carriers have specific guidelines and weight thresholds that classify items as heavy, and understanding these definitions can help you choose the right shipping method and carrier.

Definition of Heavy Items in Shipping

Carriers define packages as Heavy if the package weighs more than their normal weight range. For example, UPS charges additional fees for packages weighing more than 70 lbs (31.75 kg), and their maximum allowed parcel weight is 150 lbs.

Definition of Large Items in Shipping

Carriers define packages as Large if the package’s size is more than their normal allowed size range. For example, FedEx’s Large package size starts at a girth greater than 130 inches, and their maximum allowed package length + girth is 165 inches.

Types of Heavy Items

Heavy items typically include furniture, machinery, tools, and other items made of wood or metal. These are typically bulky goods that require special handling and care.

Importance of Proper Shipping for Heavy Items

Proper shipping of heavy items is crucial to ensure safe and efficient delivery. Improper handling and transportation can result in damage to the goods, injury to handlers, and increased shipping costs. Choosing a reliable shipping carrier that specializes in heavy item shipping and follows strict safety protocols is essential. By investing in proper packaging, using heavy-duty packing tape, and selecting the right shipping method, you can minimize risks and ensure your heavy items reach their destination in perfect condition.

Freight (LTL) Shipping Options

Freight shipping is a cost-effective way to transport heavy items over long distances. There are several freight shipping options available, each offering unique benefits and services tailored to meet the needs of shipping large and heavy items. For items that are too heavy to ship via parcel, freight shipping is the best option.

Overview of Freight Shipping Services

Freight shipping services offer a range of benefits, including:

• Cost-effectiveness: Freight shipping is often cheaper than parcel shipping for heavy items. By consolidating shipments and using specialized equipment, freight carriers can offer competitive rates for transporting large and heavy items.
• Flexibility: Freight shipping services can accommodate a wide range of goods, including oversized and heavy items. Whether you’re shipping machinery, equipment, or furniture, freight carriers have the expertise and resources to handle your shipment.
• Reliability: Freight shipping services provide tracking and monitoring to ensure safe and efficient delivery. With advanced logistics and real-time tracking, you can stay informed about the status of your shipment and ensure it arrives on time.

Some popular freight shipping services include:

• DHL Freight: Offers a range of freight shipping services, including ocean freight and air freight. DHL Freight specializes in international shipping and provides comprehensive solutions for transporting heavy items across borders.
• UPS Freight: Provides freight shipping services for heavy items, including machinery and equipment. UPS Freight offers a variety of shipping options, including LTL (less-than-truckload) and FTL (full-truckload) services, to meet your specific needs.
• FedEx Freight: Offers freight shipping services for heavy items, including furniture and oversized goods. FedEx Freight provides reliable and efficient shipping solutions, with options for expedited and standard delivery.

When shipping heavy items, it is essential to choose a reliable freight shipping service that meets your specific needs and budget. Be sure to compare shipping rates, weight limits, and express services to find the best option for your heavy item shipping needs. By selecting the right freight carrier, you can ensure your heavy items are transported safely and cost-effectively.

Distribute Inventory to Reduce Shipping Zones

To state the obvious, the farther you’re sending a package, the more you’ll be charged. Within the continental United States, shipping distance is governed by Zones. Short trips will be designated Zone 2, while shipping something across the country will usually be designated Zone 8.

If you’re fulfilling out of just one warehouse, you have no choice but to routinely ship to Zones 5 and up, which is especially costly with large or heavy packages. Even with two warehouses, much of the country will be outside of the low-cost Zones 2 & 3.

The simple trick is to ensure that you always have inventory close to the customer so that every shipment originates from Zone 4 or less; many call this a “distributed fulfillment strategy”. It requires 3 to 4 fulfillment locations strategically placed throughout the United States. Cutting your average shipped-to zone will drive savings straight to your bottom line.

Distributed fulfillment also comes with the enormous added benefit of enabling fast ecommerce order fulfillment – after all, if your product isn’t shipping far, then it won’t take more than 1 or 2 days to get to the customer. You can stop worrying about using extremely expensive services such as UPS 2nd Day Air and pay ground rates for customer-pleasing fast delivery.

This simple principle, though, is anything but simple in execution.

Based on Ground Shipping speeds

If you already have one warehouse, then it can be tempting to take it upon yourself to open 1-2 more US fulfillment centers across the country. While maintaining control of your customer experience is appealing, there’s never been a worse time to try to stand up merchant-operated fulfillment. Warehouse rents are at record highs, and Amazon has pushed the cost of labor as high as $29.00 per hour.

If you’re a marketplace seller, then you may already be using Amazon and Walmart’s in-house fulfillment networks; Amazon FBA and Walmart Fulfillment Services. These services will solve the distributed inventory challenge for you and enable fast shipping, but they also come with significant drawbacks. They’re designed for small products, so they both significantly raise prices for large items. Walmart, for instance, charges all items with a side length of over 96 inches or a combined length and girth over 130 inches as at least 90 lb no matter their actual weight, and then they add a $25 surcharge to boot. Additionally, they’ll only solve your fulfillment needs for the marketplace itself. Amazon FBA’s multi-channel solution, Amazon MCF, is significantly more expensive than FBA, while WFS only works for Walmart orders.

Your last option is to outsource fulfillment to one 3PL with national fulfillment services, or to multiple single-location 3PLs. The best 3PLs will have 10 or more locations across the United States, so they can strategically place your inventory in the perfect position for your customer base. Modern 3PLs designed for ecommerce also have built native integrations with all major marketplaces and shopping carts, so you can use one provider for all of your fulfillment needs. Fulfillment costs will vary between 3PLs, though, and not all of them can meet the strict SLAs needed to win the Buy Box on every marketplace. Be sure to use something like a 3PL request for proposal (RFP) template to get an apples to apples comparison.

Ship Heavy Items with the Right Carrier

Not every carrier is created equal when it comes to shipping heavy items, and relatively small adjustments in your package size and weight can have big implications when it comes to choosing the most cost-effective option.

FedEx’s guidelines on how to ship oversize items detail that they add an oversize shipping fee when packages have a girth of more than 130 inches. Note that if a package is over 150 lbs, or if its combined length and girth is more than 165 inches, then FedEx will classify it as freight and apply a completely different set of rules.

UPS governs its large items a bit differently. It will designate a package as “Over Maximum Size” when its length plus girth combined exceeds 165 inches, and charge additional fees. UPS charges additional fees for packages over 70 lbs and has a maximum package weight is 150 lbs.

Finally, USPS is less equipped to ship large packages, and thus has more restrictive rules. Their maximum size for most mailpieces is 108 inches in combined length and girth, but USPS Retail Ground has a slightly larger allowance of 130 inches. Regardless of size, the maximum mailable weight of any mailpiece sent through USPS is 70 lbs. Packages that are between 108 and 130 inches in combined length and girth are subject to a special oversized price on USPS.

These guidelines leave wiggle room for savvy merchants to optimize their shipping costs. Note that FedEx’s oversize charge only kicks in on packages with a girth of more than 130 inches, while UPS and USPS have lower limits. On top of that, the latter two’s limits are based on combined length and girth. If your package fits under FedEx’s bar for oversize, but over the bars for the other carriers, then you know that you can avoid surcharges by shipping with FedEx.

You can take it upon yourself to negotiate with the carriers separately, or if you’re using shipping software like ShipStation, you can set manual rules and rate shop to scrutinize your orders for the best rates. On the other hand, our next-gen shipping software will do the hard work for you by automatically comparing major and regional carriers against each other for each order. Without any manual intervention, the software will take quirks like differences in surcharges into account and ensure that you’re getting the best deal, every time.

Optimize Package Size

Small changes in package size can make a big difference to your final shipping cost. When you’re shipping large and oversize items, every additional pound usually adds $0.30 – $0.50 to your cost, which adds up quickly!

Package size matters because of Dimensional Weight, or DIM weight for short. Major carriers introduced DIM weight around 2015 as a way to charge more for bulky, yet light products. The calculation is fairly simple: DIM weight is equal to L x W x H of your package, divided by 139 (166 for USPS). If the resulting number is larger than the weight of the package in pounds, then the shipping weight used to calculate price will be elevated to the DIM weight.

In this way, inefficiencies in package design quickly add up to boost your shipping cost to well more than it should be.

Consider a package that is 24 x 24 x 24. This 2 ft cube package’s DIM weight is 99.45 lbs. If you’re shipping two pillows in that package, the actual weight is probably less than a tenth of the DIM weight. In that scenario, DIM weight increases your cost by $30 or more! What if you could shave 4 inches off one of the sizes by more efficiently compacting your pillows?

Those 4 simple inches cut the DIM weight all the way down to 82.88 lbs, a nearly 20% reduction. That package would fall into FBA’s “Medium oversize” category, with a shipping weight between 70 – 150 lbs. FBA’s fulfillment fee rises by $0.44 for each pound in that category, so shaving the 4 inches off of one side of the package would save you over $7 per order.

Cahoot Ships Heavy Items at Low Cost

Cahoot’s nationwide network of over a hundred warehouses provides affordable national ecommerce order fulfillment for ecommerce merchants.

We cover each of the three key pillars of reducing the shipping cost of heavy items for you:

• We’ll strategically distribute your inventory to 4+ locations
• Our next-gen shipping software automatically finds the lowest cost shipping label that meets your delivery SLA
• We work with you to shrink package size

Unlike other providers, Cahoot also has the flexibility to work alongside existing merchant-owned warehouses (if you have them). We know that many merchants with oversize goods carefully manage fulfillment themselves due to how difficult the process can be. Cahoot will analyze your existing network and customer base, then add a few locations of our own to seamlessly extend your network into a nationwide footprint.

With this approach, you can continue to get value out of your existing assets while delighting your customers and your bottom line with affordable fast shipping.

Getting started with Cahoot is fast and easy – with pre-built integrations for major ecommerce channels like Amazon, Walmart, Shopify, and BigCommerce, we can get merchants started in as little time as it takes to send us your inventory.

Talk to one of our experts today and explore how we can be the key that unlocks the next level of your profitable ecommerce growth.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cheapest way to ship heavy items?

This depends on the size of the item. For smaller items, USPS Priority Mail can be cost effective, and for larger items, UPS or FedEx is usually cheaper.

Are there any special instructions when shipping heavy items?

Heavy items can do more damage when moving in transit; proper packaging and dunnage help keep heavy items protected in shipping.

Written By:

Indy Pereira

Indy Pereira helps ecommerce brands optimize their shipping and fulfillment with Cahoot’s technology. With a background in both sales and people operations, she bridges customer needs with strategic solutions that drive growth. Indy works closely with merchants every day and brings real-world insight into what makes logistics efficient and scalable.

Key Takeaways:

• Legacy shipping software is outdated and inefficient in today’s ecommerce world.
• Next‑gen shipping software automates fulfillment, reducing errors and improving delivery speed.
• Optimized order routing and packaging help businesses save money and maximize profitability.
• Warehouse automation boosts efficiency, helping businesses do more with fewer resources.
• Smarter carrier selection and real‑time rate shopping eliminate unnecessary shipping expenses.

Ecommerce logistics have evolved dramatically in the past two decades, and with this shift, the tools that businesses use must evolve too. Ecommerce shipping software is a powerful tool designed to streamline and automate the shipping processes for online businesses. Choosing the right ecommerce shipping solution significantly enhances operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. Legacy software, however, built for a simpler time, can no longer keep up with the growing complexities of modern ecommerce shipping, making it essential to choose the best shipping software for your business. Rising customer expectations, increasing competition, and skyrocketing operational costs have made traditional fulfillment strategies obsolete.

Enter next‑generation shipping software: a smarter, faster, and more cost‑effective solution designed to streamline operations, optimize shipping processes, and drive profitability. In this pillar article, we’ll explore the four key areas where next‑gen ecommerce shipping software is reshaping fulfillment and helping businesses thrive.

To help ecommerce merchants understand why traditional shipping software is no longer enough, we built a Next‑Generation Shipping Software Guide consisting of 4 parts to highlight what has changed between the old world and the new world, how next‑gen shipping software simplifies fulfillment operations, how it makes order fulfillment more efficient, and how it saves ecommerce businesses money:

1. Ecommerce Shipping Challenges: The World Has Changed and Traditional Shipping Software is Not Enough
2. Shipping Software for Ecommerce Fulfillment: The Next Generation of Shipping Simplified
3. Next‑Gen Warehouse Automation Software for Ecommerce: Fulfillment Efficiency
4. Save Money With Ecommerce Shipping Software: Next‑Gen Solutions

1. The Changing Landscape of Ecommerce Shipping

Two decades ago, ecommerce was a different world. Online Sellers operated on a single channel, faced minimal competition, and customers had lower expectations. Shipping was simple: businesses worked with a single carrier, operated from one warehouse, and didn’t have to worry about complex fulfillment logistics.

Fast forward to today, and the ecommerce landscape has changed dramatically:

• Sellers operate across multiple channels like Amazon, Walmart, and Shopify.
• Competition is intense, requiring fast, free shipping to stay ahead.
• Customers expect 1‑2 day delivery, forcing Sellers to distribute inventory across multiple warehouses.
• Carrier rate increases (GRIs) have made it more expensive to ship orders profitably.

With this growing complexity, businesses can no longer rely on legacy shipping software that lacks automation, intelligent decision‑making, and scalability. Next‑gen ecommerce shipping software is purpose‑built for today’s challenges, offering automated order routing, real‑time carrier rate shopping, and seamless multi‑channel integration to optimize fulfillment workflows.

2. How Next‑Gen Shipping Software Simplifies Ecommerce Fulfillment

Modern ecommerce fulfillment is no longer just about printing shipping labels; it’s about optimizing every aspect of the supply chain. Multi‑carrier shipping software allows businesses to compare rates and select the best carrier for each shipment, optimizing delivery times and reducing costs. Next‑gen shipping software simplifies fulfillment in three key ways:

Automated Order Routing & Carrier Selection

Traditional shipping software relies on manual rule‑setting, requiring Sellers to configure automation workflows manually. This process is prone to errors and inefficiencies. Next‑gen shipping software, like Cahoot, automates order routing by:

• Analyzing warehouse locations, inventory levels, and carrier options to pick the best fulfillment center.
• Selecting the most cost‑effective shipping label in real time.
• Minimizing errors and eliminating manual decision‑making through intelligent automation.

Seamless Multi‑Warehouse and Multi‑Channel Fulfillment

Today’s ecommerce businesses must operate across multiple fulfillment centers while managing orders from different marketplaces. Legacy shipping tools struggle to coordinate fulfillment effectively. Next‑gen solutions:

• Sync orders from multiple sales channels (Amazon, Walmart, Shopify, etc.) automatically.
• Ensure inventory is updated in real time to prevent overselling.
• Provide centralized tracking so businesses and customers stay informed on shipment status.

Optimized Packaging for Cost Reduction

Shipping costs are a major concern, and incorrect packaging can lead to excessive dimensional weight fees. Next‑gen software optimizes packaging by:

• Using AI‑powered cartonization to select the smallest possible box.
• Minimizing wasted space to reduce shipping costs.
• Automating packing decisions, eliminating the need for warehouse workers to make manual judgments.
• Automating international shipping processes, such as customs documentation and tax calculations, to prevent costly re‑work.

3. Boosting Warehouse Efficiency with Automation

Labor shortages and rising wages make it difficult for ecommerce businesses to scale using traditional warehouse management strategies. Next‑gen shipping software maximizes efficiency by reducing the need for manual intervention:

Reducing Manual Labor

Legacy software often requires warehouse staff to manually verify orders, select boxes, and compare carrier rates. With next‑gen software:

• Workers spend less time on repetitive tasks, reducing operational costs.
• Shipping label generation is fully automated, cutting down processing time from hours to minutes.
• Seasonal and part‑time staff can quickly onboard without extensive training, thanks to intuitive, easy‑to‑use interfaces.

Real‑Time Fulfillment Network Optimization

Unexpected delays such as warehouse disruptions, weather‑related shipping slowdowns, or inventory shortages can impact fulfillment speed. Next‑gen software helps businesses adapt in real time by:

• Identifying the best alternative fulfillment center if one location is affected.
• Re‑routing orders automatically to ensure deliveries remain on schedule.
• Reducing fulfillment downtime, keeping customers happy and operations running smoothly.
• Real‑time inventory tracking to prevent overselling and stockouts.

4. Cutting Costs and Maximizing Profitability

Ecommerce margins are tighter than ever, and reducing costs is critical to long‑term success. Next‑gen shipping software saves businesses money in three crucial ways:

Lowering Discounted Shipping Rates with Intelligent Rate Shopping

Traditional software requires businesses to set up static rules, but these don’t always result in the cheapest shipping label. By leveraging advanced algorithms, businesses can secure the best shipping rate for each order, further reducing costs. Next‑gen solutions:

• Compare carrier rates in real time, ensuring Sellers get the best deal.
• Automatically adjust shipping selections based on weight, dimensions, and distance.
• Reduce the risk of overpaying for shipping fees with dynamic optimization.

Avoiding Hidden Fees and Cost Leakages

Many businesses unknowingly lose money due to inefficient fulfillment processes. Next‑gen shipping software prevents cost leakages by:

• Eliminating unnecessary shipping surcharges through optimized package selection.
• Preventing human errors in box selection, reducing dimensional weight overcharges.
• Enhancing inventory tracking and distribution, ensuring products are stored in locations that minimize shipping costs.
• Effective inventory management ensures that products are stored in optimal locations, minimizing shipping costs and reducing the risk of overstocking.

Enabling Businesses to Do More with Fewer Resources

By automating labor-intensive tasks, businesses can reduce staffing needs and reallocate resources toward growth-driven initiatives. The benefits include:

• No need for dedicated shipping software teams to configure and maintain automation rules.
• Faster processing speeds, allowing businesses to handle more orders with the same workforce.
• Improved scalability, making it easier to expand operations without increasing costs.

Why Next‑Gen Shipping Software is a Game Changer

Ecommerce has evolved, and fulfillment operations must evolve with it. Legacy shipping software was designed for a different era; one with fewer channels, lower customer expectations, and simpler logistics. The modern landscape requires automation, intelligence, and flexibility to keep up with demand while staying cost‑effective.

Conclusion: Next‑Generation Software is Critical to Winning in the New World

We believe everything has changed in ecommerce. Amazon Prime has changed the industry in a manner comparable to how the iPhone changed society’s experience with, and access to, technology.

Prime transformed one aspect of ecommerce more than any other: shipping. However, this is the area where the least technological advancement has occurred. Legacy tools are costing Sellers time, money, and productivity on every order. In a world of competitive online marketplaces, sky‑high customer expectations, and rising costs, Sellers need software that helps them compete and win.

The future of ecommerce fulfillment is here, powered by next‑generation shipping software. By adopting these advanced solutions, businesses can streamline operations, improve customer satisfaction, and increase their bottom line. Such a tool must address key challenges of today—simplifying operational complexity, freeing up resources, and restoring margins in a competitive environment.

We believe this tool can provide you with strategic and competitive advantages in today’s complex ecommerce industry. Are you ready to make the switch? If you’d like to learn more, check out our Next‑Generation Shipping Software Guide, Part 1: “Ecommerce Shipping Challenges: The World Has Changed and Traditional Shipping Software is Not Enough.”

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I reduce shipping costs for my ecommerce business?

Reducing shipping costs requires a multi‑faceted approach:

• Negotiate rates with multiple carriers rather than relying on a single provider.
• Consider using regional carriers for deliveries within specific areas.
• Optimize packaging to reduce dimensional weight charges.
• Implement zone skipping by shipping bulk orders to carrier hubs closer to final destinations.
• Use shipping software that compares rates across carriers in real time.
• Offer local pickup options for customers in your area.
• Consider flat‑rate shipping for certain product categories.
• Learn more

Who uses shipping software?

Shipping software has features that can benefit various clients, including individual Sellers, ecommerce brands, retailers, and courier service providers. Feature‑rich software like Cahoot makes intelligent and scalable fulfillment accessible to businesses of all sizes.

What is fulfillment optimization?

Fulfillment optimization is the process of determining the best options for sourcing and order fulfillment, resulting in more efficient use of inventory and reduced costs.

How does warehouse automation software improve ecommerce fulfillment?

Warehouse automation software streamlines fulfillment by automating tasks such as order routing, shipping label generation, and inventory tracking. This reduces manual errors, increases processing speed, and optimizes carrier selection, ensuring faster and more cost-effective deliveries.

How does automated cartonization help reduce shipping costs?

Automated cartonization uses AI to determine the best packaging size for each order, reducing dimensional weight costs and preventing wasted space. This optimization leads to lower shipping fees and improved warehouse space utilization.

Written By:

Indy Pereira

Indy Pereira helps ecommerce brands optimize their shipping and fulfillment with Cahoot’s technology. With a background in both sales and people operations, she bridges customer needs with strategic solutions that drive growth. Indy works closely with merchants every day and brings real-world insight into what makes logistics efficient and scalable.