How to Calculate Shipping Costs

Shipping items can be a costly venture especially if you ship on a regular basis. You want to ship an item the best way but the cheapest way as well.  Thus, it is ideal to have an idea on how much it will to cost send out items. To calculate the cost of shipping, you must know the weight and value of the item as well as the distance the item will travel and how fast you want it delivered. Here's how to calculate for shipping costs.

Most reputable shipping companies have a website which offers shipping rate calculators.  All you have to do is provide the correct information about  the item you are shipping and it will give you an estimate of your shipping cost.

Shipping live animals via UPS

UPS is one of the leading shipping companies worldwide.  And just like other shipping companies, it has very strict rules on shipping live animals.  Below are some UPS regulations on shipping live animals.

Not all animals are allowed to be shipped via UPS.  Here is a list of Accepted/Prohibited Live Animals:

Accepted Live Animals
This is a comprehensive list of live animals accepted by UPS for transportation.  UPS prohibits from shipping any animal not listed here, and all other live animals will not be accepted for transportation. The following live animals are accepted for transportation unless poisonous, venomous, and/or a Threatened or Endangered Species.

Tips for Shipping those Large, Bulky and Fragile Items

Whether you are shipping delicate crystal figurines or a massive four-poster bed, the key to successful shipping are careful packing and choosing the right carrier. So here are some tips to guide you on your shipping endeavors.

Don't just dump your items in a box and expect that they will arrive in perfect condition.  Before packing them in a box, protect it from scratching or breaking by wrapping it in plastic, bubble wrap, furniture wrap or tissue. To protect artwork, use non acidic paper.

Tips on Preparing Parcels for Shipping

The key to successfully shipping parcels and packages are proper packing and labeling. 
Here are some helpful tips on the proper way to prepare parcels for shipping.

Ship only items that are acceptable for mailing locally and internationally. Inquire at your local postal office and shipping company about items that can or cannot be shipped.

10 things to remember when shipping food items

1.  Use your common sense. Never mail highly-perishable food items such as soft cheeses or meats without packing them with ice packs or dry ice. Processed meats such as sausages and hard aged cheeses will be fine even without ice packs. Firm baked goods are best, such as cookies, candies, flavored nuts, fudge, breads, unfrosted cakes, and muffins, chutneys, and preserves.

2.  Make sure  to tightly seal bottled and canned items and use thick containers that won't break easily.

3.  If shipping a combination of moist and dry bakes goods, wrap them separately to preserve their textures.