Calculating shipping costs and choosing the cheapest shipping method can be confusing. Our guides to the cheapest way to ship anything make it easy to compare shipping costs and choose the right method for your cargo, whether you’re shipping common items like boxes or hard-to-transport items like antiques or art.
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1. How much does it cost to ship books?
We have calculated shipping costs for three common shipping methods: USPS, Parcel Shipping, and Consolidated Freight.
You are reading: Shipping costs for books
i. usps shipping costs
ii. package shipping costs (for example, ups or fedex)
iii. consolidated freight
2. frequently asked questions
Get answers to frequently asked questions about shipping books.
Books are easy to ship as long as they’re packaged properly, but they can quickly become very expensive if you’re shipping multiple books or an entire library. Single books or boxes of books may be shipped for various reasons:
- retailers or self-published authors who send books to customers
- grandparents and other family members who send much-loved books to their children and grandchildren
- people who care are moving and need to ship their personal libraries to their new home
- people who sell books, such as textbooks, to buyers across the country or in another state
- collectors who ship rare books , ancient or valuable
Regardless of why you’re shipping books, understanding the most economical way to ship boxes of books will help you keep your costs down without sacrificing your bottom line or your perfectly curated personal collection.
In addition to keeping shipping costs as low as possible, there are a few considerations to keep in mind when preparing your shipment to ensure it arrives safely and on time without incurring additional fees:
- Proper Packaging: Books are sturdy, but still require proper packaging to ensure they are not damaged by moisture or rough handling. The best packaging method depends on why you’re shipping books: Retailers shipping individual books will follow different best practices than someone moving books from an entire household or someone shipping vintage or valuable books. Regardless of why you’re shipping books, the most important thing is to use new boxes: they’re the strongest and least likely to suffer from water damage or other damage in the past, and they’re the best for protecting your books during travel. / li>
- How many books are you shipping: For small shipments, flat-rate boxes or padded envelopes are economical options. for larger shipments, you will need a medium-sized cardboard box. don’t be tempted to fill a large box with books, as it can quickly become excessively heavy and difficult to lift. may also be subject to oversized package pricing.
- Book Size: Books come in all shapes and sizes: big and small, thick and thin, hardcover tough and pocketable, heavy and light. All of these factors will affect your packing method and shipping costs. thin, lightweight books can be packed in shipping envelopes, while thicker, heavier books should be packed in boxes.
- dimensional weight: if your package is Subject to dimensional weight pricing, your shipping costs will be determined by the estimated weight of the package based on its length, width, and height rather than its actual weight. each carrier values dimensional weight differently, so look for your “dimensional weight factor” when calculating shipping costs.
- book value: some books are worth a lot of money and they need to be packed and shipped accordingly.
how much does it cost to ship books?
The cheapest way to ship books depends on the size and weight of your package(s), as well as how far they will be traveling and how quickly you need them to arrive. For individual items, USPS is the cheapest option. media mail or flat-rate shipping is the cheapest way to ship a few boxes of books, but if you’re shipping an entire library as part of a domestic move, consolidated freight is often the cheapest method.
compare book shipping rates using some of the most common methods:
- usps
- parcel shipping (such as fedex or ups)
- consolidated freight
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The United States Postal Service offers a number of options for shipping and shipping boxes, including:
- first class mail for packages up to 13 ounces
- priority mail flat rate and variable price shipping
- media mail
- retail land
If you’re shipping a single book that weighs 13 ounces or less, such as a slim paperback, First Class Mail will be your cheapest option with delivery in 1-3 business days. large packets start at $1.00 and packages up to 13 ounces start at $3.80. the final price will depend on the size, shape and weight of your package. envelopes that cannot be machined (such as stiff or clumpy envelopes) must be carried by hand and will be subject to a non-machining surcharge, even if they weigh less than 1 ounce.
For packages over 13 ounces, priority mail flat rate shipping is the most economical way to ship book cases. Priority Mail flat rate shipments will be delivered within 1-3 business days, and must use USPS packaging. the cost of your shipment depends solely on the size of the box, as long as you do not exceed the maximum limit of 70 lbs per box, the weight of the package will not be taken into account in the shipping costs, nor will the speed or distance of the trip. Express flat-rate shipping with overnight delivery is only available for padded envelopes starting at $26.95.
usps also offers variable prices for shipping books. These rates depend on the size and weight of the shipment, as well as the distance traveled, and are typically higher than the flat rate shipping rate for Priority Mail. multiple speeds are available, including overnight shipping, making variable pricing a good option for expedited shipping or overnight delivery. priority mail express is also available if you need overnight delivery.
the usps also offers a service called media mail that is specifically designed to ship books, cds, tapes, and other forms of media mail. Media Mail shipping costs depend on package weight, with prices starting at $2.80 and delivery in 2-8 business days.
package delivery (ups or fedex)
Major package carriers, including UPS or FedEx, offer flat-rate and variable-price options. both shipping methods can be used to ship boxes of boxes.
Whether you use a flat rate or a variable price depends on the number of boxes of books you ship and how quickly you need them to arrive. Flat-rate shipping has less flexible delivery times, but it’s generally cheaper because there are no surcharges for residential delivery and the weight of your package doesn’t matter as long as it’s under the weight limit set by the shipper. if you need overnight or fast delivery, variable pricing will be your best option, but it will be much more expensive.
ups and fedex offer flat rate shipping. here’s how they compare:
Shipping cost estimates are calculated using individual carriers’ online cost estimating tools. Details, exact prices and shipping times are not guaranteed.
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Variable pricing is also available, with shipping charges depending on the size and weight of the boxes, as well as the speed and distance of travel. additional surcharges may apply for residential deliveries.
consolidated cargo (tsi)
Variable pricing is also available through consolidated freight carriers, and some (including TSI) also offer flat-rate pricing for easily packaged items like books.
Flat rate shipping and shipping services like ours make it easy to ship book boxes. just tell your carrier how many boxes you need (up to a certain amount depending on the carrier, our limit is 15 boxes) and they’ll ship them to your door to pack, then return when you’re ready to pick them up. With TSI’s flat rate shipping, we can transport your boxes anywhere in the continental United States for a flat rate per box, regardless of how far your boxes travel. our flat rate boxes measure 18″ x 14″ x 12″ and must weigh less than 40 lbs. when packed.
the cost of tsi flat rate box shipping depends on the level of service you choose:
If you ship more than 15 boxes or if your boxes weigh more than 40 pounds, variable pricing is also available for LTL shipments. The cost of shipping boxes of clothing via LTL depends on the weight of what is being shipped and the distance of the trip; the size of the box does not take into account shipping costs.
with ltl shipping, you won’t pay per box; the cost of your shipment will depend on the total combined weight of your boxes. ltl shipments are priced at a minimum weight of 120 lbs. Here’s what you can expect to pay for 5 large boxes weighing 50 lbs. each, for a combined total of 250 lbs.
note: the size of the box does not take into account the price of freight.
learn more about ltl freight.
Note: Shipping cost estimates are calculated using individual carriers’ online cost estimating tools. Details, exact prices and shipping times are not guaranteed.
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