{"id":1044,"date":"2023-07-12T18:49:30","date_gmt":"2023-07-12T18:49:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/uk\/blog\/flat-rate-shipping\/"},"modified":"2025-09-23T19:55:52","modified_gmt":"2025-09-23T19:55:52","slug":"flat-rate-shipping","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/uk\/blog\/flat-rate-shipping\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding USPS Flat Rate Shipping: Shipping Flat Rate for Ecommerce"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Table of Contents<\/p>

** Minutes<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n

What is flat rate shipping?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why shipping flat rate is perfect for ecommerce shops<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How does flat rate shipping work?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How much is USPS flat rate shipping?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to perfect your ecommerce shipping with ShipBob<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more about outsourcing fulfilment<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flat rate shipping FAQs<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Shipping margins are critical to the profitability and sustainability of ecommerce businesses. If you aren\u2019t shipping your products in the most affordable and efficient way, then you\u2019re leaving money on the table. One possible way to reduce shipping costs<\/a> is with USPS flat rate shipping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With flat rate shipping, the weight of a package does not affect the cost of shipping. If you ship heavy items<\/a>, then this will save you money. On the flip side, flat rate shipping can be more expensive if your packages are lightweight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you decide if flat rate shipping is right for your ecommerce business?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article provides a detailed breakdown of flat rate shipping, how it works, and whether or not you should start using it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is flat rate shipping?<\/h2><\/div>
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USPS Priority Flat Rate<\/a> is a shipping option provided by the US Postal Service (USPS) that offers 1-3 day shipping services with fixed rates for packages with a maximum weight of 70 lbs. USPS offers flat rate envelopes and boxes that come in standard sizes to accommodate various sized items. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flat rate shipping vs. standard shipping<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Flat rate service is attractive to many shippers since it essentially eliminates the need to weigh packages in order to calculate shipping costs. As long as your package weighs under 70 pounds and is being sent to any state within the US, it can ship with USPS Priority Flat Rate service. Additionally, the flat fees make this an easy and cost-effective way to ship heavy packages. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, USPS Ground Advantage<\/a> is a standard shipping option that sends packages by ground transportation and has an expected delivery of 2 to 5 business days. This shipping option takes the package\u2019s weight into consideration. While this option might be cheaper for certain lightweight parcels, some packages \u2013 especially heavier items \u2013 might be more costly than flat rate shipping. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n

Why shipping flat rate is perfect for ecommerce shops<\/h2><\/div>
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USPS priority mail flat rate shipping is an appealing shipping option for a few reasons. Learn more about why many ecommerce businesses opt for flat rate shipping options. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simplified fulfilment and shipping<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Flat rate shipping simplifies things quite a bit and can be a great option for certain brands, especially those who are smaller and self-fulfil orders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of calculating dimensional weight<\/a> brands can choose a box or envelope that fits their product. Using flat rate shipping removes this step, making the shipping process straightforward. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consistent delivery<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For your brand\u2019s reputation, it\u2019s important to provide a reliable delivery experience for your customers. USPS can offer you and your customers the consistent delivery service you desire. With over 92%<\/a> of first-class mail, which includes flat rate packages, are delivered on time with the majority being delivered in under 3 days. Plus, USPS is continuing to make improvements to service deliveries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Efficient time management<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

USPS flat rate shipping options take the guess work out of figuring out the logistics of how to ship your products. There is no need to worry about weighing and calculating shipping costs<\/a> for each package. As long as your package is under the 70 lb. limit, then you can ship it with flat rate shipping. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plus, when your package is ready to go, you can drop it off at any USPS office to be shipped. USPS has over 31,100 post offices in the United States and even offers free package pick up. With these convenient options for quick parcel drop off or pick up, you\u2019re able to reclaim time previously used on shipping to work on other aspects of your business. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Business-to-customer transparency<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Once your package has been scanned by USPS, the customer can track its progress in transit. USPS offers package tracking through their site<\/a> where customers can check on their package 24\/7. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This visibility<\/a> into transit gives your customer increased transparency into their order\u2019s delivery status, reducing the number of \u201cwhere is my order\u201d (WISMO) customer support questions.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cost savings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Flat rate shipping can be a cost-effective option when it comes to small business shipping<\/a> by having a lower, predictable cost. As previously mentioned, flat rate shipping costs are fixed which allows you to not only save money (which you can allocate to other aspect of the business), but you can better forecast your finances without getting caught off guard by surprise shipping costs.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, when you use USPS\u2019s flat rate option, there isn\u2019t a surcharge for shipping insurance<\/a> or a need to purchase insurance separately. Every flat rate package is automatically insured up to $100.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note: Flat rate shipping can also refer to a technique for deciding how to price your shipping, when you charge a fixed shipping rate for every order (rather than offering free shipping or passing the real-time shipping rate on to the customer). For the purpose of this article, we are talking about the <\/p>\n\n\n\n

USPS flat rate shipping service.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n

How does flat rate shipping work?<\/h2><\/div>
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Flat rate shipping means the price of shipping is not connected to the weight, shape, or size of the shipped item, hence the term \u201cflat rate.\u201d It\u2019s based on how much you can stuff into the USPS-issued box. Ecommerce businesses ship products at a flat rate by following these steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Weight, size, and shape requirements <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are a variety of flat rate boxes at your local USPS office. There are small, medium, and large flat rate boxes; And the bigger the box, the higher the shipping prices. As previously mentioned, the weight limit for a flat rate package is 70 lbs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Measure your packages correctly<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Because there are several different sized flat rate boxes, you\u2019ll want to make sure you measure the length, width, and height of your products to ensure you\u2019re choosing the right mailing material. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the rates for this shipping option are determined by size, not weight, you need to select the box or envelope that your items best fit in so you aren\u2019t paying for space you aren\u2019t using. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mailing restrictions & prohibitions <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t have to worry about weight with flat rate shipping, but that doesn\u2019t mean you can send absolutely anything. The following items cannot be shipped through USPS Priority Mail:<\/p>\n\n\n\n