Are you thinking of selling handmade clothes and old garments? Maybe you’re curious if you’re paying the right amount for the shipping of the clothes you ordered online. Whichever it is, we’re here to help. Let’s see how much it costs to ship garments.
How Much Does It Cost To Ship Clothes?
To give you an idea, you can ship clothes for as low as around $3. On the other hand, it could also be as high as $25 or more!
Clothes could be one of the easiest things to ship. Despite that, this question is not as easy to answer. The answer would depend on several things. Things we will be talking about in this portion.
(Weight) How Heavy Are the Clothes You’re Shipping?
The weight of the clothes you are shipping is probably one of the main factors that would affect the overall cost of shipping.
If you’re looking to ship a single shirt, it would probably not exceed a pound. In turn, you can expect it to be a lot cheaper than shipping clothes exceeding five pounds.
With that said, even if you’re shipping a single pair of jeans, you could expect that it would cost more than sending out a couple of tank tops.
(Location and Distance) How Far Do The Clothes Have To Travel?
Another thing that could affect the cost of shipping is your and the recipient’s location. The distance from where the clothes are coming from and where it is going to be exact. You could be sending a single shirt, but shipping it could be more expensive than a parcel weighing five pounds if you’re shipping it across the globe and the latter to a nearby location.
The closer the destination, the cheaper the shipping could be.
With that, you could expect that it would be cheaper to send clothes within the states than overseas. Don’t worry. If you’re looking to save, there is a way. Yes, even if you’re shipping somewhere far. We will talk more about this matter later.
(Time) Are You In A Hurry To Get The Clothes To The Recipient?
If you’d like to save, you might want to send the clothes as soon as possible. Time is another thing that could affect the cost of shipping. If you’re in a hurry, you might have to pay more to get the clothes you’re shipping to where it needs to be on time.
If you’re starting a small business, you don’t have to worry much about the time. As long as you pack and ship your orders out as soon as possible, the parcels should reach your customers in an acceptable time.
(Number) How Many Parcels of Clothes Are You Sending?
Another thing that will affect the cost is the number of clothes you’re going to ship. No, we don’t mean you’re going to be charged for the number of clothes you’re sending in a single parcel. If you’re sending casual clothes, that is usually not the case.
What we mean is if you’re sending tons of clothes separately. You would probably get a discount. If you’re looking into shipping costs because you’re looking to start an online business, this is something that could be useful for your business.
(Carriers) What Shipping Company Should You Choose?
You have a few options when it comes to shipping companies. It’s good to have an idea about each one whether your plan to ship clothes is a one-time or constant thing.
If you’re starting an online business selling clothes, you might want to try different carriers to see which one would work best. Finding a ship-out strategy that works for you is vital in this type of business, after all.
Here are three options you might want to check out:
- UPS – They are one of the most popular options. If you’re looking after ease, then they might be your guys. They are known to have thousands and thousands more shipping locations than many of their competitors.
- FedEx – If you’re after speed, then you should check out FedEx. They are one of the first to offer overnight deliveries, after all.
- USPS – Now, if you’re under a budget, then you might want to try USPS. They are known to be one of the cheaper options. If you’re looking to save, definitely try looking into them!
(Rate) What Rate Should You Choose?
We talked about the different shipping companies. It might be a good time to discuss rates next.
The different shipping companies will have different rates, but that’s not the only rate you’d want to consider.
Many shipping companies also offer a flat rate. If you’re shipping lots of clothes somewhere far, you might want to opt for flat rate shipping instead of variable pricing shipping.
Still, make sure you still check both options. Flat rate shipping is not always the best choice, especially if you’re shipping a light load somewhere near.
(Tracking) Do You Need to Track Your Parcel?
Now, a lot of shipping companies offer a way for you to track your parcel. Sometimes, it is something you would have to pay an additional for.
If tracking is vital on your end, you might want to pay the extra fee. On the other hand, you might also want to stick with the big names. Most of them offer this feature for free.
Other Things to Consider When Shipping Clothes
We’ve already talked about the major factors that will affect the cost of shipping. Now, here are some other things that you might want to keep in mind when it comes to the cost of shipping.
Shipping VS Handling
Shipping and handling are different things, but they go hand in hand. You can’t really separate them from one another. When it comes to calculating the cost for shipping, you usually already consider the handling fee.
Shipping usually refers to the actual transportation of the item. On the other hand, handling usually refers to labor like assembling, quality checks, and such. You can also say any expense in packing the clothes could also fall under handling.
Packing
Speaking of packing, it is another thing you might want to consider when shipping. When shipping, you usually can’t do away with the cost of packing.
To secure the items, you might consider investing in good and sturdy packaging materials. Otherwise, you might lose more resources if the items get damaged during transit. The carrier might compensate you for the amount of the damaged item, but think of the time and effort!
You may want to secure the clothes you’re shipping, but make sure the packaging materials don’t eat up needed space. Since clothes are usually not that fragile, garment bags or something similar would do. The main thing you’d want to protect clothes from, after all, is moisture.
Taxes
Not all clothes will require you to pay a type of tax, but if you’re planning on shipping clothes internationally, you probably would have to pay tax.
Also, you might want to look into the country you’d like to send clothes to. You also need to pay some additional fee for some types of clothing. To add, you might have to pay a penalty fee if you accidentally ship clothes that they don’t allow.
Insurance
Again, you won’t have to pay an insurance fee for some clothes. You might want to consider this additional fee if the clothes you are shipping are on the pricier side.
Finding the Best Deal
Finally, whether you’re shipping clothes for a business or not, you’d probably want to find the best deal.
As we have said, several things affect the cost of shipping clothes. You might want to compare and contrast options on the different factors before sending off those clothes.
That could be a little challenging as there are many shipping companies out there. Well, you don’t need to worry. There are platforms that help with this matter. They search for the best deals for you. However, this service is not always free.
If you’re planning to open a small online business, then it might be a good investment. On the other hand, you might have to spend more if you use this service if you’re planning on shipping clothes for only one time.
Summary
How much does it cost to ship clothes?
As you have seen, the answer isn’t that simple. There are a few things you would need to take into account in calculating the cost of shipping clothes.
You would have to consider the weight, where you’ll be shipping it, and when you’d like it to be there. In addition, the number of packages you’re sending and what carriers and rates you’ll choose would also affect the cost.
In addition, tracking is usually offered for free, but sometimes, there are companies that require an extra fee for it.
Also, there are lots of things that may not be part of the actual shipping cost, but you can’t do away when shipping like handling and packaging.
Whether you’re trying to find the best and cheapest way to ship clothes or you’re plain curious, we hope we were able to help you with this concern!
Jessica Oliver is a fashion enthusiast with more than ten years of experience in the industry. She previously managed her own clothing store in New York before becoming a mother of three. With a passion for sustainability and a desire to share clothing care and recycling tips.