If you need to ship a small 2lb package, say a hardcover book or a box of chocolates, and want to save money, you may wonder what the cheapest shipping option is. There are several factors to consider, such as the distance it needs to travel, when it needs to arrive, and any additional services you may need.
In this article, we will explore various shipping options and provide tips on how to find the most affordable and efficient way to ship your 2 lb package.
To find the cheapest ways to ship a 2 lb package, we will list and compare the price ranges for different shipping services offered by UPS, USPS, and FedEx.
| Shipping Service |
Cost Range for a 2 lb package |
| UPS Express Critical |
Get a quote (The fastest and most expensive UPS service). |
| UPS Next Day Air Early |
$66.66–$147.14 |
| UPS Next Day Air |
$36.66–$117.25 |
| UPS Next Day Air Saver |
$33.48–$100.05 |
| UPS 2nd Day Air A.M. |
$24.03–$53.53 |
| UPS 2nd Day Air |
$22.01–$81.66 |
| UPS 3-Day Select |
$14.44–$39.18 |
| UPS Ground |
$10.90–$66.96 |
The rates above show that the cheapest way to ship a 2lb box with UPS is through their UPS Ground service, with rates starting at $10.90.
| Shipping Service |
Cost Range for a 2 lb package |
| FedEx First Overnight |
$68.53–$139.71 |
| FedEx Priority Overnight |
$37.53–$108.71 |
| FedEx Standard Overnight |
$36.13–$99.05 |
| FedEx 2Day A.M. |
$25.82–$53.72 |
| FedEx 2Day |
$23.51–$45.44 |
| FedEx Express Saver |
$21.42–$39.92 |
| FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery |
$10.90–$14.75 |
The cheapest way to ship a 2 lb package with FedEx is through their FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery services. Rates for those services start at $10.90.
Difference between FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery: FedEx Ground delivers packages to businesses or commercial addresses Monday–Friday, while FedEx Home Delivery, which is part of the FedEx Ground network, delivers packages to residences every day.
| Shipping Service |
Cost Range for a 2 lb package |
| Priority Mail Express |
$29.70–$76.60 |
| Priority Mail |
$9.80–$33.85 |
| USPS Retail Ground |
$9.60–$15.00 |
It is evident that ground shipping is the cheapest across the board since even with USPS, USPS Retail Ground is the most affordable way to ship a 2lb box. USPS Retail Ground rates for a 2lb box start at $9.60.
Both a flat-rate box and a self-sourced box can be cost-effective for shipping your items — it all depends on the kind of goods you’re shipping and the circumstances of your shipment.
When shipping small, heavy items - With a flat-rate box, you pay the same price no matter how heavy or light the item you’re sending is. For small bulky items, a flat rate may be cheaper than the regular weight-based prices.
If your business does in-house fulfillment, getting flat-rate boxes may be cheaper than sourcing your own boxes since you get predictable pricing while simplifying packaging and fulfillment.
If you want to ship using express services - Some carriers provide free flat-rate boxes when you use certain services. For instance, FedEx provides free FedEx One Rate packaging when you use FedEx Express services for shipping.
If you’re shipping long distance - If you need to ship an item to a far-off destination, a flat-rate box can be cheaper than other shipping methods since you pay the same price regardless of the shipping distance. With other shipping methods, the further the destination, the higher the price.
If your business primarily ships close to home - The benefits of flat-rate boxes are felt when you ship over a long distance since you get to avoid zone-based pricing. Companies that ship locally are better off using their own packaging and short-haul delivery services since they likely won’t save money using flat-rate boxes.
If you ship small, lightweight goods - If the items you are shipping are small and light, you may get cheaper rates with weight-based pricing than with flat-rate boxes.
If you want to promote your brand with custom packaging - A major tenet of branding is maximizing customer touchpoints. A great and subtle way to increase your brand visibility is by adding your company's branding, such as your logo or brand colors, to your shipping boxes.
If you’re looking to cut your shipping costs, look no further than ShipSigma. Using our tech-powered proven process, ShipSigma has served over 300 customers, collectively saving them over $100M in shipping costs. Contact us today, and let’s find some cost-saving opportunities for you.