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Carriers and shipping software for food makers: the basics

Never buy labels at the counter. Shipping software gives you commercial rates on day one, and the right carrier depends on the weight of the box and whether it is cold.

Get a plan and a priceSee the picks

The short answer

Buy labels through Pirate Ship, Shopify Shipping, ShipStation or Shippo. USPS Priority Mail is usually cheapest for light shelf-stable boxes; UPS and FedEx are usually better for heavy or cold boxes and for guaranteed 1 to 2 day service.

What to know

  1. Buy labels through software

    Never buy labels at the counter. Pirate Ship (free, USPS and UPS discounts), Shopify Shipping, ShipStation or Shippo give commercial rates on day one.

  2. USPS for light, shelf-stable boxes

    USPS Priority Mail is usually cheapest for light shelf-stable boxes and 2 to 3 day delivery.

  3. UPS and FedEx for heavy or cold boxes

    UPS and FedEx are usually better for heavy or cold boxes and for guaranteed 1 to 2 day service.

  4. Open your own carrier account

    Open a UPS or FedEx account directly once you ship more than a few cold boxes a week, and ask for a rate review after 90 days.

  5. Insure through the software

    Insurance is cheap through the shipping software and expensive through the carrier.

  6. Set rates per product

    Set shipping rates per product, not one flat rate. Perishable items need their own rate and ship-day rules.

Where to go next

  • Best shipping software for perishable food

    Pirate Ship, ShipStation, Shopify Shipping and Shippo compared for food makers.

    Read the comparison

  • Have the shipping set up for you

    Software connected to every channel, commercial rates and rules for perishables.

    See the solution

Want one of these set up for you?

Tell us what you make. We send back a short plan and a price.

Get a plan and a price

How it works

  1. Tell us what you make

    What you make and what you use now. A spreadsheet and a Square account is a fine answer.

  2. Get a short plan

    Keep this, replace that, connect these, and the cost.

  3. We set it up

    Setup and migration done for you. You approve before anything goes live.

  4. Run it or hand it off

    Take it from there yourself or keep us on for the upkeep.

Questions

What is the cheapest way to ship food products?

Buy labels through shipping software, not at the counter. USPS Priority Mail is usually cheapest for light shelf-stable boxes; UPS and FedEx are usually better for heavy or cold boxes.

When should I open my own UPS or FedEx account?

Once you ship more than a few cold boxes a week. Ask for a rate review after 90 days.

Should I buy shipping insurance from the carrier?

Insurance is cheap through the shipping software and expensive through the carrier.

Should I charge one flat shipping rate?

Set rates per product instead. Perishable items need their own rate and ship-day rules.

Get a plan and a price

Tell us what you make and what you use today. A spreadsheet and a Square account is a fine answer. We reply by email with what we would keep, what we would change and what it costs.

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