If you’re shipping anything, you may wonder whether or not billable weight applies here. It can, and it can affect your shipping weights. Here, we’ll discuss what it is, and what you can do to reduce the costs of such. 

What is It? 

Billable weight is a type of technique in pricing that does reduce the costs of shipping that does factor in the weight and dimensions, and the weight of your shipment too. Usually, the weight that’s greater is what they take, and that’s the shipping rate they go for. Until about 2015, they used to have the weight of the package and how far it was to calculate shipping. 

This however was scrapped when smaller packages took more cargo space on the carriers. The problem with this is that the shoppers wouldn’t optimize the package for tinier items and weren’t charged for the dimensions of the package too. 

That means, that depending on what you choose to use, such as a small, light item in a big box, or a heavy item in a small box, they usually take the one that’s heavier. But this can eat at shipping costs right? How can you fix this? 

Look at Packaging 

One of the biggest mistakes that businesses make is that they use incorrect packaging. It may be a bit less of a headache for just using boxes, but the thing is, boxes carry a much larger dimensional weight than the billable weight, and it ca eat away at costs. It also may not be the best experience for customers too, since if it’s tiny in a big box, it comes off as super wasteful. 

You also may end up spending a lot more on excess. One way to fix this, is to choose the right shipping containers for you to use and be mindful of this. It saves you money and looks a whole lot less wasteful too if you choose to go this route. 

Switch to Poly Mailers 

Boxers aren’t always in the right dimensions, don’t have flexibility, and usually have a lot more padding than a poly mailer may require.  If you’re shipping stuff like clothes including t-shirts, then you may want to use a poly mailer instead. 

They’re sturdy, take up a lot less space, and are light and will also self-seal. It does save you ample costs on the types of packaging supplies that you’d be using for this. They are great for shipping smaller options, and if you’re going to ship something small, this is good. But be mindful because stuff like glassware and other fragile stuff is not good to ship in a poly mailer, for obvious reasons. 

Use SIOC Packaging 

This is a ships in own container packaging, which means that the product is shipped in the same packaging, and it doesn’t need an over box.  For example, shoes don’t need this in some cases, and it is great because not only does it get rid of the excess packaging so it makes you look less wasteful, but it also reduces your billable weight too. 

Choose a 3PL 

A 3PL usually saves you money, even if you’re getting someone to work with you, since they can choose the right packaging for you to use, and they can offer a cheaper and more efficient sort of means to do this. They also look at the metrics which are there, to help you determine the correct shipping costs of such too. 

Regardless, be mindful of the weight here, since it plays a big part in the costs of shipping various goods too. 

For those who do business on the internet, you probably will get some international customers every now and then. There are some big little differences in how they handle packaging and different things for you to consider. Here, we’ll go over the three biggest factors, and the most important tips that come with actually dealing with these types of customers. 

Be mindful of Rates

The rates change a lot the second you bring international shipping into the fray. What this means is that the changes can oftentimes be something that can actually change within the company website itself. Singing up for newsletters and alerts is a good way to be abreast of changes, and it also lets you know how to prepare the package. 

Remember that with international shipping, the smallest is the best way for you to go, especially in weights and sizes. Compact, lightweight kinds of packages usually offer faster and cheaper delivery, provided there is a measurement that lets you know of the dimensions that are exceeded. Before you mark a package to send, you should also check the current rates, choosing the cheapest one, and also see if they do offer batched shipping to take off the price as best as you can. 

Know what’s Not sendable 

There are certain items that you can and can’t send to certain countries. Usually, there are certain items that customers usually know about, but some are random, and you may not know this until it’s too late. Some alcohol, foodstuffs, seeds, and plants and even tableware are actually banned from shipping in the US for various reasons. 

It’s similar in other countries too. If you send this as well, customs will actually hold it, resulting in legal problems and fines too. Before you ship off a package, you should always check to ensure that it’s allowed there. 

The Right Packaging matters. 

The other thing is that you should always make sure that your packaging is good for the journey ahead. Having the address, return address, and the postage is very important, but there are different other factors that also need to be focused on too. Some may require markings that are extra, and different tags and different paperwork too. 

When you ship to other countries, find out the regulations, and also make sure that you have itemized lists of the contents that are on the outer parts of this, including the manufacturer of this, and the price as well, and also have this on hand too in the event that the package is lost. You should always make sure that you have the proper filler, and some packaging tape that’s good for sealing this, since of course, it will help to ensure that everything is properly secured and sealed throughout the journey itself. 

Having a secret package will offer a faster journey for lots of people, especially if there is some worry about this too. With that said, you also should try to maybe add a little bit of branding to this too. Even branded tissue paper and stickers letting people know the logos and your brand’s existence are always very important for people to see. 

Why? It’s because you’re going to have to show to others who you are, and these international customers should be treated in the same vein as those regular customers within the country. With that in mind, you should always consider international hipping if it can fit into the budget, and also consider these three factors when shipping out something and be mindful of the changes as well too.

If you’re wondering how much you can put in a box, you’re not alone. This can offer a difference in costs for a lot of business professionals. Boxes of course are made of layers of paper, with a liner inside, outside, and then fluting that’s between. The fluting offers layers and offers structure to the boxes to offer more protection. The corrugated or containerboard method does protect your products and offers the strength that’s needed for this weight as well. 

The strength does start with the material that’s in place, where the strength of the box does start with how dense it is. The larger your walls are or the more walls there are, the stronger it will be. Usually, you can check the inside of a box to see if they are single, double, or triple walled to figure out how strong this box is. 

Because not all of them are made the exact same way, the dimensions do vary, so the weight that can be offered does vary. Businesses can figure out the logistics of this and figure out whether or not this will effect the supply chain of management. However, the size of the box does not affect the total overall strength of the box. While it might be tempting to measure from your outer parts of the box, the box size is usually based on the inner parts of the dimensions, and while length is typically the first one mentioned, the longest is the opening part of this, which is then followed by the depth and the width. 

Ideally though, corrugated boxes go with a 2:1:2 ratio of this, but they can be a different dimension for different products that won’t fit the normal sizes. For boxes that fit all kinds of sizes, the proper calculation of this weight is usually done with the edge crush test, or ECT. This is a measure of the strength of the board and is made by compressing the smaller segments of board between two plates which are rigid, perpendicular to the way the flutes are, until you get the peak load decided.

Compared to the other standards, this ECT rating usually results in smaller materials, a lower energy requirement, and of course, a better usage f energy and to reduce the pollution that’s there. This also plays a part in the life cycle of packaging. The ECT test is usually calculated by looking at the number. 

The smallest will be 32, and that holds about 30 pounds. The largest is 82 and that holds up to 140 pounds. In general, you  can look at the different numbers in between, and from there, see what the best kinds of boxes are. There are those that go above 82 on the ECT, but the thing is, that’s usually a much higher cost. 

If you do plan to use this, you can make the correct decisions finally on the amount of product to have in the box, and how big the box should be for your needs too, and that’s something that can help you.If you’re not sure whether or not this type of box is right for you, then you’ll want to make sure that you figure out the best kind of packaging through asking someone. 

There are tons of ways to go about getting the right containers and boxes for your needs, and we are able to provide the basics so that you know the right kind of box that you need for those packaging needs, and what is right for you too. 

You may wonder how crinkle paper can help your small business, and we’ll discuss here just what it can do. For eCommerce businesses that deal with shipping products, you probably know a lot about why it’s important to have good brand packaging materials, and crinkle paper helps with this since it actually is a packaging protector. So what is it? It’s basically shredded paper that’s been crinkled, which is a fancy word for folded up similar to an accordion. This is used in packaging so that the items don’t move around, and also helps to enhance the presentation that you’re giving to consumers. 

Ways to use this 

First, you can use this for gift baskets that you have.  Crinkle-cut paper that’s used in a gift basket allows for better design options out there. You can also get colored crinkle paper, although the most common type is usually white, but if you order to make your own crinkle paper that’s colored, it adds a bit of flair to the items which you’re shipping, improving the functionality and usage of your brand. 

You also can use this for shipping. It’s a form of cushioning, and also prevents the products themselves from getting damaged. Using this from all sides will help prevent the goods that may be in there from getting damaged during transit, and a lot of people do like to use it for this reason. You can also use this for both reasons. If you have a gift basket for example that you want to really stand out, using crinkle cut paper is a great way to help with this, since it ultimately can help with improving the looks of this, and also help with improving the state of protection for this as well. 

Eco Friendly Options 

You may wonder if this is an eco-friendly option for packaging? The answer is yes. Compared to packing peanuts and bubble wrap, this type of packaging filler is actually pretty green. It offers safe and effective shipping for a lot of people. With crinkle paper, people choose this over-packing peanut and the like since it offers greener options and less materials which are needed for the shipping that’s there. 

This does help with the environment, since with less resources, there is less hassle and harm towards the environment, and this, of course, can effectively and without fail also help a lot of people with this, and of course, it can definitely benefit them too. For a lot of companies, crinkle paper is something they can use for t5heir shipping needs. It’s not ideal for everyone, but for some people, this is a safe, effective method of shipping that can ultimately help you and others. 

If you want to use it, go for it. They’re available in a wide variety of colors these days, and you can even get it custom-made for a lot of people so that it can offer the highest quality options there. It is pretty cool, since you can make the shipment easy for you to do, and it can as well offer the best and most rewarding means for you to easily and effectively create the best results possible. 

A lot of people like to use it for their packing needs, and there are plenty of packaging companies which can help you with this, and it can also help to decorate the shipping now, and it also can offer the best protection possible for your company, both now, and also down the line with what you need. 

Making sure that the packages are totally eco-friendly is a hard task, but there are packaging services that do help with this. One thing that people do have questions on is when they should use void fill, specifically biodegradable void fill for your packaging. 

Why do you Need it 

Unless you’re doing custom packaging that’s done to measure the products that you have, you will need to protect everything in transit. This is very important for items that are breakable, hold that value, and also something that could actually put your repute at risk. That’s because when you’re shipping stuff, the absolute last thing you want is people to be upset and return everything that has been damaged.

It costs you money to send it out, and they will brand you as a company that can’t be reliable, so one way to prevent this is void fill. This is filler material that will help to fill in the gaps, which helps to reduce the chances of damage when it’s shipped. But what do you use? What’s the best kind? We’ll go over that right now. 

How to choose Void Fill 

The thing with void fill is that it can be a bit hard to choose the right one, so you should have an idea of what your customer needs, and what the product you’re shipping requires. First you have polystyrene, which isn’t recyclable or degradable, so if you’re looking for eco friendly solutions, it’s not the best option. 

Because it’s got tiny chips, you’ll use a lot of these, and a lot of customers don’t like them especially if you mix this with something recyclable, so it can be a big detriment to the unboxing experiences for brands. Then there is bubble wrap, which is pretty much a void filler that is popular, but it does come with some drawbacks. 

One little puncture means that the protection is gone, so you need to hold yourself accountable for all of that, which can markedly hit the profit margins. The second thing is that it doesn’t really have use once that’s been popped, but it can be a bit entertaining. It doesn’t really work all that much when choosing packaging options. 

The final option is paper void fill, which in my opinion is the best option. This won’t leave everything at risk as a result. It’s versatile, eco-friendly, and you also don’t need to feel guilty about using a lot of this, since this is one that, when it’s done, you can simply get rid of it. This is a great way to actually package everything. They do come in different types of packaging void fill, but shredded paper and other means are always a good option for you to consider, and it can be an inexpensive and great way to ensure that you’re getting the money that you want. 

There are also paper substitutions as well, so if you don’t want to use the polystyrene chips that are there you can actually substitute this for what they call paper nuts, a cheaper and eco friendly option for you to fill the packaging void and protect everything. 

Regardless of what you choose, you should minimally ensure that you get everything in place to ensure that you’re getting the best results possible for you, and also to ensure hat you’re protecting the product as best as you can. Because at the end of the day, the biggest thing to ensure is that you have customer repute intact, and the best way to do so is through the correct packaging.