UPS 2024 Holiday Shipping Deadlines

Starting July 1st, 2024, USPS is implementing new shipping rates for various services and packages. Here’s a detailed look at what’s changing:

USPS Shipping Changes: What You Need to Know

Ground Advantage

• Price Increases for Packages Over 1 Pound: Rates will rise by up to $2.11, particularly affecting packages in the 1-5 pound range.
• Price Increases for Packages Under 1 Pound: Rates will increase by up to 33 cents for zones 6-8.
• Cubic Pricing: Ground Advantage Cubic rates are increasing by up to $1.67.

Priority Mail

• Weight-Based Rates: Prices will increase by up to $3.10.
• Cubic Rates: Expect an increase of up to $2.97.
• Flat Rate Prices: These will go up by as much as $1.18.

Discount Adjustments

• The maximum discounts available for USPS compared to Retail Pricing will drop from 89% to 88%.

Additional Changes Effective July 14th

• Media Mail Rates: These will increase by up to 56 cents.
• Signature Confirmation: The cost is going up by 20 cents, bringing the total to $3.70.

These changes are universal across all platforms where you can buy postage online.

Best-In-Class Rates with VESYL

‍Despite these increases, VESYL continues to offer the best-in-class shipping rates through its partnership with USPS and other carriers. Our goal is to streamline your shipping operations, providing discounted rates for a silky smooth fulfillment process.

Navigating the Changes

By staying ahead, you can make the best informed decisions for your shipping needs. Utilize VESYL’s simple rate shopping feature to compare rates and make informed decisions on the best options for your shipping needs, whether you're shipping 1 or 1000's of packages a day.

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Want to learn more about VESYL's smooth shipping software? Book a demo with us or read more.

Black Friday, Christmas, summer and winter all provide peak sales opportunities for businesses of all kinds and sizes. But what happens when those seasons and events are over?

Businesses face unique challenges due to fluctuations in demand during off-peak periods. However, by implementing effective off-season strategies and adapting to these fluctuations, businesses can maintain sales and drive growth year round. In this article, we'll explore five effective strategies to help businesses navigate the peaks and troughs of demand.

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5 Strategies to Tackle Business Seasonality

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Collaborate with Other Brands

Collaborating with complementary brands can be a fun and effective way to expand your customer base and offerings to generate revenue during the off-season. By partnering with other businesses that target a similar audience but operate in different seasons or industries, you can cross-promote each other's products. For example, a sunglasses brand could partner with a ski or snowboard apparel brand to offer a complete winter bundle. This not only increases exposure but also provides added value to customers.

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Stay in Touch With Customers

Maintaining communication with your customers is key to keeping your brand top-of-mind. By leveraging social media and email, brands can provide relevant and valuable content, along with exclusive offers to keep them engaged and interested in your brand, even when they're not actively purchasing. Combine this with the other 4 strategies in this article, and you’re well on your way to year-round success.

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Create a Loyalty Program

Loyalty programs are a powerful tool for retaining customers and encouraging repeat business. Brands can offer rewards, discounts, or exclusive perks to incentivize loyalty and keep customers coming back. For already loyal customers, implement tiered loyalty programs with special benefits and privileges to help them feel valued. Not to mention, it’s an effective way to increase customer lifetime value and average order value. 

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Offer Special Promotions and Discounts

During the off-season, brands can use special promotions such as free shipping, discounts, bundles or limited-time offers to incentivize sales. Create a sense of urgency by highlighting the savings and emphasizing the limited time on the offer. This not only helps to boost sales, but also helps to clear excess inventory ahead of the next season. However, it's important to offer limited time offers that do not affect the perceived value of the brand.

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VESYL serves up the best-in-class rates year round so you can pass those savings on to your customers, or offer free shipping without it eating into your revenue. 

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Diversify Product Offerings

Expanding your product offerings can help to reduce the impact of seasonal fluctuations on your business. For example, a womens footwear brand could focus on sandals in the summer, and boots and slippers in the winter. By diversifying your offerings, you can attract customers and generate revenue even when demand for your primary products is low.

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Conclusion

Seasonal fluctuations in business are inevitable, but with the right strategies in place, these off-peak periods can become excellent opportunities for growth. By collaborating with other brands, staying in touch with customers, creating loyalty programs, offering special promotions and discounts, and diversifying product offerings, businesses can thrive year-round. 

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Looking to lock in the most competitive shipping rates year round? Book a demo with VESYL today.

It’s no secret that shipping costs can eat into your bottom line as a brand. However, with some strategic planning and optimization, you can significantly reduce shipping expenses while still delivering a polished customer experience. In this article, we'll explore 3 simple tips to reduce shipping costs without compromising on quality.

Optimize Packing

One of the easiest ways to reduce shipping costs is to optimize packing, and there’s a variety of simple ways to get started:

• Right-size Packaging: Choose packaging that fits your products snugly to minimize wasted space and avoid dimensional weight charges. Using smaller boxes or envelopes can often result in lower shipping costs. Not to mention, correctly packaging products helps to reduce the risk of damage in transit, further reducing the costs, and time, associated with damage claims.
• Lightweight Materials: Use lightweight packing materials such as bubble wrap, corrugated cardboard or air pillows to protect items without adding unnecessary weight to packages. This helps to lower shipping costs for shipments priced by weight.
• Eliminate Excess Packaging: Avoid overpacking by using just enough cushioning to protect items during transit. Removing excess packaging materials can reduce package dimensions and weight, leading to lower shipping costs. However, while minimizing packaging, it’s important to still use a sufficient amount to reduce the risk of damages during transit.

Rate Shop

Just as you would compare the costs of products in the supermarket, shipping costs are no different. 

• Use Shipping Software: Instead of having to manually compare rates and shipping speeds across various carriers, leverage shipping software that does it all for you. VESYL serves up the most competitive shipping rates in real time across multiple carriers so you can make the best informed choice. The software also allows you to pre-define frequently used package dimensions, to not only save on costs, but also time. 
• Negotiate Carrier Rates: If you have a high shipping volume, consider negotiating discounted rates directly with carriers. Many carriers offer volume-based discounts or incentives for loyal customers, which can help lower your overall shipping costs. However, it’s important to note that this option does limit flexibility in case of shipping disruptions. 

Learn more about VESYL's automations to reduce costs and time.

Utilize Discounted Supplies

Shipping supplies can add up quickly, but there are ways to save on packaging materials:

• Bulk Ordering: By analyzing order history, you can identify the most used package sizes and types and look at bulk ordering to reduce costs. This includes boxes, envelopes, tape, and labels in bulk to fully take advantage of volume discounts, helping you save on packaging costs in the long run.
• Utilize Carrier Supplies: Take advantage of free or discounted shipping supplies offered by carriers. Many carriers provide free packaging materials, such as boxes and envelopes, to their customers. By using these supplies, you can save on packaging costs and ensure compatibility with carrier specifications.
• Consider Eco-Friendly Options: Look for environmentally friendly packaging materials that are not only cost-effective but also sustainable. Recycled cardboard boxes, biodegradable packaging peanuts, and compostable mailers are eco-friendly alternatives that can help reduce shipping costs, improve brand reputation all while minimizing environmental impact.

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By implementing these three simple tips, you can effectively reduce shipping costs for your e-commerce business. Remember to regularly review and adjust your shipping strategies to ensure ongoing cost savings and optimal efficiency. With a little planning and optimization, you can streamline your shipping process and boost your bottom line while providing excellent service to your customers.