As an ecommerce business owner, you know the importance of securely and cost-effectively shipping your products to customers. But how can you deliver products safely and efficiently when they tip the scale or don’t fit in a standard box?
Fear not—shipping large items is just as feasible as shipping small parcels, though it does take some extra research to get it right.
Here’s a rundown of shipping large items.
Standard shipping vs. freight shipping
You don’t need to find a specialized carrier for your bulky products: Major carriers like FedEx, DHL, USPS, and UPS can all help deliver an oversized package quickly. In addition to standard shipping options, most of these carriers offer freight shipping for shipments that exceed the weight limits for normal shipping services (normally 150 pounds), letting you ship thousands of pounds of merchandise by ground, rail, air, and sea.
When you’re shipping large quantities of products, freight shipping is more cost-effective than shipping individual packages. It can also help you streamline your supply chain, as your products will be in a single shipment. But if you’re shipping just a few heavy packages, you won’t want to pay for an entire shipping load. Carriers offer less-than-truckload (LTL) options that allow you to pay for a partial load.
Carrier options for shipping large items
Take a look at each major carrier’s options for shipping large items. Keep in mind that the cost to ship large boxes and other bulky packages depends on your specific shipment’s weight and dimensions, travel distance, and chosen shipping method. The major carriers offer price calculators that can help you compare your options.
FedEx
- Standard shipping size: Up to 150 pounds; up to 119 inches long or 165 inches combined length and width.
- Speed: Same day, next day, two business days, one to five business days, or three to seven business days.
- Freight shipping: Yes.
If your package exceeds FedEx’s regular shipping weight limit of 150 pounds, FedEx Freight can send your shipment. You can move your large LTL shipment quickly with FedEx Express Freight, which accepts shipments up to 2,200 pounds. If your package is between 2,200 and 44,000 pounds, you’ll need to opt for FedEx’s slower LTL delivery methods.
USPS
- Standard shipping size: Up to 70 pounds; up to 108 inches combined length and width (130 for Ground Advantage option).
- Speed: Next day, one to three business days, two to five business days, or two to eight business days.
- Freight shipping: No.
The United States Postal Service (USPS) ships packages that weigh up to 70 pounds—the lowest weight limit of the major carriers—and does not offer freight shipping. USPS offers four services for shipping large items within this weight limit.
- Priority Mail Express: USPS’s most expensive and reliable option offers date-certain delivery as soon as the next day.
- Priority Mail: This option guarantees that items arrive within one to three business days.
- Ground Advantage: This service delivers packages in two to five business days. It allows for the biggest packages—up to 130 inches in combined length and width.
- Media Mail: This is an inexpensive parcel shipping method (you’d pay around $40 to ship a 50-pound package), but it can also be the cheapest way to ship large quantities of eligible media like books, music recordings, and film. It guarantees a delivery timeframe of two to eight business days.
The Priority Mail options offer flat-rate shipping, meaning you pay a set price for your package (no matter its weight) as long as it fits in a USPS-made package. If you’re shipping oversized packages that are too large to fit in USPS packaging, you can also pay by dimensional (DIM) weight rates. For Ground Advantage and Media Mail, USPS determines rates by package weight and travel distance, which is measured in mileage-range zones.
UPS
- Standard shipping size: Up to 150 pounds; up to 108 inches long.
- Speed: Same day, next day, two to three business days, one to five business days, or three to seven business days.
- Freight shipping: Yes.
With UPS, any package above 150 pounds qualifies for freight shipping. Ground freight shipping can help keep total shipping costs down. Air freight is faster but more expensive. For the largest shipments, UPS also offers ocean freight shipping options. The heaviest freight package UPS accepts is 15,000 pounds.
DHL
- Standard shipping size: Up to 154 pounds; 47 by 31 by 31 inches.
- Speed: Same day, next day, two to three business days, two to five business days, or three to eight business days.
- Freight shipping: Yes.
DHL sends packages under 154 pounds through its regular shipping services. Beyond that, DHL accepts freight packages up to around 2,200 pounds each. Total freight shipments can weigh up to around 6,600 pounds. Individual freight packages are also subject to dimensional limits of 118 inches by 78 inches by 63 inches, though DHL will allow packages with a height of up to 70 inches with special approval.
Tips for shipping large items
- Use a strong box and heavy-duty packing tape
- Measure carefully
- Pack efficiently
- Consider freight shipping
Keep these tips in mind when shipping large items:
Use a strong box and heavy-duty packing tape
To make sure heavy items arrive undamaged, put extra care into their packaging. The first step is to use a strong box purpose-built for the weight it will carry. You can buy heavy-duty boxes online or pick them up from the retail locations of major carriers like UPS and FedEx.
Reinforce your heavy-duty box with heavy-duty packing tape. Seal every seam and edge, then reinforce the top and bottom of your large package with additional layers of tape.
Measure carefully
Most major carriers charge you oversized shipping fees after delivery if you entered incorrect package dimensions or didn’t enter the actual weight when shipping your package. Double-check your package measurements before you send your items out the door.
Pack efficiently
To save on shipping, pack your products into the smallest boxes or packages that still protect your items. Compress or disassemble any parts to reduce dimensional weight and cut costs.
Consider freight shipping
Companies use freight shipping to ship items in bulk, but you might use this option if your heavy packages exceed regular shipping weight and size limits. Freight shipping can get expensive, so make sure your profit margins are high enough to justify the expense.
Shipping large items FAQ
What is the heaviest package USPS will ship?
USPS will ship large packages up to a maximum of 70 pounds. Use other shipping companies like UPS, FedEx, or DHL to send packages heavier than 70 pounds.
What is the cheapest way to ship large items?
The cheapest way to ship large items depends on your specific package weight and dimensions, travel distance, and chosen shipping method. USPS, FedEx, UPS, and DHL all offer affordable options for shipping large items.
How much does it cost to ship a 70-pound package?
The cost to ship a 70-pound package depends on the package dimensions, travel distance, shipping method, and carrier. Estimated shipping costs to send a 70-pound package that measures 25 inches wide, 25 inches tall, and 25 inches long start at around $120.
