Different Types of Shipping Methods for Your eCommerce Business

For eCommerce businesses, especially small to medium-sized ones, choosing the right shipping method impacts both profitability and customer experience.

These businesses often operate on thin margins and need reliable, cost-effective shipping to satisfy customer expectations and remain competitive. An incorrect choice can lead to lost sales, higher costs, or poor delivery experiences. To meet diverse customer needs, businesses must carefully consider different delivery methods and shipping options, ensuring the right fit for each order.

What are the Types of Shipping Methods Available for Businesses?

To make things easier for you, here’s a list of different types of shipping methods from which you can choose to make the right logistical decision. The best choice will depend on the customer's location, as these factors influence cost, speed, and available services.

• Ground shipping
• Expedited shipping
• Same-day shipping
• International shipping
• Freight shipping
• Free Shipping
• Overnight Shipping
• Two-Day Shipping
• Local Delivery
• Flat-Rate Shipping
• Table Rate Shipping

If you’re using Easyship for your shipping needs, you have the option of choosing from expedited shipping, two-day shipping, overnight shipping, same-day shipping and international shipping categories at unbeatable discounts!

The multi-carrier feature allows you to view the courier rates in real-time along with tentative delivery time lines to ensure set expectations and timely deliveries. Easyship helps businesses ship packages efficiently and select the most suitable delivery method for each order.

Here’s an example:

If you are shipping a 3.45 pound package from New York to Chicago, Easyship generates a multitude of options for you to pick from.

Product Category: Accessory (No battery)

Weight: 3.45 pounds

Dimensions: 13.0 in × 4.0 in × 11.0 in

Origin: New York

Destination: Chicago

As you can see from the table above, the Standard Ground Shipping is the most common and economical for deliveries within a country.

Typically handled by USPS, FedEx Ground, or UPS (United Parcel Service), ground shipping takes 2-7 days. It’s best for cost-conscious shipments that aren’t time-sensitive. Ground shipping is a low cost option, especially suitable for bulky or heavy items that do not require expedited delivery.

However, express shipping offers faster delivery, usually within 1-2 days, at a higher cost.

Ideal for urgent orders or high-ticket items, express shipping—including expedited and overnight shipping services—improves customer satisfaction but must be used strategically to avoid cutting too deeply into profit. Express shipping is often chosen because it is considered one of the most reliable shipping options available.

Same-Day and Next-Day Shipping serve customers who prioritize speed over cost.

This method works best in densely populated areas where couriers like FedEx SameDay City or local services can fulfill same day delivery within hours. Local shipping methods are often used to enable same-day or next-day delivery, ensuring products reach customers quickly and efficiently. 

It’s ideal for time-sensitive product categories like perishables or event merchandise. In store pickup and digital delivery are also alternative fast fulfillment options for customers who need immediate access to their purchases.

International Shipping Methods

International Standard Shipping offers affordable cross-border delivery but has longer transit times.

It’s best for low-value goods or buyers who accept longer waits. Options include USPS First Class International, or national post partners like Canada Post or Royal Mail. Businesses shipping internationally may also use a distributor or fulfillment center to stage products closer to customers, improving delivery speed and efficiency.

There are also other shipping methods available for international orders, such as specialized courier services or local partners, to meet unique business needs.

To help you understand better, here's a rate table highlighting courier costs and delivery timelines when shipping from New York to Sydney. We used the Easyship rate calculator to do the same.

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Cheapest → FedEx® International Connect Plus ($30.20, 13 days)

Fastest → UPS Worldwide Saver® (2 days, $65.35)

Best Value → UPS Worldwide Expedited® (5 days, $57.42)

International Express Shipping ensures faster global delivery with premium services like DHL Express or FedEx International Priority.

This method works for high-value or time-sensitive orders but comes at a higher cost. It’s essential for competitive global brands.

How do I Choose the Right Shipping Carrier?

Selecting the right shipping carrier is a critical decision for any ecommerce business, as it directly impacts shipping costs, delivery times, and customer satisfaction. The most prominent carriers—FedEx, UPS, DHL Express, and USPS—each offer a range of shipping methods to suit different needs. 

• FedEx is renowned for its expedited shipping and air freight services, making it a top choice for urgent shipments and international delivery. 
• UPS stands out for its reliable ground shipping and comprehensive tracking, ideal for businesses shipping mass quantities or bulky items across the country. 
• DHL Express specializes in international shipping, offering fast and efficient global delivery options, while USPS is often the go-to for affordable flat rate shipping options and lightweight packages, especially within the United States.

Regional carriers can also be a smart choice for local delivery, often providing competitive rates and faster service within specific shipping zones. When choosing a shipping partner, consider your shipping volume, the types of shipping your customers expect (such as overnight shipping or economy shipping), and the delivery locations you serve. 

Evaluate each carrier’s shipping services, including ground shipping, expedited shipping, and flat rate shipping, to ensure you can offer the right shipping options for every order. 

By aligning your shipping methods with the strengths of your chosen carrier, you can optimize shipping expenses, improve delivery times, and enhance the overall customer experience.

Shipping Methods by Speed

Economy Shipping offers the lowest price but slowest delivery, typically 5–10 business days.

Great for low-margin products where customers value savings over speed. USPS Ground Advantage is a popular economy option.

Expedited Shipping balances speed and cost, offering 2–3 day delivery for slightly higher fees.

Merchants use this to satisfy buyers who don’t need next-day delivery but want reliability. It’s ideal for apparel or home goods.

Priority and Express Shipping guarantees faster delivery, often within 1–2 days.This option is important for time-sensitive categories like beauty or event supplies. FedEx 2Day and UPS Next Day Air are examples.

Flat Rate vs. Real-Time Shipping Methods

Flat Rate Shipping uses fixed prices regardless of package weight or distance.

This simplifies shipping for customers and can prevent checkout friction. It's useful when average shipping costs are predictable.

Real-Time Rates dynamically calculate costs based on carrier APIs, destination, weight, and size.

Tools like Easyship let stores show real-time rates at checkout. This builds trust and can improve conversions.

Hybrid Models combine flat rate and real-time logic to offer both transparency and convenience.

For example, offering flat rate on domestic orders and real-time on international orders can improve profitability.

How do I Keep my Shipments Safe?

Protecting your shipments is vital for maintaining customer trust and ensuring products arrive in perfect condition. Start with robust packaging—choose sturdy shipping boxes, use ample padding, and seal packages securely to prevent damage during transit. 

For added peace of mind, take advantage of tracking and insurance services offered by top shipping carriers. USPS, for example, provides USPS Tracking and insurance coverage, giving both you and your customers visibility and protection throughout the shipping journey.

Easyship also offers the option to insure your packages, offering a coverage up to $10,000! The coverage includes loss or damage to the package and can be selected at the rates checkout of the dashboard. 

For high-value or urgent shipments, consider expedited shipping services like priority mail express or overnight shipping, which not only speed up delivery but often include enhanced tracking and insurance options. 

By prioritizing safety and security in your shipping methods, you reduce the risk of lost or damaged goods, minimize delivery issues, and build a reputation for reliability—key factors in improving customer satisfaction and encouraging repeat business.

Why Choosing the Right Shipping Method Matters

A 2024 Statista report revealed that 53% of abandoned carts were due to high shipping costs, and 24% cited slow delivery as a reason.

This directly affects conversion rates, revenue, and brand reputation. For businesses managing 100 to 2,500 shipments per month, even small inefficiencies can scale into significant problems.

The shipping method affects costs, delivery times, and customer satisfaction. The right method keeps costs low, reduces delivery time, and enhances customer loyalty. This choice becomes a strategic differentiator for eCommerce brands trying to scale efficiently.

eCommerce sellers using platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce need cost-efficient and flexible delivery to remain competitive. 3PL providers like Easyship auto-sync your products from the store to the Easyship dashboard and enable easy checkout rates on your respective eCommerce platform. 

Many small online stores rely on manual shipping setups. They need a better way to compare couriers, handle returns, and expand internationally without overhead.

Offering customers flexible shipping—like standard, express, or same-day—can increase conversion, repeat business, and reduce cart abandonment.

How to Choose the Right Shipping Method for Your Business

Start by analyzing your product types, size, weight, and shipping destinations. Different products need different solutions. For instance, fragile items may require air, while heavy goods may benefit from freight.

Compare costs, delivery speeds, and customer expectations.

Use tools like Easyship to simulate different shipping scenarios and optimize profit margins while offering the best customer experience.

Test, measure, and optimize over time.

No one-size-fits-all solution exists. Reviewing shipping data regularly helps you improve efficiency and stay competitive.

Make Shipping a Business Strategy with Easyship!

Shipping isn’t just logistics—it’s customer experience, brand trust, and business strategy. The right shipping methods lower costs, reduce workload, and drive sales. 

Multi-carrier tools allow rate comparison from different couriers. This helps merchants pick the cheapest or fastest courier based on real-time data, streamlining decisions at scale.

Using tools like Easyship helps small-to-medium eCommerce merchants automate shipping, reduce costs up to 91%, and compare over 550 couriers. If your goal is to scale, improve customer happiness, and reclaim your time, choose Easyship!

Talk to us today!

FAQs

What is the best shipping method for eCommerce?
The best method depends on your product and customer needs. For most, ground shipping is cost-effective for domestic orders, while express or international options suit urgent or global deliveries. Tools like Easyship help optimize this choice.

How many types of shipping methods are there?
There are around 10–12 common shipping methods, including ground, expedited, overnight, two-day, same-day, freight, flat-rate, table-rate, international standard, international express, and local delivery.

What is shipping in eCommerce?
Shipping in eCommerce refers to the process of transporting online orders from a seller to a buyer, including choosing couriers, generating labels, tracking, and managing delivery timelines and costs.

What are the three basic types of shipments?
The three basic types are:

1. Parcel shipping – small packages via couriers like USPS or FedEx.
   
   
2. Freight shipping – large, heavy items via truck, sea, or air.
   
   
3. Dropshipping – supplier ships directly to customer on seller’s behalf.

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