Key Points:
- Pallets are made of wood, plastic, metal, or corrugated materials
- The standard pallet size is 48” x 40” and can carry between 3,700 and 4,600 pounds
- Pallet shipping is a great way to ship heavy-duty items like furniture
There are roughly 5 billion pallets in use worldwide and an estimated 2 billion in the US alone. Shipping can come with unpredictability, and ensuring safe shipping becomes essential. Pallets serve as a go-to solution to keep your items safe and come in various types and sizes depending on what you’re shipping.
This article will explain everything you need to know about pallet shipping to adopt the best practices for your eCommerce business.
Table of Contents
What is Pallet Shipping?
Shipping pallets are packaging materials used for handling, storing, and shipping products safely. Some of the common items that use pallet shipping are items such as:
- Building materials
- Furniture
- Appliances
- Machinery
It’s important to note that the standard pallet size is 48” x 40” and can carry between 3,700 and 4,600 pounds. So while a full truckload can hold from 24 to 30 pallets, less-than-truckload (LTL) shipments can fit between 1 and 6 pallets.
Plus, shipping pallets are made from different materials to support packaged containers to facilitate more accessible transportation. There are a handful of other pallets based on the material they are made of, such as the following:
- Wooden Pallets: These are the most commonly used shipping pallets. Wooden pallets are best for transporting furniture and heavier items
- Plastic Pallets: Plastic pallets are made from polymeric plastic materials and weigh less than wooden pallets. Plastic pallets are commonly used in the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries
- Metal Pallets: Metal pallets are typically made from aluminum, carbon steel, and stainless steel. These pallets are primarily used in shipping military equipment, automotive, food, beverage, and pharmaceutical products
- Corrugated Board Pallets: These pallets are made of cardboard or corrugated sheets and are used for lightweight items. Corrugated board pallets are lightweight, eco-friendly, and easy to manufacture
Whether you’re shipping furniture, appliances, or machinery, pallet shipping is an excellent way to ship items from point A to B.
Related post: Air Freight vs. Sea Freight - Your Questions Answered
Benefits of Pallet Shipping
Pallet shipping is a great way to ship heavy-duty items like furniture. We’ll give you the full scoop on the benefits of pallet shipping, so you know if it's right for your eCommerce business.
Easy to transport
Pallets are very portable, making them mobile and easy to transport. Plus, since they are used for stacking goods, it typically becomes less strenuous to move goods on a pallet than moving them Individually.
It’s also recommended to use pallets when shipping big or heavy items because its framework supports items in transit and ensures that they are compact. In addition, shipping pallets guarantees reduced risks during the delivery process, as it is easier for loading and unloading pallets.
Helps organize goods
An advantage that stands out with using pallets is how they help organize goods. Pallets make it possible for shippers to store various items into a single pallet. With this, shipping becomes very effective and keeps track of inventory.
If you are transporting many things to a location, palletizing your shipment is better to keep them organized rather than sending them in boxes. This method is not only practical, but it will put your mind at ease.
Protects goods from damage
Having goods delivered intact is a top priority for eCommerce merchants. Utilizing shipping pallets reduces the chances of goods being damaged during transit. It's important to note that you should always use packaging materials like bubble wrap for hassle-free pallet shipping.
Pallets will also keep your items off the ground, ensuring they are safe from fluids, dirt, and other debris. Since pallets allow for compactness and easy movement, there is less need for extra handling during movement. For shipping produce, pallets shipping is the best option. They allow for air circulation and drainage, which regular containers do not, preventing spoilage.
Palletized shipments are more durable
Using pallets can be expensive. However, they are very durable. This factor means you can stack many heavy goods on a pallet without the fear of it breaking.
Compared to other shipping container options such as cardboard boxes or packaging materials like plastic wrappers, pallets are more robust and durable. This is because pallets are made of plastic, metal, paper, and recycled materials, which gives them the firm and lasting structure needed to support the weight of oversized and heavy goods.
Pallets are recyclable
Shipping pallets are made of recyclable materials. Plastic and metal pallets are durable and not likely to get damaged easily. Plus, pallets can be melted and turned into other usable items. For wooden pallets which are more likely to wear out, they can be dismantled and used for other projects or ground into compost.
Related post: Your Guide to Freight Shipping
How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Pallet?
The price of a pallet is mainly determined by the size, material, and quality of its construction. However, other factors, including cargo weight, density, dimensions, packaging type, mode of transport, time sensitivity, and distance from the origin to destination, can also contribute to the cost.
We’ll go over the specific expenses of shipping pallets in this section so that you know how to decide if it's the correct shipping option for your eCommerce business.
FedEx pallet shipping
Let’s say you’re shipping heavy furniture from New York to Los Angeles in the United States. We can calculate the exact cost for shipping pallets with the FedEx Freight Calculator tool. For this example, we’ll calculate the cost of shipping a 100-pound dresser.
As we can see, you'll pay skyrocket rates for FedEx pallet shipping. Alternatively, Easyship offers high-volume discounts for shipping rates, so that you don't pay nearly $1,000 on shipping alone.
UPS pallet shipping
Now, let's say you’re shipping the same 100-pound dresser from New York to Los Angeles using UPS shipping. You’ll have to create a UPS account before getting pallet shipping quotes. This can put a slight roadblock in your research process when finding the cheapest and best rates for shipping pallets.
Overall, retail shipping costs are inevitably more expensive than discounted shipping rates. Alternatively, Easyship saves users up to 89% off discounted shipping rates on 250+ couriers, including UPS.
Flat rate pallet shipping
Flat rate shipping differs from regular flat rate parcel shipping. Flat rate shipping eliminates the need to calculate shipping pallets. Instead, as long as your freight shipment fits on a single pallet, you only pay one flat fee for shipping. A flat-rate fee is the cheapest way to ship a pallet in many cases.
Flat rate pallet shipping is an excellent option for high-volume shippers. We’ll refer to Zipline Logistic’s graphic for flat rate shipping pallets cost.
As we can see, flat rate pallet shipping costs less than paying for per pallet shipping, such as UPS’s flat-rate pricing. Overall, flat rate pallet shipping is better for standard size and weight pallets.
How to Ship a Pallet with Easyship
By now, you should know all the ins and outs of pallet shipping and know if it's right for your eCommerce business. Shipping with pallets is a great way to ensure a hassle-free shipping experience. Enjoy benefits such as accessible transport, protection from damage, and more when choosing pallet shipping.
The vital structures of pallet shipping also guarantee its durability and reusability. Depending on your eCommerce business, consider factors before shipping with pallets. For instance, size, type of product, and cargo weight all come into play when choosing if pallet shipping is suitable for you.
Alternatively, Easyship can help create the most optimal shipping experience for eCommerce merchants. Easyship ensures that you have a safe shipping experience with the following features:
- Shipping Rates Calculator: Access high-volume discounts from 250+ couriers. Plus, get instant access to delivery lead times from premium shipping couriers
- Global Fulfillment with Easyship: Increase your sales potential with Easyship Global Fulfillment. With warehouse partners on four continents, you can reach your customers near and far
- Shipping Policy Generator: Our shipping policy generator helps merchants and crowdfunding campaigns generate their shipping policy by providing tracking and insurance options, plus other vital information for your shipping process
Ready to ship? Sign up for a FREE Easyship account and learn how to save instantly on pallet shipping
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