What is the Cheapest Way to Ship Clothes? How to Mail Apparel?

Clothes are a popular commodity for online shopping. Moreover, you get a wide range of collections when it comes to online shopping. With online shopping becoming popular with all, most of the small to popular businesses are equally investing in online retail channels to sell.

Whether you’re running an e-commerce business or simply mailing clothes to a friend, finding an affordable shipping method is key. Shipping rates depend on weight, size, distance, and the carrier, but with the right strategies, you can save significantly.

Clothes are typically lightweight and flexible, making them easier to ship than items like books, electronics, or large objects. However, with the rise of online shopping, shipping costs for clothes can add up quickly. Therefore, it’s essential to understand the best practices for packaging and carrier selection to ensure the clothes arrive safely, without unnecessary expenses.

Here we can take a look at how we can pack the clothes in the safest way, how to ship them, and overall the best and cheapest way to ship clothes. Get started with this article to explore practical tips on packaging, carrier comparisons, and cost-saving techniques tailored to the needs of today’s apparel shippers!

Table of Contents

How to Ship Clothes?

While shipping clothes, the first and foremost thing to know is how to pack them. You need to understand the proper way of packing to ensure that the shipping is intact and the clothes are not damaged. When you pack your clothes for shipping properly, it reduces the shipping cost. Interestingly, clothes are the easiest to pack among physical products, as they are not irregularly shaped, not spiky, or have sharp edges. And yes, it doesn’t break!

Shirts and T-shirts
Fold neatly and pack in poly mailers. For multiple shirts, stack them together in a single package, ensuring no shifting occurs.
Jeans and Pants
Fold one leg over the other and compactly package them. Use a poly mailer for single pairs and cardboard boxes for bulkier orders.
Wedding Dresses
Wrap the dress in acid-free tissue paper and place it in a garment box. Ensure the box is clearly labeled as “Wedding Dress” and taped securely.

Optimizing Packaging for the Cheapest Way to Ship Clothes

Packaging is critical when mailing clothes, as carriers often use dimensional weight pricing. By choosing the right packaging materials, you can avoid extra fees for the cheapest way to ship clothes. By minimizing empty space, you can lower dimensional weight charges. Use vacuum-sealed bags for bulkier clothes like sweaters, which compress the size of the package.

Polybags
Lightweight and waterproof, polybags are perfect for smaller clothing items like t-shirts, socks, and other non-fragile garments. They reduce the overall weight, which is crucial when shipping light packages.
Flat Rate Boxes
USPS Flat Rate Boxes are useful when shipping heavier clothes like jackets or bulkier items like jeans. Since these boxes charge based on volume, they often come in handy when sending heavier packages.
Bubble Mailers
If you’re sending delicate or expensive clothing items (like designer scarves), consider bubble mailers for added protection while keeping the weight low.

Comparing Shipping Carriers: USPS vs UPS vs FedEx

Always compare shipping rates using shipping software or a WooCommerce plugin that integrates multiple carriers for real-time rate comparisons to find the cheapest way to ship clothes. Selecting the right carrier is crucial for balancing cost, delivery speed, and reliability. Here’s a breakdown of the most popular shipping carriers:

USPS (United States Postal Service)

Best for lightweight packages under 13 oz. The First-Class Mail is one of the most cost-effective options, especially for smaller, lighter shipments.
USPS Priority Mail and Flat Rate services offer predictable pricing and fast delivery for heavier shipments.
International Shipping: USPS often provides the best pricing for international apparel shipping, especially through Priority Mail International.

UPS (United Parcel Service)

UPS is ideal for larger or heavier shipments, thanks to its extensive ground network and services like UPS Ground.
Their pricing model is great for packages over 1 lb, and they offer more competitive rates for larger or bulky clothing shipments.
Businesses using eCommerce platforms like WooCommerce can also access shipping discounts through UPS.

FedEx

For urgent deliveries, FedEx Express offers the fastest shipping but at a higher price.
FedEx’s SmartPost is a hybrid solution for budget-conscious shippers, combining FedEx delivery with the final delivery leg handled by USPS. This option works well for long-distance ground shipping at a lower cost.

What is the Cheapest Way to Ship Shirts, Pants, or a Box of Clothes?

When you consider clothes, they aren’t that expensive to be shipped. The major factors that work to add up the cost are the packaging material, the shipping carrier choice, and the packaging dimensions. Hence it is ideal to compare the shipping prices from popular shipping carriers before deciding the same for the cheapest way to ship clothes. You can easily do so by integrating your store with the popular shipping options to fetch real-time rates and then provide an estimate in terms of prices.

Roughly speaking here is an estimated price and other options by shipping options:

Shipping Options	Estimated Delivery Time	Packaging Options	Price Estimate
USPS First Class	2-3 days	large envelope under 1pd	$2.66-$5.44
USPS Priority Mail	2 days	12 1/2″ x 9 1/2″ Envelope	$7.15-$8
USPS Flat Rate Box	2 days	8 5/8″x5 3/8″x1 5/8″ Box	$7.65
UPS Ground	4 days	8 5/8″x5 3/8″x1 5/8″ Box	Around $12
FedEx Ground	4 Days	8 5/8″x5 3/8″x1 5/8″ Box	Around $12

Cost-Saving Tips for the Cheapest Way to Ship Clothes

The cheapest way to ship clothes is to always check for business or volume discounts and explore if regional shipping carriers can offer competitive rates in your area. Whether you’re shipping a single shirt or managing an online store, these cost-saving strategies will help you get the most affordable rates:

Prepay and Print Label
Many carriers, including UPS and FedEx, offer lower rates if you prepay and print shipping labels ahead of time. This allows for efficient bulk shipping.
Use Shipping Software
Software like WooCommerce shipping plugins or multi-carrier solutions provides real-time rate comparisons, helping you find the cheapest carrier every time. These platforms also allow for easy label printing, tracking, and automated rate calculations.
Negotiate Business Discounts
If you’re running an online clothing store, many carriers offer negotiated rates based on shipping volume. UPS and FedEx, in particular, provide significant savings to businesses, which can be integrated into your WooCommerce store for automated rate calculations.
Regional Carriers
If you’re shipping domestically, especially within specific regions, consider using regional carriers. These smaller carriers often have lower prices for short-distance deliveries compared to national services.

Shipping Internationally: Tips for Reducing Costs

Shipping clothes internationally requires careful consideration of taxes, tariffs, and carrier fees. Here’s how you can minimize costs when shipping abroad:

USPS Priority Mail International
This service provides one of the cheapest and most reliable methods for international shipping of clothing. It offers a mix of affordability and reasonable delivery times.
Third-Party Logistics (3PL)
If you’re shipping a high volume of apparel overseas, consider using a 3PL provider to consolidate shipments. This can significantly lower your shipping costs by combining multiple orders into one larger, more economical shipment.
Duties and Tariffs
Pre-calculate duties and tariffs before sending apparel internationally. Some WooCommerce shipping plugins include tools that help you estimate these costs, ensuring your customers aren’t hit with unexpected fees.

Enhancing Your WooCommerce Store with Shipping Plugins

For online clothing stores, integrating shipping plugins directly into your WooCommerce setup can streamline shipping processes and reduce costs. These plugins allow for automatic rate calculations, print shipping labels, track packages, and offer customers multiple shipping options during checkout. By using these tools, you can not only automate the process but also ensure that you’re getting the most competitive shipping rates for each order.

Popular WooCommerce Shipping Plugins

ELEX EasyPost
Supports multiple carriers (FedEx, UPS, USPS) and offers real-time shipping rate calculations.
WooCommerce Shipping
Ideal for small businesses, it allows seamless integration with USPS, offering discounts for bulk shipments.
Shippo
Provides carrier rate comparisons and discounted rates, especially useful for high-volume shippers.

Last Shot

Shipping clothes doesn’t have to break the bank if you know how to optimize your packaging and select the right carrier for the cheapest way to ship clothes. For lightweight and domestic shipments, USPS First-Class Mail remains one of the best options. For larger or heavier items, UPS Ground or FedEx SmartPost provides a cost-effective solution. By leveraging shipping software, prepaying for labels, and negotiating business discounts, you can save even more.

Whether you’re shipping internationally or domestically, integrating WooCommerce shipping plugins into your store’s workflow ensures both you and your customers benefit from the lowest possible shipping rates. With these strategies in place for the cheapest way to ship clothes, you’ll maximize savings without compromising delivery speed or quality, making 2024 a year of smarter shipping.

Implying an all-in-one shipping plugin in your WooCommerce store simplifies the process by fetching live shipping rates with estimated delivery dates and calculating shipping costs based on packaging options for the cheapest way to ship clothes.

These shipping plugins have certain algorithms running in the background for better analysis of packing correctly and efficiently. Here are some of the shipping plugins that can be found handy to help you find the cheapest way to ship clothes:

FAQ’S

What is the cheapest way to ship clothes domestically?
The most affordable option for shipping lightweight clothes is USPS First-Class Mail for items under 13 oz. For heavier packages, USPS Priority Mail flat-rate boxes offer predictable costs, especially for long-distance shipping.
What packaging should I use to ship clothes?
For single items, poly mailers or Tyvek envelopes work best due to their lightweight. For bulk orders, cardboard boxes are more durable.
How can I reduce shipping costs?
Use the smallest packaging possible, compare carrier rates, and opt for bulk discounts or prepaid shipping labels.
Which carrier offers the best international shipping rates?
USPS Priority Mail International and FedEx International Economy provide competitive rates for international shipments. Consider using third-party logistics (3PL) services for further cost savings.
How can WooCommerce shipping plugins help reduce shipping costs?
Plugins like ELEX WooCommerce USPS Shipping Plugin and EasyPost compare carrier rates in real-time and print labels directly from your WooCommerce dashboard, optimizing both costs and efficiency.
Should I insure clothes during shipping?
If you’re shipping valuable items, especially internationally, or delicate clothing like wedding dresses, insuring the package is recommended to safeguard against loss or damage.
Can I ship multiple items together?
Yes. Combining items in a single shipment reduces the overall cost. Ensure items are packed tightly to avoid shifting and damage.