Best Shipping Rate Calculator For International eCommerce Couriers 2023

Trying to expand your eCommerce business beyond your territorial boundaries could be a great next step if you’re looking to grow and expand, but you’ll need to start figuring out how to ship internationally first. You will need a strategy for international shipping, which works for you, your customers, and your business. Trying to figure out the cost of shipping internationally can be confusing. However, this does not have to be the case.

We have great news for you if you need help to figure out how much it will cost to ship a package internationally or how to estimate shipping charges to deliver products to customers around the world. In this post, we’ll go over the general details you’ll need to get a quote, as well as extra services and prerequisites that may affect the cost of your shipment. We’ll also show you how to use a few simple tools to calculate shipping costs in a matter of minutes.

Factors that affect the cost of shipping

The process of calculation of shipping costs can be complex, with many factors affecting the final cost. When trying to calculate shipping costs for a package, there are three key pieces of information that you will need.

Points of Origin and Destination for Shipments

For determining shipping costs, the distance from the location of origin to the shipping destination is a crucial factor. For the purpose of calculating the distance from the origin and address of delivery, shipping zones are used by couriers. You must first determine where you are shipping from and where the package will be delivered before you can begin calculating shipping costs.

The Weight and Dimensions of the Shipment

Usually the heavier the package, the higher the shipping costs. However, dimensional weight is also prevalent. To calculate the shipping rate, all major carriers use a price technique known as dimensional weight. Dimensional weight is used to calculate shipping costs by taking into account the size of a package. The length, width, and height of the package or box size are multiplied together, then divided by a standard DIM divisor to get the DIM weight. But you do not need to worry about it as the shipping calculator that we are about to discuss, takes care of everything.

Shipping Delivery Dates

Sometimes customers do not mind paying extra for receiving their products on a priority basis. The delivery time refers to the time it takes for a package or shipment to arrive at its final destination. Depending on the distance the package is traveling, this can range from overnight to over a month, with price points ranging from low to high.

Other factors that can affect the shipping cost

The variety of added fees based on the destination country, the size and weight of the package, and the delivery time can make shipping internationally complicated. It is critical to conduct thorough research and calculate shipping charges accordingly so that your customers are not taken by surprise by unexpected fees, which is one of the leading causes of cart abandonment for eCommerce businesses.

The three primary services which can impact the shipping price are as follows:

Insurance

You may want your shipments to be insured if you ship very expensive, delicate products. Senders can be reimbursed if their packages are lost, stolen, or damaged while in transit. While convenient, this service can significantly increase your shipping charges.

Handling fee

In-house packaging and shipping can be costly even with the right provisions and even more so as your eCommerce business grows.

Customs, duties, and taxes

You or the recipient of your shipment may be required to pay extra taxes and duties before the package is delivered when shipping to some other country. Duty and tax may be applied according to the value of your shipping. This can become complicated and differ from country to country. Again, this is where a shipping calculator comes to the rescue but calculating everything automatically.

Shipping cost calculators for three well-known shipping companies

To offer different shipping pricing models and shipping methods, each carrier considers many of the above factors. The dedicated shipping calculators for three of the major shipping carriers in the US: USPS, FedEx, and UPS are listed below.

USPS

The USPS Shipping Services are offered internationally in more than 180 countries including the UK, Japan, Canada, Mexico, and Australia. International tracking and some insurance are included in the Global Express Guaranteed, Priority Mail Express International, and Priority Mail International services. You can use this shipping calculator to figure out how much international USPS shipping will cost.

FedEx

For calculating shipping prices, FedEx uses dimensional weight. They provide a range of delivery options, including ground, overnight, and same-day deliveries. You can use their shipping calculator to calculate FedEx shipping rates.

UPS

UPS also uses dimensional weight to determine shipping costs. Different UPS shipping options, such as UPS Ground, UPS 3-Day Select, and 2nd Day Air, use different pricing models. You can use the UPS shipping calculator to get shipping rates.

Using a Shipping Calculator to Determine Shipping Costs

A shipping calculator is the quickest and most convenient way of calculating shipping charges. Each of the three major shipping companies, USPS, UPS, and FedEx, has its shipping calculator that allows you to get an estimate for their various types of services. But instead of going to individual websites to calculate the shipping costs, you can make use of a Shipping Calculator! The ReachShip Shipping Calculator assists you in determining the most cost-effective shipping method for your eCommerce business and its shipments.

How Does ReachShip Work?

It is the most straightforward yet powerful SaaS-based platform for creating and managing eCommerce shipments. There are no subscription fees to get shipping rates or printing shipping labels. Only direct shipping carrier-specific charges apply. This tool makes it simple to figure out how much it will cost to ship something from one location to another using popular shipping carriers like DHL, USPS, UPS, and FedEx.

ReachShip calculates all available shipping service rates, including taxes, and assists you in selecting the most cost-effective and time-efficient option. Besides that, it suggests packaging options and allows you to print shipping labels. And it also keeps you informed with the most up-to-date tracking information. This centralized platform makes it possible to select a domestic or international shipping service from a variety of shipping carriers for shipping anywhere in the world.

Compare Shipping Prices and Select the Best Option

Enter your package and shipping information, and then compare all available rates from a variety of leading shipping providers to find the best shipping carrier for you.

Sign Up and Fill Out Your Information

To proceed with the shipment, sign up / sign in with your ReachShip account and enter your shipping details.

Enter your Shipping Carrier’s Credentials

To schedule the pickup and print the label, enter the credentials you received from your shipping carrier.

Create shipments, print shipping labels, and track your shipments

Print the shipping labels and all of your shipments can be tracked from a single location!

How to calculate shipping using the ReachShip Shipping Calculator

Steps required to calculate the shipping costs:

• The ‘from’ and ‘to’ addresses have to be entered.

• Choose from the available shipping services.

Once you complete the previous steps, you can move ahead with initiating your shipment, apply for shipping insurance, and schedule a pickup. Although using the shipping calculators provided by the individual service providers is great, the best part about using a shipping calculator like ReachShip is that you can receive all the various shipping options in one place, allowing you to compare the shipping cost and choose the most feasible one. And their services are not limited to that. ReachShip streamlines your entire shipping process from the beginning to the very end when the product reaches the customers so that you can concentrate on expanding your eCommerce store.

Bonus point – If your company requires customers to send or return products to you on a daily basis (Example – electronic repair shop), we recommend using the ELEX WooCommerce Shipping Calculator, which creates a dedicated shipping calculator page on your website, allowing your customers to calculate shipping costs from their location to your office or warehouse without having to visit any third-party shipping service providers.

To conclude

With a complete set of features, whether you are a small eCommerce business owner or a large eCommerce retailer, a shipping calculator can help streamline the shipping process of your store. It helps you get shipping quotes from top carriers, then creates shipping labels and tracks your shipment in the most convenient way possible. If you have any questions regarding shipping calculators, feel free to reach out to us or leave a comment on our post.

Further Reading