Shippo’s New Discounted FedEx® Shipping Rates Explained

FedEx is a premier carrier that powers e-commerce shipping in the U.S. and overseas. Their extensive network, reliability, and large list of services have separated them from their competition, which is why we’re excited to share this news with e-commerce merchants everywhere. We can now offer up-and-coming e-commerce merchants the ability to easily access discount FedEx shipping rates without the need to create a new FedEx account.

Shippo is proud to announce that we are the first multi-carrier shipping company in the U.S. to offer discount FedEx shipping services to merchants straight from within our platform.

Shippo is no stranger to working with FedEx, as we’ve been named winner of the 2021 FedEx Compatible Envision Award and the 2022 FedEx Compatible Solution of the Year Award.

Now, in an effort for FedEx and Shippo to further support e-commerce businesses of all sizes, we can offer special discounts on FedEx Ground® Economy labels and FedEx® International Connect Plus labels. These labels are only applicable for shipments originating from the United States.

What is FedEx Ground® Economy?

FedEx Ground® Economy (formerly known as FedEx SmartPost) is one of the most cost-effective options for small to medium-sized businesses shipping small to medium-sized products.

E-commerce merchants can ship packages weighing up to 70 pounds and measuring up to 130 inches in length plus girth with FedEx Ground® Economy. Regarding transit times, this service level typically takes 2 to 7 business days, depending on the distance from your shipment’s origin to its destination (with longer times outside the contiguous 48 states).

FedEx Ground® Economy can be an excellent choice for shipping low-value, low-weight, and non-urgent orders. Products such as apparel, accessories, toys, games, or any product weighing 1-10 pounds would be ideal for this service level.

Benefits of FedEx Ground® Economy With Shippo

While FedEx Ground® Economy is already a great option for merchants looking to lower shipping costs, the opportunity to save even more money shipping with FedEx is bolstered when using Shippo.

Online sellers can find special discount shipping rates for FedEx Ground® Economy with no minimum volume required. We’ve attached some examples of the discounts you can expect below.

Some of the other major benefits of using FedEx Ground® Economy with Shippo include:

• 100% discount on fuel surcharges
• 100% discount on residential surcharges
• Ability to use your own custom shipping boxes
• Monday through Sunday* shipping (*Sunday deliveries not available to all areas)
• 24 Hour visibility for packages with FedEx Tracking
• Liability of up to $100

All of this comes with the reliability and outstanding service that merchants have come to expect when working with FedEx.

What is FedEx® International Connect Plus?

FedEx® International Connect Plus (FICP) is a shipping service that helps strike a balance between timely deliveries and cost efficiency for international shipments.

With FICP, you can ship to over 190 countries across the globe, covering 95% of the global GDP. Deliver to Canada in 3 days and to other global e-commerce markets in 2-5 days. Merchants shipping to popular international markets can see average transit windows, such as:

• U.S to Canada: 2-3 days
• U.S. to Mexico: 2-3 days
• U.S. to U.K.: 3-5 days
• U.S. to China: 3-5 days

Similar to FedEx Ground® Economy, packages sent through this service level can weigh up to 150 pounds and measure 130 inches in length plus girth. Although, the ideal weight is 70 pounds or less. This makes FedEx International Connect Plus an excellent option for merchants who ship all kinds of items and are looking to reach new and/or existing customers worldwide in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Benefits of FedEx® International Connect Plus With Shippo

Many merchants who have tried to ship internationally can tell you that shipping outside of the U.S. can get quite expensive. However, that doesn’t always have to be the case. You can get special discounts on FedEx® International Connect Plus shipping labels when shipping internationally with FedEx through Shippo. Some common examples of discounts you can expect with Shippo include the following.

Some other major benefits of choosing FedEx® International Connect Plus include:

• Day-definite service so customers can plan ahead to receive shipments
• Ability to redirect shipments to convenient pickup locations for customers
• Allow customers to specify delivery instructions (like whether or not to knock on the door)
• 24-hour shipment tracking for ultimate visibility
• 100% discount on fuel surcharges
• 100% discount on residential surcharges
• Customs clearance is included when creating a FedEx shipping label

How To Create FedEx Shipping Labels

Creating FedEx shipping labels with Shippo’s Web app is as easy as these six steps.

1. Sign up for a free Shippo account
2. Click “Create New Label” at the top right of your screen
3. Add the address where you plan to send your package from and the recipient's address.
4. Input the dimensions of your package, including weight and size
5. After that, you’ll see discounted FedEx rates appear within the right-hand column. Click on the service level you need and click buy.
6. After that, click print, and you’ll be ready to send your package with FedEx.

How To Deliver Packages Via Discount FedEx Shipping Rates

After printing out your FedEx labels, you’ll still need to prepare your packages and get them in the hands of FedEx reps. At the moment, package pickup is unavailable for either service level, so you’ll need to drop off packages at a FedEx Office or a certified FedEx dropoff location. Thankfully, there are plenty of options for either route you take.

There are over 59,000 FedEx locations to choose from, so dropping off packages and beginning the delivery process is easy and convenient.

Why It’s Important To Diversify Your Carrier Mix

As seasoned e-commerce merchants can tell you, the best carrier to deliver your package can change depending on several factors. Carriers assess rates based on the weight, size, and distance your package will travel.

After these factors are considered, each carrier will have a different rate. For example, the same package traveling to Zone 2 vs. Zone 5 could result in different rates for each carrier, allowing you to choose the best rate.

But, beyond shipping costs, having a diverse carrier-mix allows you to provide more delivery options for your customers. Different customers may have different preferences on the service levels or carriers you have to offer. For example, some customers may want to possibly receive their packages on a Sunday or want their international packages delivered to a parcel locker instead of their home.

Giving them more of a say in the matter ensures they have a positive post-purchase experience and are more inclined to shop with you again.

Shippo merchants can access discounted rates with FedEx, USPS, and UPS simply by signing up. You also have the option to connect dozens of other carrier accounts to our platform, ensuring you have the best carrier-mix for your business.

Accessing discount FedEx shipping rates and building a diverse carrier-mix has never been easier to achieve. Sign up for free today!