Best Ways To Save Money Shipping With UPS

Given the state of the economy lately, now more than ever e-commerce merchants are looking to save money on shipping. Finding shipping discounts is crucial to offset rising costs and maintain profitability. The annual inflation rate as of September 2025 is 3%. While lower than the 8.5% we saw in the month prior, the numbers are still alarming for e-commerce businesses.

To put it into perspective, the annual inflation rate in 2021 was 7% and the year before that was 1.4%. In 2019 – the last year before the post-pandemic era – the annual inflation rate was set at 2.3%. These price increases can be felt everywhere, and shipping is no exception.

One carrier that is trying to keep the cost of shipping low for e-commerce businesses even in the wake of the rising inflation rate is UPS. As a leading parcel service of America, UPS is known for its reliable and cost-effective shipping solutions. While other carriers have been increasing rates, UPS has increased discounts for certain services.

However, there are even more ways merchants can save money shipping with UPS and maximize having them within their carrier mix. We’ve listed out some of the best ways to do so below.

Introduction to UPS Services

UPS (United Parcel Service) stands out as a trusted leader in the world of shipping, offering a comprehensive suite of services designed to meet the needs of both small businesses and individual shippers. Whether you’re looking to ship domestically or internationally, UPS provides a variety of affordable delivery options to ensure your packages reach their destination quickly and reliably.

With services like UPS Ground for cost-effective domestic shipping, UPS 2nd Day Air and UPS Next Day Air for expedited delivery, and a range of international services for global reach, customers can gain access to flexible solutions tailored to their shipping needs. UPS makes it easy to drop off packages at convenient locations or schedule pickups, so you can focus on growing your business while enjoying the peace of mind that comes with reliable shipping. By choosing UPS, you’re not only accessing discounted rates on domestic and international shipping, but also partnering with a brand known for its commitment to service and customer satisfaction.

Take Advantage of Discounted UPS Rates on Shippo

After signing up for a free Shippo account, you’ll get access to discounts on domestic and international shipping, including up to 78% off on UPS® Ground shipments, up to 73% for UPS 2nd Day Air® service and UPS Next Day Air® service, and up to 82% off on international services*.

Create your account to unlock UPS shipping discounts and start saving on your shipments. You can also avoid common surcharges when you generate UPS shipping labels on Shippo. Some of those UPS surcharges you’ll avoid include fuel surcharge, residential surcharge, delivery area surcharge, and even peak surcharges.

After you log in to Shippo, these discounted rates will automatically appear within your Web App so you can directly compare these prices against each other and other carriers. You do not need a discount code to access these rates. You can manage your UPS accounts through Shippo to access and compare discounted rates easily. Some rates you can expect for UPS® Ground shipments include the following:

Pack Small, Save Big

Incorrectly measuring package dimensions – or worse, not measuring the package at all – is one of the most common reasons merchants end up with unexpected surcharges. While there is no limit to the total weight or number of individual parcels being delivered by UPS from your business, you must abide by the following rules to avoid Over Maximum Size fees.

• Packages have to be 150 pounds or less
• After combining the length and girth of your package, the total amount should not exceed 165 inches.
• The total length of one side of the package can be up to 108 inches.

You'll also want to ensure that the weight you input before printing a shipping label is accurate. After measuring your packages on a scale, you'll want to round up any fractions or decimal points to the nearest whole number. If not, you may run into additional fees.

With all that said, you'll want to pack smart and close to the size of your product. This is especially the case for smaller items since you can save big by packing small. Double-check the dimensions of your package and learn how you can start saving more when you ship with UPS® Ground!

UPS Is Not One Size Fits All

UPS has plenty of options for delivering packages to your customers. However, each customer may require a different service level to best suit their needs. You’ll want to make sure you offer as many options as possible to provide an optimal post-purchase experience.

Find the shipping solution that fits your wallet. UPS is a leading shipping provider in America, offering a wide range of services for both domestic and international shipments.

Some of the most popular UPS® Services include:

• UPS® Ground
• UPS 3 Day Select®
• UPS 2nd Day Air®
• UPS 2nd Day Air A.M.®
• UPS Next Day Air®
• UPS Next Day Air Saver®
• Domestic services for U.S.-based shipments, which are essential for e-commerce and fulfillment companies
• UPS Worldwide Express®
• UPS Worldwide Express Plus®
• UPS Worldwide Expedited®

For international shipping, UPS offers specialized options, including services for shipments to Canada. Canada UPS services like 'UPS Standard to Canada' provide reliable and cost-effective delivery for Canadian customers.

Doing so, however, can sometimes come with logistical challenges. This is especially true for small businesses that have to manually input the details of each order before creating a shipping label, which opens the door for human error and could result in your business paying more than necessary.

With Shippo, you can automate the label creation process to correctly generate shipping labels for UPS every time. For example, let’s say your customer wants to get their order sooner and selects UPS 2nd Day Air® shipping on your website.

With the proper automation setup, you can avoid accidentally printing a label for UPS 2nd Day Air A.M.® shipping and potentially paying more for a service level your customer didn’t specify. Small businesses can easily ship UPS packages using platforms like Shippo, streamlining the process to ship UPS both domestically and internationally.

Taking advantage of discounts, packing smarter, and automating the shipping label process, are just a few ways e-commerce merchants can save money shipping with UPS. Sign up for Shippo for free and start saving on the most popular UPS services today.

*Discounts off UPS daily rates. Rates are limited to shipping from the U.S. only. Rates and any applicable discounts are subject to change at any time without notice.

FAQ: Saving Money When Shipping With UPS

1. How can I get discounted UPS shipping rates?
By signing up for a free Shippo account, you automatically unlock UPS discounts—up to 78% off UPS® Ground, up to 73% off UPS 2nd Day Air® and Next Day Air®, and up to 82% off international services. No discount codes are needed.

2. What surcharges can I avoid when creating UPS labels through Shippo?
Shippo helps you avoid common UPS surcharges such as fuel, residential, delivery-area, and peak surcharges, which can significantly reduce total shipping costs.

3. How does packaging affect my UPS shipping cost?
Incorrect measurements can lead to unexpected fees. UPS requires packages to be under 150 lbs, no more than 165 inches in combined length and girth, and no longer than 108 inches on any side. Packing smaller and more accurately is one of the easiest ways to save.

4. Can Shippo help prevent mistakes when choosing UPS service levels?
Yes. Shippo automates label creation so the correct UPS service (e.g., UPS 2nd Day Air® vs. UPS 2nd Day Air A.M.®) is applied based on the customer’s selection—helping you avoid unnecessary upgrade charges.

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