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As the global economy continues to become more interconnected, it’s SO important to have a strong handle on shipping internationally. When it comes to sending letters or packages to other countries, there are a wide variety of options at your disposal (we can thank the Universal Postal Union for that). However, we want to shed some light on why USPS international shipping is typically the best option…and share a little cheat code called ‘Simple Export Rate’ with you at the same time. Let’s dive in, shall we?
Table of Contents
- Why Should I Choose USPS International Shipping?
- The International USPS Mail Classes
- How Shipping Software Can Help
- Introducing Simple Export Rate
Why Should I Choose USPS International Shipping?
USPS provides a well-balanced variety of services for your international shipping needs. In fact, USPS is by far the best carrier for shipping small, lightweight packages internationally. If you’re sending letters or packages under 4 pounds to a different country, you should always be shipping with USPS.
The International USPS Mail Classes
Let’s talk about the different international services that USPS provides. First of all, you can get global forever stamps starting at just $1.15 for letters and cards. The other international shipping services USPS offers are for larger envelopes and packages, which we’ve listed out below:
- Global Express Guaranteed: This is the fastest option for shipping internationally with USPS. This service offers date-certain delivery to more than 180 countries, and delivery occurs between 1-3 business days (overnight to many destinations in Canada). This is the only international delivery date guaranteed service USPS offers.
- Priority Mail Express International: Also available to more than 180 countries, this service has a flat rate envelope option and a weight-based pricing option if you choose to use your own packaging. The maximum package weight is 4 pounds, and delivery generally occurs between 3-5 business days.
- Priority Mail International: If your package weighs MORE than 4 pounds, this is your cheapest option for USPS international shipping. Depending on the country of destination, delivery occurs anywhere from 6 to 10 business days.
- First Class Package International: If your package weighs LESS than 4 pounds, this is your best bet for the cheapest USPS international shipping. Depending on the destination, delivery takes anywhere from 1 to 3 weeks.
How Shipping Software Can Help
USPS international shipping gets pretty costly. Therefore, Shipping School recommends that you use shipping software to access USPS discounts. That concept is no different from shipping domestically! Whether you’re sending parcels within the United States or to a foreign country, be sure to buy postage online with shipping software. That way, you save as much money as you can on shipping.
Oh, and one more thing. As if the discounts weren’t enough of a perk, most shipping software solutions automatically generate customs forms for you! This includes when you ship to any foreign country, as well as when you ship to military addresses anywhere in the world.
Introducing Simple Export Rate
International shippers, listen up! We’d like you to meet your new best friend, Simple Export Rate. Simple Export Rate is by far the cheapest way to send packages that weigh less than 4 pounds internationally, and it’s only available on Pirate Ship. The best part is, you still get to use USPS for free pickups or drop-offs. Shipping with Simple Export Rate means you get a huge amount of savings on your lightweight international shipments—up to 40% off, to be exact! As a result, you can use the money you save to reinvest back into your business. Pretty cool, right?
Simple Export Rate is a sweet deal, but it has some restrictions that your package (or envelope) must meet. We’ve listed those below:
- All dimensions must be under 24 inches
- The combined Length + Height + Width can’t exceed 36 total inches
- Package weight can’t be more than 4 pounds
To learn more about Simple Export Rate and see how much it costs, check out this page.
How Can I Start Shipping Simple Export Rate?
Shipping with Simple Export Rate is easy – when you sign up for your free Pirate Ship account it will automatically be activated. Next time you purchase a label for an international shipment (under 4lbs) Simple Export Rate will come up as the cheapest option automatically.
Keep in mind that there are a lot of different shipping software options out there, and it’s up to you to determine which one best fits your needs!
Looking for the right shipping software for you?
To get the deepest discounts on all USPS shipping labels, check out our guide:
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