ParcelPedia Podcast

From Texas to California: Understanding Shipping Zones and Why Distance Matters

• James Banks • Episode 25

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 Can You Explain How Shipping Zones And Rates Work?

Shipping costs shouldn't be a mystery. In this revealing conversation, ParcelPedia owner James Banks pulls back the curtain on how shipping zones and rates actually work, offering insider knowledge that can save you significant money on your next package.

Did you know that shipping from Texas to California consistently costs more than shipping to Oklahoma? It's not just about distance—carriers factor in fuel prices, infrastructure costs, and other variables when calculating what you pay. James explains why Hawaii and Alaska shipments command premium prices and how the centralized location of Texas provides a perfect case study for understanding nationwide shipping economics.

Perhaps most eye-opening is the discussion about dimensional weight—that oversized box with a tiny item inside could be costing you five times more than necessary! "The carriers don't care if it takes them one hand to lift it," James reveals, "it's just a matter of how much space you're taking up." Learn practical packing strategies that dramatically reduce your shipping costs without compromising protection.

The conversation takes a surprising turn when James defends the often-maligned USPS, highlighting their flat rate services as unbeatable value for many shipping scenarios. For those using private carriers, discover why using FedEx-branded envelopes instead of your own packaging can save up to $100 on overnight shipments, why avoiding Saturday deliveries matters, and how choosing a three-day delivery instead of two-day can slash your costs by half.

Whether you're running an e-commerce business or simply sending gifts to family, these actionable insights will transform how you approach shipping. Stop by ParcelPedia at 8992 Preston Road in Frisco, mention this podcast, and receive 10% off select shipping services. Your wallet will thank you!

To learn more about ParcelPedia visit:
https://www.ParcelPedia.com
ParcelPedia
8992 Preston Road, Suite 110
Frisco, Texas
972- 335-1450

Speaker 1:

Welcome to the Parcelpedia podcast, the ultimate guide to all things shipping and business services in Frisco, texas, from US mail and FedEx to private mailboxes and packing supplies. We've got you covered. Stay tuned for a special discount code to save on your next order. And now delivering expert tips and insider insights with a smile, here's your host, james Banks. Owner of Parcelpedia.

Speaker 2:

Shipping costs can seem confusing. What are zones and why do prices change so much? Let's break it down so you can ship smarter. Welcome back everyone. I'm Sophia Yvette, co-host, slash producer back in the studio with owner of Parcelpedia, James Banks. James, how's it going today?

Speaker 3:

Hey, I'm doing great Sofia, how are you?

Speaker 2:

I'm also great and that is wonderful to hear Now, james. This particular topic can be a little confusing for a lot of people, so can you explain how shipping zones and rates work, and what should customers know about these?

Speaker 3:

Oh, I would love to Sophia. Thank you for the question. So yes, shipping zones and shipping rates are definitely a real thing. The good thing about Parcelpedia is just we happen to be located in Texas, which is a very centralized state, so you get a very easy to understand idea of the shipping zones, how they work in the country. So I'll start with just domestic first.

Speaker 3:

I think most people ship domestically outside of international. So with us being again, with us being in Texas, almost anywhere you ship, you get somewhat even pricing. So basically, the closer you are, like Oklahoma, louisiana, arkansas those states will be very similar to in-state, like as you're shipping within the state of Texas. And then the further you get out like California, new York, you know, up in the North Dakota area, michigan they get a little bit more expensive. However, as far as across the country, the West Coast, california, mainly Oregon they are the most expensive places to ship to, without a doubt, and I'm sure a lot of our Texans would love to hear that California gets a little bit of hate here in Texas. I've noticed I'm actually a California transplant to Texas myself, so I've heard it all.

Speaker 3:

I've heard it all. But the reason is because everything as far as the fuel for the trucks, the airplane miles, all that gets worked into the algorithm to determine your shipping costs. And, as we know, california has one of the highest fuel prices in the country and so a lot of times you'll be shipping something small, something you may have just sent to a friend in Oklahoma. Now you're shipping the same thing to a friend in California, like, oh, I just did this last week and it was only X amount of dollars. Why is it so much higher? Well, you know you're going much further and you're sipping to a state that has higher just prices all around. And in that same note, hawaii, alaska, you're looking at even higher because it's just the difficulty, the infrastructure to get it there is just much more expensive. So a general rule of thumb is the further away it is, the more it's going to cost you. That's just kind of a no-brainer, but there's always ways to save and there's always ways to reduce your costs. So one of those is how you pack it. The dimensional weight is huge with the carriers. I know we've mentioned that before on the stream. If you have a ginormous box with a little tiny stuffed animal inside. You're going to be paying for it about five to six other people's packages, because you're taking up space on the truck, you're taking up space on the planes and they're going to charge you for it. They don't care if it takes them one hand to lift it, it's just a matter of how much space you're taking up. So definitely, as dense, as tightly packed you can get things, it's the better. And then, as far as shipping out of the country, you can look at it being pretty expensive with the same mentality, same mentality that you know it's getting on a plane, or, if you're going the slower way, which is a much more economical option, it's going to be going by boat. So it's going to take a while to get there. So again, you know, if you want it there quickly, convenient, safe, you'll pay for it in the sense of you know to be a little bit higher of an expense. But some of those ways again to save is again they get a lot of hate, but I love to kind of plug them here on the podcast.

Speaker 3:

The United States Postal Service, our lovely country's postal service, which is the best in the world. They offer flat rate shipping and with that, whether you're shipping to Alaska, california, new York, or right here to Dallas, texas, california, new York, or right here to Dallas, texas, you get that flat rate on your shipment and so a lot of that it's all about if you can fit it in those boxes, because those boxes they're pretty spacious. So we have a lot of that packaging available for our customers to use and we always like to give them that option to ship. Some people are scared of the United States Postal Service because of maybe some past mail issues or things they hear in the news. But priority mail comes with tracking, priority mail comes with insurance and priority mail you can get your money back if there's an issue that you know they take ownership of. They damage your item if it's delayed by you know too long. And with it being a priority mail, flat rate shipping, it does speed it up a bit compared to standard US mail.

Speaker 3:

Now as far as carriers. So let's go on to FedEx, ups, dhl, mainly focused on FedEx and UPS as they are more domestic. I know FedEx sometimes will offer a flat rate called FedEx One rate. Typically, for what I see as far as my customers, what they're shipping, it doesn't really qualify. It's more like really really big, large things. But you can still save with FedEx by choosing a non-expedited option. So if you just by saying I want to get it there in two days but it's not necessary, it can get there in three, just that one day difference, you could look at it like 50% slash in price.

Speaker 3:

So because it's different flights that package is getting on maybe getting on a flight that's really early in the morning they always charge more for that. Or maybe landing on a day like a saturday, weekend days always get surcharges. So I always tell my customers, if you can avoid it, try to not have your package, be you know, land on a saturday as far as delivery or ship from saturday, because they will charge you every time. That's something I unfortunately I can't waive. It's just, it's baked into the shipping price but it is there. I mean you can compare it for the day prior and you'll see like, oh man, it's like $30 difference, like yes, and it's just because you use the Saturday. I always warn my customers about that. Now, of course, we have emergencies and things like medicine or documents that need to be there right away. When you're doing that, if you're say, overnighting documents, please, please, please, come to us and we will help you Shipping.

Speaker 3:

Here's one tip a lot of people don't know Shipping overnight, say via FedEx, if you were to put it into just your standard envelope and ship it out, will cost you more than putting it in a FedEx envelope and shipping it out. Fedex will give you a discount for basically giving them free advertisement because you're using their packaging, says big FedEx on the cross across the envelope. If you use their envelope versus your own envelope, you will see a reduction in shipping costs. And a lot of people don't know that. They'll come everything pre-packed, ready to go and send these vanilla. Almost.

Speaker 3:

I'm like are you going out overnight? Like yes, I'm like let's repack these and I'll show you why and I show them the before and after. Like oh, wow, wow, you just saved me like $100. Yeah, easily, and all just for packaging types. And what's even better is that the FedEx envelopes we provide and they're free to you, so no cost, saves you money and you know it's going to get there in a quick and safe way. So shipping zones, shipping rates trying to circle back to your question Definitely they matter, but there's ways to combat them. There's ways to avoid unnecessary fees or paying too much for something just because it has to go a long distance. So there are definitely ways to do that, and we're always here to help you with that.

Speaker 2:

Wow. So, james, it sounds like you got to get your shipment in the right zone.

Speaker 3:

That's right In the right zone and the right packaging, because it can cost you In the right zone and the right packaging because it can cost you.

Speaker 2:

That's more great information from you. Thanks so much. We'll see you on your next episode. Have a fantastic rest of your day.

Speaker 3:

Awesome.

Speaker 1:

Thank you, sophia, same to you Thanks for joining us on the Parcelpedia podcast. Don't forget mention podcast at our store. To snag 10% off select shipping services, Stop by at 8992 Preston Road, Suite 110, Frisco, Texas, or give us a ring at 972-335-1450. We're here to make your shipping a breeze. Until next time, keep shipping and smiling.