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Get a Free UPS Thermal Printer to Streamline Your Ecommerce Fulfillment
eCommerce businesses live and die on fast order fulfillment and shipping. Getting orders packaged and out the door quickly is essential to keeping customers happy and costs low.
Thermal printers can be a game changer for eCommerce order processing by enabling rapid batch printing of shipping labels. The great news is UPS offers free thermal printers and supplies to qualifying high volume eCommerce businesses.
Read on to learn how leveraging a free UPS thermal printer can speed up your eCommerce order fulfillment and reduce shipping costs.
Thermal Printers Streamline eCommerce Fulfillment
eCommerce
sellers must process hundreds or thousands of online orders daily. That means printing and applying shipping labels to each order before sending to customers.
Traditional inkjet printers are slow and costly for high volume label printing. Thermal printers solve these pain points with:
- Lower costs per label - No ink or toner needed, just inexpensive thermal paper
- Faster print speeds - Up to 5 inches per second for 4x6 labels
- Reliable performance - Fewer moving parts means less maintenance
- Designed for labeling - Made to easily handle large batch print jobs
By optimizing the printing process, thermal printers can shave significant time off fulfilling online orders. Faster labeling means faster shipments out the door and happy customers.
Get a Free or Discounted Thermal Printer from UPS
UPS provides high volume shippers with special offers on Zebra LP 2844 thermal printers. These compact, durable printers are ideal for eCommerce order labeling.
Follow these tips to get yours:
- Open a UPS business account - Speak with a UPS account manager to open an account suited for your eCommerce volumes.
- Ask about printer deals - Inquire with your account manager about offers for free or discounted thermal printers based on your shipping levels.
- Set up and integrate - Follow the included instructions to set up the printer hardware. Integrate it with your shipping software for added convenience.
The standard rental fee is just $2 per month. But UPS frequently waives this for qualifying high volume accounts. Take advantage of UPS printer offers to maximize savings!
Ideal for High Volume 4x6 Shipping Labels
The 4 inch by 6 inch label size is the perfect format for most eCommerce shipping needs. UPS provides free blank thermal label rolls in this size to account holders.
With a UPS thermal printer dedicated to your fulfillment workflow, you can efficiently print batches of 4x6 shipping labels for all your online orders.
This allows you to rapidly get labels printed, applied to packages, and orders out the door to customers.
Get Malfunctioning Units Replaced at No Cost
One major perk of getting a thermal printer through UPS is that they'll quickly replace any malfunctioning units at no cost.
If your UPS printer stops working properly, simply notify your account manager. In most cases, UPS will promptly ship out a replacement printer free of charge.
Thermal printers are generally reliable due to having fewer moving parts. But UPS still provides assurance that faulty hardware will be addressed.
Complimentary Shipping Supplies
Beyond just the printer itself, UPS provides qualifying accounts with complimentary shipping supplies:
- Boxes in various sizes
- Pouches for housing labels and documents
- Customized shipping forms
- Thermal label stock to utilize in the printer
Take advantage of these free supplies to further reduce operational costs for your eCommerce fulfillment.
Enhanced Efficiency with Label Software
To get the most efficiency gains out of a thermal printer, use shipping management software like AZ Labels. Robust tools like:
- Customizable label templates
- Platform integration to print labels from within eCommerce sites
- Batch printing of 100+ labels in seconds
- Automatic printing based on order triggers
Allow you to leverage the speed and cost benefits of the thermal printer to their full potential.
Get Your Fulfillment Operation Running Smoothly
With a free UPS thermal printer, free supplies, and optimized software, you have the tools needed to fulfill eCommerce orders faster and more affordably. Contact UPS today to find out if you qualify for a free thermal printer!
What is Priority Mail Cubic?
Priority Mail Cubic is a specialized service offered by the United States Postal Service (USPS) that prices packages based on their outer dimensions rather than weight. This unique pricing model can lead to significant savings, especially for small, dense packages weighing up to 20 pounds.
Key Features:
- Dimension-based pricing: Rates determined by package size, not weight
- Weight limit: Up to 20 pounds
- Delivery timeframe: 1-3 business days
- Insurance: $100 included for free
- Tracking: Free package tracking included
- Savings: Up to 90% off retail shipping rates
USPS Cubic Pricing Tiers
Priority Mail Cubic uses a tiered pricing system based on the package's volume. There are five tiers:
- Tier 0.1: Up to 0.1 cubic feet
- Tier 0.2: 0.101 to 0.2 cubic feet
- Tier 0.3: 0.201 to 0.3 cubic feet
- Tier 0.4: 0.301 to 0.4 cubic feet
- Tier 0.5: 0.401 to 0.5 cubic feet
Calculating Your Package's Cubic Tier
For Boxes and Rigid Packages:
- Measure the outer dimensions (length, width, height) in inches
- Round each measurement down to the nearest quarter inch
- Multiply length x width x height
- Divide the result by 1728 (cubic inches in a cubic foot)
- The result is your package's cubic feet measurement
Example: For a box measuring 12.3" x 9.5" x 3":
- Round down to 12.25" x 9.5" x 3"
- 12.25 x 9.5 x 3 = 349.125
- 349.125 / 1728 = 0.202 cubic feet
- This package falls into the 0.3 cubic feet pricing tier
Note: Maximum size for any single dimension is 18 inches
For Envelopes and Soft Packs:
- Measure the length and width of the empty envelope
- Round down to the nearest quarter inch
- Add the length and width together
- Use the total to determine the pricing tier:
- Tier 0.1: Up to 21"
- Tier 0.2: 21.01" to 27"
- Tier 0.3: 27.01" to 31"
- Tier 0.4: 31.01" to 34"
- Tier 0.5: 34.01" to 36"
Restrictions
- Tubes and rolls are not eligible for Cubic pricing
- Maximum combined length and girth is 84 inches
Benefits of Using Priority Mail Cubic
- Cost savings: Cheaper than weight-based pricing for small, heavy items
- Predictable pricing: Easy to calculate shipping costs based on box dimensions
- Fast delivery: 1-3 business day delivery to any US address, including PO boxes
- Free tracking: Monitor shipments at no extra cost
- Included insurance: $100 of coverage with every shipment
- No surcharges: Residential and fuel surcharges included in the price
Tips for Maximizing Savings
- Optimize packaging: Use the smallest box possible that safely fits your items
- Consider breaking up large orders: Sometimes shipping in multiple smaller boxes can be cheaper
- Use cubic feet calculators: Online tools can help quickly determine your package's tier
- Compare rates: Always compare Cubic rates with other shipping methods
- Use Commercial Pricing: Accessing Commercial Pricing rates can lead to even more savings
2024 USPS Priority Mail Cubic Rates
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Accessing Priority Mail Cubic Rates
Priority Mail Cubic isn't available at regular Post Office counters. However, many online shipping platforms and 3PL providers offer access to these rates. By partnering with a fulfillment provider, you can easily access these discounted rates and streamline your shipping process. For small-scale sellers not yet ready for a 3PL, Pirate Ship offers free access to USPS Priority Mail Cubic rates with no monthly fees or minimums.
