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How to Reduce Parcel Delivery Costs for Small Businesses

The cost of shipping can quickly eat into your profits, especially if you’re a small business.
By following our top tips below, you can stop overpaying for your shipping, reduce the cost per delivery, and find out how to streamline your delivery processes.

05 February 2026

Author: Parcel2Go.com

How Much Should Small Businesses Be Paying Per Parcel?

At Parcel2Go, our delivery prices start from just £2.39.

We know that every business is different, which is why we make it as easy as possible to find the right courier for your needs.

When you get a quote with us, you’ll be able to filter your results by the features that mean the most to your business, such as price, speed, or parcel dimensions.

Two sets of hands exchanging a small stack of parcels.

How Small Businesses Can Avoid Overpaying for Shipping

Even with our low-cost parcel delivery rates, there are still things you can do to make sure you’re not overspending on postage.

These top tips will help you keep your shipping costs down

1. Audit your current shipping costs

Saving money on your shipping starts with knowing where you’re spending. By taking time to audit the cost of things like packaging materials, labour costs, and courier fees, you’ll be in a better position to find places to cut back.

2. Use the right size boxes

One way that shipping costs are calculated is by the size of your parcel. When you package your items, you’ll want your boxes to have enough room for padding. But by making sure your boxes aren’t too big, you’ll spend less.

3. Go lightweight

Weight is also a factor in parcel delivery costs. Keeping things lightweight is a great way to save money on your shipping. If you’re selling things like clothes or soft toys, think about using polymailers or padded envelopes.

4. Use our volume calculator

Getting an accurate quote for your shipping based on its weight can help you save money. Our volume calculator will help you work out your parcel’s weight quickly and easily.

How to Reduce Cost Per Delivery

Reducing your cost per delivery can add up to some big savings overall. Here’s how to do it:

1. Streamline your delivery process

Time-consuming delivery processes can be an added cost to your business. You can save time on your postage by choosing options such as collection services, parcel lockers, or drop-shops. All of these can help make your delivery process more efficient.

2. Choose the right courier

You don’t need to use the same courier for every delivery. By using our quick quote tool, you can find the most cost-effective option for each shipment.

3. Automate the shipping process

By using shipping management tools like Smart Send, you can save time and money on your shipping with handy automations. You’ll also get access to our cheapest parcel delivery prices.

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Comparing Parcel Delivery Costs

One of the best ways to save money on your shipping is to compare parcel delivery costs.

Checking delivery prices can be time-consuming, but at Parcel2Go, we’ll do it for you.

All you need to do is enter your parcel’s weight and dimensions in our quick quote tool and we’ll do the rest!

Low-Cost International Parcel Delivery Options for Online Sellers

There are lots of ways we can help when it comes to international shipping.

Get low-cost international shipping starting from just £7.54 exc VAT

We’ll save you time and effort by sending the paperwork you need for customs along with your booking confirmation

Choose from top international couriers such as Royal Mail, UPS, DPD and many more!

How to Manage Shipping Across Multiple Marketplaces

If you’re selling on multiple marketplaces, Smart Send is the best way to save time and money on your shipping.

With Smart Send you can:

  • Import order and delivery details in seconds

  • Automate labels and picking lists

  • Access the UK’s cheapest delivery quotes

  • Choose from a wider range of couriers than anywhere else

We can help you ship smarter with integrations designed for every time of ecommerce business.

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Amazon shipping

Once you’ve set up your Amazon shop, there are a few options when it comes to shipping.

The top 3 are:

  • Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA)

  • Seller Fulfilled Prime

  • Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM)

The option you choose will depend on lots of factors such as the size of your business, your margins, and your time.

If you choose the FBM option, you’ll be picking, packing, and shipping the items you sell on your Amazon store yourself. This is a great option if you want to control your costs, especially the cost of shipping.

Get a quote and see how much Parcel2Go can save you on your Amazon shipping. You can also use Smart Send to make your Amazon shipping even easier.

eBay shipping

Business sellers can choose their own couriers for their eBay shipping.

With Smart Send, you can make your eBay postage simpler and faster, boosting your customer ratings and maximising your margins.

See more details on what Smart Send can do for you.

Etsy shipping options

Nothing helps you convert on Etsy like free delivery! With Parcel2Go’s cheap delivery prices, you can afford to offer free delivery—or add into your product prices to cover your costs.

Read more about how to sell on Etsy in our handy guide.

How to Save Money on Parcel Delivery with Parcel2Go

There are lots of ways to save for small businesses who choose to send their parcels with Parcel2Go.

  • Smart Send. Just right for small businesses who want to spend less on their shipping, you can save up to 13% on delivery rates with our free shipping management tool.

  • Parcel2Go Business Account. Save up to 42% on collection services when you send over 25 parcels every week.

  • PrePay. An easy way to save money and make your bookings more efficient. We’ll add an extra 2% to your PrePay account for free when you top up with £100.

  • Parcel2Go VIP. For those who send an average of 15 parcels per week, you could become a Parcel2Go VIP. You’ll get a great range of benefits, including personalised customer service and a dedicated account manager.

Ready to save money on your parcel delivery costs? Get a quote and see how much you could save with Parcel2Go today.

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