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The US State of Alaska is one such remote territory where the scope of expanding an e-retail business exists. Most e-retailers do not think of entering the Alaskan market because it is sparsely populated. However, Alaska is a state of the USA, and its population likes to buy from e-retail businesses just like other people of mainland USA. However, shipping products to Alaska can be a tricky subject for business owners. This is especially true about finding the cheapest way to ship to Alaska.
Things To Be Careful About When Shipping To Alaska
Before going into a full-fledged shipping model for the Alaskan market, you need to be aware of some finer details that can help you increase your shipping efficiency. Whether you are shipping large items to Alaska or small ones, these will be useful to you.
Be Ready To Tackle Surcharges
Alaska is a remote part of the country, and the shipping rates can vary. Moreover, the time taken to ship packages and deliver them can fluctuate depending on where you are sending them. If you send a package to the remote areas of Alaska, it will take a lot of time and put a surcharge on shipping rates. However, mostly all the boxes go to the Anchorage area of Alaska because of its resident population. Still, Alaska has many areas that are only either accessible by boat or by ship. Reaching such zones is time taking and difficult. Thus, you can expect surcharges when you are FedEx shipping to Alaska or using any other carrier for it. Therefore, you need to do your research and estimate shipping costs before sending packages to Alaska.
Related: Overnight Shipping: How Does Next Day Shipping Work
Certain Local Regulations
Alaska also has some local regulations that can act as restrictions on product shipping. Alaskan shipping rules impose restrictions on alcohol and battery shipping. You can also not ship self-balancing devices to Alaska. Moreover, explosives, flammable liquids, and solids also have restrictions on shipping. Alaska has a conserved ecosystem and its endemic wildlife. Thus, to protect its biodiversity, the state of Alaska also prohibits the import of foreign animals and plants. Therefore, a seller has to stay mindful of these regulations while shipping to Alaska UPS or through any other carriers.
Related: Amazon Carrier Facility Updates: Know What They Mean!
UPS, USPS, FedEx- Which is the Cheapest Carrier to Ship to Alaska?
Three primary shipping services offer shipping carriers to Alaska. If you plan to open up product shipping to Alaska, you need to go through the different carriers and decide on the most appropriate one for your company. Either you can ship with the UPS or the USPS. You can even think of shipping with a private carrier like FedEx. However, you need to compare the features and rates of each carrier before locking in on one.
UPS
If you are thinking of shipping large items to Alaska, UPS shipping is one of the best choices you have. UPS ships shipments of a weight limit of 150 lbs. Thus, if you are shipping 70 to 150 lbs. regularly, it will pay off to ship with UPS. Moreover, you can group many product orders and ship them together in one large-scale package. This pays off most for sellers who deal with small, lightweight products. It is always better to bunch orders from a remote region together before shipping the order. The technique reduces the times you use your shipping carrier and decreases surcharges and liabilities in the shipping process.
USPS
Choosing USPS shipping to Alaska is also a feasible option because it offers cheap rates of shipping. However, this option is possible only when you have shipments below the weight of 70 lbs. Otherwise, you get surcharges on the freight.
Related: Cheapest Ways To Ship 50lbs
FedEx
FedEx is one of the fastest carriers for shipping products to Alaska. If you have to do overnight delivery to the region, always go for FedEx shipping to Alaska. FedEx helps you fulfill your order on time and makes up for the price it charges. If you prefer working with a private courier service, FedEx is your best bet.
Related: What is FedEx Priority Overnight?
These are the basic rules and services that can make up your Alaskan shipping framework. The final shipping quality and efficiency depend entirely on the shipping service you pattern with.
Next Article: Cheapest Ways Of Shipping To Hawaii
