Carrier or Post Office? In general, the Post Office has a cheaper shipping service, but they take longer to deliver. On the other hand, carriers tend to deliver faster and allow greater customization to the business need but have a more expensive service.
For those who are setting up a virtual store , one of the big questions is defining how the products will be delivered. If you are starting your online business, the time has come to define what type of shipping you will offer to buyers. So, what to choose: carrier or post office ?
If you’re going through this dilemma, don’t worry. Over the next few lines, we will get to know the characteristics of each shipping company so that you can choose the most suitable one for your e-commerce. So let’s go?
What are the main differences between carrier and post office?
Before deciding which is the best option for each company, it is necessary to know the most important characteristics of carriers and Correios. Thus, it is possible to understand the differences and arrive at the best choice. So, let’s meet them:
Costs
Correios offers economical services , such as the PAC and the PAC Mini — the latter for packages weighing up to 300 g. It is possible to pay little for shipments through them, especially when there is no rush regarding the delivery date, and have access to tracking codes to track the shipment.
In addition, it is possible to close a contract with the Correios and have access to reduced rates and the collection of packages at your address and the reverse logistics service , used when your customers need to return or exchange products.
With the service of carriers, in general, the costs become more advantageous when the contracts involve a large number of goods sent . Therefore, for few items, the Post Office is usually cheaper.
Deadlines
Although Correios offers express services, such as Sedex, carriers’ deadlines are usually shorter . So, if you know that your customers are in a hurry to receive the goods, opting for a carrier may be more advantageous.
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Reliability
Although there are sporadic comments about delays in deliveries, the Post Office is undoubtedly a reliable company . No wonder, the state-owned company is responsible for transporting almost half of all product deliveries from Nuvemshop stores , according to the NuvemCommerce 2021 report .
In the case of private delivery companies, the reputation of each can vary. So, before choosing a carrier, research all the options very well .
Freight calculation
For most e-commerces , including those that use the Nuvemshop platform , there is no need to worry about calculating the postage freight . This is because there is integration with the calculator for PAC and Sedex , which already includes the delivery value at the end of the purchase.
If your store is Nuvemshop, you continue to have access to this automatic calculator even when the Correios website goes offline .
In the case of carriers, this calculation can vary a lot according to the type of contract closed and the systems to discover the value end up being individualized .
This means that you will have to choose one to integrate with your store, almost always via API ( Application Programming Interface ). This slightly more complex technology allows communication between your store and the carrier.
Area of operation
The Post Office, arguably, offers the most comprehensive delivery service . Orders sent through the state-owned company can be delivered practically throughout Brazil , with a few exceptions .
Even so, even if the Post Office does not reach the final address, the packages are taken to the branch closest to the indicated location and are available for the recipient to pick up.
The area of operation of each carrier may vary. However, if you only need to ship products to certain regions , the lack of national coverage will not be a problem for your company.
Types of delivery
Founded in 1969, Correios offers different types of deliveries and services , economic and express, and allows the sending of packages with dimensions of up to two meters and that do not exceed 30 kg.
In the case of carriers, there are several options on the market for those who need personalized deliveries, such as JadLog, Total Express, among others. Each of them offers a smaller range of options, but it is possible to find the one that best fits the needs of your business.
Strikes
If you’ve ever had to send or receive a package during a postal strike period , you know how it can become a nuisance with closed agencies and constant delays. In the case of carriers, as they are private companies, the chances of a strike are minimal.
Types of transported products
Suppose you intend to sell products such as clothes , shoes or items that are resistant and easily packaged. In that case, the Post Office may be the best option for your business, especially when there is no urgency in delivery.
If your packages do not fit within the limits of the Post Office (up to 2 meters and 30 kg), you will certainly find a carrier that can send them.
Although the value varies from carrier to carrier, they can carry items with different dimensions and weights. To put it simply, if your online store sold swimming pools and buoys, for example, you could probably hire the same carrier to deliver.
Fragile and special products
If you sell jewelry, food or products that need care in handling , contracting with a carrier may be the best option to avoid headaches with possible theft and damaged packaging .
In any case, always remember to take out transport USPS insurance to guarantee that you will not incur any damage.
If you are setting up e-commerce that sells flammable products, keep in mind that the Post Office does not accept this type of material, as do most carriers. In this case, you should direct your search to companies that transport dangerous goods , ok?
Number of orders shipped
If you make a lot of sales per month (and consequently ship a lot of items), contracting with a carrier may be more advantageous. After all, the more products shipped, the better the trading conditions.
As much as Correios offers a contract modality, depending on the amount of goods sent, it is worth making a quote with private companies . Often, the cost per shipping ends up being cheaper, benefiting both your company and your customer.
If you want a complete material to learn more about Correios and other means of delivery, download our e-book. It’s free! 😉
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Carrier or Post Office: which one to choose?
Both carriers and Correios offer advantages and disadvantages to customers. Therefore, the most important thing is to define the priorities for your business and the characteristics of your products .
For this, also observe the behavior of your consumers. Which type of shipping do they usually choose, the cheapest or the fastest? Depending on the answer, you will be able to choose your shipping method.
To help you with this choice, check out the advantages of each of these types of shipping in the image:
Carrier or Post Office, which is cheaper?
In general, it can be said that the Post Office has cheaper delivery modalities, while carriers tend to send orders in shorter terms.
However, remember that there are important variables in this calculation, such as:
- Distance between recipient and sender addresses;
- Weight and dimensions of packages;
- Shipping deadline;
- Quantity of goods shipped — a carrier can be cheaper as you send more packages to the same address.
So, consider that, although the Post Office tends to be cheaper, this may not always happen, ok?
Do I need to choose just one between Post Office or carrier?
You don’t have to choose just one option between Correios or carrier in your e-commerce. That’s because several freight gateways make a simultaneous quote for the services of the state and other delivery companies.
When integrated into the virtual store, the prices and terms of the different shipping options are already shown to the customer at the time of checkout
