A Complete Guide to Standard Shipping in Canada

Shipping can be a key differentiating factor between successful or sluggish eCommerce businesses. 

Businesses that cannot sort out the shipping woes and up their game fall behind in the competition and eventually go out of business.

Currently, the Canadian eCommerce market is one of the fastest-growing industries, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.76%. 

With this rapid growth rate comes intense competition to win and retain customers. These days, more online shoppers expect faster deliveries at affordable shipping charges.

This is why finding a low-cost and fast shipping solution is necessary for eCommerce stores to increase profit margins.

Although the shipping speed and costs vary from carrier to carrier, you can choose standard shipping based on your budget and shipping goals. 

Standard shipping in Canada is a good option for sending time-sensitive packages. It is affordable, but the cost is higher than economy shipping. Standard shipping is also called ground shipping and regular shipping.

Online eCommerce businesses generally describe their baseline shipping option as standard shipping. Although standard shipping is affordable, it is relatively slower.

In this guide, we will discuss various aspects of Canada standard shipping, including features, costs, delivery timeline, carriers that offer this type of shipping, and more. 

Key Features of Standard Shipping

Standard shipping in Canada is an affordable mail/parcel delivery option that usually takes 3 to 7 business days to deliver shipments to their destinations.

You can use standard shipping to save shipping costs and deliver packages quicker than economy shipping. Standard shipping is ideal for small businesses or individuals who send packages with the required weight and size.

Here are the key features of standard shipping:

Relatively Higher Shipping Costs 

Standard shipping costs are relatively higher than the economy for sending packages to both domestic and international destinations. The shipping charges mainly depend on the weight, size, and dimensions of a package. Often the cost varies based on the shipping destination. 

Reduces Abandoned Carts

The transparency and affordability of Standard Shipping can help reduce the instances of cart abandonment. In the Canadian eCommerce industry, the cart abandonment rate is nearly 90%. Customers discard their shopping after seeing higher shipping fees.

Low shipping charges of standard shipping can resolve this issue and encourage more customers to complete their buying process.

Faster Delivery than Economy

If you are looking for better shipping speed than the economy, the standard shipping will be ideal where the shipping is quicker and takes 3 to 7 business days to deliver packages. 

Suitable for Shipping Different Items

Standard shipping can accommodate a wide range of items, from small items to larger parcels. This way, it can save your cost by sending a variety of items in one shipment.

Tracking Facility

Standard shipping comes with a tracking facility. This type of shipping is ideal for individual items and less for bulk shipments. 

From picking up a package at the warehouse to reaching the destination, customers keep receiving updates about their shipments through the tracking feature. 

Standard Shipping Options by Major Carriers in Canada

In Canada, many reputable shipping carriers offer standard shipping at affordable rates. The most prominent carriers are below:

ShippingChimp

ShippingChimp is Canada’s #1 platform for shipping in Canada, designed specifically for eCommerce businesses.

• Shipping rates at ShippingChimp start at $4.98 in Canada and $5.21 for shipping to the US.
• Delivery timeline: Standard shipping delivery timeline is 2 to 7 business days.
• Insurance: ShippingChimp offers free insurance up to $100.
• The tracking feature: Offers real-time tracking facility.

Canada Post

Canada Post is Canada’s national courier and offers standard shipping as Regular Parcels. It is a low-cost and reliable shipping option within Canada.

• Canada Post’s standard shipping rate at $9.67 for parcels up to 30 kg.
• Delivery timeline: Local deliveries may take up to 2 business days, while packages to national addresses may take up to 9 business days from a major city. Deliveries from non-major and remote/northern centers may take up to 14 business days.
• Insurance: You need to buy liability insurance for the first $100 coverage.
• The tracking feature: Possible to track packages through the Canada Post Tracking tool.

Purolator

Purolator’s standard shipping is also called ground shipping. Standard shipping involves picking up packages from warehouses and delivering them to customers by ground transport.

• Purolator average standard shipping can cost around $8, whereas large packages can cost $18 to $21. 
• Delivery timeline: The delivery timeline is 2 or more business days.
• Insurance: The insurance cost is $100 for an equivalent shipment value.
• The tracking feature is available on the Canada Post website.

FedEx 

FedEx standard shipping is also called ‘FedEx Ground.’ This type of shipping is available for all kinds of packages weighing up to 150 pounds. 

• FedEx’s standard shipping cost starts at $17.25.
• Delivery timeline: The delivery timeline is between 1 and 7 business days.
• Insurance: The insurance costs of FedEx standard shipping in Canada is $0 for the first $100 of the item value $4.20 for the items valued between $100.01 and $300.
• The tracking feature is available on the FedEx website.

UPS 

UPS provides standard shipping called ‘UPS Ground Shipping.’ This shipping is available for all parcels weighing less than 150 pounds. 

• UPS standard shipping is affordable with the rate starting at CAD 29.72.
• Delivery timeline: Delivery takes between 3 and 7 business days.
• Insurance: $0 for items with value up to $100; $3.45 for items with value between $100.01 and $300; $1.15 per $100 for items with value more than $300.
• The tracking feature is included on the UPS website.

USPS 

The United States Postal Service or USPS offers two types of standard shipping — USPS First Class Mail and USPS Priority Mail. The first one is available only for parcels weighing less than 1 pound. The Priority Mail is available for packages weighing up to 70 pounds.

• USPS standard shipping costs can range between $1.15 and $70.54.s
• Delivery timeline: Takes 3 to 7 business days
• Insurance: Insurance cost is $2.20 for up to $50 coverage.
• The tracking feature is available on the USPS website.

Costs of Standard Shipping in Canada and Ways to Save 

Standard shipping is more expensive than the economy for both domestic and international shipments. The pricing mainly depends on the weight, size, and dimensions of a parcel. Often the cost also varies depending on the shipping destination.

In Canada, carriers often provide standard shipping as a ‘Regular Parcel’ service, and the price usually starts at $9.67 for a package. 

To save on shipping costs significantly, the essential steps are optimizing the parcel dimensions, consolidating shipments, hiring the most suitable shipping carrier for your packages, and identifying high-volume shippers for discounted rates.

Ways to save on shipping costs in Canada:

Keep the DIM Weight Low 

Dimensional weight or DIM weight is a method to calculate shipping rates by carriers. 

Instead of only measuring the weight of a parcel, DIM weight also takes into account the size. The higher the DIM weight, the costlier the shipping will be.

Avoid Offering Free Shipping on All Orders 

In this era of Amazon and other retail giants, which offer free shipping, it has become an expectation. A study by Statista shows that 70% of customers expect free shipping when shopping online. 

Avoid Split Shipments 

Although split shipments are sometimes unavoidable, it’s one of the main reasons the shipping costs of a merchant go out of control. 

When a shipment is divided into separate packages, your shipping costs may go up substantially while the revenue remains the same.

Look for Flat-Rate Shipping

If you ship packages regularly to international destinations, looking for flat-rate shipping rates is a good idea. 

In flat-rate shipping, the size of the box or envelope determines the shipping rates instead of using DIM weight.

Partner with a 3PL Provider 

Comparing various carriers and seeking ways to save shipping costs is a time-consuming process. It might take your focus away from the core areas of your business and prevents exploring growth opportunities.

An ideal solution is identifying a reputable third-party logistics (3PL) provider that will take care of all your order fulfillment and shipping needs at affordable shipping fees.

Estimated Delivery Times and Expectations for Standard Shipping

Standard shipping generally takes 3 to 7 business days, depending on the location. For example, for Canada Post, the estimated delivery timeline is 2 business days for local areas, 3 business days for provincial deliveries, and 4 business days in Canada.

However, delivery times may vary based on the distance and there is no guaranteed delivery timeline. Factors like holidays and peak season volume can also affect delivery times.

Packaging and Labeling Tips for Standard Shipping

Key tips for packaging and labeling for standard shipping include picking the appropriate box size for your items, securely padding the package, placing a shipping label clearly, and more.

Key aspects of packaging and labeling:

Selection of the Right Box: Choose a shipping box that is spacious enough to fit your items snugly. Excessive space could cause items to move and get damaged during transit. 

Always go for strong cardboard boxes with appropriate weight capacity for your shipment. 

Use Protective Padding: Using protective padding like packing peanuts, bubble wrap, or foam to cushion fragile items from impact. While using protective padding for fragile items, you can mention special handling instructions like “Fragile” when required.

Placing Label Correctly: Place the shipping label on the largest flat surface of your parcel. It will ensure the label is easily visible and not folded over. 

Include All the Necessary Details: Include details such as sender and recipient addresses, contact information, barcodes, and any special instructions. 

You can add “This Side Up” labels for goods that require specific orientation. 

Sealing: Seal the box securely with tape, ensuring all the parts of the package are properly covered.

Tracking and Delivery Management for Standard Shipping

Tracking and Delivery Management for Standard Shipping is important in Canada because it provides transparency to customers regarding their package’s location. 

The main reasons for having tracking and delivery management are below:

Vast Geographic Area: The vast geography of Canada makes deliveries a daunting process. Due to the longer distance, tracking updates are even more valuable for customers to understand the estimated delivery times. 

Reliable Delivery Timelines: By providing accurate tracking details, businesses can set realistic delivery timelines and manage customer expectations effectively. 

Improves Efficiency: Collecting relevant data can help businesses identify potential issues in the delivery process. Then they can make necessary changes for improved efficiency.

Reduced Number of Customer Inquiries: When real-time tracking is available, customers can track their shipment status, and are less likely to contact customer service with inquiries. 

Customer Satisfaction: Knowing about the location of their shipment gives customers a sense of relief by reducing anxiety. Customers will be aware of the estimated delivery timeline. It leads to higher customer satisfaction. 

In Canada, you can track domestic shipments with a 16-digit tracking number given on your receipt or shipping label. 

For some carriers, you can track packages using a mobile app or on the carrier’s website. You can also redirect parcels to your nearest location for pickup. 

For standard tracking in Canada, there is a shipment tracking software integrated with more than 180 carriers that provides real-time status updates.

Comparison of Standard Shipping vs. Expedited Shipping

There are several differences between standard and express shipping. However, the most crucial one is standard shipping is more suitable to deliver non-urgent items. 

Conversely, express shipping is a better option for time-sensitive deliveries, such as perishable items or emergency supplies. 

Standard shipping is a slower mail service that takes between 3 and 7 business days from the day of dispatch. Express shipping is faster with higher shipping charges. 

Often customers also prefer express shipping to receive their orders as quickly as possible.

Standard shipping charges are significantly lower but have a longer delivery window. Besides, carriers don’t guarantee delivery on a specific date or time. Still, there are many items that are shipped only via ground services. 

For example, USPS uses USPS Ground Advantage to ship items that contain items such as alcohol, sanitizing wipes, sanitizers, perfumes, etc. 

Here is a comparison table of Standard and Express shipping:

	Standard Shipping	Express shipping
Speed	Medium	Fast
Guarantee	Not time-definite	Date and time-definite
Refund	No	Yes (for most options)
Cost	Low	High
Primary transport mode	Land	Air
Restrictions	Hazardous materials allowed	Some hazardous materials are restricted.

Common Challenges and How to Avoid Delays with Standard Shipping

Common challenges that can lead to delays in standard shipping include:

Bad Weather: Harsh weather conditions like hailstorms, cyclones or incessant rain can cause delays in standard shipping.

To avoid delays, keep checking the weather forecasts, plan alternative routes, and think of weather-resistant material for packaging sensitive items. 

Incorrect Addresses: Incorrect or misspelled addresses can lead to  and non-delivery of packages. To fix this, use an address verification tool and double-check addresses before shipping. 

Traffic Congestion: Traffic congestion is another reason for shipping delays. This is why use routing software and schedule deliveries during off-peak hours.

Vehicle Breakdowns: Vehicle breakdowns slow down the delivery process. Maintaining vehicles regularly, doing inspections, and having plans for emergency repairs.

Poor Labeling: Apply a standardized labeling procedure, use clear labels, and train staff on appropriate labeling practices. 

Labor Shortage: Shortage of labor in the shipping industry can turn into a serious issue. To deal with this issue, you can optimize staffing levels, implement automation, and reward employee retention during peak season. 

Customs Clearance Issue: For international shipping, customs clearance often creates a bottleneck for shippers. To avoid this, provide accurate documents, such as certificates of origin, and invoices, and consult a customs broker. 

Conclusion

If you are a retail business owner in Canada, your priority is to get an affordable shipping option like standard shipping. These low-cost shipping options will save shipping costs significantly. It will allow you to maximize your profit.

To sum it up, standard shipping is a budget-friendly way to deliver shipments to customers. This type of shipping offers a reliable and cost-effective way to get your shipments to customers in 3 to 7 business days domestically.

While standard shipping may not be the fastest option, it is ideal for shipping non-urgent items. However, this type of shipping is a great choice for your wallet.

For the most cost-effective ways to ship in Canada, to the US, and worldwide, consider standard shipping to save more on shipping costs.

FAQs

Q: What is standard shipping in Canada?

Ans: Standard shipping in Canada is an affordable option for delivering packages. Generally, it is the default shipping option for customer orders. It’s also ideal for non-urgent items.

Q: How long does standard shipping take within Canada?

Ans: Standard shipping in Canada usually takes 3 to 5 business days. However, the delivery timeline of a package can vary depending on the type of shipping service and the distance.

Q: Can I track my package with standard shipping?

Ans: You can track your package with standard shipping, but you might receive fewer updates than with express shipping.

Q: What is the cost of standard shipping in Canada?

Ans: The cost of standard shipping in Canada is also called ‘Regular Parcel,’ and the shipping fees start at around $9.67. Also, the shipping costs depend on the parcel’s weight, size, and distance.

Q: What is the difference between standard and expedited shipping?

Ans: Standard shipping is the basic, slower delivery option at a lower cost. Conversely, expedited shipping is a premium shipping service that offers faster delivery at a higher price.

Q: Are there eco-friendly options for standard shipping in Canada?

Ans: There are various eco-friendly options for shipping in Canada, such as Intermodal shipping, Carbon-neutral shipping, Eco-friendly packaging, and bicycle deliveries.