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What is small parcel shipping and how does it work?

An overview of small parcel shipping, including weight and size limits, methods, costs, and delivery timelines.

Small parcel shipping involves the transportation of packages weighing less than 150 pounds. These packages have dimensions that meet the limits set by the shipping carrier: 108" in length, and 165" in length plus girth (L+2W+2H).

Here's an overview of small parcel shipping's key aspects:

    1. Cost Efficiency: Shipping costs are heavily influenced by the parcel's weight and size. Larger and heavier packages cost more to ship. A package's weight is based on its dimensions if it is large but light.

    2. Classification: There are 3 shipping methods. Ground shipping is the cheapest option for delivering packages 150 lbs or less to businesses or commercial addresses. Home delivery, part of the FedEx ground network, delivers packages weighing up to 150 lbs or less to residences every day of the week. Express services include next-day or two-day delivery options, offering speed and reliability.

    3. Transit Time: Deliveries in the contiguous U.S. usually take between 1 and 5 days. It takes 3–7 days to ship to and from Alaska and Hawaii. Deliveries are made every day of the week — including to over 50% of the U.S. population on Sundays. Over the weekend, FedEx Home Delivery delivers more shipments than UPS Ground.