Save up to 50% on Shipping Multiple Packages to the Same Address

Save up to 50% on Shipping Multiple Packages to the Same Address

by | Nov 10, 2025 | Blog

Whether you are a regular sender or an online retailer, you are well aware of how quickly the expenses can mount up if you have ever shipped multiple packages to the same address. Every box has a label, a handling fee, and occasionally an additional delivery fee. The problem is that you might be paying three times for something that could have only been sent once.

Package Consolidation: What Is It?

Combining several items into a single shipment is the most basic definition of package consolidation. You repackage all of those items into a single, larger, neatly packaged package rather than sending the same customer three different boxes.

This could indicate:

  • putting several items from a single order in a single box, or
  • combining goods from several merchants into a single international shipment.

The Step-by-Step Process of Package Consolidation

The consolidation process goes on the same way whether you use a third-party logistics provider (3PL) or manage fulfillment yourself. This is an explanation of how it usually operates:

  1. Gather every item

If you oversee your own fulfillment, you will begin by compiling all of the items associated with a particular order or client. Receiving several packages from various sellers en route to the same address may be part of this step if you’re using a 3PL or package forwarding service. Before proceeding to the next stage, the fulfillment center waits for every item to arrive.

  1. Inspect and Arrange

Inspection comes shortly after everything is in order. After each item is inspected for damage or missing parts, it is arranged by order and destination. Before repackaging, this step makes sure that everything is in perfect condition and that nothing gets mixed up.

  1. Repack in a single box.

Consolidation really takes place here. To save space, excess packaging from individual boxes is taken out, and safety is ensured by adding protective fillers. To prevent needless bulk, the items are arranged in a sturdy, suitable-sized box.

It’s crucial to avoid overpacking because carriers employ dimensional (volumetric) weight pricing, which can make large, light boxes more expensive than you expect. You can avoid these additional costs by using a small, effective box.

  1. Ship in a single package

One box, one shipping label, and one tracking number are all you need to send it off at last.

This leads to more efficient processing for carriers. Customers will benefit from a more simplified and practical delivery experience. It also means cheaper shipping for you.

Comparing Domestic and International Consolidation

Consolidation at Home

Domestic Consolidation mainly assists you in completing multi-item orders in a single box within the same country. Because the carrier only handles one package rather than multiple, it’s a simple cost-saving measure that speeds up deliveries.

International Consolidation

Consolidation becomes even more important in cross-border shipping. A forwarding service or third-party logistics (3PL) can store all of the products in their warehouse until each one arrives when customers shop from several online retailers in other countries. After that, everything is bundled into one export package.

The advantages here are not just Financial

Simplified customs paperwork: A single shipment requires a single customs declaration.

Reduced handling costs: You only handle one package at the border rather than several.

Delays are reduced: Because there are fewer individual entries, which lowers the possibility of customs delays.

The Financial Benefits of Package Consolidation

  1. Pay Once, Ship More: Preventing Repeat Charges

The base fees for each package vary and include things like residential delivery, fuel, and pickup.  You will have to pay these base fees three times if you send three boxes. You only have to pay once if you combine them.

  1. Knowing Rate Tiers: Sometimes Bigger Is Cheaper

This is a little-known shipping trick:

A single 10-pound box is frequently less expensive than two 5-pound boxes. Carriers frequently provide rate tiers or volume discounts; the more you ship at once, the less it costs per kilogram.

This idea is even more evident in freight, where switching from less-than-truckload (LTL) to full truckload (FTL) shipping can result in savings of 25–35%.

  1. Fewer Surcharges Due to Fewer Boxes

Numerous delivery fees are calculated per package, such as residential delivery fees, fuel surcharges, and delivery-area surcharges. You will be paying those additional fees less frequently if you send fewer boxes.

By using a method known as zone skipping, you can go one step further if you frequently send several packages to the same area. You bulk-ship packages to a regional hub nearer the destination rather than sending them individually over long distances, then turn them over to local carriers for final delivery. This service is already provided by numerous 3PLs and courier partners.

  1. Reduced Overhead, Labor, and Packaging

Every box needs its own cushioning, tape, label, and packing time. The labor costs quickly mount up when you multiply that by three or four boxes per customer.

Consolidation removes unnecessary packing steps. This results in less waste, fewer materials, and less time spent on weighing and labeling.

Fulfillment teams benefit from a leaner, quicker operation, and environmentally conscious brands benefit from increased sustainability.

  1. The “Free Ride” Trick: Optimizing Dimensional Weight

Here’s a smart insider tip called the “free ride” trick:

You can frequently add a smaller, lighter item without increasing the price if you’re already paying for a large box that is mostly empty (because of dimensional weight pricing). Let’s take the example of shipping an inflatable kayak. Because of the size of the box, the charge is determined by its dimensions rather than its weight. Since the box volume is already being paid for, you could add accessories like a paddle or air pump, which might “ride for free.”

Beyond Cost: Consolidation’s Hidden Advantages

Consolidation enhances the overall shipping experience in addition to offering significant savings:

Easier tracking:  It is simpler to track shipments when there is only one tracking number rather than several.

Improved client satisfaction: It feels professional and well-organized to receive a single, well-packaged package.

Decreased carbon footprint: The environment is less affected when there are fewer boxes and fewer trips.

Reduced delivery delays: There is a lower chance of one shipment being lost or separated.

Efficiency in the highly competitive shipping industry involves more than just speed; it also needs a good strategy. You can simplify operations, save up to 50% on logistics costs, and provide customers with a smoother delivery experience by combining several packages into a single, well-organized shipment.

One of the simplest and most effective cost-cutting strategies you can implement is package consolidation, no matter whether you run an online store, ship frequently, or are a small business trying to expand overseas.

Why UPS Trucks never turn left – Explained

Why UPS Trucks never turn left – Explained

by | Jun 30, 2025 | Blog

Have you ever wondered why, even when the destination appears to be just a left turn away, a UPS truck always seems to take the longer route, making right turns after right turns? Although it may seem odd at first, there is a smart explanation for it, and it can save millions of dollars, fuel, and even lives.

Let’s break down this and figure out why UPS trucks don’t often turn left.

Everything got started in the 1970s 

UPS started experimenting with a delivery technique known as “loop dispatch” in the 1970s. The company planned its delivery routes in loops, favouring right turns, rather than just taking the shortest path from point A to point B. In order to deliver packages, the plan was to start on one side of the street, circle back to the base, and make as few left turns as possible.

GPS systems were nonexistent at the time. The drivers had handwritten notes and paper maps. Nevertheless, the reasoning was so sound that UPS used cutting-edge software to improve the process decades later. They are now more adept than ever at avoiding left turns thanks to strong routing technology.

Why Are Left Turns So Bad? 

It turns out that making left turns is not only risky but also inefficient, particularly in nations like the United States where cars travel on the right side of the road.

It’s Risky to Turn Left

Cutting across an oncoming traffic lane is a common consequence of turning left. It can be dangerous to be around cars coming from the other direction. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that only 1.2% of intersection crashes involve right turns, compared to 22.2% that involve left turns. Even worse, a left turn is involved in 61% of collisions that occur when turning or crossing intersections.

Pedestrians Are at Greater Risk

Walking people are also put in danger by left turns. According to data from the transportation planners of New York City, fatalities among pedestrians from left-hand turns are three times higher than those from right-hand turns. Drivers frequently miss someone crossing the street when they are concentrating on finding a traffic gap to turn left.

More Time Wasted

Many roads have designated left-turn lanes or signals to help you make a safe left turn. However, that causes more delay. Every turn adds 30 to 45 seconds to your journey if you wait for the green arrow or a safe moment to cross oncoming traffic!

Waste Fuel

Additionally, left turns result in more time spent idling, or waiting for a traffic break while a truck sits with its engine running. That increases pollution and fuel consumption.

According to UPS, they save more than 10 million gallons of fuel annually by minimizing left turns. That’s a big sum! Additionally, it reduces carbon emissions by an amount equivalent to removing 20,000 passenger cars from the road.

Routing software is UPS’s secret weapon 

How does UPS handle all of this without getting lost, then? The business developed its routing software, which was more sophisticated than Waze or Google Maps. UPS’s system finds the most efficient route by considering factors like truck size, safety, and fuel consumption, while apps for regular drivers find the shortest route. The software understands:

  • Parking lots
  • Access to the driveway
  • One-way streets
  • Too-small roads for large trucks
  • Limits on speed
  • Busy times of the day 

Is There Any Left Turning?

UPS drivers are able to turn left, but only in certain situations. Left turns are not entirely prohibited by the software. Rather, it figures out how much each one will cost and steers clear of those that waste fuel or time.

How Do the Drivers Feel? 

At first, some drivers were puzzled. Their routes seemed longer than they had previously. However, data and studies showed that avoiding left turns resulted in overall shorter delivery times. This is because traffic systems are more complicated than we think. When you don’t have to wait for traffic breaks or get stuck at left-turn signals, a trip that appears longer on a map might be shorter in real life. The “slower-is-faster” effect is the term used in traffic science to describe the idea that a slower, more indirect route can be faster and more efficient.

It Operates All Over the World

Although UPS invented this method in the US, left-driving nations like the UK and Australia have since adopted it as well. It’s the right turns that are dangerous in those areas. In order to favour left-hand turns in those areas, the UPS software is clever enough to reverse the logic.

Real Outcomes: Significant Impact and Savings

Here are some actual outcomes of UPS’s “no left turn” policy:

  • Fuel savings of millions of gallons
  • Avoided CO2 emissions of thousands of tonnes
  • Enhanced pedestrian and vehicle safety
  • Overall, faster deliveries
  • Delivery vehicles experience less wear and tear.

Even something as basic as altering the way trucks turn can have that much of an impact.

What Does This Teach Us? 

UPS’s approach is a potent illustration of how minor adjustments can have a significant impact when implemented widely. When you look at the numbers, avoiding left turns seems easy, even silly. Additionally, it shows us that,

  • Efficiency isn’t always evident—sometimes what seems faster isn’t.
  • If technology is used properly, it can solve problems in the real world.
  • Sustainability and safety can coexist to safeguard the environment and people.

Thinking differently about turns could save more than you might imagine, whether you’re planning a delivery route, a city street layout, or simply trying to save gas on your next road trip.

UPS trucks have the most intelligent routes, even though they may not be the shortest. They have transformed a minor detail into a global strategy by reducing the number of dangerous, time-consuming left turns. And perhaps it’s time for us all to start reconsidering our left turns in a world where conserving time, money, and fuel is more crucial than ever.

Hope this blog explained well about why UPS trucks never turn left. Teeparam also offers other services as international money transfer, parcel service, air ticketing and currency exchange services. Teeparam offers competitive rates so that you can get high rates while you send money to Sri Lanka from UK.

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