Consolidation

Vyking Ship Consolidation Service

Consolidation is a process through which we combine multiple packages into a single box. Where possible, we take the contents of those packages and repack them into a box that will fit all of the contents safely. This process greatly reduces postage fees and can end up saving Vyking Ship customers anywhere between 40 – 80% in shipping costs

This is achieved in four ways:

  1. Eliminating wasted space and finding a better fit
  2. Removing excess packaging that may be taking up space or adding extra weight
  3. Ensuring your items are packed safely to avoid damage
  4. Through the elimination of fixed initial postage fees

 

Eliminating Wasted Space

Almost all U.S. retailers ship items in packages that contain some (or a lot) of wasted space. This is because sellers have certain box sizes available to them and they just look for a box that will fit the items they are shipping to you. Needless to say, retailers like Amazon or Target, which have a wide variety of goods, often do not choose a box that’s a really good fit.

If it’s possible, Vyking Ship staff removes your items from these wasteful boxes and puts them in an appropriately sized box. This eliminates wasted space and consequently reduces the size of the package (Dimensional Weight). In some cases, the consolidated shipping reduces the actual weight of the packages as the extra shipping box is no longer present.

Another key feature of our consolidation process is that we do remove your items from their boxes and repack them into boxes that better fit them. This may sound like a given, but some of our competitors offer consolidation services where this is not done. Instead of packing your items together into one box, they simply batch-ship all of your items together. 

This method can eliminate the fixed initial postage fees, however, it doesn’t eliminate the wasted space or the excess weight from those extra shipping boxes.

Removing Excess Packaging

Merchandise often arrives wrapped up in heavy packaging material. When Vyking Ship starts the consolidation process, we replace the bulky material with lighter fillers where needed to give the cushion and simultaneously save on your final postage.

There are some very rare situations where parcel consolidation may not be in your best interest. Be assured, our experienced staff will let you know if they feel you could save more money doing things differently.

Safely Packaging Items

Some sellers thinkin of domestic shipment only don’t use proper packaging. We however know your package is meant for international shipping and therefore are prepared to pack your items safely for the international adventure that awaits them.

This is where our package consolidation service can help save you money by making sure the items you paid for are better packed to survive the international shipping process.

Also during the consolidation processing, if we happen to notice any visible damage, we will contact you and provide you with details about what we witness.

If your item comes with batteries and that particular weightage or specification is not allowed, we’ll inform you. But you can also check some regulations surrounding Lithium-ion batteries on our FAQ page.

Eliminating Initial Fixed Postage Fees

The first kilogram or pound of postage is always going to be much more than any subsequent kilogram or pound. This is the initial fixed postage value. Sometimes, this value can be as high as $25 to $30 USD. 

For example, let’s say you have 10 packages that all weigh 1 pound and have the minimum fixed postage value of $25. This means, shipping all 10 of those packages is going to cost you $250 USD. Now, if you were to bundle packages into a single box that weighs 10 pounds, you will find that postage for consolidated shipment is much less. This is because you are able to eliminate 9 of those initial $25 USD charges and replace them with something substantially smaller.

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Open Hours

9am - 5pm US Central Time, UTC-6
Monday to Friday
excluding major US holidays

Our Office

3260 Gorham Ave, STE 400
St Louis Park, MN 55426
USA

April 15th, 2022: At this time, all of the carriers we send packages through have suspended service to Russia and Ukraine. We will update this as service availability changes, but we do not have any information as to when these suspensions will be lifted. We will work with all customers affected by these suspensions.

The USPS has also suspended most services to New Zealand. Packages sent through USPS or USPS through Asendia to New Zealand can only ship via Express.

USPS service to Australia has also been limited. If you are shipping through USPS or Asendia, you must select Express, First Class, or World Tracked.

Any payments received for shipping options that are not available will be refunded, and the package will be re-entered into your Vyking Ship account.

Please contact us if you have any questions. For a list of USPS service suspensions, please visit their website: https://about.usps.com/newsroom/service-alerts/international/