Shipping Hacks for Handmade Sellers: Save Money, Save Time!

Having successfully run my own wholesale business for over 14 years and guided countless other handmade brands to thrive in the wholesale space, I've learned some invaluable shipping hacks that have not only streamlined my shipping process but also boosted efficiency and saved significant costs. If you're a handmade seller looking to optimize your shipping game, I’m excited to share with you four tried-and-true shipping hacks that have been absolute game-changers for me and many others>

1. Schedule Carrier Pickups

Remember those endless trips to the post office or carrier drop-off locations? Say goodbye to those by scheduling regular carrier pickups directly from your studio or workspace. Many carriers, like USPS, UPS and FedEx, offer free pickups if you’re shipping priority. This hack saves you precious time and slashes transportation costs—time and money you can reinvest into growing your handmade business. Bonus tip: consistency matters. Carriers love predictable pickups, and it can often lead to even better service.

2. Invest in a Label Printer

I’ve been there: the days of printing labels on an inkjet printer, carefully cutting them out, and taping them onto packages—until I ran out of ink right before a big order needed to ship! Upgrading to a label printer like Dymo or Rollo (which is what I use) was a complete game-changer for my business. These printers are designed for high-volume printing and easily integrate with most shipping platforms, plus they don’t use ink—so you’ll never be caught without it again. Investing in a label printer has made the process faster, more efficient, and far less stressful. Say goodbye to manual cutting and taping, and hello to streamlined shipping operations. Bonus tip: we use Rollo printers for most of our shipping needs, but I found a fantastic dupe on Amazon that we dedicated exclusively to printing Amazon labels. No more annoying label swaps! And it works like a charm. I like this one because it opens like a Rollo, the top pops open. The other models I tried, you need to feed the labels in from the back + it's a PIA. Keep an eye out for Black Friday deals—you might just snag one at a steal.

Bonus tip: not all labels are created equal! I’m a fan of the fan-fold labels—they stay nice and flat, unlike some rolls that come folded all wonky and cause printer glitches. Trust me, smooth labels mean smooth operations. I swear by these ones. They are folded perfectly and print nice and dark.

3. Negotiate Your Shipping Rates

One of the most overlooked hacks is negotiating your shipping rates. I’ve found that by reaching out directly to shipping carriers and discussing my shipping volume, I’ve been able to secure much better rates. It’s worth making that call to your account manager to share your estimated shipping volume and frequency. Even if you’re just starting out, most carriers appreciate a proactive approach, and as your business grows, don’t forget to renegotiate for better deals. Bonus tip: negotiate your rates regularly! Aim for at least once a year—or every six months if something changes, like a surge in order volume or an increase in international shipments. The more you ship, the more leverage you have, so don’t miss out on potential savings.

4. Leverage Shipping Software

Investing in shipping software has been another transformative step for my business. Whether you’re shipping a few orders a week or a few hundred, software like ShipStation (which is what we use), Shippo, or Pirate Ship (which is free!) can make a world of difference. These platforms allow you to compare rates, generate labels in bulk, automate order fulfillment, and keep track of all your shipments in one place. As someone who loves to leverage technology to run my business more effectively, I can’t stress enough how much time and hassle these tools save. It's honestly like having another employee.

5. Organize by SKU

If you’re juggling a wide variety of products, having an organized SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) system is essential. Over the years, I’ve seen how an efficient SKU system—one that categorizes products by type and keeps them in numerical order—can make the picking, packing, and shipping process significantly faster and smoother. When every minute counts, especially in a high-volume wholesale operation, being organized is key to maintaining your sanity and your bottom line.

By combining these shipping hacks with a solid understanding of your costs and workflow, you can create a smoother, more efficient shipping process that saves time, reduces stress, and ultimately keeps your handmade business thriving.