What You Need to Know About Expedited Shipping

Expedited shipping is a fast-track approach to shipping that gets your goods to their destination as quickly as possible. Shipping on a normal time-frame is fast, but balances cost and time. Just like getting a direct flight costs more than a stopover flight, expedited shipping costs a bit more because it relies on a shipping company using direct routes instead of a transport chain.

When Do You Use Expedited Shipping?

This means that expedited shipping is ideal for emergencies and shipments with time limitations. The classic example is when a medical facility runs out of particular supplies, or when a chemical factory needs a shipment day earlier than thought in order to stay open. In these cases, expediting the shipping can shave days off the transit of these goods.

When machinery breaks down unexpectedly and a new part is needed to keep a business operating, this is a perfect example of a need for expedited shipping. Not all needs are quite this emergency-oriented, of course.

Sometimes, a miscommunication happens, and a business needs more goods than they thought. They don’t want to risk a shortage of something customers are looking for, since that means potentially losing customers to other businesses. They’ll agree to the increased cost of expedited shipping so that they can keep customers coming in the door and maintain their loyalty.

Tracking & Priority

Expedited shipping can also be understood as a type of express delivery. This means that if you simply want to get something delivered quickly – whatever the reason – expedited shipping is the best option. More direct and immediate shipping also means you’ll avoid the handling that takes place at transfer points.

Just as with normal shipping, a shipping company lets you track the progress of expedited shipping so that buyers can be updated as to its location, status, and estimated arrival time. Expedited shipping is prioritized over other forms of shipping, so when weather events or other delays occur, expedited shipping gets to effectively cut in line.