Home Package Pick-up Guide for Resellers

Did you know that many postal services and carriers will pick up packages directly from your home for free or at little cost? For clothing resellers, this can be a fantastic way to save a lot of time so you can focus more on selling and getting great inventory. If you could spend less than $3 to cut 20-30 minutes of driving (plus wear and tear on your car) from your day, shouldn’t you do it? It’s surprising how few resellers take advantage of this great opportunity though.

Before you can use these services, there are a few common requirements:

1. You must have an account with the shipping carrier. In some cases you will have to set up a small business account (and it’s fine to do this as an individual).
2. You must live in an area where pick-up is offered.
3. You must book pick-ups in advance.

Package Pick-up for Americans

Prices and availability of package pick-up in the United States vary widely between carriers. Here’s an overview of what’s offered:

• USPS offers free package pick-up as long as at least one package uses a “premium” USPS service, including USPS Ground Advantage, Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, etc. This is often the cheapest and easiest option for eBay and Etsy orders, and Poshmark currently uses USPS too (though as of the time of publication, they no longer use Priority). You could have 25 packages out for shipping, and as long as at least one uses a premium service, the entire pick-up is free. The carrier just collects your packages from your door or porch during their normal route. (On-demand pick-ups at a specific time are currently $26.50 USD, so this option is typically not cost-effective.)
• UPS pick-ups can be booked for future dates for $9.05 per stop.
• FedEx and DHL do offer pick-ups, but these are typically only cost-effective if you have high volumes of orders. Costs vary.

Package Pick-up for Canadians

Canadians also have access to a variety of low-cost, easy options that are worth considering:

• Canada Post offers any business (including home-based) access to pick-ups with a free Solutions for Small Business account. On-demand pick-ups are available for $3.50 CAD per stop, or free when at least one parcel uses Priority. If you spend more than $2,500 per year on shipping, you can pay a weekly fee of $7.50/week to get daily pick-ups; it’s free if you spend over $15,000 per year.
• UPS, Fedex, Purolator, Canpar, and consolidators like Chit Chats and Stallion Express all offer pick-ups of some kind, with rates typically between $2 and $10. Stallion Express offers free pick-up for high-volume resellers.

Tips for Package Pick-up

To get the most out of home package pick-up at the lowest possible cost, it’s important to review your available options and plan in advance. Here are some tips for getting the best value:

1. Try to include as many packages as possible in each pick-up. Typically you’re charged by stop, not by package, so it’s a lot more cost-effective to get a pick-up every other day with more packages than it is to get a daily pick-up with fewer packages.
2. Book pick-ups in advance. Same-day pick-ups typically cost more.
3. Consider sending one of your packages with Priority service if it unlocks free pick-up. Make sure you weigh your costs to see what’s cheaper.
4. Book pick-ups for weekdays only. Weekend pick-ups typically have surcharges.
5. Have everything ready to go well before packages are picked up. In some cases you won’t know the exact pick-up time and you don’t want to have paid for the service and still have to drop packages off because you weren’t ready in time.
6. If you must leave packages outside, consider getting a lockable weatherproof bin for your packages so carriers have easy access and your parcels stay dry.
7. Some carriers require a manifest or other form to scan; keep it clipped to the top package if that’s required.
8. Even if you don’t normally do pick-ups, consider it for days that you know will be extra busy. Freeing up some time can help a lot on those days.

Conclusion

If you’re running a clothing resale business from home, scheduling pick-ups is a small tweak that can pay dividends if you do it right. The time saved can be better spent on sourcing new goods to sell, creating listings—or even just spending it with your family. Whether you’re in Canada or the United States, a variety of good options are available to most home-based businesses; just book in advance, have your packages ready, and let the driver do the miles. Give it a try for a few weeks and see how it improves your resale workflows!