Want to ship more cheaply? That's a great idea. But let's ask ourselves the real question: cheaper... at what cost?
Shipping costs represent on average 15 to 25% of the total cost of an e-commerce order. For a professional shipping 1,000 packages per month, a 20% optimization generates savings of $12,000 to $24,000 annually. Impressive, isn't it?
Except that 80% of retailers only optimize the cost of shipping, completely overlooking the cost of risk. As a result, they "save" €2 per package on shipping... and lose €150 on an uninsured claim. This false economy ruins margins.
Ce guide vous révèle comment calculer votre coût réel d'expédition (transport + risque), puis optimiser intelligemment selon votre profil : petit volume (<1000 colis/mois), volume moyen sans logisticien, ou gros volume avec 3PL/4PL.
Calculate YOUR Actual Shipping Cost (The Formula That 80% Don't Know About)
Before looking for a "cheaper" shipping option, let's calculate what shipping actually costs you today.
The Actual Cost Formula
Actual Cost per Package = Transportation Price + (Claim Rate × Average Value × % Not Covered) + Dispute Management Cost + Impact on Customer RelationsLet's break it down:
Transportation Cost: What you pay the Carrier easy to measure)
Cost of Risk:
- Claims rate: 0.4% to 3% depending on your sector (losses, theft, breakage)
- Average value: Price of your products
- % Not covered: Portion not compensated by Carrier insurance Carrier often 30-70% of actual value)
Management Cost:
- After-sales service time to process the claim: 30-60 minutes per claim
- Hourly cost charged: ~$30/hour
- Average cost: $15–$30 per claim
Customer Impact:
- Customer retention rate after poorly managed disaster: 12% (vs. 68% normally)
- New customer acquisition cost: 5-7 times higher
- Estimated loss of Customer Lifetime Value: $50–$150
The reality is stark: for every 1,000 packages shipped with an average basket value of €100 and a 2% loss rate, you could potentially lose €20,000 to €40,000 per year in hidden costs if your claims are poorly covered.
Why Carrier Insurance Is Not Enough
The 4 pitfalls of carrier insurance:
❌ Compensation based on weight: €23/kg (Colissimo) vs. actual value
❌ Limits : €5,000-10,000 maximum vs. high-value products
❌ Long delays: 60-90 days vs. immediate cash flow needs
❌ Multiple exclusions: High-tech items, watches, and jewelry are often limited or refused
The professional alternative: An independent ad valorem insurance company such as Claisy covers the actual value, pays compensation within 48-72 hours, and accepts all types of products up to €100,000 per package.
→ Calculate your actual cost and potential savings
Profil #1 : Vous Expédiez <1000 Colis par Mois
Your Situation
You are retailer , a small team, or in the launch phase. Every dollar counts, you are looking for simplicity andefficiency without having the time to manage five different carriers.
Your priorities:
- Save time (automation)
- Access negotiated rates without large volumes
- Secure your shipments without complexity
Recommended Strategy: Comparison Tool + Separate Insurance
Lever #1: Choosing the Right Comparator
For your profile, comparison platforms offer the best combination of simplicity, price, and access.
Sendcloud (€29–€99/month depending on volume)
✅ Ideal if: You use Shopify, WooCommerce, or PrestaShop
✅ Advantages:
- Native CMS integration (automatic insurance with every order)
- Access to negotiated rates with Mondial Relay, DPD, GLS, Colissimo
- Estimated time savings: 10 hours/week on manual management
- Multi-carriers from a single interface
⚠️ Insurance warning: Contrary to popular belief, Sendcloud does NOT offer any integrated insurance. You must take out Carrier insurance Carrier limited) or third-party insurance.
💡 Good to know: Sendcloud officially recommends Claisy for parcel insurance (Limits €100,000, compensation within 48-72 hours, native integration).
✅ Idéal si : Budget très serré, <100 colis/mois
✅ Avantages :
- No subscription fees
- Negotiated rates available immediately
- Wide selection of domestic and international carriers
Limitations:
- No automation (manual entry of each package)
- Insurance only through Carrier Limits , long delays)
✅ Ideal if: France is your priority, large Colissimo volume
✅ Advantages:
- Optimized La Poste integration
- Free up to high volumes
- Good for domestic shipments
⚠️ Insurance: Standard Colissimo (€23/kg, Limit 000, delivery time 60-90 days)
For a detailed comparison of platform insurance policies: Comparison of Sendcloud, Packlink, and Upela insurance policies
Lever #2: Optimize Your Packaging
Packaging optimization = immediate ROI, even for small volumes.
Dimensional impact: Carriers have been charging by volumetric weight since 2024. Formula: (Length × Width × Height in cm) / 5,000.
Example:
- Standard box 20×15×10 cm = 0.6 kg volumetric
- Optimized cardboard box 18×12×8 cm = 0.346 kg volumetric
- Potential savings: €1.50 per package (tariff bracket change)
3 Immediate Actions:
✅ Mesurez vos produits et commandez des cartons sur-mesure (+10-20% vs standard, mais économie 25-40% sur transport)
✅ Matériaux légers : Carton simple cannelure pour produits <500g, double cannelure pour fragiles
✅ Test de chute : Faites tomber le colis fermé de 1,20m. S'il résiste, l'emballage est OK
Recommended suppliers: Raja, Packdiscount, Antalis
ROI custom packaging:
- Investment: $300–$800 (initial inventory)
- Savings per package: $1–$2
- ROI: 150-800 packages (i.e., 1-2 months for volumes >100/month)
Lever #3: Smart Mix of Delivery Methods
Pickup Point Delivery vs. Home Delivery: The difference is huge
Recommended strategy:
- 70% Pickup Point: Offer free delivery on orders over $50 to a pickup point
- 20% Standard Home Delivery: Offer at $4.90 (vs. free pickup)
- 10% Home Express: Premium products, free shipping on orders over €150
Impact: Out of 300 packages/month, switching from 100% home delivery to 70% pickup points = savings of ~$1,200/month = $14,400/year.
Lever #4: Decoupled Insurance (Game Changer)
Why decouple insurance from transportation?
Classic scenario:
- You use Sendcloud for shipping (€4.20/package on average via Mondial Relay)
- Carrier insurance Carrier : Limit , 60-day period
- Average basket: €120
- Claims rate: 2% (6 packages/month out of 300)
Cost of claims:
- Monthly claims: 6 × $120 = $720
- Carrier compensation Carrier Limits): ~€400 on average
- Net loss: $320/month = $3,840/year
With Claisy insurance decoupled:
- Insurance cost: 300 packages × $120 × 0.7% = $252/month = $3,024/year
- Total compensation: €720 (48-72 hours)
- Net loss: $0
Real savings: €3,840 - €3,024 = €816/year + cash flow preserved (72-hour compensation vs. 60 days) + time saved on after-sales service
→ Simulate your savings with Claisy for your volume
Recommended CMS Integrations
To automate shipping + insurance:
Shopify: Native Claisy module + Sendcloud
WooCommerce: Claisy WordPress plugin
PrestaShop: Free Claisy module
Magento/Adobe Commerce: Claisy extension
Estimated time savings: 10-15 hours/week (no more manual data entry, automatic activation according to rules)
Profile #2: You ship 1,000-5,000 packages/month WITHOUT a logistics provider
Your Situation
You are retailer , a growing D2C brand, or a pure player with an internal logistics team (1-3 people). You manage storage, preparation, and shipping internally.
Your challenges:
- Sufficient volumes to negotiate but not yet a "big account"
- Need to optimize each item (transportation = second highest cost after product)
- Profitability under pressure, every percentage point counts
Recommended Strategy: Direct Negotiation + Pro Platform + Optimized Insurance
Lever #1: Direct Negotiation with Carriers
You have the power to negotiate. With 1,000 packages or more per month, carriers will listen to you.
Effective Negotiation Script:
Hello [Company Name],
I currently ship 1,500 packages per month, mainly to France (80%) and Europe (20%) via [Competitor]. My current average cost is €5.80 per package.
I want to consolidate my volumes with a Carrier and I expect growth to 2,000 parcels/month within 6 months.
What pricing terms and services can you offer me on an annual contract? I am particularly interested in guaranteed delivery times and optimized tracking. "
The 3 Keys to Successful Negotiation:
✅ Timing: Negotiate in November-December (end of fiscal year for carriers = targets to be met)
✅ Commitment: Offer a firm 12-month contract with volume targets → Get an additional 3-5% discount
✅ Multiple criteria: Don't negotiate ONLY on price → Also negotiate guaranteed delivery times, priority dispute management, and a dedicated sales contact
Lever #2: Pro Platform to Drive Efficiency
Why you need a platform at this stage:
With 1,000+ packages/month, manual management = 15-25 hours/week lost in:
- Creation of different carrier invoices
- Multi-system tracking (Colissimo, DHL, Chronopost, etc.)
- Disparate dispute management
- Statistics impossible to centralize
Recommended Platforms 1000-5000 Packages
ShippingBo (Based on quote, ~$200-500/month)
✅ Why it's our #1 recommendation:
- Multi-carriers with advanced business rules (e.g., "If destination Corsica + weight >5kg → Carrier , otherwise B")
- Native Claisy integration (the only platform to offer Claisy in integrated insurance)
- Returns management included (reverse logistics)
- Powerful API for ERP/WMS connections
💰 ROI ShippingBo:
- Cost: $300/month
- Time saved: 20 hours/week × $30/hour = $600/month
- Automatic Carrier Optimization Carrier ~2-3% savings = $150-$300/month (based on 2,000 packages × $5)
- Positive ROI from the first month
nShift (Based on quote, ~$350–$1,000/month)
✅ Ideal if: Multi-site, complex logic, high international volume
✅ Very powerful technically (European leader)
⚠️ Insurance: Cover Genius partnership (minimum $8/package, Limit 000, delivery time 30-45 days)
💡 Recommended alternative: Use nShift for shipping + Claisy for insurance
- Limits : €100,000 (vs €10,000 Cover Genius)
- Claisy turnaround time: 48-72 hours (vs. 30-45 days for Cover Genius)
- Coût Claisy : 0,75% valeur (vs 8€ minimum Cover Genius = souvent >2% pour produits <400€)
Sendcloud Pro ($199-$299/month)
✅ Idéal si : Vous êtes déjà sur Sendcloud <1000, passage naturel
⚠️ Moins puissant que ShippingBo/nShift sur volumes >2000
For a detailed comparison: Comparison of Logistics Platforms
Lever #3: Decoupled Insurance on Your Scale
For 1,000 packages or more per month, insurance becomes a major cost-saving factor.
The Calculation That No One Makes
Typical current situation (2,000 packages/month, basket value €150):
- Negotiated shipping: €4.80/package
- Carrier insurance Carrier if purchased): €150 × 2% = €3/package
- Apparent cost: €7.80/package
But beware of hidden costs:
- Actual loss ratio: 2.5% (50 packages/month)
- Claims value: 50 × $150 = $7,500/month
- Carrier compensation Carrier Limits, exclusions, deadlines): ~60% on average = €4,500
- Residual loss: $3,000/month = $36,000/year
With Optimized Claisy Insurance:
- Negotiated shipping: $4.80/package (same)
- Claisy insurance: €150 × 0.75% = €1.13/package
- Actual cost: $5.93/package
Profit per package: $7.80 - $5.93 = $1.87
Annual savings: $1.87 × 2,000 × 12 = $44,880 🚀
+ Indirect benefits:
- Compensation within 48-72 hours (vs. 60-90 days) = cash flow preserved
- Customer reimbursed immediately = loyalty rate +56%
- After-sales service time divided by 3 = 15 hours/month saved
→ Calculate your savings accurately based on your profile
Lever #4: Optimized Packaging & Timing
Custom Packaging:
- À votre volume, ROI packaging < 1 mois
- Negotiate with suppliers (Raja, Antalis): Volume discounts starting at 5,000 units
- Packaging savings: 15-25% on packaging costs + 10-15% on volumetric weight
Strategic Timing:
- Avoid peak season: Black Friday/Cyber Monday = +15-30% fuel surcharge
- Consolidated shipments: Concentrating 2-3 days/week vs. daily = 8-12% cost reduction
- Best times to visit: January-February and September (lowest rates)
Geographic pooling:
- Group orders from the same area = 1 pallet instead of 50 packages
- Consolidation service for multiple recipients in remote areas
- Savings: 20-40% in low-density areas (Corsica, French overseas territories, Eastern Europe)
Profile #3: You ship >1,000 packages/month WITH a 3PL/4PL logistics provider
Your Situation
You are an established brand that has outsourced logistics, or a high-volume pure player. Your 3PL/4PL manages storage, order preparation, and shipping.
Your challenges:
- Visibility on actual costs (3PL invoices globally, details sometimes unclear)
- Risk management (who bears the financial responsibility for claims?)
Recommended Strategy: Transparency Audit + Global Negotiation + White Label Assurance
Lever #1: Transparency Audit with Your 3PL
The 5 Essential Questions to Ask:
❓ Who negotiates with carriers: you or the 3PL?
❓ What is your margin on transportation: flat rate or percentage?
❓ What is the actual loss ratio on my shipments? (They must track it.)
❓ Who is financially responsible for claims: the 3PL or me?
❓ Can I require third-party insurance (Claisy) in the contract?
Critical observation: In 80% of standard 3PL contracts, you remain liable for transportation risks. You must therefore take out insurance, either directly or through the 3PL.
Lever #2: Two Transportation Negotiation Models
Model A: The 3PL Negotiates for You (Pooling)
✅ Advantages:
- You benefit from the negotiating power of the 3PL (pooled volumes from all its customers).
- "Large account" rates even if you only send 1,000 packages per month
- Simplicity: You don't manage anything
⚠️ Risks:
- Lack of transparency regarding its actual margin
- Inability to verify whether rates are optimal
- Total dependence on 3PL
💡 Tip: Request a transparent annual audit with a comparison of market rates.
Model B: You Negotiate Directly (Full Transparency)
✅ Advantages:
- Complete cost control (you know the actual Carrier rate)
- Option to change Carrier dissatisfied
- Potential savings: 15-25% vs. model A (elimination of 3PL margin)
⚠️ Constraints:
- The 3PL must agree to work with "your" carriers.
- You manage the Carrier business relationship.
- Contractual clause to be negotiated in advance
Lever #3: White Label Insurance (Unique Opportunity)
The Win-Win Model: 3PL + Brand
Your logistics provider can offer Claisy insurance as a white label product to all of its customers.
Benefits for 3PL:
✅ Competitive differentiation: Premium service that 90% of its competitors do not offer
✅ Additional revenue: 0.10-0.15% commission on each insured package
✅ Customer loyalty: Better protected customers = satisfied customers = 40% increase in retention
✅ Sales pitch: "We offer the best integrated insurance on the market."
Benefits for you (the brand):
✅ One-stop shop: Everything managed by the 3PL (transport + insurance), a single invoice
✅ Optimized rates: Pooling of 3PL volumes = sliding scale rates
✅ Operational simplicity: No management required on your part
✅ Optimal coverage: Limits , compensation within 48-72 hours vs. traditional carrier insurance
How It Works:
- Your 3PL signs a Claisy framework agreement (volumes for all customers)
- Each customer benefits from "white label" 3PL insurance.
- The 3PL bills its customers for insurance (transparent or included in the package).
- Claisy pays a commission to the 3PL on insured volumes
3PL revenue: Based on 10 customers × 500 packages/month × €150 average × 0.10% commission = €750/month = €9,000/year in pure additional revenue (without operational costs)
For more details on the model: White Label 3PL/4PL Insurance
→ Are you a 3PL/4PL? Discover our white label offering
Conclusion: Shipping at a Lower Cost Means Calculating the ACTUAL Cost
Shipping at a lower cost is not just a matter of comparing transport prices on a comparison site. It is a comprehensive process that begins with calculating your actual cost (transport + risk + management + customer impact), then optimizing according to your profile:
Profil <1000 colis :
→ Sendcloud (transport simplifié) + Claisy (assurance optimale) = Simplicité + Sécurité + Économies 1 500-8 000€/an
Profile 1000-5000 without 3PL:
→ Direct negotiation with carriers + ShippingBo (management) + Claisy (separate insurance) = Massive savings of €40,000-120,000/year
Profile >1000 with 3PL:
→ Transparency audit + Global negotiation + White label Claisy = Total control + Continuous optimization €80,000-300,000/year
The common thread: In all cases, Claisy insurance transforms your unpredictable variable costs (random claims of €20,000-50,000/year) into controlled fixed costs (0.65-0.80% of value), with compensation within 48-72 hours that preserves your cash flow and your customer relationships.
So the real question is not "How can I ship more cheaply?"
But rather: "How can I ship at the best REAL cost while securing my margin AND my customer relationship?"
→ Calculate your actual cost and discover your potential savings
To Go Further
Guides by Solution Transport
☁️ Sendcloud Insurance: Comprehensive Analysis
🚚 nShift Insurance: Comprehensive Analysis
📦 Parcel Insurance Comparison: Sendcloud, Boxtal, Packlink, Upela
🏭 White Label Delivery Insurance for 3PL/4PL
Guides by CMS E-commerce
🛒 Shopify Parcel Insurance: Native Integration
🔧 WooCommerce Delivery Insurance: WordPress Plugin
⚙️ PrestaShop Ad Valorem Insurance: Free Module
💼 Magento/Adobe Commerce Parcel Insurance