Reply #15: 12%-15%

[Rosemary2205]

Your actual shipping costs should run about 12% to 15% of the merchandise cost to your customers. Though some choose to inflate the profit on the merchandise and take a loss on shipping when they sell direct to the public. -

Our B to B costs run around 11.9% and we charge 12.4 to 13 to our customers. Shipping east coast to west coast is running us about 15% or more but we still stick with 12-13% invoiced to the customer.


Big haulers, FX, USPS, corporate trucking - they negotiate diesel prices and either buy in bulk and gas their own trucks, or cut deals with gas chains or both. Indy truckers cannot really do that so they pay the retail cost.