What is Ground Freight?
Ground shipping is any form of shipping that takes place on land instead of by air or by sea. In most cases, it is the most affordable option for domestic shipping,
and the packages travel by road or by rail. Although ground-based shipping is especially common for domestic orders, it’s also useful for the last-mile delivery of imported goods. For example, a shipper may send something from a foreign country to a port, from which the sender can arrange for shipping by ground to the
final destination.
Why Select Ground Shipping Compared to Other Methods?
In addition to lower cost, there are other potential reasons to ship via ground. One reason why many companies ship by ground is to mail heavier or oversized items, though shipping carriers each have their own weight limits. If you want to mail something that is over the limit, you must use freight services instead. Ground-based shipping also allows you more freedom in what you send. When you send shipments by air, there are restrictions for hazardous materials like aerosols or batteries..
Ground-based shipping is also more economical when the destination address is in the same state or nearby. Since you do not have as many restrictions to worry about, shipping by ground also comes with fewer potential hassles. If you use fulfillment centers to reduce delivery time frames, you can pass on some savings to customers. For instance, some companies that use fulfillment centers offer free shipping via ground for orders over a certain amount.
