Heavy shipping can quickly become a headache for eCommerce sellers. Once package weights climb into the “heavy” range (around 5–75 lbs), both shipping costs and handling challenges start to mount. Whether you’re shipping auto parts, home décor, or fitness equipment, choosing the right shipping service is crucial to balance cost, speed, and reliability. This article compares USPS Ground Advantage, FedEx Ground, and SaverShip (a service via eFulfillment Service) for U.S. domestic shipments of heavy items, and offers guidance for eCommerce sellers on the best options.

Jump right in: USPS vs FedEx vs SaverShip for Heavy Shipping

• What Qualifies as “Heavy” Shipping?
• Overview of the Shipping Services
• Side-by-Side Comparison Table Heavy Items
• Shipping Cost Comparison
• Delivery Speed and Reliability
• Tracking, Customer Service, and Handling
• Which Should You Choose?
• Summary

What Qualifies as “Heavy” Shipping?

In general, carriers consider anything above about 50 lbs as a heavy package. For our purposes, we’re focusing on shipments roughly 5–75 lbs. This covers items like:

• Auto parts: e.g. a 20–60 lb car part (brake rotors, engine components).

   

• Home decor: e.g. a hefty 30 lb stone statue or chandelier.

   

• Fitness equipment: e.g. a 40 lb kettlebell or two 35 lb (75lbs) dumbbells.

   

Such weights present special challenges. Standard parcel networks (built for lightweight boxes) often levy extra fees once you hit certain weight thresholds, and the risk of damage or delivery issues grows. It’s not uncommon that shipping a 20 lb or 50 lb product cross-country costs more than the product itself.

Key point: For eCommerce sellers, “heavy” means high shipping costs and extra care in handling. Choosing a service designed for heavy parcels can save money and reduce headaches.

Overview of the Shipping Services

Before diving into detailed comparisons, here’s a quick overview of each service:

USPS Ground Advantage (Heavy Parcel Shipping)

USPS Ground Advantage is the U.S. Postal Service’s ground shipping for domestic parcels, delivered in ~2–5 business days. It accepts packages up to 70 lbs (that’s the absolute weight limit USPS allows). Key features include:

• Nationwide service: Ships to all 50 states (including AK, HI) and all addresses (including P.O. boxes and military bases). Good for reaching rural or P.O. box destinations where private carriers can’t.

• No special surcharges for heavy items: USPS doesn’t add “heavy package” fees – if it’s under 70 lbs, it ships. However, 70 lbs is a hard cap (anything above that must go via freight or another carrier).

• Pricing: Based on package weight (rounded up to the next pound) and distance zone. Costs rise significantly for heavier weights and longer distances. For example, a 20 lb package going coast-to-coast could cost several times more than the same package going a few states over. Dimensional weight pricing can apply if the box is large relative to its weight (for very bulky items).

• Tracking & insurance: Tracking is included, and Ground Advantage includes $100 insurance by default for loss/damage. USPS tracking is reliable, though maybe less granular than FedEx’s. Claims for lost/damaged packages can be filed, but resolution may take time.

• Customer service: USPS is convenient (free package pickup, drop-offs at post offices), but customer service for issues can be hit-or-miss. There’s no dedicated rep for your account as with FedEx; you rely on USPS’s general support.

When USPS is useful: If your heavy item is on the lower end (5–20 lbs) or you need to ship to a P.O. box or remote area, USPS Ground can be a straightforward option. It’s often competitively priced for shorter distances or moderate weights. However, once weight and distance increase, USPS can get very pricey (and remember it cannot handle above 70 lbs at all).

FedEx Ground (Heavy Package Shipping)

FedEx Ground is a ground shipping service by FedEx, with delivery in 1–5 business days within the contiguous U.S. (faster transit for shorter distances). It handles packages up to 150 lbs, well above what USPS allows. Key features:

• Business-oriented service: FedEx Ground delivers Monday–Friday to businesses, and via FedEx Home Delivery, to residences all 7 days in many areas. It will not deliver to PO boxes (you’d need FedEx SmartPost or USPS for that).

   

• Weight limit and surcharges: Packages over 50 lbs trigger FedEx’s Additional Handling Surcharge – roughly a $25–$30 fee per package for extra handling. (This threshold used to be 70 lbs, but now anything above 50 lbs incurs the fee.) FedEx also applies surcharges for large dimensions (length over 48″, etc.) and for residential delivery and fuel. All these can significantly increase the cost of heavy shipments.

   

• Pricing: Calculated by weight and zone (distance), and subject to dimensional weight if applicable. Heavy shipments traveling long distances can be expensive – for example, shipping a 50 lb package across the country might cost nearly 3–4× what the same package costs to ship locally. However, for certain mid-weight packages (20–30 lbs), FedEx Ground can be cheaper than USPS beyond a certain distance or weight threshold (often around 20 lbs, USPS rates climb and FedEx may undercut USPS). Business shippers can negotiate volume discounts with FedEx, which helps if you ship heavy items regularly.

   

• Tracking & insurance: FedEx provides detailed tracking updates at each scan point. By default, FedEx includes the first $100 of insurance coverage (you can declare higher value for a fee). They also offer better support for filing claims or locating lost packages – with an account, you get customer service geared to business needs.

   

• Customer service: FedEx shines in support for business shippers. You can schedule regular pickups, have a FedEx account rep for your company if volume is high, and generally get quicker claims resolution than USPS. On the flip side, FedEx requires proper labeling of heavy packages (they have “Heavy” warning stickers for items over 70 lbs, and couriers handle those with equipment).

   

When FedEx Ground is useful: If your item is too heavy for USPS (>70 lbs), FedEx (or UPS) is the go-to. It’s also a good choice if speed is important – FedEx’s ground network is often faster coast-to-coast than USPS. For weights in the 20–70 lb range, FedEx can sometimes offer better rates than USPS, especially if you’ve negotiated discounts. Just be mindful of the surcharges: a 60 lb box to a residence will incur a heavy package fee plus a residential delivery fee, on top of the base rate. This is where costs add up.

SaverShip (via eFulfillment Service)

SaverShip is a specialized shipping solution offered exclusively through eFulfillment Service (EFS), a 3PL (third-party logistics provider). It’s not a carrier like USPS or FedEx, but rather a bulk shipping program designed specifically for eCommerce packages between 5 and 75 lbs. You can only access SaverShip rates by using eFulfillment Service as your fulfillment provider (i.e. storing and shipping your orders through EFS). Here are its key features:

• Purpose-built for heavy eCommerce parcels: SaverShip was created for products like dumbbells, appliances, auto parts – items that are heavy and often costly to ship. EFS’s warehouse is in Traverse City, Michigan, which is centrally located to reach both coasts in reasonable time. Orders from all EFS clients are consolidated and shipped out through SaverShip’s network.

   

• Pricing advantages: SaverShip’s biggest selling point is dramatically lower shipping cost for heavy items. Because it consolidates volume across many sellers, EFS negotiates bulk transport rates and passes those savings on. The result: no punishing dimensional weight charges or zone-based price spikes for distance. For example, roughly: a 20 lb package via SaverShip can be 67% cheaper than USPS and 72% cheaper than FedEx in shipping cost; at 50 lbs, over 80% cheaper. In other words, USPS or FedEx might cost 3–5 times more than SaverShip for the same heavy package. These savings are huge – sellers have reported shipping a ~9 lb product for under $8 with SaverShip, a rate impossible to get with typical USPS/FedEx discounts.

   

• How it’s so cheap: SaverShip leverages consolidation. EFS pools heavy orders from many clients, shipping them together in bulk and injecting them into carrier networks closer to their destination, or using negotiated freight lanes. This “zone-skipping” and bulk bargaining means you get enterprise-level discounts without needing enterprise volume. Essentially, EFS acts as an aggregator of heavy shipments. By minimizing distance costs and avoiding per-package surcharges, SaverShip can offer flat, predictable rates. Dim weight doesn’t factor in the same way, and far zones don’t carry the hefty upcharges you’d see with standard carriers.

   

• No extra fees or commitments: Unlike some specialty shipping programs, SaverShip comes with no setup fees, no long-term contracts, and no order minimums for the seller. You simply pay the shipping cost per package (which EFS presents upfront). This makes it friendly for small businesses that ship heavy items but don’t want to lock into large commitments.

   

• Tracking & integrations: When you use EFS as your 3PL, they integrate with your shopping cart/marketplace (Shopify, Amazon, WooCommerce, etc.) so orders flow to them automatically. SaverShip packages have tracking – typically EFS provides the tracking number (it might be a FedEx, UPS, or USPS final-mile tracking depending on how they routed it). From the seller and customer perspective, you can track delivery similarly to any other shipped package. EFS’s support will handle any shipping issues directly, which means if a SaverShip package is lost or damaged, EFS assists with the claim and resolution. This is a big relief for sellers who otherwise would be on the phone with USPS or FedEx themselves.

   

When SaverShip is useful: If you are regularly shipping heavy items (5–75 lbs) and are open to using a 3PL for fulfillment, SaverShip can slash your shipping costs. It’s ideal for budget-conscious sellers who want to maintain reasonable delivery times but cannot stomach the usual $50–$100 shipping fees for each heavy order. By using EFS’s fulfillment center, you essentially outsource the packing, shipping, and carrier negotiation to them – and in return get shipping rates often 50–80% lower than you’d pay on your own. The trade-off is that you must send your inventory to the EFS warehouse and let them handle fulfillment. For many small businesses, though, this trade-off pays off through savings and simplicity.

Note: SaverShip is not available as a standalone service; you can’t walk into a FedEx office and use “SaverShip”. It’s a program exclusive to eFulfillment Service’s clients So, it’s a bit of a different animal than USPS or FedEx – more of a fulfillment solution than a carrier. Next, we’ll compare these options head-to-head on key factors.

Side-by-Side Comparison Table

To summarize the key differences, the table below compares USPS Ground Advantage, FedEx Ground, and SaverShip (EFS) on important factors for heavy shipping:

Table: Comparison of USPS Ground Advantage, FedEx Ground, and SaverShip (via eFulfillment Service) for heavy packages.

As shown above, each option has its niche. Next, we’ll break down the comparison in terms of cost, speed, and other factors more directly.

Shipping Cost Comparison

Cost is one of the biggest challenges when shipping heavy items. Here’s how each option stacks up:

USPS Ground Advantage

USPS uses a weight- and distance-based pricing model. It works well for lighter heavy packages but becomes expensive quickly as weight and distance increase.

Best for:

• Shipments around 5–20 lbs

• Short to mid-distance zones

• P.O. boxes or APO addresses

Keep in mind:

• Rates increase with every additional pound

• At around 20+ lbs, USPS often becomes more expensive than FedEx

• Max weight is 70 lbs

Example:

• A 15 lb box going to a nearby state is reasonably priced.

• The same box going coast-to-coast can cost 2–3× more.

FedEx Ground

FedEx Ground is often more cost-effective than USPS for heavier shipments—especially when you have a business account. However, surcharges can significantly inflate the total cost.

Best for:

• Shipments around 20–70 lbs

• Faster deliveries within the continental U.S.

• Businesses with negotiated rates

Key surcharges to watch for:

• $25–$30 for packages over 50 lbs

• Residential delivery fees

• Fuel surcharges

• Dimensional weight pricing for large boxes

Example:

• A 60 lb fitness product may cost $80 in base rate…

  • …but with surcharges, total cost can hit $110+

SaverShip (via eFulfillment Service)

SaverShip is designed specifically for ecommerce packages in the 5–75 lb range and avoids many of the common surcharge pitfalls. Rates are only available through eFulfillment Service.

Best for:

• Frequent heavy shipments (auto parts, home goods, fitness gear)

• Sellers looking to cut shipping costs by 50–80%

• Those open to using a 3PL

Advantages:

• No weight-based surcharges

• No zone-based spikes — cross-country ≈ local

• Flat-rate style pricing based on weight only

• No dimensional weight pricing for most shipments

Example:

• A 20 lb box via SaverShip can be ~67% cheaper than USPS and ~72% cheaper than FedEx

• A 50 lb shipment can cost 5× less with SaverShip compared to the other two

TL;DR — Who Wins on Cost?

• USPS: Affordable for lower weights and close destinations, but quickly becomes expensive for anything over ~20 lbs going long distances.

• FedEx: More economical than USPS in the mid-to-heavy range if you have volume discounts, but surcharges add up fast.

• SaverShip: Clear winner for businesses shipping 5–75 lb products regularly. Savings grow as the weight increases.

Why are USPS and FedEx so costly for heavy items?

Two main reasons: distance and handling. Both carriers charge a lot more for cross-country delivery (Zone 8 vs Zone 3 can triple the rate), and they factor in the extra manual handling heavy boxes need (hence surcharges). Also, heavy items often have larger dimensions, triggering dimensional weight pricing (you pay for the volume as if it weighed more). All combined, the price skyrockets. SaverShip circumvents these by shipping in bulk (distance is optimized) and treating heavy shipments as the norm (so no individual penalties).

Bottom line on cost:

If you’re shipping heavy packages on your own, USPS may work out cheaper at lower heavy weights or short distances, and FedEx becomes competitive as weight rises, but neither can compete with SaverShip’s rates for nationwide shipping of heavy eCommerce orders SaverShip, through eFulfillment Service, regularly beats USPS/FedEx rates by on the order of 50–80%. The caveat is you need to use the EFS fulfillment service to get those rates – which is a bigger business decision beyond just shipping.

Delivery Speed & Reliability

All three services offer ground delivery, typically within 1 week—but each has its own strengths depending on destination and distance.

USPS Ground Advantage

Typical delivery window:

• 2–5 business days nationwide
• Delivery to all U.S. addresses, including P.O. boxes and military bases

Good for:

• Rural or hard-to-reach areas

• Moderate weights and regional shipping

Limitations:

• Slightly slower on cross-country routes (up to 6–7 days during peak)

• Less consistent tracking visibility

• 70 lb weight cap

FedEx Ground

Typical delivery window:

• 1–5 business days in the lower 48
• Residential deliveries via FedEx Home Delivery (often includes Saturday & Sunday service)

Good for:

• Faster delivery across the country

• Heavy packages (up to 150 lbs)

• Business shipments needing predictability

Limitations:

• No deliveries to P.O. boxes

• Some delays possible for extra-heavy items needing special handling

SaverShip (via eFulfillment Service)

Typical delivery window:

• Ships from Michigan, usually arrives in 2–5 business days nationwide
• Uses optimized ground lanes—similar timing to FedEx or USPS

Good for:

• Nationwide delivery of 5–75 lb ecommerce parcels

• Central U.S. origin means fairly balanced transit times to both coasts

Limitations:

• Not designed for expedited shipping (standard ground only)

• You’ll need to use EFS as your 3PL to access SaverShip rates

TL;DR — Who’s Fastest?

• FedEx is generally the fastest for long-distance ground.

• USPS is solid but may lag slightly at longer distances.

• SaverShip is comparable to both, depending on destination—and reliability is backed by EFS support.

Tracking, Customer Service & Handling

Each provider offers tracking and support—but the experience varies significantly in depth, responsiveness, and who handles what.

USPS

Tracking:

• Included on all Ground Advantage shipments

• Less detailed (fewer scans, longer intervals)

Customer service:

• General USPS support line or website

• No dedicated account rep

• Claims for lost/damaged items can be slow

Handling:

• Heavy items (over 35 lbs) are labeled as “HEAVY”

• No special handling protocols—treats all items similarly

FedEx

Tracking:

• Highly detailed with frequent scan updates

• Business shippers get access to better dashboards

Customer service:

• Solid support, especially with a business account

• Claims processed more efficiently than USPS

Handling:

• Trained to handle heavy packages up to 150 lbs

• Surcharges kick in for >50 lbs, but packages are usually managed with dollies or teams

SaverShip (via EFS)

Tracking:

• Tracking provided via EFS dashboard (carrier may vary by shipment)

• You or the customer can monitor status just like with USPS/FedEx

Customer service:

• Handled directly by eFulfillment Service

• If there’s a problem (delay, loss, damage), EFS handles resolution for you

• One point of contact = less hassle

Handling:

• Items packed by pros with heavy item expertis

TL;DR — Who Makes It Easiest?

• USPS: Basic but workable tracking and support; not ideal for resolving issues quickly.

• FedEx: Great tracking and solid support for business accounts.

• SaverShip/EFS: Best if you want hands-off issue resolution and specialized handling for heavy ecommerce items.

Which Should You Choose?

For eCommerce sellers shipping heavy products, the choice of USPS vs FedEx vs SaverShip largely comes down to your shipment profile and business setup.

Here are some considerations to help you decide:

• If you only occasionally ship heavy items (and mostly lighter ones): You might stick with USPS or FedEx on a case-by-case basis. For example, if you mostly ship small items but once in a while have a 15 lb order, USPS Ground Advantage is easy and you already use it. Or if you have a rare 80 lb order, you might just use FedEx Ground retail for that one shipment. SaverShip (EFS) might not be worth integrating unless your heavy shipments are frequent.

• If you are a small business with regular orders 5–75 lbs: It’s worth looking at a 3PL like eFulfillment Service for SaverShip. The cost savings are massive for regular heavy shipments. Even if you lose a bit of margin paying a fulfillment fee to the 3PL, you likely save much more on shipping. Plus, you offload the labor of packing these heavy items yourself. For many sellers, the tipping point is when shipping costs are eating into profits – if you feel “shipping is eating your margins” on heavy products, SaverShip could be a solution to reclaim those margins.

USPS vs FedEx (without a 3PL): Generally, for heavy items up to 70 lbs: 

• • Use USPS Ground if the package is on the lighter end of “heavy” (perhaps 5–20 lbs) and is shipping relatively nearby (low zone), or if it’s going to a P.O. box or APO/FPO address where FedEx can’t deliver. USPS can also be a good fallback if you don’t have a FedEx account – you can always ship at the post office, whereas FedEx retail rates at a store might actually be higher than USPS for those mid-weight items. 
  • Use FedEx Ground if the package is heavier (20–70 lbs) and going to a customer within the contiguous U.S. (non-PO box). FedEx will likely be more reliable for a large heavy box and could be cheaper than USPS, especially beyond a certain distance. If you have many heavy shipments, opening a FedEx account to get even small discounts on heavy packages is worthwhile. Also, if your item’s weight is 70–150 lbs, FedEx (or UPS) is your only real parcel choice since USPS won’t take it. 
  • In either case, pack the item very well and be aware of the surcharges. For FedEx/UPS, remember to account for that ~$30 extra fee for >50 lbs. For USPS, remember the weight limit and that a 69 lb package will be charged at the 70 lb rate (they round up to the next pound).

SaverShip via EFS (3PL solution):

This is best for businesses shipping heavy items frequently. If you’re fulfilling orders on your own now and paying exorbitant shipping, getting a quote from eFulfillment Service might surprise you. According to EFS, SaverShip often beats USPS/FedEx rates by 50–80% in the heavy weight class. It’s especially powerful for higher weight brackets (40–75 lbs) where carriers really ramp up the costs – SaverShip shines there. By partnering with EFS, you also simplify your life: they store inventory, pack orders, and coordinate shipping. There’s no long-term contract or big upfront fee for trying them out. If you’re a budget-conscious seller struggling with heavy shipping, this service was basically made for you.

Special cases – oversized or extremely high value:

Neither USPS, FedEx, nor SaverShip is a magic bullet if your items are huge in dimension or super expensive. Oversized (very large) items might need LTL freight instead of parcel. Very valuable heavy items might need extra insurance and white-glove handling. In those cases, you might lean towards a specialty 3PL or freight services. But for the typical heavy eCommerce products (think a set of weights, a boxed appliance, car parts, etc.), the three services we discussed cover most needs.