Why is Snapfish shipping so expensive? (Top 23 Reasons)

Snapfish is a company which provides print, personalized gifts, and most notably photo books.

This year they have been giving out not only free but also high discounts on their services with the holiday season being extra generous by offering 75% off photo books.

Despite this generosity, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of people who are using these services due to the shipping prices.

Why is Snapfish shipping so expensive?

Trusted Carriers

Trusted Carriers

Snapfish works with reliable carriers only, the first reason why Snapfish shipping is so expensive can be due to this.

This means that they are likely using USPS or UPS because each of these options costs more than others.

UPS has a rating for $5.95 USD however the rating for USPS is $7.99 which is quite a huge difference.

Snapfish has chosen to use services from USPS because of its reliability and speed.

Snapfish is using USPS express mail which costs $7.99 USD for the first 4oz, this price increases afterward if you are looking to ship more than 1lb which is 5x4oz.

Snapfish also works with UPS which costs $10.99 for the first 4oz, this price increases afterwards if you are looking to ship more than 1lb or 5x4oz.

Thin Packaging

Thin Packaging

Thin packaging is when a company purposefully tries to make its product smaller in order to reduce its shipping cost.

Usually, there are no additional charges when thin packaging is used even if you order multiple items to be shipped together.

This may apply to Snapfish because they are able to reduce the shipping cost for their own products however it doesn’t seem like they are applying this thin packaging policy on any other company’s products.

Printing Costs

Printing Costs

Printing costs can be quite expensive it takes time and money to print photos, this is especially true if you want high-quality prints.

Snapfish likely has high printing costs because it is a photo book company and as we all know, photos are not cheap.

Storage and Handling

Storage and Handling

Storage and handling costs are often overlooked by customers but they can be quite expensive.

This is the cost of storing and handling the products before they are shipped out.

Snapfish likely incurs a lot of these costs because they have a large number of products which need to be stored and handled.

Packaging Materials

Packaging Materials

Packaging materials can also be quite expensive, especially if you are using high-quality materials.

This is what is used to protect the product during shipping and can often be quite costly.

Snapfish is likely using high-quality materials to protect their products during shipping which is why their shipping prices are so high.

Insurance

Insurance

Insurance is a cost that is incurred when something goes wrong during the shipping process.

This could be anything from the product being damaged to it not arriving at all.

Snapfish likely has insurance to protect its products in case something goes wrong during shipping.

Fuel Surcharges

Fuel Surcharges

Fuel surcharges are charges that are added to the shipping cost when the cost of fuel increases.

This can be quite costly for companies and can often result in increased shipping prices.

Snapfish is likely using UPS as their carrier and they have been known to add fuel surcharges to their shipping prices.

Delivery Confirmation

Delivery Confirmation

Delivery confirmation is a service that is offered by both USPS and UPS.

This service allows you to track your package and see where it is in the shipping process.

Snapfish is likely using this service because they want to ensure that their products are being delivered safely and securely which is why they are charging their customers for this service.

Shipping Updates

Shipping Updates

Some shipping companies will provide you with regular updates, these can be anything from emails to text messages.

Snapfish likely charges extra because they are providing you with these updates which ensures that your product is being handled safely and securely.

Taxes and Tariffs

Taxes and Tariffs

Some shipping companies include taxes and tariffs with their shipping price, this is usually done by larger companies that have a global reach or who ship to countries outside of the United States.

Snapfish likely doesn’t do this because they only ship within the United States.

International Customs

International Customs

Customs fees are fees that you must pay when the product arrives in your country.

This is often done by larger companies who ship around the world which is why Snapfish doesn’t incur these costs because they only ship domestically.

Dimensional Weight

Dimensional Weight

Some carriers use the dimensional weight to calculate shipping prices, this has to do with the size of the product being shipped.

Dimensional Weight takes into account the size and weight of the package and uses this to calculate the shipping price.

This is something that Snapfish likely uses because they have a lot of large and heavy products.

Shipping Rates

Shipping Rates

Shipping rates are something that all companies charge, it is the cost of shipping the product from the company to the customer.

This is something that Snapfish likely charges because they have to ship their products using a third party carrier.

Carrier Fees

Carrier Fees

Carrier fees are the fees that the shipping company charges for using their service.

This is something that Snapfish likely incurs because they are not using their own shipping service and are instead using a third party carrier.

Shipping Zones

Shipping Zones

Shipping zones are the areas that a company ships to.

This is something that Snapfish likely uses because they have a global reach and are shipping to a lot of different countries.

Address Verification

Address Verification

Address verification is a service that verifies the address that you have entered is correct.

This is something that Snapfish likely uses because it helps to ensure that they aren’t shipping their products to the wrong address which could result in a loss of time and revenue.

Dimensional Weight Surcharges

Dimensional Weight Surcharges

Some carriers will charge dimensional weight surcharges when the product being shipped is large and heavy.

This can be quite costly for companies and this is why some carriers will charge this as a separate surcharge.

This is something that Snapfish likely uses because they have a lot of large and heavy products.

Errors and Omissions Insurance

Errors and Omissions Insurance

Errors and omissions insurance covers the company from any mistakes on their part, for example, if they sent you the wrong product or a damaged product they would have to pay for the damages which is why they are likely charging this surcharge.

Pickup Fee

Pickup Fee

Some companies will charge a pickup fee, whether you need the item picked up or not it will still be charged as an additional cost.

This is something that Snapfish likely does because they don’t offer free pickups and instead require their customers to pay for the pickups.

Brokerage Fees

Brokerage Fees

Some companies are required to pay brokerage fees when shipping internationally, this is because they are importing goods into another country which incurs duties and taxes that must be paid for.

Snapfish likely does not incur these costs because they don’t ship internationally or that they have already covered them in their taxes and tariffs.

Shipping Quotes

Shipping Quotes

Some companies will give you a shipping quote, this is the cost of shipping the product from the company to the customer.

This is something that Snapfish likely does because they want to ensure that their customers are aware of how much it will cost to ship their product.

Storage Fees

Storage Fees

Some companies will charge storage fees if the product is not picked up within a certain time frame.

This is something that Snapfish likely does because they want to ensure that their products are being picked up and aren’t taking up space in their warehouse for extended periods of time.

International Shipping

International Shipping

Some companies will only ship internationally if the order is above a certain price threshold.

This is something that Snapfish likely does because they want to ensure the products ordered are valuable and they don’t lose money on shipping due to the low price of the item.

How to Save Money on Snapfish Shipping?

save money

There are different ways to save money on Snapfish shipping.

The top 15 best options are as follows:

Join a Mailing List

Join a Mailing List

If you do not want to receive any items from Snapfish, simply go to the ‘My Account’ section and click on ‘unsubscribe’.

Set up Automatic Shipments

Set up Automatic Shipments

You can make a deal with Snapfish whereby they automatically send your order once a month or every six months.

This will reduce the total amount of money that needs to be spent on shipping.

Join a Group Order

Join a Group Order

If you know of friends or family members who are also interested in Snapfish, consider setting up a group order.

This will allow you to save money on shipping costs, as well as get your prints faster.

Use the ‘prints’ App

Use the ‘prints’ App

The ‘Prints’ app is a great way to save money on shipping costs.

With the app, you can order prints and have them delivered directly to your home.

Take Advantage of Free Shipping Offers

Take Advantage of Free Shipping Offers

Snapfish often offers free shipping deals – be sure to take advantage of these whenever possible.

Use a Promo Code

Use a Promo Code

If you are placing an order and have a promo code, be sure to enter it in the designated box.

This will reduce the cost of shipping.

Ship to A Friend’s House

Ship to A Friend’s House

If you are ordering prints and do not need them immediately, consider having them shipped to a friend’s house.

This will save you on shipping costs.

Put One Order on Hold

Put One Order on Hold

If you place a large order and need time to pay, simply call Snapfish and ask them to put the order on hold.

Use ‘snap Pick’

Use ‘snap Pick’

This is a service that allows you to pick up your photos from the photo lab instead of having them sent directly to your home.

This can be a great way to save money on shipping costs.

Schedule a Pick-Up

Schedule a Pick-Up

You can also schedule a pick-up for your photos, which will save you money on shipping costs.

Order in Bulk

Order in Bulk

If you are ordering a large quantity of prints, consider ordering them in bulk.

This will reduce the cost of shipping, as well as save you time.

Choose a Different Shipping Address

Choose a Different Shipping Address

If you do not want your prints to be sent to your home address, simply make a deal with Snapfish whereby they send the prints elsewhere.

This will reduce the total amount of money that needs to be spent on shipping.

Re-Use Shipping Materials

Re-Use Shipping Materials

There may be other items around your house that you can use instead of buying new ones from Snapfish every time you need to ship something.

Use a Pre-Paid Envelope

Use a Pre-Paid Envelope

Instead of spending money on a Snapfish envelope, try using a generic one instead.

This will save you money in the long run.

Use a Pre-Paid Label

Use a Pre-Paid Label

If you are shipping multiple items, consider using a Snapfish label.

You can generate this by going to the ‘Spend & Save’ section in your Snapfish account.

These are just some of the top 15 best ways to save money on Snapfish shipping.

Be sure to take advantage of these whenever possible to reduce the total amount of money that needs to be spent on shipping.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion,  there are a number of reasons why Snapfish may be charging more for shipping.

Some of these reasons include the cost of using a third-party carrier, the cost of shipping to different zones, and the cost of address verification.

There are also a number of other reasons that could be causing Snapfish to charge more for shipping, but these are some of the most likely reasons.

I hope this article was useful and explain every reason elaborately.

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