Why Is Society6 Shipping So Expensive? (Top 11 Reasons)

Society6 is a popular online store that sells artwork, clothes, and other products created by independent artists.

The company has been in business since 2009 and now employs more than 100 people.

They even have their own app for both Android and iOS devices.

It’s no wonder they are one of the most successful companies on the internet.

But shipping costs seem to be an issue for many customers who shop there, so we decided to find out why this might be happening and how we can save money.

Why is society6 shipping so expensive?

There are several reasons why society6 shipping is expensive.

Here, We’re going to explore the top 11 reasons why the shipping costs are so high.

Some of these reasons may be acceptable while some others might not hold water.

Either way, We hope this article provides some useful insights that can be helpful to you the next time you shop at society6.

weight and size

The most common reason for shipping costs being so high is weight and size.

When you order something online, the company has to pay for the cost of getting it to your door or post office.

The heavier or bigger what you ordered is, the more it will cost to transport.

Society6 prints tend to be rather heavy due to their thickness, and the size of many products is extremely large.

If you order a Mondo print and pay for Standard International Shipping, and your package weighs 2kg (4.41lbs), then it will cost you $13.49 to ship by airmail from Singapore to Europe.

By land or sea, that cost jumps up to $21.98!

product size

Another reason shipping costs are high is the product size.

As mentioned before, many Society6 products are large and take up a lot of space.

This is especially true when it comes to framed prints and stretched canvases.

For example, a standard-sized 18”x24” print is about 2kg (4.41LBS), making it $21.99 to ship by airmail, $37.97 if shipped by land or sea.

Most products are very large in size and extremely heavy, which drives up shipping costs significantly.

International shipping cost

Shipping within the United States is relatively inexpensive when compared to international shipping costs.

The reason for this is that most shipping companies do not operate within the United States, and therefore need to pay a fee to use the available services.

There are some exceptions to this such as USPS Priority Mail International, but they can still be rather expensive (for example $38.53 for a small Mondo print).

Even though shipping within Singapore is expensive, it is still significantly cheaper than shipping internationally.

handling and packaging

The cost of handling and packaging materials is also a factor that contributes to high shipping costs.

Most companies require a lot of packing materials in order to ensure that the products being shipped arrive at their destination safely.

Bubble wrap, cardboard, peanuts, and plastic bags are just a few examples of the materials that are used.

The more you order, the more packing supplies will be required to ensure safe delivery.

Customs fees

Like many other things in life, customs fees also affect shipping costs significantly.

Depending on where you live and what is being shipped, there may be extra charges just for the privilege of having your package go through customs.

For example, in the United Kingdom, there is an extra £8 charged for any item that is over 2kg (4.41lbs) in weight that goes through customs.

This charge is in addition to the cost of shipping, and can quickly add up if you are ordering multiple items.

Custom inspection

Customs officials need to ensure that the packages going into a certain country is safe and not hazardous in any way.

This causes delays for many orders, which can add to extra shipping costs from companies such as DHL Express.

Not only do customs inspections take up time, but they add on extra financial costs on top of what you are already paying to get your products.

Payment processing fees

When you purchase something online, the company has to pay for the privilege of accepting your credit card information.

This cost is included in what you see when you checkout, but not everyone realizes that it adds extra dollars to their total bill.

For example, if an order goes through society6’s payment processing center in the United States, they pay about 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction.

If you purchase something for $100, then that company has to pay at least $2.90 to take your credit card information if it is within the United States (not including any other fees that may be applied).

If that company is based in Singapore, then they have to pay an additional 6.8% + $0.30 per transaction if their payment processing center is located in the US.

This might not seem like a lot of money, but it can wind up costing an extra 10 or 20 dollars on larger purchases that contain more expensive products.

shipping company’s profit

Many companies choose to sell their products through marketplaces online, such as society6.

This allows them to avoid having to set up an online store themselves or deal with all of the day-to-day tasks associated with selling physical products.

Unfortunately, this means that they have to pay a commission to the marketplace in order to sell their products.

This commission can be as high as 15% of the sale and is generally taken out of the shipping costs.

So, if you are ordering a $50 product, the company only makes about $42 after all of the associated costs have been taken into account.

limited shipping options

Most companies only offer a few shipping options, which can often be very expensive.

For example, society6 offers USPS Priority Mail International, UPS Worldwide Expedited, and DHL Express.

All of these options are relatively expensive, and often do not offer a great value when compared to the cost of the product being shipped.

insurance fees

Investing in insurance for your order does not always guarantee that it will arrive safely.

It is estimated that roughly 1/3 of all insurance claims are denied, meaning that you would be out the cost of any products that were damaged or lost.

returned packages

Sometimes items go through customs and never make it to their final destination.

In some cases, the package is sent back to the company because it was incorrectly addressed or there was an issue with customs.

When this happens, the company has to pay to have the package shipped back, and then they have to reship it to the correct address.

This process can be expensive and time-consuming and often winds up costing the customer more money in the end.

How to save money on society6 shipping? (Top 15 steps)

There are several ways to save money on shipping costs when ordering from Society6.

Here are the top 15 tips:

1. Sign up for the email list to receive discounts and special offers.
2. Follow Society6 on social media for additional discounts and promotions.
3. Try a product before you buy it. Many products offered by Society6 have free samples available so that you can test the product and see if it’s right for you.
4. Look through the coupon section to find printable coupons that can be used during checkout.
5. Use a Society6 discount code to get an additional 10% off any purchase of $10 or more, or 15% off any purchase of $50 or more.
6. Join the Society6 affiliate program and earn commission on sales made through your referral link.
7. Get free shipping on orders of $50 or more.
8. Shop the sale section for discounts of up to 50% off select items.
9. Ship items to a friend or family member who is located in the US to save on shipping costs.
10. Choose the “flat rate” shipping option when placing an order. This option is less expensive than the standard shipping rate.
11. Order a large quantity of one item to take advantage of the bulk discounts offered by Society6.
12. Ship items to a P.O. Box to avoid paying additional shipping fees.
13. Shop Society6 through TopCashback to earn up to 7% cashback on your purchase!
14. Use a coupon code for an additional 10% off your entire order of $10 or more, or 15% off your entire order of $50 or more at checkout.
15. Enter the free shipping code at checkout to receive free standard shipping on any order over $50.

Final Thoughts

In Conclusion, There are many reasons why society6 shipping is so expensive.

However, some of these costs are out of the company’s hands.

For example, while it would be possible to combat some of the issues with customs by using more efficient shipping methods or better packaging materials, that would cut into their profit margin, and you might not even notice the difference when checking out.

However, some of the other reasons, such as the commission taken by marketplaces and the cost of insurance, are something that society6 could work to change in order to provide a better value for their customers.

Hopefully, in the future, we will see some changes that will make it more affordable to shop on sites like society6.