How Long Does Standard Shipping in USA Take – (And Why)?

Exact Answer: 3-7 business days

Standard shipping is also known as ground shipping or standard ground service. It is an average shipping service, not too quickly and expensive, and not too slow either.

Standard shipping has a reasonable shipping time and full tracking services. Both the sender and the receiver follows the progress of the package until it is delivered.

It is the best shipping service to consider when dealing with small items. Ground shipping has no guarantees in the delivery date and may take longer. It, however, has insurance of fifty dollars if the package is lost or damaged.

How long standard shipping takes in United States

Standard shipping is done by the United States Postal Service (USPS). Standard shipping in the United States requires about 3 to 7 business days to be complete. The shipments sometimes take longer than expected if the transporter is experiencing unexpected delays.

Almost all the states in the US can be reached in five days regardless of how remote the area is if no delays in transportation occur. In case the shipment does not arrive, the receiver can request a refund of the shipping charges 15 days after the scheduled delivery date.

The size and weight of the shipment determine the price charged on shipping. The destination of the delivery also affects ground shipping prices. The further the destination of the shipment, the more costly it is shipping it.

The shipping timeline given by USPS is always an estimation and mostly depends on the receiver’s location. In case the delivery address happens to be in the same locality or state as the office the package is being shipped from, delivery could be as fast as the next day.

All standard shipments by USPS are delivered from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time. Standard shipping delivery is done door to door.

Why standard shipping takes 3 to 7 days or longer

1) Order processing period

Once an order is made for a shipment, it must first be processed. After processing, it is when delivery plans will be made and fit in the company’s delivery schedule. It takes a maximum of one day for an order to be processed. A minimum of 72 hours is required to handle and ship orders.

2) Holidays and weekends

During public holidays most of the company’s staff are not at work. Therefore no deliveries are expected to be made on these dates. The same applies to weekends. If an order is made just before or on these days, delivery is expected to take longer by one or two days. USPS only works on business days.

3) Bad weather

Deliveries are made using reasonable transportation means. In case of a storm, too much snowing, or any other life-threatening weather condition, delivery is expected to delay.

4) Distance from the shipping office

The guaranteed delivery date is generated by USPS based on the distance from the shipping office. The further the destination, the more time it takes for the shipment to reach the receiver. Individuals in remote areas of the US can wait up to 10 business days to receive their shipments.

5) Carrier delay

Shipping is done by carriers who pick the packages from the shipping office and deliver to receivers in more than one location. Carriers, however, are assigned to specific locations in a state. Door to door delivery is sometimes challenging, and it all depends on the carrier’s familiarity with the receiver’s location and delivery speed.

Conclusion

Standard shipping is the best way to ship small to medium packages that need no urgency. It is very cost-effective, and the receiver is assured refund of the shipping fee once delivery is not made. The receiver can also track the package while it is in transit. It has some challenges but still is undoubtedly a cheaper alternative to the other shipping types done inside the US.