Maybe your old car seat has got damaged, and you want to replace it. Or you may have a kid growing up and want a baby car seat to install in the car to comfort and safeguard your child. No matter what’s the reason, you will need the car seat to be delivered to your doorstep to replace it with the older one.
And that’s where the cost of shipping a car seat becomes important because it directly influences the overall pricing of the car seat. So, how much does it cost to ship a car seat?
The average cost of shipping a car seat can vary from $25 to $350 or even more. The shipment cost will depend largely on the distance of the delivery location from where you bought the seat, delivery time, weight and size, etc. It also depends on the type of shipment process you choose. Usually, intercity shipment through buses is the most affordable shipment system. Conversely, international shipment through DHL or FedEx is the costliest shipment for car seats.
Hence, we must look at the car seat shipment costs in various mediums. Also, we will show you the ways to reduce shipping costs on car seats. If you wish to get the seat delivered to you at the lowest transport cost, stick with us.
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How Much Does It Cost To Ship A Car Seat?
We understand that a car seat isn’t a necessity that you will buy and ship daily. You may buy and transport a car seat once or twice in a lifetime. Yet, it is important to look at its shipment cost as it can be more than the original price of the seat.
And when it happens, you will be puzzled. So, it’s always better to know the possible shipment cost of the car seat so that you know how much you have to pay for it beforehand. But before heading into it, let’s see the popular shipment ways for car seats and other commodities.
- Standard courier service
- Freight shipment
- By air shipment
- Intra and intercity shipment through bus or truck
As you see, there are four shipment methods for car seats, each with a varying cost level. So, let’s check this out.
Cost of Standard Courier Service
The standard courier service providers work globally. They will ship almost anything both locally and internationally. The cost of shipment for car seats will depend largely on the shipment distance and time. Also, the shipment cost varies slightly from one Company to another.
If you want an express delivery for international shipment, the cost can easily go up to $300 or more. So, you need to consider where your car seat is being shipped and how many days it would take.
Most of these standard courier services have a “shipment cost calculator” where you can easily calculate the delivery cost. You will need to input the probable weight and size of the car seat, delivery days, and distance to estimate the car seat shipment cost. Also, some companies offer a slight discount on different festivals when you may get a 5% to 10% reduction on the delivery cost.
One of the finest advantages of standard courier services is that they will deliver the car seat to your doorstep. So, you don’t have to go to the shipping office or another city to pick up the car seat. A few of the popular global shipping companies are listed below.
- DHL
- FedEx
- DPD
- UPS
- Postnord
These are the top five shipping and courier services in America and internationally. They can deliver your car seat from within America or the international market. Also, note that most car seats outside the USA will come from China. So, for cost estimation of the seat, use a standard distance.
For instance, a car seat shipped from Asia, including China, to the USA will cost you around $120 to $150. On the contrary, the shipping cost is $75 if the seat comes from any EU country. As you see, distance plays a key role in car seat transportation and delivery costs.
Cost of Freight Shipment
Like standard courier services, freight shipment can be local and international. Freight shipment commonly includes all transportation mediums such as trucks, air, ships, and trains. So, it includes land, air, and sea transportation. Also, companies use freight shipment for larger and massive commodities, so they will hardly ship your car seat through the freight shipment process.
If you want the most affordable international shipment for your car seat, freight shipment will be the best deal. Usually, a car seat shipment through the freight process from European countries will cost you around $50. If the freight shipment of the car seat comes from the Chinese or Asian region, it may cost you $80 to $100 on average.
For local freight shipment, there’re three common methods. These include:
- A partial truckload is preferable for goods less than 5000 pounds with less than 6 pallets. The process allows multiple companies to ship their goods in a truck to save money on hiring an entire truck.
- If companies need to ship smaller items or one or two items, they can tie up with others for their shipment. Most companies will deliver you the car seat through this less than a truckload system to reduce delivery and shipment cost.
- Companies choose a truckload system if they have enough goods to ship. They will rent an entire truck and deliver their goods using it.
The setback of freight shipment is that it is the slowest of all delivery systems. For international shipments, you can expect your car seat to be delivered in 10 to 12 days. For Chinese shipping, the delivery time may even increase to 15 days.
A freight shipment within the American territory will require 5 to 7 working days. The estimated cost for shipping will be $50 to $60 for the car seats. For kid car seats, the cost will reduce to $30 to $35 as it needs less space and is less weighty.
Cost of Car Seats by Air Shipment
When you need an emergency delivery of the car seat, and it comes from a distance, air shipment is usually the way to go about it. You can deliver your car seat in around 3 to 4 days through air shipment.
Usually, you can choose air shipment for international deliveries. If your car seat comes from inside the USA, you should choose freight or standard shipment process. If your car seat comes from the European or Asian region and you need express delivery, choose the air shipment process.
A standard air shipment of the car seat will cost you $250 to $400 on average. It depends on the shipping distance and time. The faster the delivery, the higher the shipping cost for the car seat. So, when choosing the air shipment process for baby seats or adult ones, looks at the estimated cost closely. Otherwise, it may puzzle you like nothing else.
Also, standard courier services such as DHL or FedEx will choose air shipment if you order an express delivery. The good thing about these courier services is that they will deliver the car seat to your address. So, you may save a few bucks on picking the seat from their offices.
Shipping Cost Through Bus or Truck
Shipment through bus or truck is popular within different cities or a city. Companies choose trucks or buses for shipment for intra-city and intercity delivery. For instance, you order the car seat in California and the company’s warehouse is in Seattle. In this case, most companies will choose a truck or bus to deliver the car seat.
This method of shipping goods is usually the cheapest. The method works best for short-distance shipment within a city or county. You can expect to get your car seat delivered via bus or truck shipment at around $25 to $40. However, you may need to go to the nearby delivery office of the courier service to pick up the car seat.
There are two popular bus and truck shipment companies in the USA for delivering goods nationwide. It includes:
- U-Haul allows you to rent a smaller truck for one day at around $19.95 for delivering the goods. The process works fine for in-town delivery. If you need to pick up the car seat from the company warehouse, you can hire a U-Haul truck and deliver the seat to your address.
- Another popular delivery service through trucks is Greyhound Package Express. It is a better choice if you need an emergency car seat delivery. Their shipment cost varies from $20 to $150, depending on the weight and size of the car seat, delivery distance, and time.
Tips on Calculating the Car Seat Shipment Cost
You might be keen to calculate the estimated shipping cost when you order a car seat. For this, you will need the following three facts:
- Weight of the car seat
- Size of the seat (length, height, and width)
- Distance of the shipping and pick-up location
You also need to choose the type of shipment you want. Do you want an express shipment or a regular one? Also, consider whether your car seat comes from an international destination or within the USA. Then, you may follow these steps to calculate the estimated shipping cost:
- Choose your shipment service provider
- Visit their website and locate the shipment cost calculator
- Then, input the weight, dimension, and distance of the shipped item and delivery
- Choose your estimated delivery time and method
- Finally, click okay to get your probable shipment cost
You should remember that the actual cost of the shipment will vary slightly. It can be either a bit higher than the estimated cost or slightly lower. Also, compare multiple shipping methods and companies to avail of the best discount.
Get to Know: How to Carry a Car Seat Easily and Safely?
Tips on Reducing Car Seat Shipment Cost
You have seen that the international shipping cost for the car seat can be quite expensive. It may be even more than the price of the seat itself. So, it would help if you found ways to reduce the shipment cost of the car seat to get it delivered at affordable pricing.
Compare Multiple Companies:
Many shipping and courier services will deliver your car seats. You should compare the shipping cost among these companies. Also, you must compare the different shipping methods to avail the best deals.
Usually, air shipments will cost you more than freight shipments through vessels. For intercity shipment, truck delivery is the cheapest one. So, compare these transportation mediums and choose the right one for you.
Delay Your Shipment if Possible:
You can choose a delayed shipment if you don’t need the car seat immediately and want to reduce your car shipping cost. It is helpful since the faster the delivery time is, the higher the charge is. So, you may choose delay or regular shipping period instead of express delivery to cut costs on the shipment.
The method works best for international shipments. If you choose 15 to 20 days of shipping period instead of 5 days to express delivery, your cost on the car seat shipping will be 1/3rd. So, it will be a great way to save money on shipping car seats.
Choose Lighter Packaging:
You may ask your car seat manufacturer to deliver the car seat in lighter packaging. It is crucial since most delivery and courier companies will cost extra on bulkier packaging. As the weight and size of the packaging increase, the shipment cost will also increase.
Therefore, we suggest you ask the manufacturer to pack your car seat compactly to reduce the cost of packaging and shipment. For instance, bubble wrapping will be less costly than padded sheeting as packaging for the car seats.
Also, if possible, companies may dissemble the car seat for shipment. It will require less space which will, in turn, reduce the shipment cost.
Look for Discounts:
During festivals, many delivery companies will offer a 5% to 10% discount on their shipping cost. Even many manufacturers will take responsibility for the shipment cost during festive periods. So, it can be a great chance for you to reduce the shipment cost through discounts.
Try Picking up The Car Seat:
If the store or warehouse isn’t far, you may offer to pick up the car seat directly. It will save you real money on shipment. On top of it, you can choose to pick up the car seat from the local branch of the delivery Company.
It will be useful because delivery companies charge dearly for doorstep shipment. If you can pick the item from the nearby branch, it will save you 10% to 20% on the overall shipment.
How to Ship Car Seat Safely?
Although the shipping method and safety for the car seat isn’t your concern, knowing it will be helpful for you. You may also ask the car seat manufacturer and delivery Company to ship the seat just like you want.
So, here’re a few key tips on safely shipping the car seat.
- The seat belt and buckle should be disconnected from the car seat. Once you have removed the seat accessories, pack them with them. This packaging will take less space to reduce your cost on shipment.
- As you pack the accessories such as seat belts, buckles, mats, and covers, always protect them with a bubble wrapper. It will protect the accessories from external scratches and damage. Also, secure them with the seat using tape.
- If you order a car seat for kids aged 0 to 4, you can order convertible seats. For this seat, you need to keep it in an upright position. Also, when you mount the seat, position it in front facing for best safety.
- For kids aged 4 to 12, you will need a booster seat. You should lower the backrest of the booster seat to the lowest segment for safe shipment.
- If you have ordered an infant capsule for kids younger than 6 months, you should attach the capsule with its base properly. Or else, it may break down due to added pressure.
- When packing the car seat, you should ask the deliverer to fill all the empty spaces inside the box. It will reduce the chances of breaking the car seat.
Read Also: How to Install A Car Seat Without Latch System?
Frequently Asked Question
We believe all the confusion about how much it costs to ship a car seat is now clear to you. However, still, there might be a few questions that arise in your curious mind, and get most of the answers to these queries from the below FAQ section.
Is It Safe to Ship Car Seats?
Yes, it is 100% safe to ship car seats. You don’t need to worry about damaging the car seat since the courier services, and car seat manufacturers will pack the seat appropriately. Even if the car seat is damaged, you may ask for a refund or replacement.
How Do You Pack a Car Seat for Shipping?
It will help if you bubble wraps the car seat first. Then, place it inside a cartoon for packaging and fill the spaces with proper elements. It will protect the car seat from damage. Furthermore, for the car seat accessories, attach them to the seat using tape.
Conclusion
You may expect to pay around $25 to $350 for the car seat shipment. The shipment cost depends on the shipping distance, delivery period, and shipment method. However, if the manufacturer packs the car seat properly, shipment costs will be reduced. So, you should ask the manufacturer to pack the car seat appropriately without making it bulkier to save your hard-earned money.
