Rate Shopping in a WMS: Lower Your Shipping Costs

With shipping costs on the rise, one of the smartest ways businesses can save money is through rate shopping. But what exactly does that mean, and how can you do it without spending hours comparing prices across multiple carriers?

Here’s a quick guide to how rate shopping works, why it matters, and how 3PL Center helps customers take advantage of real savings — automatically — through our Warehouse Management System (WMS).

What Is Rate Shopping in Shipping?

Rate shopping is the process of comparing shipping rates from different carriers for the same shipment to find the best price and delivery option.

Think of it like booking a flight — you wouldn’t just accept the first price. You’d compare different airlines, schedules, and prices. Shipping works the same way.

When rate shopping is integrated into your Warehouse Management System (WMS), it becomes a powerful automation tool that helps you choose the most cost-effective option for every order — without needing to manually compare carriers.

Understanding Rate Shopping in a WMS

Rate shopping is a feature within a warehouse management system (WMS) that compares shipping rates from multiple carriers in real time. Instead of locking into one shipping provider, a rate shopping tool gives businesses the ability to select the most cost-effective or fastest option for each order.

This can include comparing:

Small parcel rates from carriers like UPS, FedEx, and USPS

Different LTL ShippingLTL shipping options depending on distance, freight class, and service level

Ground vs. expedited delivery speeds

The goal: reduce costs without sacrificing service.

Why Rate Shopping Matters

Lower Your Shipping Costs
Carrier prices can vary significantly based on weight, dimensions, destination, and service level. One carrier might offer a better deal for East Coast shipments, while another has lower rates for the West Coast.
By comparing in real time, businesses can select the most cost-effective option for each order — rather than relying on just one default carrier.


Avoid Surcharges
Some carriers add additional handling fees or oversized surcharges that others may not. Rate shopping helps identify options with fewer or lower fees and avoid shipping surcharges.


Improve Delivery Performance
Rate shopping isn’t just about cost. Some platforms also let you compare estimated transit times, so you can choose a carrier that gets the order there on time — without overpaying for express service.

How Rate Shopping Works

There are two main ways to rate shop:

Manual Rate Shopping

This involves logging into multiple carrier portals (e.g., UPS, FedEx, USPS) and entering shipment details for each one. While possible, it’s time-consuming and prone to human error — especially for high-volume shippers.

Automated Rate Shopping via a WMS

The best solution is to use a Warehouse Management System that integrates directly with multiple carriers and automatically compares rates for every shipment.

You enter the order details once — and the WMS instantly finds the best carrier, service, and rate for that shipment based on your business rules.

How 3PL Center Makes Rate Shopping Easy

At 3PL Center, our advanced WMS includes built-in rate shopping as part of every customer’s fulfillment process. You don’t need extra tools — it’s already working for you in the background.

Here’s how it helps you ship smarter:

Real-Time Carrier Comparison
We automatically shop between top carriers (UPS, FedEx, USPS, and others) to find the best option for every order.


Use Our Discounted Rates or Your Own
You can ship using your own carrier accounts or take advantage of our exclusive volume-based discounts — including special pricing for small parcel shipping and LTL shipping, especially on large and oversized items.


Box Optimization & Dimensional Weight Savings
Our WMS includes box optimization tools to reduce dimensional weight pricing, and then rate shops based on the most efficient packaging configuration.


Address Verification
Our system also verifies delivery addresses before the label is printed, helping avoid failed deliveries and wasted costs.


Save Time and Money
No need to manually compare — our system does it for you on every order, every time.

Rate shopping is especially valuable for oversized shipments. At 3PL Center, we offer discounted rates and reduced surcharges for large items like e-bikes, outdoor furniture, rugs, and fitness equipment — helping customers avoid unnecessary carrier fees and shipping delays.

Whether you're shipping small parcels or bulky products, we make sure you’re never overpaying for delivery.

📹 Watch It in Action

Want to see exactly how rate shopping works inside 3PL Center’s WMS?

▶️ Watch our 1-minute walkthrough on how to browse carrier rates in 3PLify

This short video shows how easy it is to compare real-time shipping rates — right inside the platform.

Start Saving on Shipping — Without Lifting a Finger

Rate shopping isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s a must for any business trying to stay competitive while managing rising shipping costs. With the right WMS and 3PL partner, it's easy to automate your shipping decisions and start saving.

Want to see how much you could save with real-time rate shopping?
Contact 3PL Center today to learn how we help customers cut shipping costs on every order.