Ecommerce | Updated September 7, 2023  

How Long Does Standard Shipping Take? Guidelines And Hacks To Know For 2022

Nowadays people are getting more anxious and want to gain more knowledge about shipping and delivery and especially the answer to the common question: “How long does standard shipping take?”

Like in that Reddit thread, people are concerned with the delivery times:

In this article, we took our time to process all important information and facts that answer how long does standard shipping take and multiple other questions that are emerging in the mind of the customer.

It is pretty normal to want to know exact dates and facts that are affecting the delivery time of customers’ purchases.  Most people, also, want to keep track of purchases during delivery.

Often asked questions like the following ones below are what we are going to try to explain and give a full information checklist for you to know what to expect when purchasing from online stores:

  • What is standard shipping?
  • What does shipping mean?
  • What does shipped mean?
  • How long does standard shipping take?
  • How many days is standard shipping?
  • How long does it take for standard mail to be delivered?
  • How long is 3-5 business days?
  • What does express shipping mean?
  • How long does it take Amazon to ship?
  • How long does USPS shipping take?
  • What are business days for shipping?

Phew, that seems like a lot of questions to answer to define delivery and shipping.

But do not worry, as the article rolls along, you will see that a lot of the information covers some of the questions and you will get the idea fast and easy on how long is standard shipping and how to estimate shipping time.

Let’s start with the two basic ones — what is standard shipping and how long does standard shipping take, shall we?

What is Standard Shipping?

To that question of what does shipping mean and especially the “standard” one, we will answer straight away.

It is the foundation on which we will build all other pivotal elements in the article to form the ultimate guide for you if you are starting as an online retailer or you are on the other side being the customer.

Standard shipping, as you can guess from its name, it is the average shipping process that takes a company to deliver your goods. 

The items are not shipped the next day but it might take 3 5 business days to come to your address.

Now you would ask: “How long is 5 business days?” Well, the answer here is simple again. If you purchased something on Monday, you have a period of 5 working days for your item to come.

 It means it can be at the address by Wednesday or if there are any complications the following days.

It is called “working days” because if you purchased it on the weekends, this means you might wait a little longer for it to arrive.

This is, of course, not a big deal for many customers and the ones that are purchasing small and medium goods.

To wrap the question up and answer it concisely, after the purchase is done, you can expect it to be delivered in 3-5 business days from today. This should help to estimate delivery time.

This period may vary, especially if there is standard shipping from UK to US. 

As you can guess, different companies work on your delivery and it might take longer.

With the proper tracking software, you can see where your delivery is at any time if there are any delays or additional problems.

If we talk about free shipping and how long does free shipping take, then we might give you the following answer.

Free shipping usually tries to get into these same shipping business days but just on the fact alone that it is “free” sometimes there could be some delays in the working process.

How Long Does Standard Shipping Take?

To estimate shipping time and tell how long is standard shipping going to take, we are going to give simple information answers that apply to most trusted companies like UPS, USPS, and FedEx.

If we are talking about the US then it would be easier to estimate shipping time. In most cases, the courier standard delivery takes 3-5 business days from today and applies in 99% of all purchase/delivery cases.

To answer how many days is standard shipping, we are going to say all from 3 to 5 working days. You can never answer exactly tell how long does standard shipping take. You can only give business days as information at first. 

So, that’s about it about the standard int l shipping. As we estimated mailing delivery time of the “standard” working process, then you can answer yourself when you can expect your shipment delivered.

What’s the cost of Standard Shipping?

In most cases, it is hard to talk about prices. As you know with different sizes and shapes come different price lines.

Not only that, you should see the pricing in all companies and what you can do to reduce costs if you are an online retailer.

This is important to the customers. You can optimize the prices and estimate delivery time.

To define delivery the proper way you need to get familiar with pricing of everything, if there are additional delivery notifications and updates that give information on current status, is the shipment delivered, and more.

Let’s talk about Standard Ground Shipping

Standard ground shipping can get your shipment delivered in 1 to 5 days. Also, if you want to use standard shipping from UK to US, it might take a longer time to process and get your stuff delivered.

Companies and different brands are shipping from all over the world and the process of it is unstoppable. So, to give Gymshark for example: “Where does Gymshark ship from?

You might not know but it’s a UK brand that can ship all over the world. To connect it with what we were saying, this means it is possible to get shipment delivered with some days or sometimes weeks delay.

With this, we can define delivery and sum how long does it take for standard mail to be delivered.

To proceed further in the shipping process and explain how long does standard shipping take, this can turn into standard international shipping and things can get more complicated as expected.

Standard International Shipping

Why is it more difficult? How long does standard shipping take when it comes to sending packages across the world? How to estimate shipping time?

If it is standard shipping from UK to US or vice versa it can take more than 5 working days in some cases. 

Some locations are by far more difficult to ship to and couriers are finding it a real challenge to do their best during the process.

Companies like DHL, among others like USPS or FedEx, can arrange the international shipping and give you an estimate delivery time for it.

But if there are any roadblocks during the process, it might take a longer period to get the purchases to the customers.

For longer distances and getting all international shipment delivered you can use a well-functioning branded tracking page that will give you more comfort when it comes to knowing where your items are and what delivery date you can expect them to come at your address or courier location.

What does Express Shipping mean?

Express shipping is the process when you define delivery at a faster pace.

Here people do not want want to know how long does standard shipping take. They go to a whole new faster level of wanted services. 

Sometimes, when it is local shipping, the delivery might take up to 24 hours. It means you can get your goods less than 1 day after purchase. It sounds great and many people are using these options.

In most cases, they are more expensive and additional costs are required but as you know, different people, different demands are present.

Some people ask the question: “How long does USPS shipping take?” and when we exclude the “standard” version, the team also has express and fast delivery options that may estimate shipping time less than 1 or 2 days.

Of course, if we take the standard shipping from UK to US and want to turn it into a faster one, again, it is impossible to ship an item from another continent in less than 24 hours.

The working process doesn’t operate like that.

To estimate delivery time with express purchase you might consider the location you want the goods to be delivered.

When you make the actual purchase, details will be sent to you on your e-mail to confirm and you can see between what dates you can expect your stuff.

Many options exceed the time from 3-5 business days from today and make it about 1 or 2. 

If you want something to arrive faster and get your shipment delivered, then you need to pay a little extra cash to get it. That’s how it works.

That’s what does express shipping means.  It means paying extra for faster delivery dates, in most cases less than a week if it is a local place.

To say it undoubtedly, shipping time and reducing both days and costs from it is important for online merchants and customers as well.

Not to forget to mention that you can choose at what speed to deliver the goods to your clients if you are the seller.

Picking up the right companies and their plans for standard and fast delivery is crucial.

Do not forget to have everything checked, see the end prices and you are good to go.

Look for the following factors when choosing the ideal delivery speed for your shipment:

  • Lead times
  • Tracking
  • Accurate shipping process
  • News, worldwide situation and regulations

These 4 factors are of the biggest importance when you choose what company to work with.

It can save you costs on shipping, save you time, and most important — headaches that may occur during the process or in situations that you are not prepared enough.

Estimate shipping time, get the best resources and company to work with and you will have no problems when the customer gets the shipment delivered.

That’s how you define top-class delivery. When the client gets his goods in the expected period and the whole process seems seamless, you can be sure of success.

To wrap this article up

We have provided information about standard shipping, how long does standard shipping take, the definition of shipping, the typical duration for standard mail delivery, the meaning of express shipping, and the estimated time for free shipping.

Shipping from the UK to places like the US is a long journey. If you're getting something sent from the UK, it usually takes 5 to 10 business days to arrive in the US.

When we talk about how long shipping takes, it's usually based on how the average delivery time works out. But there are ways to get things done faster.

Some courier companies have quicker options. They do this by ensuring the package gets on a direct flight, uses the best airlines, and is handled first when sorted.

So, if you're shopping and see 'Standard Shipping,' which usually takes 3-5 business days, they'll take some time to process and pack your order before sending it out. It's not the quickest, but it's often cheaper.

It is crucial to work with reputable dropshipping companies for proper and timely delivery. We have discussed some major players in the shipping industry and why using their services can help you calculate costs effectively.

Understanding that shipping costs and delivery are part of the process and that there might be occasional challenges, integrating a reliable tracking tool like Rush in your online business can help manage these challenges.

By prioritizing customer satisfaction and choosing the right shipping company, you can provide the best possible shipping services with each delivery.

Instead of fixating on how long standard shipping takes to arrive, focus on researching the typical delivery duration for standard mail.

Select a company that aligns with your online business and remain consistent with their services. As you gain experience and handle more orders, you'll discover what works best for your customers and strive for continuous improvement, offering precise answers regarding standard shipping times to your clients.