Shopify boards fulfillment ship

Life just got a little easier for merchants who sell goods on Shopify. The cloud-based e-commerce platform is partnering with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) for direct, discounted shipping.



Retailers can now buy and print discounted shipping labels directly within the Shopify platform. Labels will be up to 60% off retail rates. In addition to saving money when purchasing shipping labels, merchants will now have the ability to either drop prepaid shipments off at USPS offices without having to wait in line, or they can schedule a free home pickup.



Shopify promises this is the first step in a broader program to improve shipping for its retail users.



“Shipping is a fundamental component of any online merchant’s workflow,” said Louis Kearns, director of product and merchant solutions at Shopify. “We’re focused on streamlining shipping and product delivery for our merchants, so they can focus on other aspects of growing their business. We expect to expand these benefits to merchants in other geographies with additional shipping providers over time.”



Retailers have plenty of third-party online marketplaces where they can sell their wares. Simplifying and reducing the cost of shipping is one way Shopify can remain competitive in a crowded market.