Briefly: Western Bid’s consolidation shipping is the most popular method among our customers for international parcel delivery from Ukraine, allowing you to save maximum on shipments, especially to the USA.
Parcels from different senders are combined into one large shipment to Western Bid’s warehouse in Miami, and from there, each parcel is sent to your customer via the chosen last-mile service with full tracking.
Who is consolidation shipping suitable for
- Ukrainian sellers on Etsy, eBay, Amazon who regularly ship orders to the USA and want to minimize shipping costs.
- Online store owners seeking a reliable and affordable way to send parcels abroad with transparent tracking.
- Entrepreneurs testing new niches looking to reduce logistics costs at the startup stage.
- Sellers with small to medium shipment volumes for whom express delivery is too expensive.
The essence of consolidation shipping in 5 points
- Consolidation shipping is the most popular option for international package deliveries from Western Bid for shipments to the USA.
- Packages from different sellers are combined into one large shipment, significantly reducing the shipping cost.
- The delivery occurs in two stages: from Ukraine to the warehouse in Miami, and then to the buyer via last-mile service.
- The customer receives a tracking number for the last mile, and the full route can be tracked at track.westparcel.com.
- Effective communication with buyers using template emails reduces unnecessary inquiries and minimizes the risk of negative feedback.
Comparison of International Shipping Options
| Parameter | Consolidation Plus | Consolidation Optimal | Express Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Priority | Maximum savings while maintaining standard terms | Balance between speed and cost | Maximum speed |
| Basic shipping cost to the USA | From ≈ 4.5 USD per parcel | Higher than Plus, but lower than Express | Highest cost per kilogram |
| Delivery scheme | Two stages: Ukraine → Miami → customer | Two stages: Ukraine → Miami → customer | Direct route via express service |
| Tracking for customer | Last mile tracking + full tracking at track.westparcel.com | Last mile tracking + full tracking at track.westparcel.com | Express service tracking |
| When to choose | If primary concern is minimum cost and acceptable timing | If a compromise between price and speed is important | If minimal delivery time is critical |
How to send a parcel to the USA most cheaply
Ukrainian sellers on international platforms most often choose Consolidation Plus and Consolidation Optimum shipping methods for their parcels when looking for the cheapest way to send a parcel to the USA. That is, when their main priority is an affordable international shipping cost. The price of a consolidation parcel abroad to the USA starts from just $4.5, and this offer is the cheapest in Ukraine.
So, when the question arises on how to send a parcel to the USA, our answer is – try Consolidation from Western Bid!
At the same time, delivery speed remains at a high level. For example, from November to December 2024, the average delivery time for consolidation parcels from Kyiv to our warehouse in Miami was:
- Consolidation Plus via UPS (fastest) – 5 business days
- Consolidation Plus via FedEx – 7 business days
- Consolidation Optimum (cheapest and protected from customs delays) – 9 business days.
The approximate average delivery speed for each consolidation type to your customer is specified in the shipping calculator in your account and on the Western Bid website.
How Two-Stage Consolidated Shipping Works
| Stage | What Happens | Tracking Number | What the Customer Sees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Ukraine → Miami | Your parcels are combined into a single consolidation and shipped to the Western Bid warehouse in the USA. | Consolidation tracking number (for internal control) | The customer does not see this track, and the stage can be briefly explained in the email. |
| 2. Miami → Buyer | The package is unpacked from the consolidated shipment and handed over to the chosen last mile service. | “Miami label number” — last mile track | The customer tracks the parcel using this number on the carrier’s website. |
| Full Route | The entire path from receipt in Ukraine to delivery to the customer. | Track at track.westparcel.com | The customer sees all status changes on one website from dispatch to delivery. |
This process allows cost reduction without sacrificing delivery quality due to:
- special cooperation conditions between Western Bid and global logistics leaders,
- “wholesale” discounts on large shipping volumes that we process daily,
- independent parcel consolidation in Kyiv,
- constant work on improving the service and increasing the number of parcels.
Types of Consolidation from Western Bid
Since consolidated shipping is the most popular, we offer several types of such shipping:
- Consolidation Plus
– estimated value of the shipment – up to $100
– maximum weight (actual or volumetric) – 7 kg
– sent to Miami via UPS or FedEx
– the cargo is customs cleared entirely
– delivery to the USA, Canada, and other countries.
- Consolidation Direct
– for those who sell from 8 products daily to foreign buyers
– maximum total value of the shipment – $800
– maximum total weight – 70 kg
– sent to Miami from Ukraine and from any country you are located in, by any convenient method for you
– the cargo is customs cleared entirely
– delivery to the USA.
- Consolidation Optimum
– estimated value – up to $800
– maximum weight – 68 kg, and maximum length – 120 cm
– sent to Miami by direct flight via UPS
– each parcel in the cargo is customs cleared separately, which avoids delays of the entire cargo during customs inspection of one parcel
– delivery only within the USA or to our Fulfillment warehouse.
Please note: all types of consolidation initially go to the Western Bid warehouse in Miami, and then to your buyers, and you also have the option to choose the carrier company for the final delivery.
Tracking of international parcels
Let’s examine how the tracking of international shipments of this type works. By creating a parcel with Plus or Optimum Consolidation, you immediately receive a last-mile tracking number, which indicates the international parcel will be delivered directly to the customer.
For all types of delivery, you’ll see it in your account with the label “Miami Label Number”. The number is clickable, and by clicking on it, you’ll see a tracking page on the courier’s website that handles the final delivery.
Additionally, in your personal account, you’ll see delivery status updates of the parcel at both stages.
This specific tracking number is the one you need to provide to the buyer and add to the order on the platform. If you have enabled the automatic tracking number addition option on Etsy, the system will automatically add this exact tracking number to the respective order.
Since the delivery has two stages, the final tracking number of your parcel for the buyer will only start being tracked after the consolidated parcel arrives in Miami.
To track the first stage (Ukraine → Miami) for any consolidated parcel, an additional tracking number for the entire consolidation will be displayed in your account. However, we DO NOT recommend adding this to marketplaces to avoid potential issues with adding the same tracking number multiple times across different orders or even in different stores.
To track the full route from the parcel’s acceptance in Kyiv to the buyer’s receipt, we have a convenient dedicated website https://track.westparcel.com/, which you can freely use and provide to your customers. Tracking an international Western Bid shipment using this service is just as easy as tracking a Nova Poshta shipment.
If you are using the economical Consolidation delivery option, we recommend informing the customer about this through an email with additional information that the tracking status will update after the parcel arrives in the USA.
Delivery Checklist for Consolidation Shipment
- Create the shipment in your Western Bid personal account and choose the delivery type Consolidation Plus or Consolidation Optimum.
- Print the label and hand over the parcel to the pickup point or courier according to the service instructions.
- Wait for the formation of the consolidated shipment and its dispatch to the Western Bid warehouse in Miami.
- Monitor the updates of both tracking numbers in your account: the general consolidation and the “Miami Label Number”.
- Provide the buyer with the last mile tracking number (the label from Miami) and a link to the tracking page.
- If necessary, send the buyer a template letter explaining the two-stage delivery and a link to the full tracking information.
Frequently Asked Questions About Consolidated Shipping
How do Consolidation Plus and Consolidation Optimal differ?
How do Consolidation Plus and Consolidation Optimal differ?
Both options work on the consolidation scheme “Ukraine → Miami → buyer,” but they differ in cost and estimated delivery times.
Consolidation Plus is usually chosen when the main priority is the lowest cost, and Consolidation Ultimate when a balance between speed and price is needed.
What are the approximate delivery times for consolidation parcels?
What are the approximate delivery times for consolidation parcels?
Exact timings depend on the season, the selected last-mile service, and the buyer’s country.
Current average timings for each type of consolidation are specified in the forwarding calculator in your account and on Western Bid’s website.
Which tracking number should I give to the buyer?
Which tracking number should I give to the buyer?
The buyer needs to be provided with the last mile tracking number, which is labeled as “Miami Label Number” in the dashboard.
This specific track monitors the movement of the parcel from Miami to the buyer and must be added to the order on the marketplace (for example, Etsy).
Why does the track show Pre-Transit status for a long time?
Why does the track show Pre-Transit status for a long time?
This is a normal situation for consolidation shipping, as the tracking number for the last mile begins active tracking after the parcel arrives in the USA and is accepted by the delivery service.
During the flight and processing in Miami, it is advisable to explain the two-step scheme to the buyer and, if necessary, send the full tracking link from the website track.westparcel.com.
How to better explain consolidated delivery to customers?
How to better explain consolidated delivery to customers?
We recommend using pre-prepared email templates: after sending the parcel and in response to questions about the Pre-Transit status.
This way, the buyer understands how the order is progressing, feels more confident, and is less likely to open disputes or leave negative reviews.
“Clear and transparent communication with the customer regarding two-stage delivery significantly reduces the number of questions, disputes, and negative reviews”.
Practical experience of Western Bid clients
Do you want to set up consolidator shipping for your business?
Leave a request to receive a consultation on choosing the optimal consolidation type, timelines, costs, and communication scenarios with buyers.
- Fill out the short registration form.
- Describe which markets you work with and the volume of shipments.
- Receive personalized recommendations and a step-by-step shipping setup plan.
