Zone Skipping
Definition
Shipping a large batch of packages by truck to a carrier hub near your customers and injecting them there, so each package travels fewer shipping zones and costs less.
Want a deeper explanation?
Zone skipping can lower shipping cost and speed delivery once you have enough volume in a region. Some 3PLs and carriers offer it as a service.
It adds truck freight and planning, so the savings need to cover those costs. Watch for: savings measured only on postage, without counting the linehaul truck cost.
Example
A New Jersey brand trucks 3,000 West Coast orders to a Los Angeles hub, cutting average shipping cost per order from $11.20 to $8.40.