Parcel shipping checklist
16 checks in the order a box moves: pack it, label it, hand it off, receive it. The limits are the ones the quote enforces, 150 lb and 108 inches on any side, up to 50 pieces, and the label is the carrier's, bought on Warp's account and printed by you, as you go.
Up to 50 pieces on one quote · no signup to see the price · one tracking page from label created to delivered
Live all-inclusive rates
Price a box
Two ZIPs, the weight, the dimensions.
Up to 50 pieces on one quote, no signup to see the price, a free account at checkout. Standard and Express, each with its date.
- 150 lb
- 108 in
- 50 pieces
Warp customers
The checklist
Four moments, in the order they happen. Each one opens with the drawing the sort belt is working from.
Pack the box
0 / 5The box decides the price and whether the thing inside survives the belt.
Label it
0 / 5The label is the whole instruction set. Everything the carrier knows about the box is printed on it.
Hand it off
0 / 3A pickup is a hand off, not a packing session.
Receive it
0 / 3A delivered scan on two boxes out of three is an exception, not a delivery.
What changes the price
A parcel price is the billable weight on a service to a ZIP. These are the lines that move it.
The quote prices the billable weight, dim weight included, so there is no dim weight surprise on the invoice. The parcel shipping calculator shows dated rates by weight band, and the parcel invoice audit checks a batch after the fact.
When it isn't a parcel
Two lines turn a box into freight: the size of the box and the number of boxes a day.
Over 150 lb, over 108 inches on a side, or more than 50 pieces on one order, the quote flips to freight. A pallet of cartons rides LTL for one all in price and has its own list, the LTL shipping checklist. LTL vs parcel walks the break point.
Hundreds of boxes a day is a program, not a quote. Parcel sortation consolidates them at a Warp cross dock and zone skipping carries them past the carrier zones before the last mile. Both start with a call.
Frequently asked questions
What is the largest box Warp ships as a parcel?
150 lb per box and 108 inches on any side, up to 50 pieces on one quote. Past any of those the quote flips the shipment to freight, where a pallet prices better and travels saner.
Who prints the parcel shipping label?
You do. Warp buys the USPS, UPS or FedEx label on its own account at checkout and hands you the PDF. One label per box, taped flat on the largest face with the barcode uncovered.
How much does a parcel pickup cost with Warp?
$25 for 10 boxes or fewer, and free at 11 or more. It is off by default on the quote; without it, labelled boxes go anywhere the carrier accepts drop offs.
Why does my box cost more than it weighs?
Dimensional weight. Carriers bill the larger of the scale weight and length times width times height divided by 139, or 166 on USPS services, so a light box in a big carton pays for the air inside it.
The quote prices the billable weight up front.
Can I print the parcel shipping checklist?
Yes. The print button removes the site chrome and prints the checks with their boxes, and any browser can save that as a PDF. Progress saves in your browser per checklist.
About the Warp freight network
More about the Warp freight network
Warp is the open source freight network: the tech is free and the network is open. We run Warp LTL, our own carrier, Warp FTL, cargo van, box truck and fulfillment ourselves, with every major LTL carrier, parcel, ocean and air plugged in beside them. Our driver app rides on every truck and our warehouse app runs every cross-dock, so an open network of 38,000+ carriers behaves like one carrier you control. Warp is licensed by the FMCSA as a property broker and freight forwarder, and runs the network itself: instant rates, live tracking, 70+ cross-dock facilities, 14,000+ cargo vans and box trucks, 80%+ US LTL zip-to-zip coverage and nationwide FTL, box truck and cargo van.
The network is supported by 24,000+ vetted FTL carriers.
Unlike traditional brokers, Warp uses AI to match the right vehicle to every load based on weight, dimensions, urgency, and cost targets. Cross-dock operations reduce transit time by eliminating unnecessary terminal transfers.
Pool distribution and zone-skipping programs help enterprise shippers lower per-unit delivery costs while maintaining tight appointment windows.
Self-serve shippers can quote, compare, and book freight online in under two minutes. Enterprise accounts get dedicated capacity planning, committed rate programs, and a named operations team. Every shipment includes scan-level visibility from pickup through final delivery.
Warp operates across the contiguous United States with regional density in the Southeast, Texas, Midwest, and Northeast corridors, and West Coast and Southwest coverage from Los Angeles, Seattle and Phoenix.
Warp operates 70+ cross-dock facilities across the US, with named markets including Chicago, Atlanta, Houston, New York, Savannah, Orlando, Charlotte, Indianapolis, Columbus, Denver, New Orleans, Milwaukee, Dallas-Fort Worth, Nashville, Phoenix, Tampa Bay, Seattle, Los Angeles. They support faster transfers and fewer touches on recurring lanes.
Freight modes and vehicle types
| Mode | Max payload | Max cube | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cargo van | 3,500 lbs | 400 cu ft | Time-sensitive, last-mile, light pallets |
| Box truck | 10,000 lbs | 1,500 cu ft | Regional distribution, no dock required |
| LTL | Per-pallet | Shared trailer | Lower per-pallet cost via cross-dock routing |
| Dry van / FTL | 42,000+ lbs | Full 53-ft trailer | High-volume lanes, recurring programs |
Cargo vans handle loads up to 3,500 pounds and 400 cubic feet, ideal for time-sensitive deliveries, last-mile retail replenishment, and lightweight palletized freight.
Box trucks carry up to 10,000 pounds and 1,500 cubic feet, fitting most regional distribution and store delivery needs without requiring a loading dock.
Dry vans and full truckloads move 42,000+ pounds for high-volume lanes and recurring programs. LTL shipments share trailer space on optimized routes through Warp cross-docks, reducing per-pallet cost by consolidating multiple shippers on the same vehicle.
Warp does not default every shipment to a 53-foot trailer. The AI engine evaluates load weight, cube, delivery window, and cost to recommend the right vehicle. Shippers see all available mode options with live pricing in one comparison screen before booking.
Cross-dock operations
Cross-docking at Warp facilities keeps freight moving instead of storing it: inbound freight is sorted and transferred directly to outbound vehicles, typically within hours. When inventory does need to sit, Warp's fulfillment centers in Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago and New Jersey hold it inside the same network, with same day delivery within 30 miles of each.
This reduces dwell time, lowers damage risk, and compresses delivery windows. Warp cross-docks support pallet-in, pallet-out operations with scan-level tracking at every handoff point.
- Atlanta — Southeast retail flow
- Chicago — Midwest manufacturing and replenishment
- Houston — Texas industrial distribution
- New York — dense Northeast delivery
Facility locations are selected for corridor density: Atlanta handles Southeast retail flow, Chicago serves Midwest manufacturing and replenishment, Houston covers Texas industrial distribution, and New York supports dense Northeast delivery. Each facility operates on appointment-based scheduling to prevent congestion and maintain throughput consistency.
Enterprise freight programs
Enterprise shippers get committed rate programs, dedicated account management, and custom SLA design. Warp builds lane-by-lane rate structures that account for volume commitments, seasonal variation, and mode flexibility. Operations teams monitor shipment execution daily and intervene proactively when exceptions occur.
Self-serve freight quoting
Shippers enter origin and destination, load details, and delivery requirements to see live rates across all available modes. Quotes include estimated transit time, vehicle type, and total cost.
Booking takes one click. After booking, shippers track every shipment with real-time GPS location, milestone updates, and proof of delivery documentation.
Industries and use cases
Retail shippers use Warp for store replenishment programs that deliver to hundreds of locations per week on tight appointment windows. Apparel brands use zone skipping to bypass regional parcel sortation and reduce per-unit delivery cost.
Food and beverage companies rely on time-definite delivery for perishable goods. Manufacturing operations use Warp for inbound vendor consolidation, combining multiple supplier shipments into fewer, fuller loads through cross-dock facilities.
Distribution companies use pool distribution to serve multiple delivery points from a single origin, splitting full truckloads at cross-docks into smaller last-mile vehicles.
Urgent freight recovery covers emergency capacity needs when primary carriers fail or demand spikes unexpectedly. Middle-mile optimization reduces cost and transit time on the longest segment of multi-leg shipments.
Pack the box, then price it.
Two ZIPs, the weight and the dimensions of the packed box. The price is the billable weight on the day you need it to land.
Up to 50 pieces on one quote · no signup to see the price · one tracking page from label created to delivered
Performance figures are computed from Warp network data. See our methodology.
