Shipping costs often contain more than just base rates—they’re packed with surcharges, errors, and hidden fees that can quietly drain your budget. Whether you’re a small business shipping a few packages a day or a growing e-commerce brand handling bulk orders, auditing your shipping invoices is one of the most effective ways to control expenses.
Here’s how to spot the extra charges, file refunds, and maximize savings without changing your delivery workflow.
- Break Down Every Charge on the Invoice
Carrier invoices from FedEx and the like often include more than the advertised shipping rate. Look out for:
- Residential delivery surcharges
- Address correction fees
- Fuel surcharges
- DIM weight adjustments
- Signature requirement fees
- Delivery area surcharges
Each of these can add several dollars per shipment—and many are avoidable.
- Use Automated Audit Tools
Manually reviewing invoices line by line is time-consuming. Platforms like Refund Retriever, Share A Refund, and 71lbs automatically scan your shipping invoices for errors and late deliveries. These services often charge a percentage of what they recover, making them low-risk and high-reward.
- Check for Delivery Guarantees and Late Arrivals
Both FedEx and UPS offer money-back guarantees on many services—if a package is delivered late, you may be entitled to a full refund. However, claims must be filed within a short window (usually 15 days), and only for eligible services. Using audit tools or tracking dashboards can help you spot delays in time to claim refunds.
- Address Correction Charges Add Up Fast
Entering a mistyped zip code or leaving off an apartment number can result in $10–$20 address correction fees. Use tools like Loqate to validate addresses at checkout or in your shipping platform before labels are printed.
- Understand Dimensional Weight Pricing
Shipping a large but lightweight item? You’re probably paying DIM weight fees. Use guides to audit these charges and make sure you’re not overpaying.
- Download and Review Monthly Carrier Reports
All major carriers offer online dashboards with itemized billing reports. These tools let you filter by service level, surcharge type, or shipping zone—perfect for identifying patterns and excess spending.
- Earn cashback with a FedEx virtual card or get rewards with a UPS virtual card by purchasing through Fluz
After identifying recurring shipping costs, go one step further and monetize them. With Fluz, you can earn cashback with a FedEx virtual card, get rewards with a UPS virtual card, or earn cashback with a DHL virtual card. Simply buy the virtual card in the exact amount you need at payment time and apply it toward your shipping charges—no need to change your workflow or platform.
- Schedule a Monthly Review Process
Whether it’s your operations manager or accountant, assign someone to review shipping costs every month. You can create a checklist that includes:
- Reviewing carrier reports
- Spotting repeated surcharges
- Checking for refund opportunities
- Verifying DIM weight charges
- Using Fluz to purchase gift cards for cashback
Routine audits protect your margins and offer actionable insights to improve fulfillment strategy.
Shipping audits aren’t just about catching errors—they’re a proactive strategy to make your shipping smarter and more profitable. By identifying recurring fees, automating refunds, and using cashback platforms like Fluz, your business can recover real dollars every single month.
