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A product guide to IB’s structured consolidation model for non-continental small parcel shipping.
Shipping small parcels to Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico is expensive when each package enters the air network on its own. Every individual parcel carries its own dimensional pricing, its own zone classification, and its own handling cost. Multiply that across dozens or hundreds of orders and the result is unpredictable landed cost that’s difficult to budget around.
Box of Savings solves this by consolidating multiple small parcels into a single shipment before they enter the air network. Instead of sending 15 packages individually, you send one box. That one box moves through IB’s Non-Con network with a single air injection point, compressed zone exposure, and predictable 3–5 day delivery to all three markets.
This guide explains how Box of Savings works, step by step, and why consolidation changes the economics of non-continental shipping. For a broader overview of how shipping to these markets operates, see the definitive guide to shipping to Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Alaska.
What is Box of Savings?
Box of Savings is a consolidation model within IB’s Non-Con service. It allows shippers—especially smaller-volume operations—to bundle multiple non-continental parcels into a single outbound box. That box ships via a first-mile carrier (UPS) to an IB warehouse, where the individual packages are separated and routed to their final destinations through IB’s established air network.
The concept is straightforward: instead of each parcel absorbing its own air entry cost, the consolidated box shares that cost across every package inside it. The result is lower per-parcel shipping expense and more predictable total landed cost.
Why consolidation matters for non-continental shipping
Unlike mainland ground networks, shipping to Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico depends almost entirely on air transportation. When small parcels enter air lanes individually, each one is subject to its own dimensional pricing calculation, zone classification, and handling fees. That fragmentation makes cost unpredictable—especially for e-commerce operations shipping moderate volumes across multiple destinations.
Consolidation addresses this by reducing the number of air injection points. One box entering the network means one set of dimensional calculations, one zone classification, and one handling event—regardless of how many parcels are inside. This is why Box of Savings delivers cost stability, not just cost savings.
For more on why non-continental lanes behave differently from mainland shipping, see our definitive non-continental guide.
How Box of Savings works: step by step
The entire process runs through your IB Blue account. Here’s what it looks like in practice.
Step 1: Print your Non-Con shipping labels
Start by creating at least five Non-Con shipping labels through the IB platform. Each parcel destined for Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, or APO/FPO addresses gets its own label with full tracking. The minimum of five packages ensures there’s enough volume to make consolidation economically effective.
Step 2: Consolidate in your Blue account
Log into your Blue account and click the “Consolidate & Save” button under Box of Savings. The interface displays all your active Non-Con labels. You can filter by date, tracking number, destination state, service type, or sort code to find the right shipments. Add labels individually with the “+” icon, use “Add All” for filtered results, or scan labels directly into the system.
Step 3: Pack your parcels into one box
Place all labelled parcels into a single consolidated box. Each parcel keeps its individual shipping label—tracking visibility stays intact for every package throughout the process. The consolidated box is the vehicle; the individual labels are the routing instructions.
Step 4: Create and print your first-mile label
Back in your Blue account, enter the box weight (or let a connected scale auto-populate it), confirm your return address, select the nearest IB warehouse (LAX or CVG), and enter the box dimensions. You can also save dimension presets for boxes you use regularly. Click “Create” to generate your UPS first-mile label, then print and apply it to the consolidated box.
Note: Consolidated boxes under 20 lbs may be subject to additional handling fees. Planning shipments around the 20 lb threshold helps maximize cost efficiency.
Step 5: Ship to IB
Hand off the consolidated box to UPS. It ships to the IB warehouse you selected. Once received, IB opens the box, separates the individual parcels, and routes each one through the NonCon delivery network to its final destination.
Step 6: IB delivers
Each parcel moves through IB’s established air network with coordinated lift, structured routing, and local last-mile delivery. The typical delivery window is 3–5 days to Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico. That performance comes from network architecture, not expedited pricing.
What Box of Savings delivers
- Lower per-parcel cost. Consolidation spreads air entry cost across every parcel in the box. The more packages you consolidate, the lower the per-unit shipping expense.
- Predictable landed cost. When parcels enter the network as a managed group rather than individually, zone exposure compresses and dimensional variability drops. The result is cost you can forecast, not cost you react to.
- Full tracking visibility. Every parcel retains its own tracking number and label. Consolidation happens at the shipping level, not the customer experience level. Your buyers still see individual package tracking.
- Simplified operations. One outbound box to UPS replaces multiple individual shipments. The Blue platform handles label management, filtering, and consolidation in a single workflow.
- Consistent transit times. Box of Savings uses IB’s established Non-Con network—the same infrastructure that delivers 3–5 day performance across Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico at scale.
Who Box of Savings is built for
Box of Savings was designed for shippers who send enough volume to non-continental destinations to feel the cost pressure of individual parcel shipping, but who may not have the volume to negotiate enterprise-level carrier rates. That includes e-commerce retailers expanding into Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico; subscription businesses with recurring non-continental shipments; and operations teams looking to stabilize shipping cost without overhauling their fulfilment workflow.
If you’re shipping five or more packages at a time to these markets, Box of Savings gives you access to the same network economics that high-volume shippers use—through consolidation rather than scale.
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Frequently asked questions
Which IB warehouse should I ship to?
Select the IB facility nearest to your origin location. Current options are LAX and CVG. The Blue platform lets you choose during label creation.
Do my customers lose tracking visibility?
No. Each parcel retains its own individual NonCon shipping label and tracking number. Consolidation is an upstream logistics step—it doesn’t change anything about the customer-facing delivery experience.
Can I consolidate packages going to different destinations?
Yes. A single consolidated box can include parcels destined for Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and APO/FPO addresses. IB separates and routes each parcel at the warehouse.
What if I ship from a location far from LAX or CVG?
The first-mile leg ships via UPS, so origin location doesn’t limit access to Box of Savings. Your proximity to an IB warehouse affects first-mile transit time, but once the box reaches IB, performance through the NonCon network is the same. If you’re unsure about how origin location affects your lanes, talk to our team.
How long does delivery take?
Once the consolidated box reaches an IB warehouse, individual parcels typically deliver within 3–5 days to Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico. Total time from your facility also includes the first-mile UPS transit to the IB warehouse.
Do I need special software or integrations?
No. Box of Savings runs entirely through your existing IB Blue account. Label creation, consolidation, filtering, and first-mile label generation all happen in one interface.
Get started
If you’re shipping to Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico and want more predictable cost per order, Box of Savings is designed for exactly that. Talk to our team to evaluate how consolidation fits your lanes and volume.