uShip, a shipping and moving marketplace, announced a new tool, the uShip Shipping Price Estimator, which allows users to estimate the cost of shipping based on actual prices paid in the uShip marketplace.

uShip CEO Matt Chasen said, "The most common question our users ask us is, "How much will it cost to ship my item." Consumers are really in the dark about how much it costs to ship anything larger than a small package."

The Shipping Price Estimator uses proprietary data based on real user transactions taking place on the uShip marketplace. The tool aggregates data on actual prices paid for tens of thousands of shipments, across multiple categories, and from over 38,000 transportation companies.

In its "beta" launch, the uShip Shipping Price Estimator is publicly available on the uShip website. Future plans involve more detailed user input resulting in more specific "comps" and price trends over time. Other plans include an API (application program interface) that will allow other online auction and classified sites to show their buyers relevant shipping information at a critical point in the purchase process. This tool gives buyers visibility into the average savings of 60% received by members as a result of uShip's competitive bidding process, resulting in more successful ecommerce transactions, the company said.

http://www.uship.com/estimator.aspx