Retail Shipping Associates

What Retail Shipping Associates does

Retail Shipping Associates (RSA), incorporated as Retail Shipping Partners, Inc. and headquartered at 1201 Richardson Drive, Suite 200, Richardson, Texas, is a privately-held trade association founded in 2007 that serves 8,000+ independent retail shipping store owners across the United States. The organization aggregates collective buying power to negotiate carrier and vendor discounts that individual operators cannot obtain independently, with direct authorized-shipper programs across all four major U.S. carriers — DHL ServicePoint, FedEx Authorized ShipCenters, UPS Authorized Shipping Outlets, and USPS Approved Shipper. RSA also operates a separate franchised retail sub-brand, PackageHub Business Centers (PBC, LLC), covering 1,000+ nationally branded stores launched in 2019.

The core platform is a web-based member stack built around rscentral.org, including a member portal, RS Store Websites (a customizable SEO-optimized website builder with three-business-day go-live), RS Freight & Cargo (online freight quoting across 40+ carriers with discounts up to 80%), RS Package Insurance (per-shipment cargo coverage underwritten by Marsh), RS Postal Rates (USPS discounts via Endicia/PostalMate/Dymo integration), RS Academy training and certification, RS Direct Mail & Print, RS Notary Network, RS Classifieds, and a community layer comprising RS Discussion (7,000+ peers), RS Answers, RS News Magazine, and RS Blog. The annual Retail Shippers Expo is the industry's largest independent trade show.

Revenue is generated primarily through recurring membership subscriptions: Premium Membership at $30/month or $330/year (the primary monetization tier) and PBC franchise membership at $100/month, supplemented by transaction-based revenue from freight booking, per-shipment insurance fees, annual website hosting plans, and training/professional services. Marketing is community-led through the website, content publication, webinars, the RS Expo, and peer referrals. The company is led by President Brandon Gale, with a small staff (11–50 employees) possessing over 50 years combined industry experience, and operates with no disclosed external funding.

Name

Retail Shipping Associates

Legal name

Retail Shipping Partners, Inc.

Website

https://rscentral.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Retail Shipping Associates is a privately-held trade association serving 8,000+ independent U.S. retail shipping store owners, negotiating collective discounts with DHL, FedEx, UPS, and USPS and providing website, freight, insurance, training, and community services through a $30/month Premium membership model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Richardson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Premium Membership Fees: RSA generates primary revenue through Premium Membership subscriptions at $30/month or $330/year. Premium Members receive exclusive discounts, deepest pricing from vendors, and first access to new programs.
2. PBC Membership Fees: PackageHub Business Centers franchise membership at $100/month, separate from RSA membership. Provides access to the branded PBC network.
3. RS Store Websites: Website hosting and setup services for member stores. Annual discount of 16-17% for prepaid plans.
4. RS Freight Services: Freight quoting and booking services with carrier partnerships. Members access discounted freight rates.
5. RS Package Insurance: Insurance program offering cargo coverage for member stores and their customers. No monthly minimums; fees apply per shipment insured.
6. Training & Education: RS Academy provides certification training, webinars, and educational materials. Live seminars and online courses available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Retail Shipping Associates is a trade association that supports independent retail shipping store owners through collective buying power, aggregating 7,000+ members to negotiate discounts and authorized shipper programs with major carriers (DHL, FedEx, UPS, USPS). Core offerings include the RS Store Websites builder, RS Freight & Cargo with up to 80% off standard rates, RS Package Insurance, RS Postal Rates USPS discounts, RS Academy certification training, and the PackageHub Business Centers franchise network.

Product overview

Retail Shipping Associates (RSA) is a trade association for the retail shipping industry offering a platform of programs and services to its 7,000+ member stores. The core offering centers on authorized shipping partnerships with major carriers (DHL, FedEx, UPS, USPS) that enable members to offer comprehensive shipping services. Key products include RS Store Websites (customizable websites with SEO optimization), RS Freight & Cargo (freight shipping with up to 80% discounts), RS Package Insurance (full-coverage cargo insurance), RS Postal Rates (USPS discounts through Endicia integration), RS Academy Training (certification programs), and RS Direct Mail & Print (marketing postcards). The association also provides operational support through RS Store Signs, RS Store Locator, RS Classifieds, and supplier directory programs. PackageHub Business Centers represents their national store network sub-brand with over 1,000 stores. Community features include RS Discussion forums, RS Answers peer support, RS News Magazine, RS Blog, and the annual Retail Shippers Expo. Premium membership ($30/month or $330/year) provides access to the deepest discounts and exclusive programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PackageHub Business Centers: National franchise network branding for retail shipping stores under RSA/PBC, LLC
• RS Academy
• RS Store Websites
• RS Freight & Cargo
• RS Package Insurance
• RS Direct Mail & Print
• RS Postal Rates

Products and services

• Premium Membership Recurring paid membership at $30/month or $330/year providing full access to all RSA benefits, exclusive vendor discounts, RS Premium Suppliers pricing, RS Postal Rates program access, and first access to new programs for retail shipping store owners.
• PackageHub Business Centers Franchise National franchise network at $100/month providing independent retail shipping stores with unified PackageHub brand identity, standardized signage and marketing materials, and collective buying power benefits across 1,000+ stores in the U.S.
• RS Store Websites Customizable, search-engine-optimized website builder for retail shipping stores, supporting phone, tablet, and desktop devices with go-live capability in three business days. Includes Google Analytics integration support.
• RS Freight & Cargo Online freight quoting and booking service offering discounts up to 80% off standard rates with access to over 40 carriers through technology integration with TFWW Logistics. Online quotes available in minutes.
• RS Package Insurance Full-coverage package and cargo insurance program protecting shipments against physical loss or damage with zero deductible. $30 for up to $7,000 in declared value, with no monthly minimums and fees applied per shipment insured.
• RS Postal Rates USPS discount program available exclusively to RSA Premium Members, offering significantly discounted postal rates through Endicia Professional Account integration with Priority Mail, Priority Mail Cubic, Priority Mail International, and First Class Package.
• RS Academy Training and Online Certification Industry-specific professional skills certification training program for retail shipping store operators and employees, including manuals, live seminars, online courses, and one-on-one instruction across in-person and online delivery formats.
• RS Direct Mail & Print Professionally designed postcard marketing and direct mail print services for member stores to promote their retail shipping businesses to local customers.
• DHL ServicePoint Partner Program Authorized shipper program allowing RSA member stores to become official DHL ServicePoint Partners offering domestic and international DHL Express shipping services to retail customers with negotiated rates.
• FedEx Authorized ShipCenter Program Authorized shipper program enabling RSA member stores to operate as official FedEx Authorized ShipCenters providing FedEx domestic and international shipping services with negotiated member pricing.
• UPS Authorized Shipping Outlet Program Authorized shipper program providing RSA member stores with the ability to become UPS Authorized Shipping Outlets offering UPS shipping services as official UPS retail locations with negotiated member pricing.
• USPS Approved Shipper Program Authorized shipper program allowing RSA member stores to sell USPS products and services at Post Office prices or with authorized surcharges as approved USPS shipper locations.
• RS Classifieds Online classifieds marketplace for RSA members to buy, sell, and trade equipment, supplies, and services with other retail shipping store owners.
• RS Store Locator Free store directory listing service driving customer traffic to RSA member stores through online search and discovery on rscentral.org.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% off standard freight rates through RS Freight program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• DHL ExpresscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDHL ServicePoint Partner program allows RSA members to become authorized DHL shipping locations offering domestic and international DHL Express services to retail customers.
• FedExcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFedEx Authorized ShipCenter program enables RSA members to operate as official FedEx drop-off and shipping locations providing FedEx domestic and international shipping services.
• UPScoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUPS Authorized Shipping Outlet program provides RSA members with ability to offer UPS shipping services as official UPS retail locations.
• USPScoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUSPS Approved Shipper Program allows RSA members to sell USPS products and services at Post Office prices or with authorized surcharges.
• Office DepotsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerOffice Depot Discount Program provides RSA members with discounted pricing on office supplies and business products.
• Mutual of OmahasupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerRSA offers Mutual of Omaha insurance products to member stores as part of member benefits program.
• TFWW LogisticscoreTechnology or IntegrationTFWW Logistics provides freight quoting, booking, and claims handling services for RS Freight program. Offers discounts up to 80% off standard rates through 40+ carriers.
• EndiciacoreTechnology or IntegrationEndicia provides USPS postage printing and RS Postal Rates integration for member shipping operations. Required for discounted USPS rate access.
• MarshsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerMarsh provides insurance underwriting services for RS Package Insurance program covering cargo and shipments.
• FotoZoomersupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerFotoZoomer provides professional quality store signs and banners for RSA member branding needs through RS Store Signs program.
• RS Premium SupplierssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerRSA Premium Suppliers are key vendors who have negotiated deep discounts and provide guaranteed best pricing exclusively for RS Premium Members.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Goin' Postal: Goin' Postal is a US franchise network of independent retail shipping centers offering parcel, packing, and business services — a direct franchise competitor to PackageHub and RSA-supported stores.
• Annex Brands (PostalAnnex+): Annex Brands franchises PostalAnnex+ and Handle With Care packing and shipping centers across the US, directly competing with PackageHub and RSA member stores for retail shipping and business services customers.
• The UPS Store: The UPS Store is the largest US retail shipping franchise network (~5,000 locations) and directly competes with RSA's member stores and PackageHub Business Centers for consumer walk-in shipping, packing, and mailbox business.
• PostNet: PostNet is an international franchise network specializing in printing, shipping, and business services with hundreds of US locations directly competing for the same retail shipping customer as RSA members.
• Pak Mail Centers of America: Pak Mail is a competing retail shipping franchise offering packing, shipping, and business services through independently owned centers, overlapping the same SMB owner-operator customer that RSA serves.
• Postal Connections: Postal Connections is a retail shipping and business services franchise with locations across the US serving the same SMB shipper and walk-in consumer base as RSA members.

Others

• International Franchise Association: IFA is the principal US trade association for franchisors and franchisees; relevant because RSA's PackageHub Business Centers operates a franchise model and IFA serves a comparable membership-organization function for franchised systems.
• ShipStation: ShipStation is a leading SaaS shipping platform used by SMB and enterprise shippers to access discounted carrier rates online — adjacent to RSA's freight and postal rate aggregation services but serves a different (online merchant) customer.
• Pirate Ship: Pirate Ship is a low-cost USPS shipping aggregator offering discounted postage to small shippers — competes indirectly with RSA's RS Postal Rates value proposition by commoditizing access to discounted shipping rates.

Broad incumbents

• National Retail Federation: NRF is the largest US retail industry trade association providing advocacy, education, and member services — comparable in trade-association model to RSA but at vastly larger scale and broader retail scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Retail.Shipping.Associates
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/retail-shipping-associates

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Retail Shipping Associates