Our local facility was hideous to deal with. They never, under any circumstances, made good on claims. One of the things they did was begin to harrass employees when they got within five years of retirement. Our regular driver who was not the cause of our problems was one of these, and told us yes, it was true and was happening to him. One of the tihings expected of him was to work faster than was safe.
The problems were so regular and so devastating to our business that we closed up shop and moved across country. Our neighhbors warned us about the UPS truck zipping down our hill working faster than is safe? That problem wqs solved in a unique way. About ording postage online. I recommend you run some boxes in, have them weighed at the Po and then go home and calculate postage and see which is higher.
Though on paper most of the time it looks like UPS or Fedex will have the advantage, the farther the package has to travel sort of exposes the problems with those carriers. USPS Priority would be ranked lower in terms of a 5 day window, on paper.
But, at longest, in the history of my ebay business, though might just be with my area USPS priority has taken 3 or less days. In fact, I tend to value predictability more. Fedex and UPS tend to be on time. If they say 5 days, it will arrive in 5 days. Most of the packages that are supposed to be delivered with FedEx end up getting sent with USPS to me, and the ones that FedEx does deliver is simply dropped on my doorstep without so much as a knock, door bell ring, or a slip.
The mailman in my neighborhood has a good idea of who lives where, so I never have to worry about my packages getting delivered to the wrong address. Arguably, my data is not enough either. The best part about FedEx is that they can track down exactly where your package is at all times. We usually just eat the cost and ship the customer another order. I sell books and records vinyl prominently, from Nashville, Tn. As I buy what I sell via shipping services as well, I see them coming and going.
UPS is way ahead on delivering damaged packages. Believe me, I spent 3 weeks at the Fedx plant in Memphis filming the movie Castaway. My biggest problem by far is incoming shipping costs.
I end up purchasing a great deal of inventory through Goodwill. They are scattered throughout the country, and each store chooses its own option of shippers. In the goodwill. The Spokane Wa. When I ask local vendors and regular people for opinions of the USPS, they are usually quite satisfied.
Shipping has become a highly politicized subject in the last few years because of the same old same old. Those ads are not under my control and I have no bias towards any of the carriers. I agree that 4 lbs is the breakpoint for USPS.
However, I am found that your analysis of shipping costs matches ours when shipping from coast to coast. However, it is not so simple when shipping to a closer site. Usually to ship to a state within miles is much cheaper with USPS. And to make matters more complicated, shipping by FedEx or UPS to a commercial address costs less than to a residential address.
There is just no one size fits all when it comes to shipping if the package is over 13 ounces. We offer flat rate shipping so that it leaves the final decision to us. Best rates available but except for. Worth looking at. You can use the 7x7x6. Hey wow thank you for your original write up it was very helpful and informative!!!
Plus their boxes for mailing have gotten smaller. Sadly, they used to offer that priority industrial strength tape but now they no longer do…. But what do you recommend for larger very light items? I have an item I will need to ship in a few days…. Second is which shipping method is best for a 4 lb larger item…. I just did a comparison on shipping three boxes. These are Home Depot boxes, one small, two medium.
The weights were 9, 12, and 15 pounds. Post Office must be pretty low cost half the stuff I get from UPS and FedEx comes in the mail if they can charge me and afford to send it through the mail and still prophet that must say something. Good luck with your crusade tho! What is this, corporate deathwish? You are right in noticing that USPS is doing everything it can to self-destruct. They charge you for expedited delivery unless you ask for First Class.
Great article…I think you are pretty much spot on. I am a shipper using all 3 and I was contacted by this guy Bart at discountshipcosts. He got to me through a Chamber of Commerce list. My average package is between 3 and 8 lbs. Seriously, you everyone should check it out. It costs nothing. By the way? My opinion of USPS is that within a few years they will be gone, at least on the package end.
Jill—I was truly excited when I went to their website. Anxious, I called the toll number. I said, oh sorry, I was trying to reach discountshipcosts and hung up. Very unprofessional of them. Too good to be true. I do find it a pain to go the UPS depot. Great comparison Steve! This is exactly what I was looking for. I find it humorous that the first few responses question how up-to-date this article is, and then they are reassured that it is timely, i.
What year would that be? Could someone actually put a date somewhere? Beyond that, however, I would like to thank everyone for contributing this important information and sharing it with others.
Hey Andrea, I update this post whenever there are any major changes to the shipping rates. That being said, things have been relatively stable in terms of comparisons for quite a while now. Do a little more research…. Thanks for this very useful article. One way to show the date near your name above the article is to add the following in your filename. Just place the time function within the PHP brackets:. Note that in the above article, I mention that flat rate boxes are the exception to the rule depending on how much junk you can fit in it.
For a 7 lb package, FedEx should be cheaper. FedEx has been our carrier of choice for heavier packages and in general, they are on par with UPS but obviously not in this case. So go FedEx!
But keep in mind, if you run a store or any business that ships packages, you can usually negotiate better rates. Its nice article since this article contains a lot of useful information. My wife quit her job is funny domain and this is a nice way of cheapest shipping. Here is another one company which provide cheap shipping too i. The program will remain in effect for currently enrolled customers until further notice. Hey Glen, The specific discount program mentioned in the post ended, but FedEx always offers a savings program if you use their electronic services.
Look it up. FedEx Savings Program. Your information is so wrong. You really have no idea what you are talking about. It is pretty sad that people read this trash.
If businesses want to know rates and what carrier to ship with they need to contact a Shipping Solutions Specialist for each carrier. If you did your research you would be more careful with your choice of words.
This article provides your reader with terrible information, incorrect information. I know you are trying to help others, but do your research. As it stands the out of the box pricing numbers are correct. In my experience, UPS tends to be more willing to negotiate than FedEx but that of course depends on how desperate they are to have your business and your shipping volumes.
Second of all, all of this data is from my own experience and from data of many shop owners that I keep in contact with. USPS is far less reliable and the other carriers. I have two cases where it shows up as delivered. They called me back 2 days later and said how coincidentally it was out for delivery that very day. Another one says it was delivered at 8. Probably not…. So how on earth could you accurately calculate statistics with data that is 1 incomplete and 2 manipulated into inaccuracies to benefit the carrier?
UPS has lost a few packages that were supposed to be delivered to me. USPS on the other hand has jacked with the data regarding 2 of my 50 or so shipments via 1st class. I have had your exact same experience.
What is especially frustrating is express mail since they offer a money back guarantee. But in reality, you get what you pay for. USPS is like half the price.
Priority mail is often only 2 days. Did I mention the free priority boxes? What the heck? The USPS is constantly complaining about how their prices have to keep going up because no one uses the service which is about to go defunct anyway and they wonder why?
USPS just put me out of the auction business! The most infuriating part of USPS is that their tracking is a complete fraud. I ship small oz pkgs via 1st class.
One was delivered on Feb 28th, but showed up undelivered. The buyer told me on the 5th she had received it on the 28th. Basically, if an item is lost they will: 1 not admit it.
I can live with that. Best rates for me by a long shot is from FedEx SmartPost. Fed Ex has partnered with the USPS — FedEx takes your package by truck and delivers it to the post office sorting center nearest your destination — skipping multiple USPS sorting centers zones that would process your package and increase your cost.
Shipping is also refunded in addition to the liability. You must also use your own boxes. The biggest savings are on shorter distances. This article is right on, my experience matches his to the letter, and this reflects having lived and shipped from 5 different metro areas over the past 20 years.
Employees of FedEx seem much happier and, in my opinion, it shows in their performance. Occasionally we are enticed by flat rate box pricing and, inevitably, get burned by a lost shipment. We then kick ourselves and go back to FedEx, hat in hand….
Shipping prices keep going up and up. I agree USPS used to be cheeper and even faster in some situations. However, USPS reliability seems to be questionable.
Not that the other carriers never have problems though. This article is pretty accurate overall. The big thing to remeber is he is reffering to rack retail rates. And these are off daily shipper rates not retail rates. Especially with FedEx and UPS, you can almost always negotiate as long as you can offer consistent business.
Hi Steve, this is Felix, my wife and I are barely starting with an online store. I have a very simple beginners question and it is, when a costumer pays online for the product an shipment, I would print the label and take the package to the post office?
Do you wait for the end of the day? I really appreciate any feedback since , as you can see, I have no experience in this department Have a great day and thank you. Maybe its time to rethink the current shipping model. I am the founder of DCshippers. This works great for people who need something shipped less than miles away. I myself use it. I often deliver parts to various locations on my way to work. I am able to deliver in around 30 minutes what would take the major carriers all day to process and deliver.
I also do it for around half what the big guys charge. I make money. They save time and money. Thanks joey. However if you need to send only a few parcels then a local courier would be better, and DHL better for international deliveries. DHL is quite expensive, but their accuracy rate is very high. I would recommend rate2ship.
Thanks, Marianne. Back to the cross country: I use Fed Ex exclusively. Never had one lost or misdirected, or not delivered when they said it would be delivered. My sister was moving from Sarasota ,Florida to Eugene, Oregon.
She found the cheapest way to ship was Greyhound…yes that is right I said, Greyhound! She had her son pick up her boxes at the bus station. You mean cubic inches Right? Vacuum pack the clothes using the vacuum seal-able bags sold at Bed Bath and Beyond. The airline will charge 25 for box 1 and 35 for box 2, unless you have some priority or credit card arrangement that can reduce it further.
Best way to go for at least 2 really large boxes provided you are flying to the destination, if two people are flying, have both check the boxes and get 4. So you get awesome prices. This is not up to date as you say! You misread the post. Like I mentioned many times already. I try to keep this post up to date as it gets a lot of traffic. Steve, That is a bit misleading. Sure you can print first class labels in PayPal, but that implies that you took the payment via PayPal.
This post does not assume anything about the payment processing. I ship 1st class on an almost weekly basis, from the USPS website, and yes, you can use their website to print the labels. Too funny. That is a different service. The shipper selects that option to get a lower rate.
This is nothing new and this is nothing unknown to most people. Our case is unique. Guess which we chose. The information is a little wrong. Okay, a LOT wrong. I ship all my merchandise from California, and Flat rate boxes have saved me a fortune when shipping to eastern states. A rep from UPS called a few days ago and we compared prices. That is absolutely ridiculous. Even the sales rep seemed absolutely shocked. So we tried a different address, one going to California.
The sales rep quickly ended our phone conversation after that embarrassing price analysis. I will be updating the post soon once I get a better picture. Was this an oversized package or something? Otherwise, we ship 5 lb packages every day using UPS. There must be a piece of information you are not telling me. I ship at both my jobs. UPS charges I have to ship using bubble wrap. UPS changes it to 1 inch all the way around and add pounds.
I work for one of the big two, but to be frank our rates are the same. If you quote apples to apples list rates will run you the same thing, surcharges are the same, pickup fees are the same.
They may be labeled indistinctly or combined but you can bet that they are the same. USPS, cannot compete in the game with a package over 9-lbs. This is my cutoff for a small business. Did you ever wonder how the post office can ship your package from California-New York cheap? Number one they are a several billion dollar deficit with your tax dollars every year. Secondly they have contracts with Fed Ex to send it on their planes. Odd huh? Not a single cent of tax dollars goes to the USPS.
Read up on the Postal Reorganization Act of As for the big two… FedEx daily Avg. Check you facts again. The Post Office gets not a dime from our Taxes. The cost of stamps fund the whole thing.
They also have to fund their retirement for 75 years. Otherwise they would be drowning in money. USPS is much! UPS was cheaper. Would UPS be cheaper.
Thanks for the post. Merry Christmas……. Just wondering g how much will it cost me to send a package from medford oregon to Omaha Nebraska. The package will weighs about 70 pounds, that is if you take the weight? What is the cheapest way to go? Thanks so much, you are a great help. I really like that you talked about how a package under a certain weight will always be less expensive to ship. My brother is starting an online company soon and wants to learn how to ship his products.
Fedex Ground and Fedex Express operate independently and have separate pricing. They always arrived when stated and never got lost. We have been waiting for a FedEx delivery for 4 days now. Every day they say it is on the truck for delivery, but later in the day there is some sort of reason for it to be delivered the next day.
Still waiting! I wouldn't use Fed X if they were offering to take my packages for free. Driver leaves packages at the end of the driveway or literally drops my food on the porch. Called Fed X, management recommended signature to resolve issues.
Received text package was delivered, waited the entire day sitting by my front window waiting, Fed X never went by my house. I have no ideal who they delivered my package to, never returned my call.
May 23, July 3, June 4, Hopefully it makes it easier for you to decide which service to use. The three big players are Let's go through each provider one by one. Also, the USPS often offers the cheapest international shipping.
The only problem with it is that parcels often take two days to arrive at remote locations. The United States Postal Service offers the following shipping options:. However, you can also opt to have the package delivered by the end of the day or between noon and 2 PM. Scheduled Day Definite Shipping: The delivery will occur by the end of the day on the date you choose.
Is FedEx Reliable? FedEx Flat Rate Pricing:. FedEx Reviews:. Share 0. Tweet 0. Pin 0. About the author. Leave a Reply Cancel reply. Post Comment. Thank you for the time you spent to provide off of this information. It was incredibly helpful. Nate, Do you have any info on international shipping?? My daughter goes to school in Ireland. Would UPS be cheaper Jean. Why Stallion? How It Works.
See Blog Categories. Blog Home. Ecommerce Tips. Marketplace Strategies. Customer Spotlights. Stallion News. Pramod Bhat. November 19, Some of the factors that affect the shipping fee are: Weight and Dimension of the Package When it comes to shipping goods, the size and the weight matters.
Distance The distance between the point of origin to the destination is another factor for shipping prices. Shipping Type There are three shipping methods for international shipping.
Picking Which Shipping Service is the Cheapest When choosing the most cost-effective shipping service, you need to keep an open mind. Which shipping carrier is cheaper? How can I get free shipping supplies? What are the cheap shipping services in Canada? Key Takeaways Determining which shipping service is the cheapest can be tiresome since you want to pick the best for your store.
Get started today! Ship faster, smarter, cheaper with Stallion. Get Started Today. Sign Up for Free! Hear what online sellers in Canada are saying "Stallion Express is a game changer for small business owners like myself.
My online store wouldn't be where it's at today without the Stallion Express team. Dorothy Wong. Delivery is always on time. Accessible location. Expert staff. There's nothing else I could ask for. Norma Joseph. With their quick actions and unparalleled customer service, they are the best shipping company.
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