posted on January 13, 2001 07:37:30 PM
I have just spent a little time reading all about U-Pic Insurance, which sounded so good on this board.
Perhaps I read it wrong, but it would seem that, since I am not a "volume" customer, I would be charged .50c per transaction. Based on this, I did an Insurance check for 1,000.00. USPS would be 11.00; U-Pic would be 10.00 plus .50c charge, or 10.50, for a saving of .50c. And I would not be able to get a return receipt at the Post Office, since I would not be purchasing their insurance. For over 2 years, I have shipped everyting with Return Receipt, to make sure client would sign for receipt of parcel. Never lost one.
Also, U-Pic states that to insure a client, I would have to enter that client's Phone Number...
As it stands now, I might be better off staying with USPS Insurance, where I am not required to be a volume shipper.
As I said, I may have mis-interpreted some information. Can someone set me right please?
posted on January 13, 2001 07:47:17 PM
I dunno, Shosh. I checked out U-Pic a while back, for the same reason (sounded good on these boards) and came away with the same impression (not worth the small savings). I'm sure that for someone who is set up to do everything online, including postage, it might be worthwhile. For me, I use the PO insurance receipt as my proof of shipping, which I wouldn't get with U-Pic. If I remember correctly, it sounded like there was some additional paperwork involved, and the whole thing ended up sounding like it was more trouble than it was worth.
posted on January 13, 2001 07:47:29 PM
I'm not a volume user of U-PIC, but I only pay .40 per $100 for USPS shipping, and .45 per $100 for USPS International shipping. What you see on the website doesn't really apply to small shippers.
El
"The customer may not always be right, but she is always the customer."
posted on January 13, 2001 07:53:14 PMShosh: the online program is ONLY for VERY SMALL shippers! Like 1 package per month!
Sign up for their stamp program. You buy around $80.00 worth of stamps the first time. Then you paste 0.40 worth of stamps per order on a sheet -- end of month, send the sheet to U-PIC. SIMPLE!
However, I dumped them for a more basic reason. Since there is no marking on the packages, some winners feel that you AREN'T insuring them & they feeled scammed! So, I just offer plain ole USPS ins now!
posted on January 13, 2001 07:57:57 PM
I'm not on the stamp program or the online program. I keep a log (in an excel spreadsheet) and I pay 40¢ for US insured packages and 45¢ for International insured packages per $100 value. At the end of the month I add up how many packages I insured and send them the check. No stamps, no customer info, etc. I've been using it for several months now and I really like it.
posted on January 13, 2001 07:58:07 PM
I also only pay $.40 per $100 insurance (domestic) or $.45 (international) and I am definitely not considered high volume! (i sell a lot, but i only insure a few of the higher priced items)
NOTE!!! I saw a post elsewhere from Candi (u-pic rep) that the rates are increasing effective March 1st. The increases are quite substantial, IMHO. I don't want to quote any rates incorrectly, so I hope Candi will post the same information here.
posted on January 13, 2001 08:01:42 PM
Hi Shoshanah,
What you're seeing on the U-PIC web site is the online program. That's designed for "one-off" insurance-- you insure one package and might never be seen again.
The web site is a little difficult to decipher in order to determine what service you qualify for.
You don't have to be a "volume" shipper to get the 40 cents rate. (Some months, my U-PIC premiums are only three or four dollars.) You simply have to sign up for one of their programs. It's really very simple and the U-PIC folks are very helpful when you call for information.
Under one of the programs, $1,000 worth of domestic insurance would be $4.00.
Also, if you're on one of the programs, you do NOT have to give U-PIC the buyer's phone number. In fact, you don't have to give them any information about the buyer at all, unless you're filng a claim.
I simply send in a list of packages once a month. The list includes the date of shipping, an identification number that I make up and assign, the value of the package & shipping and the number of insurance "units" used. I write a check for the month's total. That's it.
posted on January 13, 2001 08:06:49 PM
Awww heck - Here's what Candi had to say. I think it explains the on-line rates Shoshanah quoted above.
This is a cut and paste job, so it is exactly what she posted:
--------------------
The effective date of the new rate change will be March 1, 2001.
The new rates are for USPS shipments only. Our Fed-Ex/RPS, UPS and Airborne rates remain the same.
Following are the new rates:
For those with premiums less than $50 per month (Stamps/Pre-paid program):
USPS values up to $50 = .60 cents
USPS values $50 - $100 = $1.00
USPS values each $100 thereafter = .60 additional
International coverage = $1.00 per $100 (no cut at $50)
Examples:
For a USPS shipment valued at $45:
U-PIC cost = .60 cents versus PO cost of $1.10
For a USPS shipment valued at $75:
U-PIC cost = $1.00 versus PO cost of $2.00
For a USPS shipment valued at $125:
U-PIC cost = $2.00 versus the PO cost of $3.00
Standard Account:
For those with premiums from $50 - $500 (shipping 85 packages to 850 packages per month):
USPS values per $100 = .60 cents
USPS values each $100 thereafter = $.60 additional
International coverage = $1.00 per $100
Examples:
For a USPS shipment valued at $45:
U-PIC cost = .60 cents versus PO cost of $1.10
For a USPS shipment valued at $75:
U-PIC cost = $.60 cents versus PO cost of $2.00
For a USPS shipment valued at $125:
U-PIC cost = $1.60 versus the PO cost of $3.00
ONLINE RATE CHANGE
Our online rate change went into affect today. The new online rate is now $1.00 per $100 +.50 fee versus our old rate of .75 cents per $100 with a .50 fee.
For those with premiums from $500 per month and higher - we can negotiate a premium dependant on proven volume of 850 packages a month or more.
[ edited by borgt on Jan 13, 2001 08:08 PM ]
posted on January 13, 2001 08:08:49 PM
Thank you so much everyone! What I did was to use the "Demo", using their "pretend" quetstionaire, and the 1,000.00 worth of Insurance. Yes, that was for the Online, occasional shipper. http://www.u-pic.com/upic_online.asp
I will stay with USPS, as I DO want to continue sending Return Receipts for every package of value, and D.C. for less expensive ones. Gosh Shosh!
posted on January 13, 2001 08:12:40 PM
I have been using U-Pic for months now, never a problem. I log my shipments as they going out on a form I created and thats it. A small price to pay for such a great service. I had 1 cliam and they paid off quickly. It cost me .40 for up to a 100.00 value.
All I can say is they have provided a great servie and well worth the cost and saves a great deal of time in line at the PO.
You might want to contact [email protected] she can send you all the info you need, she is very helpful, and great to work with!!
posted on January 13, 2001 09:38:57 PM
SHOSHANA: I use U-PIC, and don't see any reason why you couldn't also buy delivery confirmation at the post office instead of not having any receipt at all. It would add to the cost of the shipment, but it still wouldn't be as much as USPS insurance.
Another great thing about U-PIC is that you get ALL the money back, including shipping. USPS doesn't offer that, and if you are shipping priority mail, that can be a hunk of change.
I added a few lines of explanation to my TOS that says that all packages are insured through U-PIC and that they will arrive unmarked but they are insured anyway. Nobody has yet complained to me about that, and I don't think I've lost any sales, either.
posted on January 13, 2001 10:03:41 PM
I use U-Pic too. If you use delivery confirmation, the insurance is 35 cents per $100 rather than 40 cents--Candi explained that they feel the use of DC discourages bogus claims of non-receipt.
I do send a monthly hardcopy report, but I also have to file a weekly email log (I suppose this cuts back on the fraud possibilities Pocono questioned.)
I send an email to every buyer when their package is shipped, telling them their item is on its way. In this message I advise them that their package has been shipped insured, but will not be marked, and go into a little spiel about U-Pic and how their item AND shipping costs will be refunded if the item is lost or damaged--I just use a cut-and-paste I keep on file so it only takes a couple of seconds.
To me, the coverage of the shipping cost is what makes U-Pic so attractive--many times my buyers pay more for shipping than they do for the item itself. I recently sold a heavy item to a buyer in England--widget cost $10, shipping was $23!
I had not heard that U-Pic was increasing its rates, but it's still a bargain compared to USPS, especially considering the full coverage of both item and shipping costs. Even at the new rate of 60 cents per $100, it would cost $1 if you wanted to use delivery confirmation for tracking purposes and insure the item/shipping up to $100--maybe only 95 cents if U-Pic continues to offer the discount for using DC. You could not match that coverage at any cost with USPS because they won't cover the shipping, so item coverage only plus DC would be $1.50--a fifty-cent difference that can stay in your or your buyer's pocket.
