posted on May 17, 2002 08:33:43 AM
With these new rates for Priority Mail, I was considering a switch. Down side, no free supplies.. oh well.
Anyway, I was poking around the UPS site. Out of curiosity, does anyone use UPS exclusively? Do they offer cheaper rates if you have a full account? Also, the supplies that UPS sells.. are they worth it. I mean, the box prices seemed fair but maybe I have been looking in the wrong place for supplies. I do like the fact the provide insurance.
FedEX...know nohting about, could use some opiions.
posted on May 17, 2002 08:55:52 AM
I ship UPS exclusively and have a contract with them. Yes -- their rates are cheaper if you have a contract. I have nothing but good things to say about UPS. They pick up at my home daily (the driver is now a good friend of mine, has even volunteered to watch my dogs while I'm on vacation!). I'm not making endless trips to the post office, thus saving me money on gas and car maintenance. On the RARE occasion that a shipment is lost or damaged, they ALWAYS have paid the claim very promptly and without any hassles. Insurance is included (up to $100) at no extra charge. Each package can be tracked, also at no extra charge. If you have a contract with them, they will provide (at no charge) all your labels, even a printer and printing supplies. I have never purchased shipping supplies from them, as I find I can get them cheaper through Quill (www.quill.com). Occasionally I will run into a buyer who balks at the UPS charges. I simply tell them that they get what they pay for and if they didn't want the item shipped UPS, they shouldn't have bid on it. "I ship UPS exclusively" is part of my TOS. Try UPS -- you don't have to sign a contract, you can cancel at any time if you are dissatisfied.
posted on May 17, 2002 08:56:33 AM
someone once posted that you can get free boxes from ups,but i dont know how much business do you have to give them??
fed exp ground is cheaper than ups,could be cheaper than usps in some cases/
ebay bidders do not mind going thru this usps claims procedure if item is broken or damaged but if you have your website ,and charge good money for your goods and service,it is hard to tell your customer to wait for you to mail them the form,ask them to fill out the forms,stand in line at the post office and wait for their money or get turned down.
with usps rates going up and price of gasoline going up and the line getting longer at usps,fed exp ground is not a bad idea.
boxes are not that expensive if you buy enough
posted on May 17, 2002 09:11:48 AM
sprtqust, does an account cost money.. I couldn't find any info on their site for this. Does it require daily pick-up? I do not ship daily.. well..sometimes I have... but mostly just 2-3 days a week.
I just ran some numbers comparing USPS and UPS using the new postal rates and the current UPS rates. I used my zipcode going to on in California. Any package under 2 lbs was cheaper through USPS. 3 lbs was gonna run about the same. But , wow, 4 and up is amazing difference in cost. I couldn't believe it that much difference. Most of my packages are of the 2lbs or less (maybe 75%) but I do have some heavier items that I ship.
I do like that fact that UPS provides insurance.
I might switch..or use both. Maybe even FedEX.
tfs13
http://www.tfstudios.com
posted on May 17, 2002 09:54:14 AM
wrt UPS, just remember to tell your international buyers (i.e. Canadians) that they will get hosed by UPS on what they call their "customs brokerage fee". It starts at $30.00 for a 10 cent item and goes up from there. This fee is in addition to the taxes we have to pay, and UPS is the only carrier that charges it.
Rob
Canada
PS --- I don't sell on eBay, but I do a lot of mailing of videotapes in my trading hobby. I have started using Xpresspost to mail stuff. It's a little more expensive, but it provides automatic insurance ($100.00), a tracking number, and for a buck or so more, a delivery confirmation sent back to me.
posted on May 17, 2002 09:56:09 AM
I ship fedex ground and have no problem at all mainly because USPS have lost and damaged packages and the lines are a joke at my local post office everytime I waste 10-15 minutes in line....... fedex come to my office, pick up the package, provide more information on tracking and are cheaper what more can you say.
posted on May 17, 2002 06:36:41 PM
I ship lots of small items, less that 5 lbs. USPS is still the best for this. I use FedEx Ground for all of the heavier items. Just like UPS they automatically insure up to $100.00, & are cheaper & reliable.
posted on May 18, 2002 08:39:58 AMDoes FedEX add a fee for home delivery?
No, but if you are not home to accept the package, you have to go to their depot to pick it up (tough for us working stiffs who keep the same hours as they do).
I think they may try to deliver a 2nd time if you ask them, and after that, the package is returned to the sender.
posted on May 18, 2002 10:05:42 AM
The FedEx here leaves you a note on your door. You can sign off on the package with the note so they can leave it. Of course, after you do that if it desappears it's your problem. If it's a small item and not to expensive I usually do that (we live in a pretty good area). If it's expensive, or big enough that it's real obvious there's a package on the step, I usually call and have them hold it at the depot until I can stop by. Of course, I drive by their depot going to and from work, so no biggie for me.
UPS on the other hand, drops the package on the stoop, hits the doorbell, and takes off for the truck. If you are not standing right there you can't catch them to sign for it.
Six of one, etc. If you send someone a tracking number, they can always call in advance and request drop-off or hold from FedEx. Also, FedEx appears to now have an on-line process where you can set up your shipment over the internet and still print labels on your home printer - almost any inkjet or laser will work, according to their claims. I'm still trying to get throught the fine print to see if there is a minimum monthly amount you have to commit to. I sell more to clean out the 'deals' I'm no longer using, so I sell for two three months, then go back to buying until I run out of room again.
Does anyone have experience with using the FedEx online service? Is there any kind of monthly minimum? Can anyone get in on that 10% off deal they are running this month?
posted on May 18, 2002 11:12:54 AM
"I was considering a switch. Down side, no free supplies.. oh well."
You can order or pickup "free" Fedex supplies. Just like USPS they build the price into the shipping. If you use your own supplies, Fedex will not charge you extra, USPS will.
There is no reason not to switch. Fedex is cheaper over 3 pounds, and insurance and tracking are also built into the shipping. It's like getting those free because it doesn't raise the price.
posted on May 18, 2002 03:45:09 PM
I ship both USPS and UPS. The nice thing for me is I use UPS from my work. Then I reimburse my work for the shipping cost. Two benefits of this are, cheaper shipping rates with insurance and tracking. Convenience for me as I have to go to work anyway. If you have UPS pick up at your place of employment, check and see if you can ship your items through them if you pay them the shipping costs. Every place I have ever worked at has done this for me. I ship anything over 3 LBS via UPS. At four pounds, the cost is usually real close between UPS and USPS, but you get tracking and insurance with UPS and you don't with USPS. I have never tried FedEx as there is not a fedex store nearby.
If your work ships with Fedex, I bet they would let you ship through them as well.
One note though. Do all of you own packaging at home on your own time and fill out all of the labels there as well. When at work, fill out any forms or computer generated items yourself. You should not use your works labor to do your shipping unless you also pay them for it.
[ edited by caffeitalia on May 18, 2002 03:51 PM ]
posted on May 18, 2002 07:50:31 PM
Caffeitalia, Doesn't the label on your packages to out with your works return addy? I can get a fantastic price if I ship from work, but they print the label with the co. name on it. I'm really don't need a dis-satisfied buyer calling corporate offices and asking about some used computer part that I sold.
posted on May 18, 2002 08:14:04 PM
So how come UPS parcels come so filthy and the other guys' don't?
I complained several times and just get a "sorry about that".
posted on May 18, 2002 10:24:45 PM
Dennis,
Yes it does have my works address on the computer generated label. I also write one with my return address that I place the computer label over. Also, in the reference section, I put some kind of notation that it is from me. It is not unusual at all for returned personal items to come from a business. At work, we receive returns often from people that don't have a UPS facility nearby and simply go to a business near to them and send it back through that business. They simply pay the business for the shipping. Many small town drug stores do this as a service to their customers. If you lived in a small town and wanted to ship UPS, the label would read from that business as well.
I think reading between the lines that you maybe implying if the person has a return. In my winning bidders letter, I give my address as to where to send payment as I am sure you do as well, so they do have my correct address. I did have a returned package arrive at my work before, but everyone at my work knows I ship out items and when the clerk opened the box with my invoices inside, he knew it was for me. I my case, it is much easier to get packages at work than at home. I am never home during the day when UPS and Fedex deliver and they leave notices. I have them forward items to my work. If a bidder wants to return a UPS shipped item, I tell then to ship it to my work, C/O myself. Works out real well.
One important thing I do stress though is to do all of the shipping yourself to avoid any conflicts with labor use.
posted on May 19, 2002 06:31:04 AM
I have checked with FedEx twice about shipping a heavier package and both times their price for ground delivery was 3 times what UPS wanted. The girl was rather rude when I asked why such a difference. She had a real "take it or leave it" attitude, so I haven't even checked with them anymore.
UPS has always worked well for us and when I have had to file a claim for damage (3 times), it was paid within 10 days with no problems at all.
posted on May 20, 2002 03:00:40 AM
This is the email I am sending my customers if they have any question about my means of shipping.
Effective 6/23/02 I will ship exclusively by UPS due to USPS postal increases. The USPS increases are exorbitant and it's no longer feasible for me to use their services. If you want to see the new rates go to this link: http://www.usps.com/ and click on Postal Rates and Fees and then click on New Rates and Fees Effective June 30, 2002 then click on Notice 123 [PDF]. This will give you the new rates for the United States Post Office (USPS).
At present everything under 5 pounds is shipped at one rate no matter where it is sent to in the United States. Effective 6/30/02 everything over one pound will be shipped by zones and there are eight zones in the states running from zone 1 on the East cost to Zone 8 on the West coast. At the present rate a 5 pound package can be shipped by Priority Mail from zone 1 to zone 8 for $7.70. When the new rates take effect the same package will cost $12.15 to ship. The $12.15 charge does not include insurance or delivery confirmation. The package can be shipped for $5.82 by UPS and the UPS price includes free insurance (up to $100.00) and tracking of your package.
This was not an easy decision for me to make but due to the weight of items I sell I felt it was not only beneficial for me but my customers as it will save them money on shipping charges. I have a daily UPS pick up account and will be more than happy to combine your auction wins to save you even more on shipping cost. I ship five days a week.
posted on May 20, 2002 07:38:10 AM
Another problem is that some customers will not use a specific service. Some have had a bad experience locally with ANY service or like a lady that just bought three items from me - sent a POBox so that is all I can use without a delay and hassle of mail tag.
posted on May 20, 2002 08:38:54 AM
I think it'd be a bad idea for both the employee and the employee's company to allow personal items to be shipped out at the the company. Unless the company is very small that is. I have worked for very large corporations and never in a million years would they allow that practice. I even worked at a huge corporation that had a huge campus that had US mailboxes and 'drop your US mail off here' slots all over the campus and about 5 or 10 years ago they totally stopped that practice so they could lay off the guy that gathered up all the US mail.
I'm sure they would cite that it would add unnecessary labor and paperwork to the bottomline and possibly create errors with the company's own shipments.
But a small company may allow it and they'd be fine.
posted on May 20, 2002 08:51:09 AM
A daily pick up account varies between $7.00 a week to $16.00 a week. I've had my account since 1/4/02 and have never paid over $7.00 a week. I ship as few as 1 box a day to as high as 20.
My understanding is that if you don't ship very much they charge the higher rate of $16.00 a week.
Look at it this way. You can't drive to the USPO for $16.00 (5 days a week) so I consider it money well spent. No more long lines for this guy. I set it outside my garage and UPS picks it up between 3 & 5 PM each day.
Another advantage is the $7.00 is tax deductible as it's a business expense.
If I had known three and a half years ago what I know now I would have had the account from the start.
Got questions call them at 1-800-PICK-UPS.
You can also call 1-800-727-8100 to request a Worldship CD. It's free so why not give it a try. If you don't like the service you can always cancel it. Once you get the CD you can call Tech Support and have them walk you thru setting it up. BTW you can call support 7/24 and get a live human that is responsive and very helpful.
Would you mind if I used your email that you posted above that you use to explain why you are using UPS? I will probably modify it slightly but for the most part I think it explains really well why you are using UPS.
I'm pretty sure, after reading the posts here that I'm going to switch to UPS from USPS Priority Mail. Although I'm still doing some research on FedEX.
Quick question though? If you use UPS and someone claims they didn't get their package because, as stated above the UPS driver doesn't always wait for a signature, will their tracking information still suffice if somebody files a claim with PayPal or eBay Payments/Billpoint?
It's a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it.
W. Somerset Maugham (1874-1965)
Sure you can use it. I have no problem with that.
As far as FedEx goes I personally don't have any experience with them, but have read many places that they are about like UPS and that their rates are cheaper or about the same.
RE: Question!!! I have had one person claim they never received the item left for them by UPS. I filed a claim (by phone) and stated what they said, UPS investigated and paid the claim.
The tracking number clearly showed the item had been left on the back porch by the driver.
The individual can file a claim but when they email me about loss or damage I file the claim myself and send them a replacement item. UPS then reimburses me. It's actually like selling the same item two times.
I always phone in my claims, but the same thing can be done by fax which is faster. Guess i'm still old fashioned in ways for I like to talk to a real human when I file.
posted on May 20, 2002 11:03:57 PM
Anyone who is conteplating using UPS should know that the workers approved by vote to go on strike if their demands aren't met by the end of their contract July 31.
