posted on July 10, 2002 06:42:11 PM
Tomorrow I am shipping my first package UPS. It is the heaviest I have shipped, 10#. I gave the buyer the choice of shipping, and they chose UPS.
I went to Paypal and printed out the prepaid label, very nice. I wonder if the customer counter will add $(handling fee) to the amount I paid Paypal for the UPS? The instructions on the Paypal site said I would be billed for any price difference.
I can track the # right from my Paypal statement, and so can the buyer! I like this so far.
posted on July 10, 2002 07:54:31 PM
Why would you get stuck for something that is charged to the buyer? I'm sorry, but this doesn't make sense to me. You are charging $XXX.XX & that is what you should receive. What do you mean by the customer service counter adding charges? Are you shipping through a service counter? If so, you should have taken this into account when you gave the buyer charges. If so, its your loss. Why would you want to Prepay shipping?
That is the buyers responsibility, not the sellers.
[ edited by sanmar on Jul 10, 2002 07:57 PM ]
[ edited by sanmar on Jul 10, 2002 07:58 PM ]
posted on July 10, 2002 08:11:26 PM
ALWAYSBROKE,,,,,,YOU ARE IN BUSINESS. GET A UPS ACCOUNT. IT IS $12.00 A MONTH WHETHER YOU USE IT OR NOT. BUT YOU WILL. SO $12.00 IS NOTHING TACK IT ON TO THE CUSTOMERS. $1.00 FROM THE FIRST 12 CUSTOMERS AND IT'S COVERED FOR THE MONTH...BUT DON'T GET CRAZY,,,,TAC A BUCK MORE ON EVERY UPS DELIVERY. UPS DOES NOT SHOW THE PRICE LIKE THE POST OFFICE. WHATEVER YOU TELL THE CUSTOMER IS WHAT THE UPS IS.
PAY PAL,,,,,,,I LOOKED AT IT. NUMBER ONE,,,,,,,THEY GIVE MY REAL NAME,,,,,,NO WAY!!!!!!! I WANT MY BUSINESS NAME AND THEY WANT ME TO DO A WHOLE BUNCH OF CRAP TO CHANGE THAT. SCREW THEM. PLUS! IT IS NOTHING BUT A BIG BILLBOARD FOR PAY PAL.
posted on July 10, 2002 08:36:09 PM
RAMPAGED, I STAND CORRECTED. THEY HAD MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT $12.00 AND ARE MOST HAPPY TO SEE ME AND MY TONS OF SHIPMENTS SHOW UP. I NEVER KNEW ABOUT THE $7.00..........HAHAHAHHA. GUES THEY FORGOT TO MENTION THAT. HAHAHHAA. THEY ARE HAPPY, I AM REALLY HAPPY. 200 STEPS TO UPS FOR ME.
RAMPAGED ALSO MENTIONED THE UPS SERVICES. THAT'S GOOD. THANKS FOR THAT. SINCERELY. BUT JUST TYPE UP UPS.COM IN THE ADDRESS BAR AND EVERYTHING IS RIGHT THERE. JUST FILL IN THE BOXES. RAMPAGED ADD ANYTHING I DID'NT. I AM BURNING DOWN SO NOT THINKING THAT CLEARLY AT THIS TIME. HAHAHHAA. THE CANDLE IS BURNING DOWN. PEOPLE NOW NEED MORE UPS AND ALTERNATE SHIPPING INFO, WITH THESE UBSURED POSTAGE RATES.
posted on July 10, 2002 09:22:42 PM
I'll only lose a few dollars because I didn't know the customer counter charges extra. The price chart on the UPS site is for daily pick up only. Someone in another thread said the counter charges $3 in addition to the rate. I'll know for sure tomorrow when I take my package in. I'll chalk up the loss to a learning experience.
At least it is only one package this time!
BTW, if I add $1.50 fuel surcharge + $3.00 counter fee + box to each UPS order, it is more expensive than USPS. I'm going to keep checking it out, though. I can still offer UPS on 3+ pounds upon request after I get their zip. I want to make sure I charge enough for the shipping so I don't come up short.
posted on July 11, 2002 07:04:42 AM
SCRATCHING MY HEAD,,,,,,BRIEFLY,,,,,WHAT ARE UPS BIG BUSINESS QUALIFICATIONS? I KNOW OF NONE. JUST CURIUOS. AND THEN WHAT IS A "MY UPS" ACCOUNT? TYPE UP UPS.COM IN THE ADDRESS BAR AND THE WHOLE UPS THING IS RIGHT THERE. BUT THEN AGAIN,,,,MAYBE I DON'T KNOW NUTHIN' HAHAHAHHA.
posted on July 11, 2002 07:45:38 AM
I'm not a volume seller (although protracted unemployment may necessitate a status change) so I don't qualify for "quantity" or corporate discounts/rates.
Moreover, I don't sell enough to justify a monthly fee for UPS (or other) route service.
Thus, as a onesy-twosy shipper, I constantly scour for the best rates but with the most consistent reliability and, if needed, tracking service.
So far, Fed Ex Ground keeps winning the rate wars. And in my neck of the asphalt, there ain't no easy-to-get-to UPS Customer Service Center and the local Post Office is...well, it's a dreaded experience.
I've read many posts by folk who swear by UPS and/or USPS (and many by folk who swear at these carriers).
Can you UPS and USPS fans tell me how your comparisons wind up putting either or both of these carriers at prices lower than those charged by Fed Ex Ground? Honest question. Really. Perhaps I'm missing something here.
Consider this recent shipping research for a domestic package:
Package is 13" x 10" x 5" @ 3 lbs. Insured for $20. Shipped from zip code 92845 to 49544.
posted on July 11, 2002 07:46:05 AM
I'm not a volume seller (although protracted unemployment may necessitate a status change) so I don't qualify for "quantity" or corporate discounts/rates.
Moreover, I don't sell enough to justify a monthly fee for UPS (or other) route service.
Thus, as a onesy-twosy shipper, I constantly scour for the best rates but with the most consistent reliability and, if needed, tracking service.
So far, Fed Ex Ground keeps winning the rate wars. And in my neck of the asphalt, there ain't no easy-to-get-to UPS Customer Service Center and the local Post Office is...well, it's a dreaded experience.
I've read many posts by folk who swear by UPS and/or USPS (and many by folk who swear at these carriers).
Can you UPS and USPS fans tell me how your comparisons wind up putting either or both of these carriers at prices lower than those charged by Fed Ex Ground? Honest question. Really. Perhaps I'm missing something here.
Consider this recent shipping research for a domestic package:
Package is 13" x 10" x 5" @ 3 lbs. Insured for $20. Shipped from zip code 92845 to 49544.
posted on July 11, 2002 07:55:05 AM
HAHAHHAHA, YOU KNOW I TRIED SIGNING UP WITH FED EX, I REALIZE THEY ARE CHEAPER BUT,,,,,,THEY KEPT SENDING ME IN CIRCLES JUST TO GET SIGNED UP FINALLY,,,,,I JUST GAVE UP. DON'T ASK! I TIRED AND TRIED AND TRIED. REALLY!
posted on July 11, 2002 08:00:23 AM
I'm confused. What's the deal with the monthly charge for UPS? I signed up for an account with them in April and then decided to continue with Fedex for now.
I haven't used the account but I did get the welcome kit. I haven't been charged anything. Why is there a monthly charge?
If they are going to be charging me a monthly fee I need to go cancel the account. I just left it open in case I decided to switch at some point.
[ edited by lindajean on Jul 11, 2002 08:01 AM ]
posted on July 11, 2002 08:06:08 AM
Used to be that you could only open a UPS account if you "agreed" to daily/weekly drive-by route service...and then paid a monthly use-it-or-lose-it fee for same.
posted on July 11, 2002 08:07:22 AM
I signed up on the web and somewhere it had the question about daily or weekly pickup or to use drop off counter. UPS is right down the road from me and I just checked the drop off counter.
Edited to add:
Most of my sales go media rate with post office so I don't ship that many larger items anyway. I really opened it so I could have them pick up one large item for me I had purchased from someone else in New York. Now that the new rates are in effect at the PO I will probably continue to use them when I do ship larger items, but not on a daily basis. Most of my sales are records, tapes and cd's.
[ edited by lindajean on Jul 11, 2002 08:10 AM ]
posted on July 11, 2002 10:43:14 AM
Hi folks,
I just got back from taking my package to the UPS counter (our local hardward store). They only charged me $2.00 for the service.
Even after the $1.50 fuel surcharge (which I charged the buyer), the shipping was $3 less than usps Priority and $1 cheaper than parcel post.
This includes insurance and tracking, so a good deal.
Regarding FedEx, I don't have one within 1 hours from me. I'll keep searching the locations to see if one pops up.
Regarding the UPS monthly fees, you guys got me all cufused now. So I'll have to go back to their site and re-educate myself.
The "MY UPS" was recommended by their site when I signed up. The reason given me was that I did not ship enough packages per month. I also received their shipping package in the mail.
Who knows, I may eventually get weaned off the USPS. It would only take one more rate hike to make it impractical dollar wise.
When I went to the UPS counter today, they were FRIENDLY. They gave me a computer print out receipt and said "THANK YOU." They didn't re-weigh my package or ask what was in it. They even SCANNED my package.
So, in a nut shell, I got: friendliness, a printed receipt without asking, tracking number, insurance, and it was cheaper that USPS. No bad, folks - not bad at all.
posted on July 11, 2002 11:13:34 AM
I just shipped a box yesterday via UPS and didn't have to pay anything extra to drop it off. I used the UPS web site to pay for it with my credit card, taped the printout to the top of the box and took it to the nearest Office Depot. The clerk cheerfully said "Prepaid? Just put it on the bottom of that cart over there." As I was pulling out of the parking lot the huge UPS truck was pulling in. No fuss, no muss. I dropped a couple of similar packages off at an MBE before and got evil looks from the people there, so I won't go back to that place.
-----------------------
Tanya
I live in my own little world, but it's ok, they know me here.
posted on July 11, 2002 11:23:13 AM
FedEx Ground also has a pick up fee. It is $7.00 per week IF you use it, nothing if you don't I only use it when I have relly heavy shipments of china, (30 to 50#) & extra large boxes that I can't get in my car. I am lucky, I have a FedEx office 1 mile south & a UPS office 1 mile east. These are not customer service centers, but are the real thing, so there isn't any extra charge.
posted on July 11, 2002 12:48:59 PM
Come to think of it, I don't believe I've ever seen a Fed Ex or UPS office that wasn't inside another business. I've never seen one by itself.
posted on July 11, 2002 01:09:13 PM
Here's what I do for shipping. Maybe this info will help someone.
I normally ship about 200-250 packages per month. About 75% or so are 1 or 2 lb.
I currently use the USPS for packages 2 pounds or less and insure them thru U-PIC. I label and put postage on it via Endicia, go to the post office loading dock and drop them off. Really easy and simple as the PO is on the way home for me.
From all my other packages 3 lbs or greater, I use either UPS Ground or Airborne Ground. Note - I cannot use UPS or Airborne for all my packages because I cannot take that many packages into my office for shipment (there is not place to hold them).
For UPS, here's how I do it and don't have to pay for any pick up service. My office pretty much gets deliveries daily and you can give any UPS driver a pre-labeled package (such as doing it over the internet) and they are required to take it, so I make sure the receptionist knows where my package(s) are and she has the delivery driver take them with him. One time a substitute driver refused to take it (probably was new and didn't know), and I called UPS and they made him go back and get it as he was required to have taken it. So I am certain that policy is correct. The only drawback with UPS is that you cannot use their boxes (am told they are only for air shipments).
I have recently discovered Airborne Ground. The advantage of AB is that you can use their boxes for ground shipments (have verified this with 3 different AB reps), and they will do a daily pickup service for no charge as long as you have something for them most of the time (my rep said if you have something 4 out of 5 days it is good enough) with no minimum #. My building already had such a pickup service (we average 1 item per day) so I didn't need to schedule one for myself.
I have heard a number of people dump on Airborne, but I personally (or my office who has used them for 7 years for air packages) have never had any problem. My office has had the most problems with FedEx (despite their reputation as being the best) messing things up/loosing packages/delivering Priority Overnight packages on the 3rd day/etc.
