posted on July 12, 2002 01:57:24 AM
I have used all three carriers and here is how I see it based upon the latest changes and my experiences.
I used UPS from 1999 to May of 2002 and had nothing but great service from them. They take a little longer than USPS priority or FEDEX Ground but there WorldShip software is the best shipping software period. In fact I rank it as one of the best pieces of software in any category and I have been in the PC business since'83. I switched to FedEX based upon the fact that they are faster and have other services that customers might want. Plus I was getting tired of the residential rural surcharge which can be as high as $2.50 more than a urban delivery address. Well, after 8 weeks with FedEX Ground I have to say that they are the biggest nickel and dimers I have seen. Their computerized billing is something to see. I thought UPS bills were hard to follow, wait till you see a FedEx weekly bill. They use a number coding system that is about a complicated as the IRS tax code. I am being overly dramatic here but they charge you for every little thing. Literally 3 cents here, 6 cents there. And when you see that next weeks bill has charges applying to shipments made last week you can;t believe it. Five cents for fuel surcharge, 17c for this , $1.00 for that. Then if oyur credit card is declined another $5.00 is tacked on. Now, I am not saying everything should be free, but they are doing what so many other companies do, tell you that its this price but its really this price with the add ons they charge you for. And if shipping bills were not hard enough to review and do the accounting on. So, now I try the USPS. Before the price increase I was very happy. I had really gotten out the PC business and was selling coins on ebay sop the smaller packages being sent insured first class really were well suited for the USPS. However, the larger packages, like the one I took them today, it was a 39 lb HP computer and they looked at me stange, like why do you want to use us for this. The price was $61 insured Priority to Chicago. That us 2 times what UPS ground is. Whatever you do, dont send it PArcel POst, it will take forever to get anywhere. So, bottomn line is use UPS for bigger boxes or medium sized that have a value around $100. Use Fedex for deliveries you wnat there in 5 vs 7 days if on opposite coasts. Or you want thereir special services. Us the USPS on all small or international packages.
posted on July 12, 2002 03:09:20 AM
I have used UPS for 2 years now for heavier packages or packages that need over $100 in insurance. The packages have always been delivered in about the same time as priority mail unless it is going across country.
Every time I have checked the Fed Ex price for sending a package, asking for the cheapest way, the price I have been quoted has been at least twice what UPS or USPS charges. The Fed Ex lady can't explain it, she just says that is the cheapest way they have!
I can never understand why people on these boards keep saying it is cheaper?
posted on July 12, 2002 05:34:13 AM
The people at the FedEx counter have a great deal of discretion how they charge you. I did not realize this until I went in one day and my regular lady I chat with and visit was not there. The price was a shocker. When I saw her again I mentioned it and she confided in me that since I always fill everything out well and package and label well saving them work she gives me the best rate she can. She also said if I asked the other clerks to do that they would just lie and say it is all a fixed rate in the computer.
posted on July 12, 2002 07:25:18 AM
Regarding Fed Ex billing, remember (as I said before) that Fed Ex changed to a third-party billing/accounting service...and ever since then I've had weird charges show up (which Fed Ex did credit back) and other things.
As for the Fed Ex vs. UPS vs. USPS conundrum, aswimmer pretty much hit it on the head. Here's my basic take.
Domestic Packages:
-Big and/or heavy stuff? UPS.
-Small stuff (e.g., 6x9 bubble envelope)? USPS (Fed Ex Ground seems to have trouble dealing with very small packages).
-The rest? Fed Ex Ground. CAVEAT: If the residential delivery surcharge is $2.00 or more, that usually means the addressee is in some out-of-the-way place. In such cases, USPS is the better answer. Also, sometimes Fed Ex Ground will actually route these packages to/through USPS anyway.
International Packages:
Unless it's something of extreme value and/or something that needs to get there in a matter of days instead of weeks or months, USPS is the choice.
Now in one of the threads on this board, someone had mentioned Airborne Ground. I just opened an Airborne account, just in case. But I've heard nothing of Airborne Ground...and the Airborne agent said there wasn't any "ground" service. Hmmmmmmmm?
Haven't used DHL in years. Strictly for international, in my book. And my experience with DHL always was that they were mucho expensive.
I think I was the one that brought up Airborne Ground. I was told that they have had this service for about a year and have not advertised it while they got the kinks out of it. They started mentioning the ground service on their website not that long ago (a couple of months maybe).
I have now shipped about 8-9 packages via Airborne Ground. The first 5 got to their destinations and I have not heard any compliants from any of the recipients. The rest are in transeit as they were shipped 1-2 days ago.
I am slowing phasing them in (don't want to put all my eggs in one basket as I test their reliability).
Like I indicated previously, their price is very similar to UPS or FedEx Ground, but the best thing about them is the free boxes they offer that no one else but USPS provides. They also give you the labels as well.
Also, am told you can get on a pickup route for free as long as you have something for them most of the time (the rep defined that as something like 4 out of 5 days). My office already had a pickup service for the last 6 years and they always come at their appointed time (we only average about 1 package per day).
posted on July 13, 2002 04:17:30 AM
Yes, Airborne ground has a relationship with the USPS. They approached me last year and I set up an account but never shipped anyhting with them. Maybe I should look into them again.
Re: Fed Ex being cheaper or not. They are cheaper in the sense they guarantee cross country delivey in 5 days vs 7 by ups. And its Fed Ex ground not FedEx Express. UPS is the superior service as their Worldship Software is awesome, FEDEX is hungry and will give you special prices like I got. When they heard I was thinking about jumping ship three FedEx people called me in a 48 hour period asking how they could help me and what my volume would be and to set up pricng discounts. There trucks are fairly full delivering, mostly from big corp sellers but the are having a tough time getting the local pickups. THeir truck at the end of the day are not the kind of pickup voluime that UPS does out in the feild. In my town of 20,000 we have 7 UPS routes and .75 of a FedEx Route. That means there are 10 times as many UPS employees covering this town than Fed EX Ground.
posted on July 13, 2002 11:15:26 AM
(aswimmer) I think you got it down right I do the same except the Fed EX I have account but don't use it. I use UPS and USPS. They work great for me.
posted on July 13, 2002 11:47:03 AM
I have used Airborne ground for almost a month and haven't had an issue yet. Prices and speed is great, most things get there in in two days. And there prices are just as good. I shipped a 20 lb box of dishes in 30 x 16 x 12 box from the east coast to california for about $16.00. I shipped a 42lb box from georgia to TX for $14.
