posted on August 17, 2002 06:11:30 AM new
Was wondering how you have tackled the shipping of your items since the USPS rate increase. We try to give an option of Priority or Parcel Post on items over 1 lb to save the buyer money, but Parcel Post has slowed down so much in delivery time I asked why at the Post Office yesterday. It seems items collect at the warehouse until they have enough to warrant a truckload. Everything was geared toward Priority Mail and now they are swamped with Parcel Post shipping and not equipped to handle it. How are you shipping these days and are you satisfied? Thanks for the input!
posted on August 17, 2002 06:29:16 AM new
Many sellers have abandoned the USPS in favor of UPS or FedEx for packages. Many sellers cheat and mail items Media Mail that do not qualify. Many sellers have switched to small items that can be mailed First Class Mail. Online auction evolution in response to changing times.
posted on August 17, 2002 10:16:23 AM new
I keep offering parcel post. If the buyer chooses parcel post, I mention in my response that Parcel Post can take 2-3 weeks to arrive.
Another poster says he writes on each package, "shipped xx/xx/xx" so the buyer knows what date he handed the package to the USPS.
posted on August 17, 2002 10:18:42 AM new
i didnt really have to make any changes. all my items were already being shipped 1st class with a fixed price.
posted on August 17, 2002 10:31:39 AM new
I used Parcel Post one time & it took 15 days to go 200 miles. Anything over 2 lbs. is now shipped by FedEx Ground. They are the cheapest & usually less than 7 days anywhere in USA from CA.
posted on August 17, 2002 11:55:52 AM new
Fragile items still go USPS priority; anything over 2-3 lbs. and especially zone 8 go Airborne. I'm fortunate that my shipper is both a satellite post office and has UPS, FedEx and Airborne, so he gives me the choice every time. So far, 9 times out of 10, Airborne is beating the others by a couple of dollars per -- especially commercial addresses. I'm discovering, too, that the ENTIRE street address is needed for non-governmental shippers since there can be a remote area surcharge.
posted on August 17, 2002 12:13:03 PM new
I used to mail everything Priority Mail until increase, now using mostly Parcel Post and yes ... is taking a really long time to get to ebayers
posted on August 17, 2002 12:47:25 PM new
I started to use Parcel Post for larger parcels but found the savings were not worth the l-o-o-o-o-n-g time it took to arrive. Even after sending my "your items has shipped" email with details, I was getting inquiries from customers who were sure it got lost along the way.
I no longer use Parcel Post.
For my lighter video and cd shipments I use First Class for the most part, media on occasion, and Priority for those items between 8 ounces and 2 pounds. I use the one time pickup from UPS when I have larger packages.
My Priority mailings have dropped by 75% and I have been able to drop my shipping costs on a number of items that go first class and still come out ahead.
As far as I am concerned, the post office lost business with the rate increase.
posted on August 17, 2002 02:57:45 PM new
I tried Parcel Post, but no longer offer it, because it is toooooo slow. So I continue to use Priority and have the USPS rate calculator link at the bottom of my ad and include the weight published in the ad.
If the item is more than 4 pounds, I will offer Fed. Ex Ground as an alternative, which includes insurance and is usually less expensive than Priority. When given a choice, most of my buyers are still choosing Priority, rather than Fed Ex.
Of course with books, I only offer media mail, whereas before I offered a choice of media or Priority Mail.
posted on August 17, 2002 04:05:39 PM new
I too have stopped using parcel post. Prior to the increase I could send Parcel post and the package would arrive in 3-4 days as opposed to 2-3 days for Priority and the rate difference was substantial. Now Parcel takes a month of Sundays to get tto the destination. I use Priority-UPS or Fed Ex ground - buyers choice.
One thing I've noticed is problems with media mail that I have never experienced before. I sell a lot of CD's - tapes and books. I send these legitimately by media mail. I have had a rash of opened and lost packages in the last 6 weeks, since the rate change. I have also noticed that it is taking longer for media than it did prior to the increase.
Most of my customers prefer Fed Ex or UPS as the shipping is faster and on items under $100.00 the insurance is free. My trips to the post office have declined significantly and I also notice that the lines are not near as long as prior to the increase.
I think the post office cut off their nose to spite their face this time.
posted on August 17, 2002 04:07:22 PM new
I have switched to Federal Express Ground ( or Federal Express Home, if available ) for most of my shipping. I still charge a flat fee for the convenience of my bidders and still ship a few items by Priority Mail if ( and only if ) I can do it for the fee charged. I've discovered, however, that Fed Ex. is usually cheaper than UPS on everything regardless of weight and usually cheaper than USPS on anything over 2 1/2 pounds. I've opened an account with Fed Ex., print the shipping labels online, pay for the shipping at that time with my credit card, simply walk into the terminal put the packages on the counter, wave at the clerk, and leave. As someone who shall remain nameless once said, "It's a good thing."
posted on August 17, 2002 06:34:20 PM new
ALWAYSBROKE,,,,,I FOUND THAT FRIENDS SOLUTION QUITE AMUSING,,,,,THE POST OFFICE ALREADY DATES THE PACKAGE THE MOMENT THEY GET IT SO WHAT IS HIS POINT OF WRITING IT ON THE PACKAGE HIMSELF??
posted on August 17, 2002 08:41:53 PM new
I spent $3,765.00 with the USPS last year, after the rate increase, I won't ship anything over 2 pounds with them. Most of my items are heavy (I sell a lot of copper, brass, and aluminum stock) this year my total will be about $1,400.00, and that's only because the rate increase happened in July.
As far as I'm concerened the post office is a dinasour just looking for a place to lay down and die!
posted on August 17, 2002 09:06:13 PM new
THEY HAD BETTER WAKE UP AND GET IN LINE WITH THE REAL WORLD. CHARGING MORE THAN PRIVATE ENTERPRISE,WHO ARE THEY KIDDING...DO THEY THINK BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE U.S. IN FRONT OF THIER NAME THEY ARE SOMEHOW BETTER THAN THE TAXPAYERS WHO SUPPORT THEM PLUS THE RATES ON TOP OF THAT? HAHAHAHA. THEY PAY NO TAXES,THEY PAY NO TRAFFIC FINES AND THEY PAY NO REGISTRATION FEES ON THE VEHICLES..WHO DOES,,,,,,PRIVATE ENETERPRISE AND "THEY" CAN STILL DELIVER FOR "LESS" JOHN STOSSEL WOULD SAY IT LIKE THIS,,,,GIVE ME A BREAK.....
posted on August 17, 2002 09:48:09 PM new
Hello Jack,
I would agree with you on the postage date thing, however, I just had a 26# media package sit at the P.O. for 3 days before they dated it. I made me look like a liar to my buyer.
posted on August 17, 2002 11:04:45 PM new
HEY JACK: I'm the one who said I put the date on media mail packages, "Your Half.com order, shipped _____(date)." It doesn't always show up on the postage tape at the top, and it's often hard to read. It's just another reminder to them that, if the package is slow, it's the P.O., not the seller, at fault.
I've been in PR and marketing in my former life, and I do believe you can't tell people enough times what's happening.
posted on August 18, 2002 07:51:29 PM new
Priority is atrocious nowadays...they already lost one package of mine recently and it looks like they're working on #2.
Raise the rates then the service goes to hell...great way to keep customers!
posted on August 18, 2002 08:00:50 PM new
WHEN ONE OF THE NINE WINDOWS HAS A PERSON BEHIND IT,,,,,,,,MAYBE,,,,,,JUST MAYBE,,THEY WILL WAKE UP.......LAY OFF,,LAY OFF,,,,LAY OFF,,,,,,,BUT IN THE GOVERNMENTS POSITION,,,TRANSFER,,,,,,TRANSFER....BUT I ASK ,,,WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO TRANSFER THEM TO????.......AH!!!!! THE MARINES! SEMPER FI,67-71....BEEN THERE, DONE THAT....KNOWS ALL ABOUT HOW U.S.GOVERNMENT WORKS,,,,FIRST TO GO,LAST TO KNOW........U.S.M.C.
posted on August 20, 2002 07:01:05 AM new
We used to charge exact postage and used Priority for everything but small light stuff that we could send First Class in a padded envelope.
No more.
The outrageous new zone-regulated Priority rates not only had buyers threaten us with negative feedback, but the added bother of sending email requests for addresses took up hours more of our time. (I don't use AW's WBN except for shipment notification, as the HTML format is a problem for those whose mail programs aren't set for it.)
We consequently switched to a flat-rate policy and FedEx Ground for anything over 2 lbs. We charge $4.00 for 1 lb., $5.75 for 2 (we're in L.A., so 85% of our sales are Zone 8), and charge .25 or so above the FedEx maximum for all higher weights... which comes to cheaper than the OLD Priority rates for anything over 4 lbs (factor in the automatic insurance, and it's cheaper than the old rates over 2).
Plus, you can do it from your home very conveniently (I use Endicia for Priority, so have avoided post office lines for some time-- FedEx is equally conventient), you have automatic insurance, automatic tracking (!), and the item arrives in 1-5 days. (There's a map on their website showing how long it takes by area of the country.)
Our customers are happy, we're happy, and I recommend this alternative to one and all.
