posted on May 7, 2004 04:58:45 PM new
I'm trying to decide which of these 2 services I should use. I have account with both but I am going blind trying to cross-reference and compare the 2.
I currently use Endicia for all packages.
For small items weighing mere ounces I'll still use Endicia.
My debate is for 50-80 packages a week all in the range of 1-3 lbs. It is a RARE occassion that a package I ship would be heavier, like once a month.
So my question is which is better?
I haven't used either of their online shipping methods YET since I'd want to decide which company first....
I know FEDEX is well known for their online programs but UPS has been aggressivly working to catch up......and they made a recent partnership with Yahoo Shopping (where my website is hosted)
Do I need to purchase their label printers and equipment....... roughly how much $$$
Do either of them have Video size boxes like priority mail? I know they both have the sweater size boxes.......
I know they both have volume discounts but would my 50-80 packages be considered too small to get any discount leverage?
posted on May 7, 2004 05:20:33 PM new
With that volume, Fedex would probably give you a Zebra 2844 printer free. (they gave me one with a lot lower volume)
The labels are free from both UPS and Fedex for either thermal printers or 8-1/2" x 11" for a laser or ink printer.
posted on May 7, 2004 05:21:05 PM new
A generic opinion on a couple of your issues.
Many choices are determined by many factors, so there can be differing opinions.
We would use Endicia First Class and Priority up to 2 pounds, sometimes 3 pounds. Take the UPS rate, add residential fees, and add remote area fees, and your light package may end up a little pricey.
If we had a daily pickup we would go with UPS. If we did not have a daily pickup we would go with Fed-Ex.
Non-Daily pickups with UPS will generally be about $1.50 higher than Fed-Ex.
Sorry to generalize. This is just the best fit for our situation.
posted on May 7, 2004 05:27:18 PM new
Strictly speaking shipping costs - we found FedEx ground - Home Delivery to be quite a bit less expensive than UPS. It is surprising, actually, that more sellers don't use them.
Pick up, and bulk discount for alot of packages are another story. Louise
posted on May 7, 2004 09:56:08 PM new
I use UPS for any package over 2 pounds except for local area at 3 pounds. We have daily pickup and get a better price because of online billing.
Any package less then 2 pounds is best shipped priority mail with online DC at no additional cost.
Going with just UPS or just Fedex IMHO would be simply a mistake. Take advantage of the USPS online postage as well. It does work well.
[ edited by stonecold613 on May 8, 2004 09:25 PM ]
posted on May 10, 2004 09:04:22 AM newNo contest to us it is UPS At this very minute, my husband is trying to contact FedEx regarding a package sent to us via FedEx from Hewlett Packard, and our local FedEx claims they can’t locate us, although they deliver to us every few months, and UPS is at our shop every day!
We wouldn’t now know where the Hewlett Packard package was at all, except my husband tracked it through Hewlett Packard– naturally we never heard from FedEx.
We have another package shipping to us, stopped at FedEx central hub in Memphis because of a lost invoice, and they are just sitting on it awaiting an invoice/bill of lading from the shipper.
FedEx also informed us when delivering a package a couple of weeks ago, that they would not deliver to us anymore (a brick & mortar shop), unless we used the address they preferred, although UPS and Airborne deliver to us all the time at the address we have used for years, and FedEx has too.
NO WAY would we ever consider using FedEx, for us they are a continual pain in the derričre!
posted on May 10, 2004 09:08:32 AM newP.S. Personally, I don't just look at just the costs - I look at across the board reliability, consistency, and convenience for both I and the buyer. UPS has FedEx totally beat in all areas, at least for us.
I don't want to take the time to see if my buyer's address qualifies for FedEx home delivery - that alone takes too much time, and if they don't qualify, then I have to go to UPS anyway, so why bother, we will just use UPS.
We have had a UPS account for about 5 years, daily pick up, and we have been quite satisfied. Our driver knows us, the few times we have been closed, he just holds our packages on his truck till we have returned.
