Shipping Gone Wild

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LoneRanger

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So I took two packages to the FEDEX terminal to ship to the same address in Washington State. Approx 17"x 20" x 24" and 11 lbs each. $102 each, Fedex Ground cheapest rate. Nope, walked back out the door with them after a good laugh.

UPS no joy, within a few bucks.

US Postal Svc online quote by dimensions and weight, approximately half @ $57/ea (won't fit in any flat rate box). Greyhound @ $83 for both but 10 - 14 days and only goes to the nearest bus terminal and buyer has to go pickup.

Whiskey. Tango. Foxtrot.
 
My FIL works for the postal service here. What they are doing (postal service included) is subsidizing big customers shipping rates on the backs of consumers that ship the odd good. They jack the rates on folks like us in favour of the bigger volume customer say like Amazon because they don't want to loose the business and there is a constant war going on between UPS, FedEX etc.

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Makes sense. But crikey, it's just a couple of motorcycle luggage bags. My first thought was how the hail can retailers offer free shipping when the rates are this high?
 
Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
Makes sense. But crikey, it's just a couple of motorcycle luggage bags. My first thought was how the hail can retailers offer free shipping when the rates are this high?


Because you are making up the difference.
 
Your first choice should be UPS. Fed ex ground/home is often more expensive and the drivers get paid half as much along with garbage benefits compared to a UPS driver.
 
You may try opening a free account with Fed-Ex or UPS. I found that it dropped the cost by at least 40% versus over the counter pricing.
 
Originally Posted By: 2015_PSD
You may try opening a free account with Fed-Ex or UPS. I found that it dropped the cost by at least 40% versus over the counter pricing.

Bingo. Get a FedEx quote and then give them your account number. The price always drops.

I use FedEx for larger items like wheels and UPS for everything else.
 
We have a FedEx equivalent in Canada called Purolator. And we joke that UPS stands for Use Purolator S-tupid because it's less expensive.
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Originally Posted By: skyactiv
Your first choice should be UPS. Fed ex ground/home is often more expensive and the drivers get paid half as much along with garbage benefits compared to a UPS driver.


I thought each FedEx ground was a franchise and they were non company employees.
 
Had to ship 4 car tires (F70x14) 3-4 yrs ago and got quotes of $120-$150 at first. The best rate turned out to be through an Office Plus store with a FedEx franchise - $83 total with 2 tires bundled separately.
 
Shipping is crazy. UPSand FedEx have always had highway robbery rates, but usps hasn't gotten up there too. Was trying to ship a flat buy longish (20") box last year to Europe. USPS no longer does mail by ship. Airmail only. The box was maybe two pounds.

Ended up buying the same item on Amazon and doing international shipment for like $8.

It amazes me that some people want to see the USPS disappear. Why, so we can have less competition on pricing?
 
Let me guess--the boxes they ship have lots of tears in them?

Sorry couldn't help myself....

Originally Posted By: StevieC
We have a FedEx equivalent in Canada called Purolator. And we joke that UPS stands for Use Purolator S-tupid because it's less expensive.
lol.gif
 
I once shipped a bicycle to my son in California from Oklahoma...just wrapped the bike in cardboard...over 300 dollars. Screw that. Took the tires off, handle bars off and made like a bike sandwich....dropped to less than 100 with FedEx.....who says size doesn't matter??? LOL
 
Retailers like Amazon negotiate contracts. They ship thousands of packages a day I would bet. Who would not want Amazon as a customer if your in the shipping business.

People who ship a few items pay list price and get screwed.
 
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Just ordered a small $30 item for the 1952 Chevy DeLuxe. Probably weighs all of 3 ounces in a padded envelope.

Vendor wanted $8 to ship it via FedEx Ground. OK, whatever.

They sent it USPS First Class, and it probably cost them all of $1 to send it that way. And who knows when it'll show up.

I was willing to pay $8 to have it sent to me via FedEx, so then don't bait and switch me by then sending it through the US Mail.

If you're really going to mail it instead, then be honest about it.
 
I just got an email from UPS saying that their rates were going up next year (2018)!!

I've heard this story more and more lately. Someone going to ship a small box at fedex office and they trying to charge $340-350. So the guy takes it to the post office and got it shipped for $20. I'm telling ya, something is screwed up. No matter the excuses. Fine, let them (UPS/Fedex) charge that, see how well their shareholders like lower levels of profit.

For my own experience Fedex has been cheaper than UPS lately, but the post office is cheaper than both! Oh and don't let the boxes they have at the post office make you think that's all they have! you can go online and order many flat rate boxes MUCH bigger than the ones they have in store!! And free shipping to you, just order online.
 
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