Shipping Question

[Fordnandez]

Let me start off by saying that I am legitimately asking the question and it is not my intent to start a rant. I cringe every time I get a shipment notification when I buy something from an online retailer and it shows that it is being shipped by USPS. My question is why would a retailer use USPS in lieu of UPS or FedEx? Is is that much cheaper? Is it that these folks are located in a remote area and they don't do enough business to warrant UPS or FedEx coming to them? Or is it something else that I can not think of?

I seem to always get my product but mu main issue the online tracking can not be relied on which is an issue if we are talking about anything of value. Multiple times it has been inconsistent and very inaccurate. Also it seems like USPS does not get in any hurry to do anything.

[gonehuntin68]

We use all 3 to ship and I can't say one is better then the other. They all have their issues so it's a toss up. USPS is cheaper with some items due to size or weight. I would say we use USPS priority mail about 80% of the time because it's cheaper and when it's being shipped cross country it's faster and they deliver on Saturdays. For example, we can ship to PA on Thursday and some of our customers will receive on Saturday. If we shipped it out by UPS ground, it would cost us more and it wouldn't get there until Wednesday. I would say about 95% of orders shipped by USPS priority mail get there in their estimated time most of the year. Around Christmas is when they really miss their mark on estimated delivery dates.

[pervis]

Its cheaper, but theres a reason. I work for ups... the reason its cheaper is because they dont provide the level or service you pay for with a premium shipper. Visibility in transit, the speed, the accuracy of delivery, the gaurantee of being on time, the included insurance etc all go into ups and fedex prices. Do i ship stuff postal? Yes. Do i use fedex? Yes. Do i use ups, yes.... another reason shippers dont use ups or fedex is bc they dont have a large volume account w fedex or ups. Large volume shippers recieve a discount on shipping. Its all about service service service.

[mmoses]

For small stuff, USPS priority will almost always beat UPS and FedEx.

I ship about 10 small 2lbs packages a week. USPS every time. Most of the time its 2-3 days anywhere in the US.

[Throwin Darts]

I'll pay extra to not use USPS.

[kcmarullo]

Fed Ex is bad for me ! I may or may not get my packages !!

[pervis]

Get it get it!! Rolling home now.

[Hoggslayer]

I get stuff all the time by them without problem.

[Fordnandez]

Thanks for all the responses. I figured it was a cost thing. Maybe I have just been unlucky with USPS because based on the responses from the folks that ship stuff all the time it sounds like they don't have many issues with them.

Below is an exact example of what has happened to me and have had a couple more similar experiences with USPS. Order is placed lets say on a Monday and I get a shipment notification from the retailer with tracking. Check tracking and it says package will be deliver on Friday. I check tracking on Wednesday to make sure all is still good and it says package will be delivered on Monday, no problem. Check on Thursday to see what it says and it says Tuesday and that it has not left the city of origin yet. Ok starting to get concerned. Check Friday and it says Monday again but it still has not left city of origin. Strange and now I start to question if anyone knows what is going on. Get home Friday and package is on my door step. Check tracking and it says that it has not left origin. Not sure how this happens since I assume everything is based on scans.

[Fordnandez]

I'll pay extra to not use USPS.

That makes two of us. I sympathize with business owners as shipping is expected to be free these days so I get it why they use USPS if it is cheaper. If they gave me the option to pay the delta between USPS and UPS I would pay it for peace of mind and accurate tracking.

[Fordnandez]

Fed Ex is bad for me ! I may or may not get my packages !!

I don't disagree that FedEx is not the best. If I had my choice it would be USPS, Fedex and then USPS but the gap between second and third place is not a huge one.

[CentexRancher]

We use all 3 to ship and I can't say one is better then the other. They all have their issues so it's a toss up. USPS is cheaper with some items due to size or weight. I would say we use USPS priority mail about 80% of the time because it's cheaper and when it's being shipped cross country it's faster and they deliver on Saturdays. For example, we can ship to PA on Thursday and some of our customers will receive on Saturday. If we shipped it out by UPS ground, it would cost us more and it wouldn't get there until Wednesday. I would say about 95% of orders shipped by USPS priority mail get there in their estimated time most of the year. Around Christmas is when they really miss their mark on estimated delivery dates.

For small stuff, USPS priority will almost always beat UPS and FedEx.

I ship about 10 small 2lbs packages a week. USPS every time. Most of the time its 2-3 days anywhere in the US.

These two are correct ^^.

UPS is usually a bit cheaper for us, but we still ship USPS due to the reliability and quick delivery as mentioned above.

[Fordnandez]

These two are correct ^^.

UPS is usually a bit cheaper for us, but we still ship USPS due to the reliability and quick delivery as mentioned above.

I am surprised on the feedback that USPS is more reliable and quicker than UPS. I don't have near the sample size that you guys have so I will believe it, i must have just been unlucky.

[KIETHSTONE]

I have found that UPS is very accurate with there tracking. So reliable in fact that I was able to find who got stuck in my yard this week. The only problem is that because I was not able to provide a truck number then it was not them.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk