Dean,

I have been using Fedex Ground and Home delivery for some time now after
discovering the same thing you posted here.

You can print label and manifest using their web-based shipping manager and
process on plain printer paper. The Web interface is a bit
counter-intuitive, but usable.

I have accounts with USPS (Onluine Click and Ship), Fedex (Online Shipping
Manager) and UPS (Online Web Interface). I use Fedex for most items over 5
pounds that won't fit in a USPS Flat Rate Box.





"-=H=-" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I shipped two boxes of amateur radio equipment yesterday from
Lewisville, Texas to Cooper City, Florida. As always, I used
FedEx Ground. Here's why:

Two packages:
(1) weight 33.60 lbs, size 24 x 21 x 16 inches, insured $900
(2) weight 13.95 lbs, size 22 x 22 x 14 inches, insured $100

FedEx Ground, delivery in 3 business days, cost $38.77
UPS Ground, delivery in 4-5 business days, cost $56.07

UPS would have charged $17.30 more than FedEx (that's almost
45 percent) and would have taken 1-2 days longer to arrive.
To me, $17.30 is not a trivial amount of money.

Something to think about next time you're shipping packages!

73,
Dean K5DH

Hi,

Be sure to ask for indirect or direct signature for
fedex home, (fedex ground has signature included no charge)
otherwise they just leave the cartons at the door.

I've been using FedEx ground since they started the
service, 30% less expensive then ups and one day
faster transit times too.

UPS uses company drivers and FedEx Home uses
subcontractors/independants so they have less
overhead, so lower fees.

US Postal flat rate boxes are a great value
for most of the auction items I ship.

Don't spend a lot of money on those self adhesive
ship labels, instead use regular paper and get
one of those glue sticks that the kids use at school,
that turns your plain paper label into a stick on label
for a few cents !

73 guido

Guido Sarducci from NYC wrote:


Don't spend a lot of money on those self adhesive
ship labels, instead use regular paper and get
one of those glue sticks that the kids use at school,
that turns your plain paper label into a stick on label
for a few cents !

I advise against this;
I did a mass-mailing using "glue sticks"
to attach the plain-paper mailing labels.
A large percentage of them fell off in transit.
Spend the extra money for good labels;
one lost package will cost a lot more than you save
using "glue sticks."
IMHO, of course,
Dave S.

Guido Sarducci from NYC wrote:


UPS uses company drivers and FedEx Home uses
subcontractors/independants so they have less
overhead, so lower fees.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My local FedEx contractor delivers on Saturday, too.

73, Bill W6WRT

Guido Sarducci from NYC wrote:


Don't spend a lot of money on those self adhesive
ship labels, instead use regular paper and get
one of those glue sticks that the kids use at school,
that turns your plain paper label into a stick on label
for a few cents !


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you're going to use glue sticks, test them first for water
resistance. The kind I use at work come off quite easily.

73, Bill W6WRT

wrote:

I have been using Fedex Ground and Home delivery for some time now after
discovering the same thing you posted here.

Agreed.

Let me also say that, from my experience, UPS and FedEx Ground break things
at about the same rate. But when FedEx damages something, they promptly
inspect it and pay out without a fuss, while UPS will do almost anything to
avoid paying insurance claims. Admittedly I have had only three UPS issues,
but all were nightmares.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Hi

Can any US readers of this thread explain why Fedex or UPS is so
popular compared with the much cheaper US Mail?

Here in Australia Fedex and UPS offer a service, but few private
individuals would consider using them due to high costs and the
inconvenience when delivery is a problem if people are away at work.
With normal post, we have post offices in all suburbs where
undelivered mail can conveniently be picked up or items posted.

I have never had loss or damage problems with ordinary mail to and
from the US.

Simon


On 12 Oct 2005 10:23:59 -0400, (Scott Dorsey) wrote:

wrote:

I have been using Fedex Ground and Home delivery for some time now after
discovering the same thing you posted here.

Agreed.

Let me also say that, from my experience, UPS and FedEx Ground break things
at about the same rate. But when FedEx damages something, they promptly
inspect it and pay out without a fuss, while UPS will do almost anything to
avoid paying insurance claims. Admittedly I have had only three UPS issues,
but all were nightmares.
--scott

Simon wrote:
Can any US readers of this thread explain why Fedex or UPS is so
popular compared with the much cheaper US Mail?

Because for packages over about two pounds, US Mail is much more
expensive than the package companies. For light packages, just a
couple resistors or a tube, the postal service is usually a better choice.

For international stuff, I don't know. And I will say that the postal
service is not very good at paying up on their insurance claims either.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Postal US now has flat rate boxes priority mail,
$ 7.85 for up to 70 lbx, check it out http://www.usps.com
priority mail flat rate.

UPS, FedEx and DHL offer insurance $ 100 value included in the rates
and are reasonable for more expensive items to insure.

Yes, the insurance at ups is to insure they do not pay the claims.

Postal US mail is more expensive to insure.

OTOH, I get shipments from aes in milwaukee just fine,
fair radio (super pack jobs at fair prices) also.
Those overcharger on ebay shoud take a lesson in packaging from fair radio !

Only had on problem with ups, they did not get signature and I paid for it,
so I called to get them to credit me for the fee and they sent the driver
out the next day to get a signature. what a joke, I protested the fee
on my amex card and they had to refund it. Signature at delivery,
not after delivery.

UPS and Fedex counter people are great in my area.

I agree. I shipped a 25 pound package to Rome Italy via USPS and the cost
was only $42.00. I was told that it would go air and be delivered within 5
days. Had confirmation from recipient in Rome in 4 days!

--
Richard D. Reese
http://www.wa8dbw.ifip.com
"Simon" wrote in message
...
Hi

Can any US readers of this thread explain why Fedex or UPS is so
popular compared with the much cheaper US Mail?

Here in Australia Fedex and UPS offer a service, but few private
individuals would consider using them due to high costs and the
inconvenience when delivery is a problem if people are away at work.
With normal post, we have post offices in all suburbs where
undelivered mail can conveniently be picked up or items posted.

I have never had loss or damage problems with ordinary mail to and
from the US.

Simon