caryfh Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 What are most of you using for shipping your products? I had been using UPS, but while doing a shipping price check for a customer, I discovered how high the prices had risen. Up just about 5% this year?? $60 to ship one 50 pound box?? Seriously? And that's if I drop it off at a UPS drop location. If I schedule a pick-up (because of our location) it costs another $10+. Are other's using Fedex? Or DHL? I see a lot of people using flat rate boxes, but what about for those items that don't fit in one of those boxes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 You can still use USPS Priority Mail and put in any box and slap a sticker on it. I had been using UPS but their shipping costs are just rediculous so I quit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernadette Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 On larger, heavier items I've used Fed Ex for a long time with no problems whatsoever. I just shipped a 50 lb., large sized box almost from coast to coast for $47.00 and it only took 4 days. As far as the USPS flat rate boxes go, sometimes you can fix everything into 2 or 3 boxes and it will still be cheaper than using UPS or Fed Ex. Did that too within the last week, and all three boxes which totalled 70 lbs. arrived within 2 days - all together. HTH:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bwc Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 I wouldn't use DHL if my life depended on it. In our rural area, they only deliver on Thursdays, and you find this out AFTER you have made the order and called them because you didn't get the delivery on time. A few years ago, I ordered some very nice gifts for our children on their birthdays (they are one day apart), and DHL said they couldn't deliver them because we had snow on the ground. I called them and let them know what I thought, and my husband had to drive 1-1/2 hours to pick up the packages at the DHL location so our kids could have their birthday presents in time. I also let them know that my husband's Chevy Aveo had no problems driving in 2 inches of snow and that FedEx and UPS also didn't have a problem in snow. I will never order anything else with DHL delivery and when I start selling, I won't use them, either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fmsojka Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 I use mostly USPS, free boxes. For us it is usually cheaper and easier. I also use UPS, whichever comes out cheaper. Fed Ex is tougher to use for us, no where close to take it to ship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caryfh Posted July 5, 2010 Author Share Posted July 5, 2010 Thanks for the tips. I'm thinking I will order some of the medium and large flat rate boxes and list these as options on my site. I just have trouble with that as my site determines price costs based upon item weight, not cubic inches. I supposed I could add a note that shipping via USPS may be less if the products can fit in a smaller box, and will be reflected in the final price charged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorrie Posted July 6, 2010 Share Posted July 6, 2010 I use UPS and USPS priority flat rates whenever possible. Fed Ex isn't an option for me and DHL well... I won't use them to save my life. Because they tack on fees that they don't list when you are getting a price quote. I shipped a bunch of packages for a co-op a few years ago and the bill came in. It was $150 more than what was quoted to me. Needless to say I called them and refused to pay it because that is a lot of extra money that wasn't collected when the co-op cost was figured. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judiee Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 What are most of you using for shipping your products? I had been using UPS, but while doing a shipping price check for a customer, I discovered how high the prices had risen. Up just about 5% this year?? $60 to ship one 50 pound box?? Seriously? And that's if I drop it off at a UPS drop location. If I schedule a pick-up (because of our location) it costs another $10+. Are other's using Fedex? Or DHL? I see a lot of people using flat rate boxes, but what about for those items that don't fit in one of those boxes?We use a flat shipping charge so shipments go FedEx or USPS depending on which service is cheapest. We have a UPS account but find that FedEx is just a bit less on rates once you open an account with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 Thanks for the tips. I'm thinking I will order some of the medium and large flat rate boxes and list these as options on my site. I just have trouble with that as my site determines price costs based upon item weight, not cubic inches. I supposed I could add a note that shipping via USPS may be less if the products can fit in a smaller box, and will be reflected in the final price charged.They way I figured out my shipping costs for the USPS flat rate boxes is I actually test packed each size box with my products to determine what fit in the box. For example, I know I can fit x amount of soap in the small flat rate, or x amount of candles in the larger box. Its not an exact science but so far my prices have been spot on. So everytime postage rates go up at the post office I just change them on my website. Haven't lost any money yet. But I lost plenty with trying to do UPS. Their 'real time' rates are a joke. I was always losing money with UPS so I just dropped them and use only USPS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judiee Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 ... But I lost plenty with trying to do UPS. Their 'real time' rates are a joke. I was always losing money with UPS so I just dropped them and use only USPS.I don't think the real time rates include the (fuel, etc) surcharges. Noticed that the weekly bills are always higher then rates we track for shipping charges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 I don't think the real time rates include the (fuel, etc) surcharges. Noticed that the weekly bills are always higher then rates we track for shipping charges.Thats part of it. The other is they also charge by the dimensions of the box and I guess I just always ended up using a bigger box. But no matter what I tried the rate I ended up paying for shipping was more than was collected on my website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judiee Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 Thats part of it. The other is they also charge by the dimensions of the box and I guess I just always ended up using a bigger box. But no matter what I tried the rate I ended up paying for shipping was more than was collected on my website.I'm guessing your site calulates shipping based on how you code the items you sell (sum of item weights)? Any provision to tack on a universal handling charge thru your cart? Some carts have that provision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.