Shipping price increase HEADS-UP

[vetteguy53081]

For surrounding states, I myself use Speedee- totally reliable and next or 2nd day arrival at 1/3 of OTHER SHIPPER rates. I recently bought a chiller from Minneapolis to Wisconsin and it was $17.80 delivered to my door without a scratch on it via SpeeDee !!

 

[kados]

Ive worked in that industry for almost 20yrs. There are two separate things all carriers do.

1. Is the annual rate change to adjust costs of doing business
2. Peak surcharges- to cover the OT, 100,000 plus temp workers and extra trucks.

Holiday is the toughest time. Can't win. Either costs more to ship or people are disappointed their holiday gifts or black Friday items took too long to get delivered. You'll hear about it in the news come December every year.

The speed of package getting delivered has little to do with the carrier. It has everything to do with service the merchant or customer selects for delivery. BRS, SaltwaterAquarium let you select the service you want and the price point for each. You can get anyone of them them to deliver the next day but it will cost $$. Merchants have negotiated contracts also w the carriers. And the merchants don't only make money on the products they sell you, best believe they make a profit on shipping too (in some cases).

 

[ScottB]

I am starting to see A LOT MORE Amazon vans here. Every day, several times per day. So could well be a viable fourth competitor. Not sure if they are just covering the "last mile" or not, but knowing Amazon...

Speaking of BRS shipping... that gets to me via UPS. I typically choose the free shipping option and it still gets here in 1-2 days. So that is a positive.

 

[BZOFIQ]

In old news...Everything is going up very soon.

 

[BZOFIQ]

Ive worked in that industry for almost 20yrs. There are two separate things all carriers do.

1. Is the annual rate change to adjust costs of doing business
2. Peak surcharges- to cover the OT, 100,000 plus temp workers and extra trucks.

Holiday is the toughest time. Can't win. Either costs more to ship or people are disappointed their holiday gifts or black Friday items took too long to get delivered. You'll hear about it in the news come December every year.

The speed of package getting delivered has little to do with the carrier. It has everything to do with service the merchant or customer selects for delivery. BRS, SaltwaterAquarium let you select the service you want and the price point for each. You can get anyone of them them to deliver the next day but it will cost $$. Merchants have negotiated contracts also w the carriers. And the merchants don't only make money on the products they sell you, best believe they make a profit on shipping too (in some cases).

Your industry introduced a fuel surcharge when gas was at $5 a gallon to offset higher costs. Gas is below 2 bucks and the fuel surcharge isn't going away - EVER.

 

[BZOFIQ]

Same with postal mail. We need competition.
USPS has claimed losses while their profit is 2.4 billion and they also handle package delivery for UPS and FedEx (smart post and sure post) for added revenue

You can't claim losses if you have profit. They are opposites. Perhaps you meant revenue.

The problem is USPS is subsidized by US taxpayers. Every delivery for Amazon by USPS is partially sponsored by US Taxpayer.

 

[sfin52]

Laws that bar any other shipping service from delivering mail and packages directly to residential and business mailboxes. Shapiro estimates that this gives the Post Office a $14 billion annual boost, more than three times what the Postal Regulatory Commission estimates it to be. Shapiro argues that the PRC’s analysis doesn’t take into account the productivity gains that the Post Office would be forced to make if it really had to compete for mailbox delivery. He points out that productivity at USPS has only grown by 0.7% per year versus 2.5% for its competition.

This may explain why usps has to be the final delivery for certain packages.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/fortune.com/2015/03/27/us-postal-service/amp/

 

[KrisReef]

I remember when postage for a letter was 2 cents, or was that one cent? Delivery has become automated and bubblewrap is no match for a sorting machine vs a paper box.

My mother-in-law shipped us a chandelier in a box. The thing was ugly so we were glad it was destroyed in transit. She literally put it in an oversized box and taped it shut and expected the fixture and glass shades to arrive looking like it did when she taped the box shut.
God bless USPS. Sometimes they actually get a package to us without using the old Pony Express route. I love the tracking feature-Get out the popcorn and beer; shipped from a neighboring county, enroute to a neighboring country. Arrived in a different country, rerouted, arrived back to our country but in another county neighboring the neighboring county, (but still not the destination county),.....
Delivery expected soon.

Service will improve with the price increases.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

I hAVE a UPS account and received this notice today:


The following changes will take effect on December 27, 2020:

•	The Retail rates for UPS® Ground will increase an average net 3.9%.

Looks like cola, cost of living adjustment, giving themselves an increase. Bummer

 

[BZOFIQ]

Looks like cola, cost of living adjustment, giving themselves an increase. Bummer

My paycheck didnt "suffer" the same fate.

 

[EMeyer]

Your industry introduced a fuel surcharge when gas was at $5 a gallon to offset higher costs. Gas is below 2 bucks and the fuel surcharge isn't going away - EVER.

Just like the "temporary" suspension of the money back guarantee for on-time delivery. All three carriers suspended their money back guarantees "temporarily" for the pandemic.

Plot twist: that'll be the new normal, they'll never offer money back guarantees again, but somehow the prices they used to "justify" the service wont go down.

It is one of the scammiest industries there is.

 

[EMeyer]

I have been picking up my UPS pkgs straight from the little hub for the last couple years. They all know me there, if something isn’t kosher with the pkg. I would refuse, they would back me up.

This is the solution to 99% of complaints about shipping. Both the delays and the damage typically happen during the last leg of the trip.

I do this for all my live arrivals. I wish my customers would do the same, I'm convinced if everyone did this it would solve most of the shipping complaints. Its win win -- get your package sooner, greatly reduce the chance of damage, and if it is damaged on arrival by some chance you can inspect it right at the FedEx/UPS hub, on camera, in front of supervisors.

 

[BZOFIQ]

This is the solution to 99% of complaints about shipping. Both the delays and the damage typically happen during the last leg of the trip.

I do this for all my live arrivals. I wish my customers would do the same, I'm convinced if everyone did this it would solve most of the shipping complaints. Its win win -- get your package sooner, greatly reduce the chance of damage, and if it is damaged on arrival by some chance you can inspect it right at the FedEx/UPS hub, on camera, in front of supervisors.

DO you call that in ahead so it doesnt get put on truck for delivery?

 

[vetteguy53081]

DO you call that in ahead so it doesnt get put on truck for delivery?

A lot of vendor order forms have that option where tyou check box to pick up at a facility based on your zip code

 

[EMeyer]

DO you call that in ahead so it doesnt get put on truck for delivery?

I just have them delivered to the hub itself. I list my address as "My Name/Hold For Pickup/Hub Address". When tracking shows it arrived, I drive over and get it.

 

[kados]

Your industry introduced a fuel surcharge when gas was at $5 a gallon to offset higher costs. Gas is below 2 bucks and the fuel surcharge isn't going away - EVER.

Just like reef advice, comments should be based on facts. Thats all I am doing.. i can totally understand how people are concerned with costs and handling.. I hear it everyday.. Fuel Surcharge has been industry standards forever in transportation - Air, freight and ocean not just small package delivery being discussed here. It has absolutely nothing to do, nor started when gas was $5. Fuel Surcharge is a variable that changes weekly.. and has since the 90's consistently across carriers. Its not a fixed amount. Im not arguing or disagreeing thats its expensive to ship or that damage is possible. Automation supports efficiency . White glove services are available for hand to hand handling for all major carriers as well as through private services. That pricing is much more expensive.I was just explaining some facts not defending it. Like all topics on this forum, we should understand why things happen instead of stating opinions as facts.

 

[BZOFIQ]

Just like reef advice, comments should be based on facts. Thats all I am doing.. i can totally understand how people are concerned with costs and handling.. I hear it everyday.. Fuel Surcharge has been industry standards forever in transportation - Air, freight and ocean not just small package delivery being discussed here. It has absolutely nothing to do, nor started when gas was $5. Fuel Surcharge is a variable that changes weekly.. and has since the 90's consistently across carriers. Its not a fixed amount. Im not arguing or disagreeing thats its expensive to ship or that damage is possible. Automation supports efficiency . White glove services are available for hand to hand handling for all major carriers as well as through private services. That pricing is much more expensive.I was just explaining some facts not defending it. Like all topics on this forum, we should understand why things happen instead of stating opinions as facts.

Mine wasn't an opinion and I knew quick google search could yield material to back it up. I remember selling my SUV (Jeep GC) in the early 2000 because it was ridiculous to fill it up. Notice the temporary keyword below.

 

[BZOFIQ]

A lot of vendor order forms have that option where tyou check box to pick up at a facility based on your zip code

Thanks.

 

[kados]

Ok. Ok... I don't make the rules... I'm just trying to explain costs for shipping and the basis for some surcharges. We've all got options. To ship or not ship..

 

[Mical]

Not sure what good is cheaper when the goods arrive battered and broken

Karma has a way of coming around -