FedEx or UPS?

[James Burke]

I'm in the evaluation stages of choosing between FedEx and UPS for shipping our products. For those of you with established accounts with either of these, I'd like to hear pros and cons, and your opinions of their service and overall value.

Presently, we drop off packages at a local business who charges an additional $4.00 per package on top of the hassle of having to stand around while they process everything.

I'd like to do all that prep work here (online) and then schedule a driver to pick up the packages.


Thanks,

Jim

 

[Ghost Prophet]

Previously (4 years ago) I was upset with UPS because they seemed to always deliver late so I started using Fedex more and although they were always on time, they were never very professional because they hire independent contractors as drivers a lot of the time.

Presently UPS has cleaned up their act and is on time 95% of the time and are a little bit cheaper then Fedex. Their website is really easy to work with to schedule pickups/deliveries and their drivers have always been very polite and professional.

 

[James Burke]

I forgot to ask, is there a monthly fee, or other extra expenses (in addition to the cost of shipping packages) with these types of accounts?


Jim

 

[Letterbox Mike]

We use UPS, around here they're much more reliable and helpful that FedEx. They have a software program called Worldship that we use to create shipments and print labels, it works but it's a little cumbersome to use sometimes. But it's better and easier than doing it online. I'm not sure if there is a fee associated with using it but I will find out. I suspect if there is it's not much.

 

[tcorn1965]

+1 on UPS and Worldship, also there is a after market program called ship gear that will connect the Worldship with Quick books if you use that. You can prepopulate shipping addresses with a invoice or po #

Terry

 

[Letterbox Mike]

+1 on UPS and Worldship, also there is a after market program called ship gear that will connect the Worldship with Quick books if you use that. You can prepopulate shipping addresses with a invoice or po #

Terry

Good stuff, looking into that now, we've been saying lately it would be nice if you could integrate QB and Worldship. Thanks!

 

[trik]

One of my friends works for Fed Ex, and if I could get her to deliver/pick up to me I would use them exclusively!

We use UPS. Their drivers are very professional, not that Fed Ex have bad drivers, they deliver to us on time, but just don't have the personalities that the UPS drivers do.

Costs go in favor of UPS. We have them pick up here, but we have it where we call them, you can set it up to have them stop by everyday, but I am not sure if that costs or not, but a simple call is not that bad, if you are shipping every day, then I would consider just having them stop.

Good luck!

 

[Pat Whatley]

I hate UPS and FedEx but....

For ground shipments I use UPS. For Overnight FedEx is better, hands down. I like being able to track a package step by step through the FedEx system (most of the time)

Both of them have very easy to use interfaces online to prepare shipments. I was amazed at how much cheaper shipping using my own account instead of paying the UPS store.

 

[Gino]

We receive from all of them, but we ship via UPS. However, we aren't set up for daily pick-ups. We set our pick-ups on the computer and put a sign out and the UPS driver stops everyday around 3:30 or so and picks it all up. We have our own accounts and everything, but by not having a daily pick up, we have NO charges. Also, if you call your order in and have a driver sent to you... our understanding is you pay a fee for that service, so just putting this simple sign out saves us a few bucks on each transaction.

 

[mark galoob]

personally, i like ups for ground shipments, and fed ex air for when it has to be there at a certain time. fed ex ground uses contract drivers and i have had bad problems with delivery drivers not wanting to deliver because they dont feel like it...

mark galoob

 

[Boomer]

We use UPS for all shipments and when we have a choice when ordering.
They are more reliable and consistent in thier times. We get the same driver on a daily basis and get more personalized service.

 

[royster13]

You might want to look at shipping maps for Fedex versus UPS from your zipcode...I often find that Fedex is 1 day quicker than UPS...
http://fedex.com/grd/maps/ShowMapEntry.do
http://www.ups.com/maps
As far as service to my US address.....I have had far less problems with Fedex....And no worries about a business crippling strike with Fedex....Rates are close enough to be a wash in my mind....But if you do a bunch of volume, sometimes it is worth joining a trade group just for the discount....

 

[Cross Signs]

When you absolutely, positively need it DESTROYED overnight...FedEx

 

[petrosgraphics]

we have used both, we use fedex more often now, for shipping crates and large boxes
that require a truck. we use fedex exclusively. we always request a lift gate on the trailer,
they have never let us down.....

 

[Dice]

UPS = Ground
Fedex = Air

 

[Team Valhalla]

Another vote for UPS.

Couldn't be any happier with the service. Yeah there's a hic up once in awhile, but who doesn't have that.

We're set up on a daily pick up... no cost for that. On days that I don't have anything to send out, I give my driver a call on his cell and let him know. Saves him a bit of time and earns me some points.

Get set up on UPS Worldship and it will make you and your customers happy. I honestly can't remember if I had to pay for the label machine or not, but I know that the labels are free. With Worldship, your customer gets an email telling them the package is coming and a tracking number to track it.

With UPS, the more you ship, the lower your rates. I have all my suppliers set up to use my shipper number with anything that's sent in. Kills two birds with one stone... I get to keep my shipping rates low and I know that there's no padding going on with packages coming in to me.

Just my two cents...

Sp

 

[John L]

There was a time I honestly thought the tightest ship in the shipping business was sinking, mainly because of Fedex's superior service.

Fedex had all of our business up untill they went to the sub-contracted drivers. Acording to our local driver, these guys now "bid" for the Fedex delivery routes, Then they purchase insurance and outfit their own trucks to a Fedex (obviously lower) standard. Best I can tell these entrepeneurs may make a little better than lower wage rates and it's quite a fiasco.... We see late and lost deliveries regularly. I've seen a driver still trying to deliver commercial businesses after 10PM here. Their trucks are literally falling apart. I pushed the front bumper back in place for our driver using my forklift (he had an incident backing out of another local business).

From what I have seen around here, these young guys are angry at "The Man" and just don't care much about their jobs.

 

[James Burke]

From what I have seen around here, these young guys are angry at "The Man" and just don't care much about their jobs.

Wow, I guess I got educated a little more than I had expected....

Any other's who wish to clear the air?

Jim

 

[John L]

I'd like to hear pros and cons, and your opinions

Jim

I think thats what you said.

 

[James Burke]

Quote:
Originally Posted by James Burke
I'd like to hear pros and cons, and your opinions

Jim

I think thats what you said.

Indeed, it is...thank you all.

Jim

 

[binki]

we use usps priority mail for anything that fits.