seeking to replace usps as my shipper, thoughts?

they are just killing me on freight charges, who is everyone else using.    thanks  

You can switch to Fed-ex and they are good at making packages disappear. IMO— just keep checking daily rates with all vendors.

weight doesn't kill me; i can ship 2 kits in the same box for just about what it costs me to ship one.   has anyone bought the postage online?    i keep coming back to the post office because i'm 40miles from a shipping business.

Exactly what Matt Scott said!!! They are all expensive...I use USPS in flat rate boxes or UPS for the real heavy packages...Spee-Dee is only in seven states...

USPS : Flat rate one rate anywhere in the 48, if it fits it ships.  These  are the USPS advertising slogans.  If your local Post office is charging you by weight, you need to contact your postmaster.  Currently large box $21.90, Medium box $15.50 small box $8.45.  For most anything that fits into any of these boxes or envelops, no other shipping service can match the USPS prices. The best is the small bubble enveloped, You'd be surprised what will fit and ship for $8.45.  And the large "Game board box will hold more that what the cardboard will support, which leads to common sense packing, What will actually survive getting there without busting trough the box. 

I don't ship much, but have experience on the receiving end. I have had good experience with both UPS and USPS. Several weeks ago, a white van came up my driveway. It had snowed about an inch. I looked out the shop window to see the driver back off the driveway, down an incline and try to turn around, just spinning. I came out and he was wearing shorts as the snow came down. He kept backing up till I told him to stop. I got a chain and hooked my 4X4 GMC 1/2 ton
( made him hook his end) and pulled him back on the driveway. He indicated it was all my fault because the driveway wasn't designed right. But he did say "sorry about the lawn". Around here, FedEx uses all subcontractors and drivers are paid piecework. So much per package delivered. Bob@allisdowneast    

With USPS you have to make sure you get a flat rate box, they have others that look the same but are by weight, has to say flat rate on it.

thanks for all the info;  flat rate isn't an option.  usps rates have went up 130% since i started selling kits.   I had to make adjustments a year ago to keep the kit prices affordable; i have 1 last idea on how to hold the line again!    thanks to everyone who has bought kits.   last day of jan sale is today!

I used to use USPS flat rate boxes A LOT! But with the issues they had late last year, I started using UPS more, and they offered up a flat rate too, called one simple rate. It's just cubic inches of the box, use your own boxes. I am not a regular stop for the ups driver, but try to get my outgoing packages ready for a day I'm receiving something from them. You can pay an extra pick-up fee too, but I don't. I also take the boxes to my post office for the ups guy to pick up there, since he goes there nearly every day. If it's my regular driver, he lets me text him about an outgoing. I've had problems with some customers not able to get their package from usps if driver doesn't feel like getting out of car, then leaves a note saying you have a package to pick up at post office. Some small town post offices are only open a few hours a day. I do like the usps in that I have until 330 to get something mailed out. UPS can be anywhere from 9 to 3 lol! I do all my own labels, and usps flat rate boxes aren't supposed to charge by weight. 

  I guess for my business; i've learned there is no alternative as my kits go all over the USA.    none of the flat rate boxes fit my kits.   I'm too far away from another type of pickup.      I tried to sell the business a couple years ago but found no serious buyers, so that's out.   I'll figure this out like i always seem too!   thanks to my customers; have a great 2021!

just checked on regional rate from the post office.   that doesn't fit my business.  thanks for the heads up as i didn't know it existed.

   I'm pretty well schooled on how the postal system works, I hauled your mail for years,  and your ideas on why your packages are late, are probably off base!    I could tell you this, the postal system is more worried about bean counters, then moving your mail efficiently!

Edited by tomNE - 01 Feb 2021 at 3:55pm

WF owner wrote: tadams(OH) wrote: The only problem with USPS is you don't want to be in any hurry cause Amazon has priority, my meds used to be shipped in 3 to 5 days and now it's 10 days if your luck cause USPS has a deal with Amazon that their packages go first or they will ship with someone else. Was told that's in the contract that USPS signed with Amazon. I think you mean UPS. I don't think I ever get anything from Amazon from the post office. UPS delivers everything we get from Amazon.

 

We've been using USPS for years and only had a few problems. Those flat rate boxes are the best thing since birthday cake. Since this Pandemic started, deliveries have slowed down some, but I can understand that with what's going on in the world with this Wu-Flu stuff. Where can ya send a Generator East coast to West coast (3000 miles) for $15.50? Usually, when we get UPS deliveries, it looks like the  driver used the box for a wheel chock. Boxes are busted, taped whatever. In most cases, the contents are damaged. I don't know if UPS is just tough on pkgs round' here or what, but seems like anything that comes in to us is pretty tragic when it arrives here from them.....