Friday, July 14, 2006

Shipping Shenanigans

After being in business for over a year now, I've developed an equal level of disdain for pretty much all of the major shippers. They are expensive...often unhelpful...and they ALL make mistakes. I've also discovered that one size definitely does NOT fit all when it comes to shipping. There is not currently one method of shipping I would feel comfortable using exclusively. From my experience, this is what I've uncovered.

*For very light packages, USPS is the way to go
*For heavier packages that are not going a great distance (i.e. a few states away), Fed Ex Ground is my choice
*And for heavier packages going a further distance (i.e. NY to CA), UPS has been my best bet.

Mind you, with gas prices constantly on the rise, these stats can easily change. I've never really given DHL a fair shot either. So I was happy to come across RedRoller. RedRoller lets you easily compare shipping costs across all of the major biggies with just a couple of clicks. So now when we're sending an 18 pound box to a store in Northern California, I can easily check and see the most economical way of getting it there.

(via LifeHacker)

3 comments:

paper sweets said...

thanks so much for sharing the link...that made my day! i've come to despise this aspect of the biz!

claudine hellmuth said...

I love DHL! for big heavy boxes DHL ground is the best. I shipped a 40lb box from FL or WA for $16.
Their overnight and 2 day are the same as FedEX and UPS though.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the tip! I use www.shippingsidekick.com This one includes UPS rates!