shipping advice: i need more!!

honey52

O.G.
May 7, 2007
1,106
644
So i did a search and so far what i got is...

-FedEx sucks b/c they just leave your boxes in front of your place (even in an apartment complex)
-USPS doesn't do tracking? or signature tracking?

-You should signature track anthing over 250 bucks

But....
Which service is the best?
Does it cost extra for delivery confirmation or tracking (same thing?)?
Does it cost extra for signature confirmation?
Is there any service were i can drive to them and pick up my item?

The ebay purchase i made has nothing really about shipping on the pg but she is willing to comply to doing any type of shipping i want so can you guys help me choose? thanks!
 
I'm not an expert on shipping but I do know that:

-All of the carriers (usps...ups...fed ex) will leave the package at the door if no one is home unless the package is signature required.

-USPS does offer tracking but for priority mail and I believe express mail? They also have delivery confirmation which is sort of like tracking but it's really just a confirmation of delivery but I've learned that sometimes they scan the items when they are put into the delivery cars and sometimes the postman will forget to deliver it, yet online it will say it was delivered.

-Delivery confirmation...tracking..signature confirmation are all extra costs..not much extra though.

-USPS is pretty reliable. UPS is also really good..I have not had any problems with them as of yet. Steer clear of Fed Ex and DHL.

Hope this helped some!
 
I ship 99.9% of my packages with USPS Priority Mail. You get free delivery confirmation if you print the label from your computer.

If the item is more expensive, I always ship with insurance and signature confirmation. The carriers tend to be more careful with those packages. It's worth a few extra bucks to pay for these services.
 
I usually ship USPS. You can get the deliver confirmation for 1st class or priority mail for $0.65. I also include insurance and on expensive items over $250 I require a signature. If you ship using priority mail and your item is smallish they have boxes you can use for free.

I have also used UPS. I prefer not to use them because it is typically more expensive and their shipping estimator is usually off a lot. I have had to pay extra everytime I have brough a package into them even though I padded the weight a little in my estimate.

I acutally like FedEx. No issues yet on the receiving end. Their locations aren't very convinient for me.

I second avoind DHL. I order a lot from a handful of retailers that use DHL and I almost always have issues with something - shipment was not expedited even though I paid for it, delivered to wrong address, address correction to other side of town, they were short handed and decided not to deliver to my area, etc. I've heard it all with them.
 
I also want to add that if you go to USPS's website you can order Priority Mail boxes, tape, forms, etc., for FREE and they ship them for free too. It's a great deal!
 
I also primarily use USPS Priority with delivery confirmation. The only thing that I don't like about it is the tracking. It only tells you that the item was accepted at the PO (from the seller) and then when it arrives at the PO (buyer's) but nothing in between. I like to see the progress so that I can estimate when I should be home to sign for a package but I've never had any problems whatsoever.:tup:
 
I have to 2nd the avoid DHL advice. Nordstrom's shipped a package to me worth $2600 with a signature required and it never arrived. They claimed to have left it on the porch. They tried to give me & Nordie's the runaround and I finally had to get an attorney involved. I did get my $2600 back...8 months later!
 
wow. thanks for your experience. so i've come to the conclusion that i should ask my seller to use usps with signature delivery.

Whats the deal with insurance? Do i need to pay that or does she? on the listing it was buyer protection on ebay is up to $200 dollars....
 
On extra large packages its cheaper to use UPS and they include tracking than to parcel post with USPS. Also if USPS over charges you and you don't notice while you're at the post office and you go back and decide to use a different carrier, they will charge you $6.00 or more just to get the package back from them.

Include insurance costs with the shipping price on the listing and mention what you're doing in the listing so that people understand why the cost is higher. You always want to tell the potential customer what it is exactly that they are paying for so you have less headaches in the long run.
 
I have to 2nd the avoid DHL advice. Nordstrom's shipped a package to me worth $2600 with a signature required and it never arrived. They claimed to have left it on the porch. They tried to give me & Nordie's the runaround and I finally had to get an attorney involved. I did get my $2600 back...8 months later!
Didn't nordstroms credit your account? Why did dhl give you the run around when it was sig requred and their was none? nors should have and they are suppose to file a claim with dhl...even though you got your money back sucks that you had to pay a lawyer

as for fed ex they suck and i never use them:tdown:
 
USPS Priority or Express with DC and signature confirmation and insured for full amount! It adds but, but worth it. Haven't had a problem yet!

I have a scale (got it on eBay), so I print my shipping labels at home, pack up the bag and drop it off at the PO. I'm in a small town, so I just drive up and hand it to the clerk.
 
I'm confused about UPS. My seller will send me my bag vis UPS ground mail with insurance (i'm assuming for her side?) and tracking.

What happens with UPS if you're not home to pick it up? You'll get two notices and then what? Do they leave it at their office? or do they leave it on a doorstep.. I've heard two instances.
 
I'm confused about UPS. My seller will send me my bag vis UPS ground mail with insurance (i'm assuming for her side?) and tracking.

What happens with UPS if you're not home to pick it up? You'll get two notices and then what? Do they leave it at their office? or do they leave it on a doorstep.. I've heard two instances.

If it's signature required and you are not home, UPS will attempt to deliver 3 times. Each time they attempt, they will leave you a notice. After that, they hold the package at their facility for a week for you to pick up. If you don't pick it up, they then return it to the sender.
 
I have had nothing but problems with fed ex, stories u would die about! UPS is great and USPS is pretty good.

I have been using Fed Ex a lot lately, mostly because they are way cheaper than UPS. Haven't had any problems yet, but I guess every one has different experiences. UPS is great, but their price is not as good as Fed Ex. USPS is a rip off in comparison to Fed Ex, and their tracking is almost non-existent. Why have a tracking# if it's only going to show when it was delivered? Kind of a joke, if you ask me.