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US POST OFFICE VS UPS SHIPPING

R

Rkh

Member
Had to ship a 15lb package to Tulsa, OK. Took to local post office-$40 to ship. Decided to go to local place that ships for UPS-$20 for the same package. Why such a difference? In the past, the post office has always been cheaper.
 
I have always shipped my 'tractor door shock kits' in the snail mail but they jumped another dollar, this time on the shipping. i'm close to looking for another option. Since i started selling these kits, the PO has over doubled the shipping price!
 
Yes, the only reason to ship USPS is when you have small heavy items and use their flat rate boxes. I have put 40# in a medium flat rate box for $14.35 anywhere in the continental US, can go up to 70#. 90% of my auctions the last 2 months were shipped USPS.....just learned to use a ton of shipping tape on the boxes so they make it in one piece!
 
Last Friday I checked with UPS on a 12 # package from Sturgis, SD to St. Cloud, Mn, ground (not air) $37 almost $38.
I drove to Rapid City and shipped Speedee Delivery 2 day delivery $10.00 Speedee covers a 7 state area of the upper Midwest. Company started by a man and his wife. Actually his wife as he was driving semi OTR until she needed help when the business boomed.
 
Did you have your own box or did you do as Eldon suggests and use one of the PO?s flat rate boxes. Seems counterintuitive but my (limited) experience matches his...hard to beat their flat rate boxes.
 
USPS flat rate is the best bargain, it is limited to size and weight though.

But you have to ask for it.

Just walk in and say you want to mail a package, they will start out with the highest rate and it's up to you to ask for a lower rate.

I'm not positive, but I think having a UPS account gets a better rate than walk in's. Might be worth a call if you ship frequently.
 
I have done some flat rate from post office. Here they want to see whats in box before you seal it up and if weights over their max weight for that size box its not flat rate anymore. I had to cut box open one time so could see what was in it. Had less hassle with UPS.
 
From what I understand they have the right to open a 'media mail' package because it is discounted....never had to show anything I shipped...and I shipped a lot.
 
(quoted from post at 19:39:58 02/25/19) USPS flat rate is the best bargain, it is limited to size and weight though.

But you have to ask for it.

Just walk in and say you want to mail a package, they will start out with the highest rate and it's up to you to ask for a lower rate.

I'm not positive, but I think having a UPS account gets a better rate than walk in's. Might be worth a call if you ship frequently.
Click to expand...

You can also get an account at the post office and get a little better rate...
 
Because UPS ground still uses mule teams to snail their way across the country. Nothing slower in my experience.
 
(quoted from post at 20:06:18 02/25/19) Because UPS ground still uses mule teams to snail their way across the country. Nothing slower in my experience.
Click to expand...

Yes! USPS WA to VA in 2 days! Can't complain about delivery times, just rough handling...so you need to account for that LOL! Still have some NOS parts in the twilight zone :(
 
Returned a steering gear off a 3/4 ton pickup. Label on box said over 35#.It was in a flat rate box and cost was 20 dollars.
 
I ship out 100,s of cast iron 2 cyl JD carbs. I go UPS only. USPS employees make it clear that they only want to handle "mail" just by how the boxes get to their destination. I learned this from my customers that called me praising the carb but telling me I'd better find someone else to ship. I buy my own double thickness 8X8X8 boxes for $ 2 ea and ship UPS and the only way mail is cheaper is flat rate box and they are not heavy enough and correct size. They fall apart. When carbs get sent to me, they use mail and flat rate box because it's only $ 13.50 to anywhere. Problem is, they are falling out by time I get them. They are all rusty and dirty so isn't an issue but I cannot send them back that way. It isn't the local PO , it is the sorting and shipping terminals. They HATE boxes ! UPS only here.
 
I ship a lot of packages USPS flat rate. To protect against damages I cut pieces of floor underlayment. That way I can send a 40# package for under$20.
 
Usually USPS for small stuff but;
Ordered 20 bolts from Bristol Va,guaranteed 3 day small priority box
picked up Thursday noon
left Bristol Fri PM (26 hrs later)
arrived Knoxville tn Monday PM (130 miles=4 days)
arrived no. Ill Friday-8 days
By the way-box was empty,not enuff tape.
called company on Fri, new box was here on Tues
 
(quoted from post at 21:02:42 02/25/19) I ship a lot of packages USPS flat rate. To protect against damages I cut pieces of floor underlayment. That way I can send a 40# package for under$20.
Click to expand...

I learned to do the same, old magazine on the bottom, double box heavy parts, put small parts in side small flat rate box inside medium flat rate box, strapping tape on corners, 3m heavy duty tape all around box....don't ship around Xmas you are OK LOL!
 
The PO is good with the Flat rate boxes. Once you get outside that box, rates are biased on size with weight coming in very close second.
It also depends on where you are shipping it for another factor. Lately I have seen more FedEx shipping being cheaper than either one.
I once sent a Hupp trans to England. $200 for USPS and $400 for UPS. I figured Brown would have been cheaper. It was not.
The "Flat rate" boxes are nice for heavier items. If it is lightweight enough, it might be time to research shipping cost on all the
carriers.
 
I have used more flat rate boxes than the average guy. I can tell you the trick is to double line them and use a ton of tape. ALWWAYS put the part in a double or triple lined plastic bag if you think it may leak. When asked I tell them its a antique tractor part. USPS is way faster than UPS, until they drop the ball. This does happen couple times a year. UPS makes you supply your own box. USPS flat rate are free. I always box and tape them at home. Then just set them on the counter. Al
 
(quoted from post at 21:30:45 02/25/19) I have used more flat rate boxes than the average guy. I can tell you the trick is to double line them and use a ton of tape. ALWWAYS put the part in a double or triple lined plastic bag if you think it may leak. When asked I tell them its a antique tractor part. USPS is way faster than UPS, until they drop the ball. This does happen couple times a year. UPS makes you supply your own box. USPS flat rate are free. I always box and tape them at home. Then just set them on the counter. Al
Click to expand...
Costco had the 3m heavy tape for around $2 a roll (8 pack) a couple of weeks ago w/instant rebate....good time to stock up! Tape is your friend!
 
Use Speedy all the time to Midwest. Prompt, low cost, and the package gets to the destination in good shape. Western Iowa
 

I ship alot of stuff. I have accounts at UPS and USPS

I use USPS the most but both have their place

Best advice I can give for shipping boxes.....

Pad the contents with newspaper so they can't bounce around and buy fiberglass reinforced tape to wrap 3 ways and all seams for heavy boxes
I buy large quantities of tape off eBay for very cheap prices
 
small stuff all goes USPS. even in my box its less expensive. about $7-8 USPS would be $12-13 UPS. Seems like nothing ships UPS for less than $12.

used to use FedEX all the time. lowest cost of any of them but they've raised prices and not as easy as going by the PO or local hardware store to drop off.

Used DHL a couple times about 10-12 years ago. VERY cheap and no issues but they really cut back in the US but have started to expand again. With the online shopping boom they'd be dumb not to.
 

Don’t use UPS to ship goods into Canada . UPS adds surcharges and brokerage fees to very little thing until thier fee is about 1/3 the value of the goods .
If the article is small enough and light enough, ship via the post office
 
run rural mail route here, a lot times we end up deliver ups item as they bring it to post office then we make final delivery
 
(quoted from post at 19:39:58 02/25/19) USPS flat rate is the best bargain, it is limited to size and weight though.

But you have to ask for it.

Just walk in and say you want to mail a package, they will start out with the highest rate and it's up to you to ask for a lower rate.

I'm not positive, but I think having a UPS account gets a better rate than walk in's. Might be worth a call if you ship frequently.
Click to expand...

Those flat rate boxes come in a few different sizes, but there is no weight limit. To quote the post office, "if it fits, it ships". I recently purchased 35 pounds of lead for casting bullets. It arrived in a large, flat rate box. Shipping was free because my order was over a pre-determined minimum.
 
You do know that when you ship packages through US Post Office that they give it to UPS to take to final post office for delivery.
 
(quoted from post at 07:56:24 02/26/19) 35 pounds of lead are you casting bullets for a 50
cal.?
Click to expand...

I cast for several different calibers and bullet weights. Largest is .45. 35 pounds doesn't go very far.
 
You can save on USPS and probably other shipping by buying postage online through PayPal and printing the label at home. It's often several dollars cheaper on large or heavy boxes, so to me it's worth the extra cost of buying the label and the printer ink.
Zach
 
(quoted from post at 07:53:55 02/26/19) You do know that when you ship packages through US Post Office that they give it to UPS to take to final post office for delivery.
Click to expand...

I do not know that, and do not believe it either.

I do know UPS pays the Post Office to make final delivery on some items.

You're saying the Post Office uses UPS for shipping? I'll ask my friends who work at the Post Office. When the UPS guy brings stuff in it's always UPS shipments, not USPS shipments.
 
You never know which service will be best for shipping. I recently bought a used chainsaw online. After about 10 days I got a call from the seller saying UPS had returned the saw to him because the package was too damaged to be considered deliverable. Tracking had showed the saw had actually reached my city before being returned several states away! He offered a full refund or reshipping at his expense. I told him to examine the saw carefully for damage and reship it if it looked OK. He sent the same day by USPS and it got to me in three days in fine condition.
 
I was in our local post office and UPS was in there and ask postmaster what UPS was doing in there and he
said they haul packages for them. He said they use UPS and FEDEx both around Christmas because they haven't
got enough equipment to move all the Christmas packages.
 
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