Shipping Rank: FedEx #1

SharpByCoop

SharpByCoop

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Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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I see the sour threads regularly from UPS (United Parcel Service) and USPS (United States Postal Service).

I have never, EVER, seen a bad deal from FedEx. Nor have I experienced one. I did a search of the GB&U and came up dry.

I will use USPS Priority and Express, still. But I'll pay FedEx the slight extra for any package shipment worth more than $500. It's just not worth the savings (risk?) beyond that.

I created an account and the dropoff ALWAYS takes less time than the PO.

Just a Good post for a shipper....

Coop
 
Thanks. I may do that with my finished knives from now on. I'm sure my package'll get there (USPS), it's just frustrating when everything I ship gets there in 2-3 days, until I really need it to get there that fast. Typical. Must have some bad karma. lol
 
Been using FedEx for the last 15 years - with *one* screw-up in all that time. They caught it and bent over backwards to correct it and make us and our client happy. I think FedEx is worth every penny. :thumbup:
 
Look at the www.fedex.com site for shipping fees from station to station.

Priority Mail is the cost-effective leader in shipping. Without any argument from me. But, as it is found, the 95% success rate still allows the 5% to creep in. When you least need it...! :eek: If you add in the exorbitant USPS insurance cost, you are paying probably as much OR MORE than a FedEx standard delivery.

On the record, I wouldn't advise anyone against insuring their knives. But if the insurance is only on the aspect of delivery and not necessarily damage, then I would make an argument that FedEx is CHEAPER, if you ship with only their minimum of $100 coverage. It's GOING to get there.

BTW--I use Collectibles Insurance Company (www.collectinsure.com) for my shipping insurance. I pay $220 per year for a FULL $15,000 guaranteed payment on each shipment through FedEx (or USPS or UPS). A single knifemaker would probably only have to spend $100 per year for $5000 coverage and that would include property loss and traveling to shows. Paying the Shipper for the 'privilege' of insurance is a loser. I mark the minimum of $100 and let it go.

This combination for me (and I ship a LOT of $$$ knives) works famously.

Coop
 
All I use now is Fed Ex. I realize that the quality of shipping tends to vary from area to area but all in all Fed Ex has given me the best customer service.
Just goes to show that cheaper isn't better,,,better ends up being cheaper in the long run.

:)
 
Today's Elderberries from www.ucomics.com
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While I agree that the FedEx regular air mail type shipping offers probably the best and most reliable tracking and shipping I cannot say the same about FedEx Ground service. I just recently found out that FedEx Ground is actually totally outsourced by FedEx to independent contractors. Recently I "lost" a package enroute to a custom bladesmith that after tracing by FedEx was advised to put in a claim for since they could not find it and was lost. It turns out that it had been delivered the day before FedEx told me to put in the claim and after the bladesmith told me the package arrived. Amazingly it was not scanned in to their system upon delivery. All's well that ends well but I will not be using FedEx Ground anymore.
 
I've had some very poor experiences with FedEx, while USPS and UPS are almost always trouble-free. But as mentioned above, delivery services vary by region. One problem here with FedEx, they aren't local and they don't know the customers; their service for this area is based 90 miles away and in another state.

-Bob
 
Alex,

You're probably right. I have no experience with the ground shipping (I *think* DHL is the subcontactor, or they bought that system out), and I will bet it does not have the safeguards the more expensive 'Express' service offers. The Express service is totally air-driven. I send a package from CT to MA and it goes to Memphis first. Arrives in Brookline the next day anyway.

BTW, there are four grades of Express shipping: Next Morning, Next Afternoon, Second Day, and Express Saver. All with different pricing. Express saver is not guaranteed for anything but three days, but more times than not it arrives in two. They just won't guarantee it. I use this the most, unless someone else is footing the bill.... ;)

Bob, I believe you. Just happens very infrequently.

Coop
 
I have never had a problem with the Postal System, but have had one with FedEx. They lost a package of mine and were surprisingly hard to deal with when it came to collecting on the insurance. It all worked out in the end, but not without some frustration on my part. UPS has caused me grief a few times and I will never use them again. I have no experience with DHL.
 
SharpByCoop said:
BTW--I use Collectibles Insurance Company (www.collectinsure.com) for my shipping insurance.
Click to expand...
Coop,

Have you ever had to file a claim with Collectables? I've heard good reports about them, but I've never heard of anyone filing a claim. BTW, kudos for covering your clients knives with your own additional insurance. :thumbup:

We've had excellent results shipping with FedEx and USPS. If we have an order over $500 we ship via Registered Mail. The package is locked in a safe and must be signed for. When one person hands to another, the new person signs. The downside is speed. Regular Registered Mail is slow. You can speed it up by paying for Priority or Express.

I heard about RM from a jeweler. He said the jewelry industry uses Registered Mail to ship diamonds and jewelry.
 
Fed Ex - tracking which actually tracks, confirmation instantaneous to the signature, and in my experience 100% accurate.
 
Hi Chuck,

Good suggestions. The Collectibles Insurance people have a tiered coverage for the USPS. Bottom coverage, no signature: $400. It grows from there: Insured then Certified, right up to Registered and Express Mail. They receive the top coverage. Registered is THE best option for USPS besides Express, but it also adds a small chunk to the cost. I think it's an additional $3.00 coverage.

There is a LOT of detail in the policy and their guidelines. Suffice to say, they cover all the carriers when you use their most trackable option.

I am remiss to say I have not needed to draw on them, but that is a good thing! Any conversations I have had with them, in the small company, have been informal and informative, and I have to go with my gut that I would be able to work things out in the event of a mishap.

My fee to my clients includes return shipping, and I'll be damned if I can afford NOT to have coverage to the max. And so I do. Thanks for noticing. :)

Like USPS I just ordered a boatload of boxes from FedEx for free. Another good thing.

Coop
 
I recently moved from Westminster and knew the people at Collectibles - they're a good company and have been insuring Collectors and their Collectibles for a long, long time.

My only problem with FedEx is their ground service and the fact that they outsource which is a more noticble problem here on an island since the contractor who deliveres this area will ONLY come over once a week on Fridays and then ONLY if they want to. I almost had to drive to Olympia recently to pick up a FedEx package because the contractor's car was too small. The head of that facility borrowed a FedEx truck on his own time and drove the shipment up to Steilcoom but I still had to take a ferry over on my dime and pick up the package. The contractor never even tried to deliver it.

UPS and USPS deliveres to the island daily with no hassles except that you can't ship anything from here overnight. Everything takes an extra day but we let people know that in advance.
 
Chuck Bybee said:
Coop,

Have you ever had to file a claim with Collectables? I've heard good reports about them, but I've never heard of anyone filing a claim.....
Click to expand...

I have also asked this question at least three times over the past few years and never received an answer. :( Good customer service and low premiums are great - but I'd like to hear from someone who has actually filed a claim and received a compensation check.
 
SharpByCoop said:
I have never, EVER, seen a bad deal from FedEx. Nor have I experienced one. I did a search of the GB&U and came up dry.
Click to expand...


Thats because nobody uses Fed-ex :thumbdn:
 
Nice stab, Morpeus. Care to explain?

Coop
 
Keeping in mind that I do not know of many folks that ship as much high value cutlery as Jim. I figure it is good advice.:D


I use DHL because I can do it at work very cheaply, but when it comes to stuff over 1,000. I'll go Fed-X every time. I just sent around 1400 in knives and cigars thanks to a lot of members here to Iraq via USPS insured, registered (the whole nine yards) and am not going to feel good about it until I hear from CSM Carlson. Never had that feeling with Fed-X or DHL for that matter.

I do remember someone posting a bad experience with DHL here a few years back.
 
Ive always had good luck with fed ex and ups . I will say that ups tends to be rougher on packages but so does usps .
 
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