FatWallet

I had to create a new thread to discuss about alternate options as DHL is shutting down from early December. I haven't seen any thread which discusses about deals on shipping (Ground).

Let me first Thank Redroller (& Redroller's DHL) for their amazingly cheap service prior to June '08.

But now DHL will be closing early December and I am trying to get some deals from other carriers like UPS & FEDEX and no one is willing to give deals like DHL. So I am wondering what DHL customers are planning to do in December.

DHL gave me 20% discount and FREE pickup on Ground shipments (Their service is top class for me with just 3 minor problems in the last two years). But FEDEX and UPS are not generous and they don't give any deals. I would like to know if anyone can suggest deals from UPS or FEDEX.

The best deal I am able to find is from AMEX card which gives up to 17% on FEDEX Ground. No deals with UPS so far. No FREE pickup deals like DHL. FEDEX charges $8 to $12/Week and UPS is $18/week.

Thanks

You should be able to get Daily Rates from UPS through eBay and Paypal.
If you do any kind of volume, call UPS and get your own account manager.
They can negotiate better rates for you and should beat the published Daily Rates offered by eBay.
Or take those rates and go to FedEx and ask for better rates if you switch to FedEx.
They don't make much on Ground residential so they may not offer much.
If you don't do much volume, you may not have much of a case though.
I think we are getting 15% off Daily rates from UPS with some rebate as well if we ship enough.

I've never been able to get UPS to reveal their tiers as to how much you have to ship to get specific discounts. We ship 30 or so boxes a day. Heavy Mondays with weekend sales can top 120+. Just call UPS, tell them how much you ship and that you currently use FedEx (even if you just pretend). Tell them your volume and that you want some discounts on top of the daily rates. They can get you a list of rates. Print the Paypal rates and make them beat them (or get their proposed rates and get FedEx to beat those). Play them against each other. You will have to commit eventually and pay the Daily Pickup fee, but you'll save more even if you only ship a few boxes.

The convenience of UPS picking up our boxes everyday is worth every penny. I know people will say that going to the post office and standing in line isn't that bad, but having someone come and pickup your boxes every day at the same time is so awesome.

uline.com

They are local to me so I pick them up and save shipping charges.

Take their prices to your local box company. They should match them at least.
Many box companies just resell uline boxes anyway.

Please do not buy boxes from office supply stores.

FeDeX policy is to only pickup daily from commercial addresses. They can waive this if you ship enough or make a deal with your account manager. If you are refusing to pay UPS or FedEx for any pickup service, then you are stuck with post office or dropping packages off.

Get rate offers in writing and play UPS and FedEx against each other for your business. Then go with what fits your needs best. If you only ship 3 a week, it may be better to just drop them off yourself.

If we did 3 per week, I would do that because I am not going to set my schedule around being here every day for UPS.

DealWinners said:locomodem said:The convenience of UPS picking up our boxes everyday is worth every penny. I know people will say that going to the post office and standing in line isn't that bad, but having someone come and pickup your boxes every day at the same time is so awesome.But DHL picked up for FREE even if I ship just three boxes (three days) a week (else just $9).

BTW I got a deal from Shiprush/FEDEX yesterday that they would give discount of upto 20%. I have to figure out what that upto means. Also I got one more update that FEDEX would not pickup from home addresses even if we pay them. Is that really true.

This really sucks. DHL closing at this economy especially during the holiday season is not good for me. I still like to see other DHL shippers' plans.

USPS picks my packages up 2x a day
Boxes are free
No-One can deliver 1lb anyplace in the 50 states + PR and Guam for $4.75 in 2-3 days

Ship anything on Friday via USPS Priority Mail, it gets there on Monday, they work on Sat and Sunday. NO-one else does

I shipped a dozen packages this AM, the day before Turkey Day, they all will be delivered by Friday or Saturday, NO-one beats that for $4.75-$9.50 plus the packaging if free (1lb to 3lb packages)

Ship in the AM and your packages actually start moving to their destination, FedEx, UPS or DHL, nothing starts until 8pm, all that happens with those 3 is your package drives around town all day until the driver gets back to his/her depot

USPS only moves items in the morning in major cities and hub locations. I know for a fact my post office doesn't get a pickup until after 5pm which then goes 1hour to a sort facility.

UPS has a Chase branded credit card which gives 3% Cash Back in points, 3pts/$1. 2500 pts = $25. Thats the only discount I have seen that anyone can get without hassle. And it seems you found the AMEX card which offers FDX discounts. I thought UPS's daily pickup charges were based on your volume/amt billed through you account.

DHL closing does make me happy since i've been working on a shipping comparison application its one less price to zone chart to fill