UPS Ground, USPS Priority, USPS Parcel

[Furrankee]

Which one is generally cheaper all things being equal?

Which one is more reliable all things being equal?

I understand all three charge depending on weight of item and shipping distance. What is cheapest and most reliable?

[cap217]

Well you have to consider the upcharges for insurance.... but I use Fedex and they are great... even get an account and it is easy to do. DHL maybe but only used 2 times...

 

Fedex=cheaper and better!

[chap411]

I think Fedex is the best all-around service, UPS, being next, then USPS, DHL i have no idea. USPS is most likely going to be cheapest by a lot if you don't want/need insurance

[joey3108]

IMO anything ground service is not good!

 

To me Fedex express Dept is the best. Fedex ground and express are not the same facility as far as I know.

 

Just my opinion!

 

Joe :russian_roulette:

[ckay]

I prefer USPS Priority in both shipping and receiving. 2-3 days is great. Only thing it lacks is tracking but for the price and reliability...tough to beat.

[galaxy21]

As a shipping manager in my company I will try to make some comparison on different service .

Joe you are correct FedEx ground and FedEx express are 2 seperate division. For the ground service, UPS will be the best in US but FedEx is start look into this business. But for domestic express service FedEx will be better.

However if you are using FedEx or UPS service, since the box that we use to ship golf club is normally unnormally long compare to most pacakge they received, sometime they will charge extra for the oversize pacakge. I personally get burn several time after using FedEx to ship and ends up get charge another $10-$15 for ground service.

As far as the insurance concern, both carrier provide $100 minimum insurance if pacakge damage or missing, so you not need to paid extra if the value of the club is less than $100.

As far as the transit time, for most ground service it will take up to 5 business day for east coast to west cpast. But if you ship to same region, sometime you might be able to get it next day if you using UPS ground.

 

Hope this help.

[HotWired]

Golf club boxes are not overlength. UPS is 108" combined girth plus length, which is way more than a normal golf club box. I'm sure FedEx is very similar in their rules concerning length.

 

UPS and FedEx both publish their normal transit times, it's pretty easy to figure out. It's not "sometimes" as the post above seems to indicate. The generalization is, if you're shipping ground within a 250 mile radius, it will normally be delivered the next day.

 

UPS Express Saver is a good service. It's a ground 3 day service, but many of my packages are delivered in two days unless they're going all the way across the country.

 

USPS is still the best for onesies twosies, but try running a business and:

 

a. having to go to the post office every day. Unless you pay yourself $4 an hour, it ain't worth it, and;

 

b. no tracking. That's a deal breaker. Delivery confirmation? BFD. If I wanted to know when the package was going to arrive after it was delivered, I'd call my customer and ask him.

[pigglet222]

[quote name='HotWired' timestamp='1177634482' post='543170']
Golf club boxes are not overlength. UPS is 108" combined girth plus length, which is way more than a normal golf club box. I'm sure FedEx is very similar in their rules concerning length.

UPS and FedEx both publish their normal transit times, it's pretty easy to figure out. It's not "sometimes" as the post above seems to indicate. The generalization is, if you're shipping ground within a 250 mile radius, it will normally be delivered the next day.

UPS Express Saver is a good service. It's a ground 3 day service, but many of my packages are delivered in two days unless they're going all the way across the country.

USPS is still the best for onesies twosies, but try running a business and:

a. having to go to the post office every day. Unless you pay yourself $4 an hour, it ain't worth it, and;

b. no tracking. That's a deal breaker. Delivery confirmation? BFD. If I wanted to know when the package was going to arrive after it was delivered, I'd call my customer and ask him.
[/quote]

Can anyone weigh-in on how much it costs to ship one club to Hawaii??? Which carrier is best?

[elrey23]

[quote name='ckay' timestamp='1177562713' post='542140']
I prefer USPS Priority in both shipping and receiving. 2-3 days is great. Only thing it lacks is tracking but for the price and reliability...tough to beat.
[/quote]

Agree. Not overly expensive and gets to most anywhere in the country in 3 business days. Heck, they probably put the packages on a fedex plane or a commercial plane, since I don't think the USPS operates planes

[Pudgelewis]

USPS Priority is all I've used and I've never had a package lost or damaged in the 7+ years I've sold on eBay (over 400 transactions as a seller) and the selling I've done on here. Like someone above said, 2-3 days is awesome. Even if going across the country. And they deliver on Saturday's. Parcel Post may be a tad bit cheaper but not as much as you'd think. And I believe it can take A LOT longer than Priority. I personally haven't had any problems (other than some delays) with UPS/FED EX like others have, but USPS has been great. It may just be me, but I think their delivery confirmation tracking has been a lot better the last few months from all the times I've checked on the sending & receiving end.

Shipping to Hawaii from here in KY is usually about $15 for a single club with USPS Priority and it gets there just as fast if I remember correctly from the last time I shipped there.

[Buzzkill]

[quote name='ckay' timestamp='1177562713' post='542140']
I prefer USPS Priority in both shipping and receiving. 2-3 days is great. Only thing it lacks is tracking but for the price and reliability...tough to beat.
[/quote]

Agree. USPS Priority is the only way to go.

[hayzooos]

I'm a USPS Priority kind of guy too. I don't run a golf club business, but usually send/receive a club every month or two. Delivery confirmation isn't so I know it got there, it's so there cannot be a dispute.

The only downside to USPS is (as stated) their tracking sucks. It's updated each night, maybe, but there's no estimated time of delivery. You should get that information when you send the package out though. UPS has good tracking, but I've noticed they have way more horror stories than any other company. I've never personally used FedEx for clubs, so I cannot comment on them, but have heard mostly good things.

The workers at most USPS stores leave a little to be desired, but it is what it is...

[Stinger82]

USPS Priority 100%

[all4's]

[quote name='HotWired' timestamp='1177634482' post='543170']

b. no tracking. That's a deal breaker. Delivery confirmation? BFD. If I wanted to know when the package was going to arrive after it was delivered, I'd call my customer and ask him.
[/quote]

My thoughts exactly!

My 2 cents. I used to run Amazon.com's largest shipping dock and these days I personally ship clubs about every 2 weeks like a proper club 'ho should. I think that the USPS Priority is by far the best combo of price and speed. If they ever got a respectable tracking system, which they can't do because they are already running on razor thin margins due to inefficiencies, they would kill it. Plus the one advantage they have over the others when it comes to ground service, is the biggest bonus of all and that is Saturday delivery. For a guy who has made countless Tue night purchases, praying the seller ships the next day, that Sat delivery is a clincher quite often.

[highergr0und]

When taking speed, reliability, and cost into account, USPS is the way to go. If you don't care how long it'll take, UPS and Fed Ex are both cheaper. All 3 suck to deal with if there is a problem, but UPS is probably the worst.

I've never cared much about knowing all the shipping centers my package has visited. I simply check to see the delivery date and wait. With USPS, there's no need for that since it's always 2-3 days. Another big bonus with USPS is that they move packages on Saturdays (for now anyways).

[rmc26]

[quote name='Buzzkill' timestamp='1286432143' post='2732413']
[quote name='ckay' timestamp='1177562713' post='542140']
I prefer USPS Priority in both shipping and receiving. 2-3 days is great. Only thing it lacks is tracking but for the price and reliability...tough to beat.
[/quote]

Agree. USPS Priority is the only way to go.
[/quote]

USPS all the way! Just shipped a big box to Canada from CA and it was $31 there in six days. I just purchased a wedge from AL and it was mailed Tuesday, confirmation says delivery on Friday. You can not beat the speed, reliability(100+ perfect transactions for me), and the price. Not to mention the post office is right next to my house or work and you can print label online if you wish, just walk in and hand it over.

[BenJ]

Unless you have an account with FedEx, I prefer USPS Priority for shipping and receiving. You can not beat the speed unless you pay for FedEx Express. There absolutely [i]is[/i] tracking on USPS Priority, too. It's not up to the second like FedEx or UPS, but anyone who believes everything those systems say should do some research. They update those systems first with where the package should be and then re-update later when it actually scans in. I've had UPS tell me my package was at the destination city only for it to scan in at a hub later that day. UPS is the absolute worst. Slow, expensive, and their drivers for my area are all a-holes. The ONLY nice part of UPS is that their stores usually have some sort of punch card system where your 11th shipment is either discounted or free. I still prefer USPS.

Cases in point: I bought a putter here that was shipped UPS from NJ last Friday. It will get delivered today. Last Thursday I shipped a wedge from Phoenix to NC via USPS Priority. It was on the doorstep on Saturday. I shipped a headcover from Phoenix to Minn. via USPS First Class on last Friday, it was on the doorstep on Monday. I bought a wedge that shipped UPS Ground last Thursday from Phoenix TO Phoenix. I didn't get it until Monday. Same city. USPS would have put that on my porch on Friday... Saturday at the very latest.

Edit: Forgot to mention that unless you are shipping something very heavy, USPS is usually cheaper. For shipping items like grips, balls, etc, you can't beat the price of the Medium Flat Rate box.

[jsanatx]

Another nod for USPS here, i ship everything Priority except small items (grips, headcovers, etc). those items go First Class. Can't beat Priority, never had a problem with the pakcage getting to its destination within 2-3 days. Easy, fast and convenient for me. besides UPS break shafts all the time, so i aviod them like the plague.

[thechief16]

USPS Priority all the way.

[Pudgelewis]

[quote name='hayzooos' timestamp='1286464176' post='2732817']

The only downside to USPS is (as stated) their tracking sucks. [b]It's updated each night, maybe, but there's no estimated time of delivery. You should get that information when you send the package out though.[/b] UPS has good tracking, but I've noticed they have way more horror stories than any other company. I've never personally used FedEx for clubs, so I cannot comment on them, but have heard mostly good things.

[/quote]


Not sure if it's the case with every post office, but they have started showing the expected delivery date on receipts here and the few other ones I've used. Probably only with Priority shipments though but it's still a nice addition.

[Greenie]

USPS Priority usually wins out in these type of posts on here. Add me to the USPS Priority list.

[Boogs2]

Ill go with USPS Priority or FedEx. I'll never ship anything UPS unless I have to. They broke 2 clubs that were being sent to me and every package that I have received from them has some type of damage to it (boxes piled on top, etc). If the seller can't ship USPS or Fedex...I'd rather have them tie the package to a bunch of pigeons and hopefully they'll fly to my area. UPS = EPIC FAIL

[TheAztec27]

DO NOT SHIP PARCEL. They tell you the shippin will be 5-7 days but fail to mention it could be up to 6 weeks. I recently had a package take 3 weeks to get to a buyer. Take the lesson I learned and spend the few extra bucks for Priority or UPS. Parcel is not worth the few bucks saved in postage

[whiteflash]

[quote name='thechief16' timestamp='1286469650' post='2732955']
USPS Priority all the way.
[/quote]

I agree.

[scjr]

USPS Priority.

No way to UPS.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_wGeErYTl8

[SPY ZINGER]

USPS PRIORITY MAIL!!

[alomar123]

USPS, at a UPS store.lol

[BenJ]

I forgot to add the last thing I LOVE about USPS Priority. If you buy postage and print the label online (which saves money), they'll come pick up your shipment for free the next day. It can't be beat.

[lobub]

I almost always use USPS Priority. But shipping iron sets across the country can get be almost 3x the price of UPS ground in some cases. So, in general, I use USPS for shipping single clubs and UPS ground for iron sets. Has worked flawlessly so far for years.

[33Posse]

[quote name='all4's' timestamp='1286464871' post='2732838']
[quote name='HotWired' timestamp='1177634482' post='543170']
b. no tracking. That's a deal breaker. Delivery confirmation? BFD. If I wanted to know when the package was going to arrive after it was delivered, I'd call my customer and ask him.
[/quote]

My thoughts exactly!

My 2 cents. I used to run Amazon.com's largest shipping dock and these days I personally ship clubs about every 2 weeks like a proper club 'ho should. I think that the USPS Priority is by far the best combo of price and speed. If they ever got a respectable tracking system, which they can't do because they are already running on razor thin margins due to inefficiencies, they would kill it. Plus the one advantage they have over the others when it comes to ground service, is the biggest bonus of all and that is Saturday delivery. For a guy who has made countless Tue night purchases, praying the seller ships the next day, that Sat delivery is a clincher quite often.
[/quote]