Shipping cards.....best way to go?

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Posted By: Dave

I've always used the USPS..but lately been wondering if UPS isn't the better option. Looking at the UPS site though..just looks like they are really expensive to ship. Maybe a $900 card would be one thing. But if I can ship a $50 card with the Postal Service for $1.47..first class with a delivery confirmation, what in the world would be the cheapest I could likewise send the same card UPS? Just wish thier services were more inline with USPS...I'd definately use them. Love the acutal accurate tracking they provide as opposed to the Post Office...which will often not even show the card being shipped from the seller two days after it is already at my house....opinions?

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Posted By: dennis

when you ship usps at least the cards are deposited in your mail box. with ups they could leave on porch or in driveway or bushes,never between doors as that would require an effort by driver(s) who work the route as if in competition for a new speed record.

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Posted By: Ray

I don't trust any of them. When I bought my wife's $3000+ engagement ring, I had it shipped to my house since it was made from scratch. FedEx left it on the stoop in plain view...in the snow. No signature. They didn't even knock on the door (I was home READING with everything off so I would've heard 'em!).

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Posted By: Joe

Hey, its government, But USPS seems best, UPS used to be the best in the 80's and 90's though.

Joe

Ty Cobb, Spikes flying!

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Posted By: mark

I send it USPS Express mail on items over $700. They even deliver on sunday. For example: I am sending a package worth $1,700 to someone on the east coast today. It will cost about $25 to send insured for Express delivery but they will get it by Noon on sunday!!!

I am happy, customer is happy.

UPS--rarely use them, cost way too much for small item.

Fedex---I have a sister-in-law who works for them (driver), thus i never would use them.

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Posted By: barrysloate

I'm still a big supporter of registered mail, though it is a bit impractical for packages valued under $500. If you need to get $25K worth of insurance, it's still a great bargain and 100% guaranteed. It can be a little slow but that's a small price to pay.

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Posted By: George Dreher

The only drawback for USPS registered insured is having to tape every seal on the package with brown paper postal tape, so no seal is left uncovered, otherwise they won't ship it. Small town postal clerks don't mind taping them for you, but in larger towns and cities, they get pissed off. So, I usually try to take care of that myself.
I recently shipped an item worth about $35,000 and got the full $25K worth of insurance. Talk about costly shipping!

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Posted By: JimB

FedEx left a package at my door that included a number of cards including a PSA 7 E93 Cobb, a 33 Goudey Ruth #53, and several T206 HoFs. It was on the porch for about seven hours before my wife got home from work. FedEx routinely did this sort of thing at my previous address as well. I would never use them to ship anything valuable. Although it can be slow, USPS Registered is probably the safest in imho. I know that several big auction houses use them, but I think FedEx is a disaster waiting to happen. The UPS guy in our neighborhood is great.
JimB

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Jim's point is well-taken. I use Fed Ex simply because I have an account and can ship easily from my office; however, when I track the package to ensure delivery I've noticed that they simply leave the package at the door with the notation in the tracking system of "signature on file." Unless a recipient specifically tells Fed Ex to get a signature, their default delivery is to drop it at the door. It's a miracle more stuff isn't stolen.

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

Here's my 2-pence....for what ever it is worth......

Since the late 1970's I have ZERO DEFECTS mailing and receiving cards via 1st Class, Insured, US Mail.
That is an unbelievable record and I am talking about 1000's of pieces of mail......perhaps, I have been
very LUCKY.

And perhaps, LUCK isn't the reason. I think it has more to do with the following practices that I adhere
to....and I highly recommend:

(1) Rent a PO Box

(2) In a small Branch Post Office (avoid the big central Post Offices)

(3) Packages with $500 or more value send via REGISTERED mail

(4) Insist that when receiving hi-value packages, that they are sent REGISTERED

(5) If sender uses UPS, FEDEX, etc. inform them that they cannot send to your PO Box (this is a NO-NO)

Now, if I were to tell you all the screw-ups UPS has made sending packages to me....I would fill up pages
on the Net54 screen....so, I wont bore you with the negative.

TED Z