UPS, FedEx, and the US Post Office handle millions of parcels every year. Are they perfect in how they handle each parcel? At some point, for shippers who use the carriers on a regular basis, it is inevitable that there will be a damaged package. The actual percentage of parcels damaged in transit seems to be a well kept secret by all of the carriers. The percent of claims filed vs. the actual n... [More]

Years ago, domestic shipping used to be simple. Weigh the package, look up the zone, look up the charges, and hand the parcel to the pick up driver. Thirty years ago, there was no shipping software and computers were in their infancy. Shippers either wrote their shipments in the UPS “book” or they used a UPS “meter” to process their parcels. If you are able to remember the ... [More]

We have all seen ads promoting the concept of “If it absolutely, positively has to be there, it has to go overnight.” Over the last ten years, the small parcel carriers have done an excellent job of advertising the concept of getting your package delivered tomorrow. They have built a market, and a profitable one at that, based on the concept of instant gratification. As a business, wha... [More]

As consultants, we are driven to provide relevant industry news from a third party perspective. It has been two months since the UPS rate change and it is a good time to review again what happened. I have selected some text from carrier/industry websites in an effort to highlight the last rate change by UPS. UPS announced their 2010 rate changes, which was effective Januar... [More]

Over the years, shippers who have been using UPS and FedEx may have experienced a time where one or more of their products would have an ongoing problem of being damaged in transit. Often the carriers are quick to deny claims based on what they determine is “inadequate packaging”. There is a fine line between what the carrier considers inadequate and what the shipper considers adequate... [More]

Third-party negotiators, 3PNs, are on the rise. From California to North Carolina, large and small 3PNs are growing as shippers seek to improve profitability through the effective negotiation of their carrier agreements. The growth in 3PNs is a function of their proven ability to generate strong results as well as the current economic condition; both factors are driving companies to actively seek ... [More]

Implementing new shipping software for the enterprise is quicker, easier, and more affordable with today’s software technology. Don’t lose out on the benefits an Enterprise Shipping Solution can bring to your company. Enterprise shipping is not some mysterious corporate function. In fact, it is exactly what it sounds like. It is the process of shipping performed at a level visible to ... [More]

Ship Notes is a discussion of topics connected to the shipping and transportation industry as it relates to the movement of goods from the shipper’s perspective. Ship Notes is the source for the latest information about shipping processes, automation, trends, and industry news. We are not limiting input to just shippers. Since Ship Notes is for the benefit of shippers, we are inviting artic... [More]