Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Which shipping service do you prefer?
- Thread starter matbook101
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
For smaller stuff, I really do love USPS Priority Flat Rate. They'll leave stuff on the porch without making a 'federal' case out of it. Plus it's nice to not have to weigh stuff and being able to print postage at home. The free boxes upon request is a nice touch too.
because I didn't think that many people still use DHL, so it falls under "Other"
----------
Exactly that's why I love usps they give me free boxes, will pick up at my house, and shipping costs $5 anywhere in the country. As a person who sells small things on ebay all the time (recently a psp and a kindle) I just love them.
UPS hands down, Ive had items get "Early Delivery". Not with USPS or Fedex, they will hold until until the expected date. Not to mention any package I need to pickup with Fedex cant be done and is a HUGE fight to get done, cant contact any local facilities or anything. USPS has no reliable tracking, I sent an item back from an ebay purchase with delivery confirmation since apparently thats the only tracking you can get unless you go with EMS. That package never scanned the local facility and was never delivered and USPS has no clue what happened and im out $50... Anything over $5 gets shipped with insurance through USPS now and I will never use Fedex.
Also UPS seems to have the best tracking for packages, as I have stated with USPS...Delivery Confirmation tracking is OPTIONAL whether they scan it or not and Fedex is just horribly slow at updating it. Now if everyone at USPS was like my local post office, then yes I would love USPS. Til then, hope they default and go under
Priority and First Class are not guaranteed.
Also UPS seems to have the best tracking for packages, as I have stated with USPS...Delivery Confirmation tracking is OPTIONAL whether they scan it or not and Fedex is just horribly slow at updating it. Now if everyone at USPS was like my local post office, then yes I would love USPS. Til then, hope they default and go under
Priority and First Class are not guaranteed.
Most of the time I ship via priority mail it gets there in 2 days. For far out locations from PA (California, Washington) they always get there by the third business day. Also, to a neighboring state most of the time it is one day!
----------
UPS hands down, Ive had items get "Early Delivery". Not with USPS or Fedex, they will hold until until the expected date. Not to mention any package I need to pickup with Fedex cant be done and is a HUGE fight to get done, cant contact any local facilities or anything. USPS has no reliable tracking, I sent an item back from an ebay purchase with delivery confirmation since apparently thats the only tracking you can get unless you go with EMS. That package never scanned the local facility and was never delivered and USPS has no clue what happened and im out $50... Anything over $5 gets shipped with insurance through USPS now and I will never use Fedex.
Also UPS seems to have the best tracking for packages, as I have stated with USPS...Delivery Confirmation tracking is OPTIONAL whether they scan it or not and Fedex is just horribly slow at updating it. Now if everyone at USPS was like my local post office, then yes I would love USPS. Til then, hope they default and go under
Priority and First Class are not guaranteed.
FedEx and USPS both have reliable tracking in my experience. Also, in my experience UPS is overpriced.
USPS for stuff from the US, because of the tracking. The other two go silent once the package leaves the US.
Last edited:
Depends. Small things within the US: USPS
Larger things, especially outside the US: Fedex
USPS has really improved itself (and their website/tracking)
Larger things, especially outside the US: Fedex
USPS has really improved itself (and their website/tracking)
For me I like USPS for most things. Of all the shipping services they have screwed up the least often. Fed ex has screwed up before. USP has lost more than one package of mine and hell even delivered it to the wrong state before (heck ever item was radically different than what it should of been)
USPS has never lost a package. Top it off they are the cheapest.
USPS has never lost a package. Top it off they are the cheapest.
My company does a considerable amount of shipping through each carrier...USPS gets the job done for lots of things, and Priority Mail is very fast. Looking at our database of shipments, many of them coast-to-coast, Priority Mail is much of the time a second day service. If it comes in at under 13oz it can go First Class for even less money, and just as fast. For smaller parcels this cannot be matched by FedEx or UPS in speed for price paid. The value of USPS declines dramatically when you start adding weight, however. FedEx and UPS do both offer much more flexibility with express and guaranteed services.
I'm also partial to UPS as I worked as a driver helper riding shotgun and dropping off packages during college vacations leading up to Christmas. Pretty fun job. Like being Santa Claus.
I'm also partial to UPS as I worked as a driver helper riding shotgun and dropping off packages during college vacations leading up to Christmas. Pretty fun job. Like being Santa Claus.
I suggest everyone stay away from UPS.
They tack on additional charges to packages, and then expect the recipient to pay for them; You call them up and they inform you that because you accepted the item, you have to pay for it and now you have no basis for complaint. However, this is beside the fact that you were never informed of the charge until you got in the mail a week after the item was delivered and the guy on the truck just drops it off and leaves.
They cheat. Give them a wide berth. I would recommend USPS, except they have a tendency to leave packages where they ought not.
FedEx, ime, delivers promptly and I've never had any trouble.
They tack on additional charges to packages, and then expect the recipient to pay for them; You call them up and they inform you that because you accepted the item, you have to pay for it and now you have no basis for complaint. However, this is beside the fact that you were never informed of the charge until you got in the mail a week after the item was delivered and the guy on the truck just drops it off and leaves.
They cheat. Give them a wide berth. I would recommend USPS, except they have a tendency to leave packages where they ought not.
FedEx, ime, delivers promptly and I've never had any trouble.
I love USPS because they're the cheapest and offer free flat rate boxes and free pickup at your home. For larger/more valuable items I use FedEx. I only use UPS if I want to be sure the package will arrive damaged.
In many ways I believe it's a product of where you live and how well the various carriers are organized in your area.
I've done a lot of shipping & receiving with all of them. It's too close to call I'm my area since they are all very good.
The one that does ride above the rest due to the fact I get early deliveries is FedEx.
I've done a lot of shipping & receiving with all of them. It's too close to call I'm my area since they are all very good.
The one that does ride above the rest due to the fact I get early deliveries is FedEx.
In The UK
I only get UPS for Apple stuff....Same guy ever time. Miserable, moans but get's it here.
When my iMac was delivered he said it was too heavy, and dragged it along the ground.
Box had scuff's but the iMac is fine. 30lb's he can't carry?
But since I have no choice I'm stuck with them....If he say's an iPhone is to heavy......!
I only get UPS for Apple stuff....Same guy ever time. Miserable, moans but get's it here.
When my iMac was delivered he said it was too heavy, and dragged it along the ground.
Box had scuff's but the iMac is fine. 30lb's he can't carry?
But since I have no choice I'm stuck with them....If he say's an iPhone is to heavy......!
Here in the UK, UPS let themselves down by their diabolically slow standard service - I bought a Logitech Solar Keyboard recently, it took less than 24 hours to come from The Netherlands to the UK and then sat in their Preston Depot for four days! The UPS express service however is excellent.
DHL don't inspire me at all.
I can't speak for USPS within the US, but their international service is diabolical.
In the past year I've had three Fed-Ex deliveries from the US to UK in under 48 hours, hence they get my vote.
DHL don't inspire me at all.
I can't speak for USPS within the US, but their international service is diabolical.
In the past year I've had three Fed-Ex deliveries from the US to UK in under 48 hours, hence they get my vote.