Shipping Carriers Archives | Lateshipment.com

DHL Vs. FedEx Vs. UPS: Shipping Carriers Compared

Joelah James — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 07:40:09 +0000

Choosing the carrier from the list of companies is obviously a tedious process. Each carrier has its own set of strengths and weaknesses, it is important to understand what they are and how well they suit your business needs.

To help you get better informed while making that decision, here’s an in-depth comparison of the three private giants, DHL, FedEx, and UPS — who have been in business for decades and have transported billions of parcels.

Although competing in the same line of business, DHL, FedEx, and UPS have a lot of things unique, particularly in line with their services, pricing, etc. By understanding these distinctive features, you can pick an option that aligns with your business’ shipping goals.

DHL Vs. FedEx Vs. UPS: An Overview

DHL

As of today, DHL is the world’s leading logistics company, with close to 600,000 employees and a reach of over 200 countries. In 2023, DHL generated a revenue of € 81,8 billion, equivalent to $103.86 billion.

DHL has four primary divisions, namely

DHL Express for fast and expedited shipments
DHL Global Forwarding for cargo shipments worldwide
DHL Supply Chain for a support system for both local and international business
DHL Ecommerce for standard residential delivery

Apart from being the largest, DHL is also known as the pioneer of low-carbon logistics, who come with the most extensive solutions to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. DHL has 36,000+

Electric delivery vehicles in its fleet and hopes to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

FedEx

Starting with 186 deliveries on its launch, FedEx now makes more than 14 million deliveries in a single day.

Similar to DHL, FedEx also operates in over 220 countries and territories. Additionally, FedEx boasts a vast network of convenient locations worldwide, including FedEx Office, FedEx Ship Centers, and authorized drop-off points — making it possible to pick up, drop off, or ship at more than 50,000 FedEx locations.

FedEx is also known for its efforts to give back to the community via charitable giving, investing in communities and helping businesses reach new markets, sustainable choices on deliveries, facilities, and packaging, etc.

UPS

UPS is the oldest of the three behemoths, starting services in 1907 and growing to more than 500,000
employees, services across 200+ countries & territories, 22M+ daily delivered packages, and a revenue of $91B (in 2023).

Similar to DHL and FedEx, UPS also stands to deliver social impact and address environmental challenges while delivering customers’ packages, and charitable giving via UPSers’ volunteerism. Thereby sharing commitment towards being a good steward of the planet and communities.

DHL, FedEx, or UPS: What Works Best for Your Business

While DHL, FedEx, and UPS work in the same niche, businesses that choose their services often come from varied domains that require these carriers to improvise with their catering.

To see which of the three carriers works best for your business, it is important to know your goals first — fast shipping, cheaper options, international reach, range of services, access to technology, and efficient customer service. And that will be classification criteria to evaluate carrier performances and decide who works best for your business.

Services offered by DHL, FedEx, and UPS

DHL operates a gamut of services to cater to the shipping needs of its customers – Some of its domestic non-freight service types are DHL SameDay Sprintline, DHL Express 9:00 Domestic, DHL Express 10:30 Domestic, DHL Express 12:00 Domestic, DHL Express 18:00 Domestic, and DHL Express Easy. Its international non-freight offerings include DHL Sameday Jetline, DHL Sameday Sprintline, DHL Express 9:00, DHL Express 10:30, DHL Express 12:00, DHL Express Worldwide, DHL Express Envelope, DHL Express Easy, and DHL Globalmail Business.

FedEx offers the following service types for non-freight shipments within the US – FedEx SameDay, FedEx SameDay City, FedEx First Overnight, FedEx Priority Overnight, FedEx Standard Overnight, FedEx 2Day A.M., FedEx 2Day, FedEx Express Saver, FedEx Ground, FedEx Home Delivery, and FedEx SmartPost. For non-freight international parcels – FedEx International Next Flight, FedEx International First, FedEx International Priority, FedEx International Economy, FedEx International MailService, FedEx International Priority DirectDistribution, FedEx International Economy DirectDistribution, and FedEx International Ground. FedEx has recently launched Network 2.0, an initiative combining Ground and Express networks to streamline operations and offer customers a simplified delivery experience.

UPS offers non-freight shipping service types for both domestic and international shipments – Within the US: UPS Express Critical – Domestic, UPS Ground, UPS Next Day Air Early, UPS Next Day Air, UPS Next Day Air Saver, UPS 2nd Day Air A.M., UPS 2nd Day Air, and UPS 3 Day Select. International – UPS Express Critical – International, UPS Worldwide Express Plus, UPS Worldwide Express Shipping, UPS Worldwide Saver, UPS Next Day Air, UPS Worldwide Expedited, UPS 2nd Day Air, and UPS Standard.

Distinctive features from DHL, FedEx, and UPS

DHL, FedEx, and UPS – each of them has its unique pros and cons:

FedEx is strong with overnight shipping, expedited 2-day, and 3-day deliveries, and offers advanced tracking and shipping solutions
UPS is strong in the ground shipment game and offers comprehensive supply chain management services
DHL has the broadest global presence among the three and is the most vocal about its environmental commitments

DHL, FedEx, or UPS: What to Choose

All three behemoths have their distinct advantages and disadvantages and it is quite unfair to pick the best one out of them.

Ultimately, the choice between the three carriers comes down to your specific business needs. A good ploy would be to use multiple carriers for different requirements so that you get the best out of each of them.

Apart from all these aspects, an important factor i.e. always overlooked while choosing a carrier is their delivery performance. Especially during times of high volume such as the holiday season or the pandemic period, shipping carriers have been known to have struggled to deliver on time amidst supply chain limitations.

Therefore, irrespective of shipping with DHL, FedEx, or UPS, start automatically auditing your parcel invoices with a tool like LateShipment.com to instantly save up to 20% of your shipping costs.

Recover refunds for 50+ carrier service failures like Late Deliveries, Lost Shipments, and Billing Errors
Gain delivery performance metrics to know where you’re seeing profits and review areas where you’re not
Compare cross-carrier spending to identify those that require reevaluation.
Not just DHL, UPS, and FedEx — supports all major global shipping carriers

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Do You Ship Fragile Items Frequently? Here’s What You Need To Know

Sashank Ravindranath — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 14:51:34 +0000

Are you an e-commerce merchant that deals with fragile items such as glassware, ceramics, electronics, musical instruments, etc? Then you are in the company of businesses that are ever under threat of shipments getting damaged.

While damage is a constant worry for all e-commerce merchants, those who are frequently dealing with shipments that are fragile and tend to break easily must certainly make extra efforts to ensure that products reach customers safely without any damage.

Why Do You Need To Worry About Damaged Goods

Damaged goods are a serious issue that takes up one of the top 3 spots for delivery issues that tend to drive your customers away. Research shows that around 15% of all shipments are damaged in a year, with costs accounting for $1 billion.

These costs account for multiple areas such as the original product, shipping, and returns along with replacement and operational costs. It’s not just valuable money, each damaged shipment also comes with the risk of the customer experience taking a hit, further leading to frustration and ultimately customer churn.

These customers who defect from your business won’t stop at that and are prone to share their negative reviews that hurt your business’s reputation and demotivate other potential shoppers, ultimately hurting your profit margin.

Not to forget the existing troubles for all your teams in handling returns and replacements, issuing refunds, and managing customer complaints, all of which consume valuable time and resources.

The ‘damage’ from damaged goods is evident. So, what you need to do is safeguard your shipments during shipping to ensure that damages don’t happen and that the items safely make their way to the customer.

How To Ship Fragile Items?

Here’s a step by step guide for e-commerce merchants shipping fragile items:

1. Choose the Right Packaging Materials

The guide to prevent damage to your fragile items begins with packaging — at your warehouse. Think of packaging as the first line of defense. If this works out perfectly, then the chances of breakage are cut down to half or even much lower.

Sturdy, corrugated boxes should be your go-to. Remember, your box should be slightly larger than your product to accommodate ample cushioning
If your package’s contents are multiple items, use custom inserts for dividers or wrap each item individually — paying particular attention to corners and edges, so that they don’t stick out
For exceptionally fragile items like glassware, consider multiple layers of packaging
Secure the product firmly within the box without any movements within through bubble wrap, foam, air pillows, etc,
Reinforce the cushioning around the product by packing peanuts or crumpled paper to prevent movement within the box
Tape the box securely, ensuring the lid is firmly closed

2. Label your box clearly

Damages are mostly accidents, sometimes due to man-made incidents although unintentional. Workers at carrier sorting facilities deal with a huge volume of shipments on a day-to-day basis.

So, mishandling is a common occurrence that can be less of a concern for a retailer who sells teddy bears. But as someone shipping out fragile items, you can’t afford these chances. This is where you bring in clear and informative labeling.

Labels that say “Fragile” and “Handle with Care” labels are your product’s advocates. These labels let the handlers know of the contents and ensure your package(s) are treated with extra care.

3. Know your carriers

Major carriers such as FedEx, UPS, DHL, and USPS all have their list of suggestions and deadlines for retailers shipping fragile items.

FedEx – For fairly new merchants, FedEx provides the option to purchase standard and specialized boxes based on the item and charges an extra amount for packaging fragile items
UPS – Similar to FedEx, UPS also helps merchants with packaging fragile items such as lamps, furniture, pianos, artwork, mirrors,and vases
DHL – Apart from guidelines, DHL also offers shippers, options such as faster delivery options, special handling, and shipping insurance, all of which are charged an additional fee
USPS – Unlike other carriers, USPS has a particular service for shipping fragile items called Special Handling-Fragile that can be availed at $12.15 and works with multiple USPS services, including Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, First-Class Package Service-Commercial, and more

Final word

As a frequent shipper of fragile items, following these steps might be extremely handy to minimize the chances of damage.

However, damage like all delivery issues is inevitable, even with the best of the packaging carriers. In such cases, proactive customer communication is your best option. Be empathetic about the incident and offer a solution to mitigate their frustration.

Even if damaged shipments cannot be avoided, you still have a shot at redemption. Shipping carriers offer the option for retailers to claim refunds for shipments that have been damaged in transit. Instead of filing these claims manually, you can make use of a parcel audit solution that automates the process.

Apart from taking the hassle, an automated solution also helps you keep track of reports that enable you to continuously monitor your damage rates and identify areas for improvement (changing carriers or service types).

If you’re a business that particularly deals with fragile items, then a recommended solution would be to consider third-party shipping insurance that offers peace of mind while shipping. Here’s a guide to shipping insurance where we have covered the basics, the different options, and how to get the most out of protecting your package.

The post Do You Ship Fragile Items Frequently? Here’s What You Need To Know appeared first on Lateshipment.com.

What is a Delivery Exception and How E-commerce Business Can Handle It?

Sashank Ravindranath — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 08:10:32 +0000

You don’t need major issues such as packages getting lost or damaged, even small incidents like a ‘delivery exception’ can create unexpected roadblocks that disrupt the smooth journey of a package to its destination and pose a challenge for your e-commerce businesses.

With the excitement of sales and fixation on issues like late deliveries and lost packages, delivery exceptions tend to be often overlooked. However, their impact on customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, and overall business reputation is profound as they have the power to hurt your customer relationships and lead to increased costs.

To better handle the delivery exception, we’ve come up with this article that starts with the basics: what do they mean, why do they happen, and what can you do about it?

What Does a Delivery Exception Mean?

A delivery exception occurs when a package deviates from its planned delivery route due to unforeseen circumstances. These disruptions can range from minor delays to complete delivery failures.

A package in transit is exempted from delivery, i.e., marked as a ‘delivery exception’ at the hands of the shipping carrier when it faces any hindrance that makes it take longer than expected to reach your customers’ doorstep.

In simple terms, this indicates to the recipient that:

The package has crossed its intended delivery timeline
This is not a case of a delay at the hands of the carrier
The courier will deliver the package soon (based on the reason for the exception).

We’ll break down delivery exceptions further to get a better context.

Why do delivery exceptions occur?

We discussed how exceptions are predictable and happen due to external influence in most cases. But how exactly? Here’s how.

Failed delivery attempts – Also known as missed drop-off. Deliveries are marked incomplete due to the recipient’s or an adult’s (in case of special deliveries) unavailability at the drop-off location to sign and receive the package
Address-related issues – Incorrect, incomplete, or ambiguous addresses can also lead to failed delivery attempts and subsequent delays. For instance, when the address on the label is unrecognized or is at an undeliverable location, etc
Man-made causes – Packages are prone to be damaged at sorting facilities and at times, the carrier would abstain from making the delivery citing this
Customs delays – International shipments are subject to customs clearance procedures, which can be time-consuming and prone to unexpected delays
Natural disasters – Severe weather conditions such as earthquakes, hurricanes, wildfires, blizzards, or heavy rain can disrupt transportation networks and cause the package to be held back at the facility to safeguard
Carrier-related problems – Issues with the shipping carrier, including lost or misplaced packages, vehicle breakdowns, or labor shortages
Federal holidays – When carriers refrain from making deliveries on particular days due to federal holidays in the country of origin or destination.
Peak season challenges – Increased order volume during holiday periods or promotional events can strain shipping resources, leading to longer delivery times

These are some of the most frequent reasons behind the carriers getting an exemption from fulfilling the delivery. They are valid and in many cases, you can choose to ignore them with so much as a “It’s just one day, the delivery will be made tomorrow“.

However, can you afford to do that? is the question. And that question is what led e-commerce businesses to take the initiative to address delivery exceptions for more reasons than one.

Why is it Important For E-Commerce Businesses To Address A Delivery Exception?

The consequences of delivery exceptions extend beyond mere inconvenience for the customer. They can have a ripple effect on various aspects of an e-commerce business:

Increased WISMO inquiries – Even when the delivery exception is minor, the customer who isn’t aware of it constantly bombards your support reps with WISMO calls that consume all of their time
Customer dissatisfaction – Frequent delays or failed deliveries that come along with delivery exceptions also come with the potential to erode customer trust and loyalty, leading to negative reviews and social media backlash. In the long term, this can lead to a drop in customer satisfaction metrics such as retention rate and lifetime value
Return processing challenge – When delivery exceptions are due to damages or undeliverable packages necessitates a possibility for the customer to opt for a return that can complicate inventory management
Operational inefficiencies – Delivery exceptions result in frequent re-deliveries from warehouses or returns that can disrupt shipping schedules and operations
Financial losses – Ultimately, returns-related costs (processing costs and refunds), unwanted support tickets, increased labor costs, and acquisition costs due to delivery issues can significantly impact a business’s bottom line

The cost of delivery exceptions for your business is evident. Therefore, it is important to handle them effectively. To make things easier for you, we’ve also come up with some of the best ways for you to handle delivery exceptions.

How To Handle Delivery Exceptions?

Most e-commerce businesses take this myopic approach of resolving delivery exceptions only when your customers are impacted by them. However, given the high expectations of today’s customers, it doesn’t matter how quickly you solve it because the damage is already done. Therefore, all you have to do is comply with your customers’ expectations — solve delivery exceptions even before they become an issue.

Through integrated solutions and metrics, you can be proactive when it comes to handling delivery exceptions and thereby set them up for a great delivery experience.

Handling delivery exceptions: The aftermath

Let’s assume the delivery exception happens, what now?

First, promptly acknowledge the exception by informing your customer about it. You can then follow up with clear and transparent communication regarding the nature of the exception by rerouting or rescheduling deliveries based on convenience to manage customer expectations.
Have a strategy early in place for delivery exceptions, i.e., develop clear guidelines for customer support and operational teams to make adjustments and handle things as effectively as possible.
If the exception is major, possibly due to packages that are lost or damaged, then you need to consider implementing shipping insurance into your existing business practices.

Preventing delivery exceptions from occurring in the first place

Delivery exceptions can happen due to external causes and at times inevitable. But that doesn’t mean you do nothing about it. As an e-commerce merchant, you have the power to cut down exceptions in occurrence.

By implementing proactive issue resolution strategies, you can not only reduce delivery exceptions but also unlock new opportunities to reduce costs and improve customer experiences.

Start by informing potential delivery exception-causing incidents such as carrier strikes, federal holidays, weather-related issues, etc. on your homepage and product page to let customers know that their orders might face issues and avoid disappointments.
Leverage data and evaluate the performance of different shipping carriers to select reliable partners with fewer cases of delivery exceptions and a strong track record of on-time deliveries.
The next step involves making use of real-time tracking to identify potential issues even before they happen and take proactive measures to rectify them.
Extend the capabilities of real-time tracking data by keeping customers informed about shipment status and potential exceptions.
In times like peak periods like the holiday season, you need to anticipate an increase in order volume and adjust staffing, inventory levels, and shipping capacity accordingly.

Bottom Line

While delivery exceptions are inevitable occurrences, addressing them promptly is not only possible but also essential for ensuring a positive delivery experience. By acknowledging and resolving issues quickly, you can effectively minimize customer frustration, maintain trust, and uphold their reputation for reliability and customer-centricity.

Also, don’t forget to prioritize proactive communication through shipping notifications and branded tracking pages to turn delivery exceptions into opportunities that strengthen customer relationships and foster long-term loyalty.

The post What is a Delivery Exception and How E-commerce Business Can Handle It? appeared first on Lateshipment.com.

Meet Carbon Surcharge: The newest addition to your shipping invoices

Sashank Ravindranath — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 05:31:31 +0000

Major carriers all around the world increase the rates of their services at an average of 4 – 6% YoY.

While carriers transfer this burden of inflation to shippers via increased merchants, most merchants do not do the same to their customers but instead absorb shipping costs as a marketing technique to attract customers.

Returning to rate increases, carriers often cite reasons such as inflation around fuel surcharges and worker demand (particularly around the holiday season), and with the shipper on the onus of these increased rates, shipping is becoming costlier yearly!

If you’re an e-commerce merchant looking to cut down on shipping costs that are eating into your profits, this article is for you. Because not just the usual reasons, but there are instances where unexpected actions can create a domino effect that affects the entire supply chain and causes an increase in shipping rates (remember the surge that happened because of COVID-19?).

One such reason has taken shape in the last year and that is the rate increase in ‘Carbon surcharge’, which while looking trivial, has a role to play in making your shipping bills expensive.

Introducing Carbon Surcharge

Before meeting the carbon surcharge, it is important to understand where it comes from: Carbon taxes.

Multiple industries throughout the globe contribute significantly to emissions, and the shipping industry is no exception. But as the world is increasingly becoming aware of the environmental impacts of carbon emissions, they are indeed taking steps to reduce their carbon footprints.

One of the latest measures introduced to address this issue is the Carbon Tax, one levied on fossil fuel purchases, which is intended to encourage Canadians to reduce their consumption of polluting fuels.

In Canada, the carbon tax, also referred to as the price on carbon, first came into effect at $20 per tonne in October 2019. It has gone up since then, and reached $80 per tonne on April 1, 2024, up $15, from its previous cost of $65 per tonne.

While the carbon tax is set to impact every Canadian, it is set to impact shippers like you even more as carriers such as Canpar, have found a way to levy and increase the rate of ‘carbon surcharge’ for packages shipped through them.

In Canpar’s press release, they highlight that this surcharge affects multiple aspects of the economy and impacts costs across their entire network ranging from transportation costs to energy costs for heating, to equipment purchases and maintenance and hence, the rate increase.

Additionally, they mention that it has become necessary for them to apply a Carbon Surcharge of 2.5% effective from September 1st, 2023, for all shipments handled by them.

How is the Carbon Surcharge Calculated?

The Carbon Surcharge is typically calculated based on the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions produced during the shipping process. Factors influencing the surcharge include:

Distance Traveled: Longer shipping distances generally result in higher CO2 emissions.
Mode of Transport: Different transportation methods have varying emission levels. For instance, air freight has a higher carbon footprint compared to sea or rail freight.
Weight and Volume: Heavier and bulkier shipments require more energy to transport, leading to higher emissions and, consequently, a higher surcharge.

Shipping companies may use carbon calculators or partner with environmental organizations to accurately assess and apply the surcharge.

What Does The Increase In Carbon Surcharge Mean For Businesses?

While Canpar has announced an increase in its carbon surcharge, citing financial and operational considerations, this move brings in specific challenges and opportunities for businesses that ship parcels with Canpar.

Increased Shipping Costs

For the elephant in the room, i,e, the most immediate impact of the increased carbon surcharge is the rise in shipping costs. If you’re a shipper that relies on Canpar for your logistics, you will see an uptick in their operational expenses that may affect your profit margins and force you to reevaluate your pricing strategies to accommodate the additional costs.

Additionally, you will need to adjust their budgets to account for the higher costs associated with the increased surcharge. This might require reallocating resources from other areas or finding ways to optimize operations to absorb this additional expense.

Supply Chain Optimization

The increase in the carbon surcharge by Canpar also encourages you to take a closer look at your supply chain and logistics operations.

For instance, you can:

Find the most efficient routes to reduce travel distance and time can help mitigate the impact of higher surcharges.
Combine shipments to reduce the number of trips can lead to reduced surcharge’s impact
Explore different shipping methods that may have lower carbon footprints compared to those with a higher surcharge, as a strategic move.

How Businesses Can Lower Their Shipping Costs And Make Profits

Carriers can afford to increase their surcharges and transfer the burden of inflation on you. But in most cases, you cannot afford to do that. Given that customers are picky with shipping costs and often go to the extent of expecting free shipping from the businesses they shop with, you are set to face the brunt of it.

So, what can do if you’re looking to cut down costs and reduce the impact of these surcharges? Of course, you can always settle with the option of reallocating budgets and optimizing supply chain routes. But what if I told you that there are even better options?

And that is to audit your shipping invoice, check for incorrect surcharges and overcharges, and claim full refunds for them. You can do this manually, exhausting all your time and resources or make use of an automated solution like LateShipment.com that eases your job.

How LateShipment.com’s automated shipping audit and refunds work

LateShipment.com automatically audits your invoices end-to-end (every invoice goes through a rigorous 160 data-point check, validating each charge against your shipping transactions, payment terms, and waivers) to identify service failures and billing discrepancies eligible for refunds.

The best part is that our automated systems promptly submit refund claims, in compliance with the carrier’s terms and conditions, securing all eligible refund credits, and ensuring that no surcharge is left out.

Also, our systems come with a surcharge spend analytics that helps you Understand surcharge patterns and their impact on shipping costs to keep you better positioned while negotiating parcel contract rates that work in your favor.

There’s a lot more you can do with LateShipment.com. Make sure you check it and ensure that you can try to cut down your shipping costs by as much as 20%.

Conclusion

Surcharges like the carbon surcharge represent a pivotal shift in the shipping industry. They are here to stay, increase, and take new forms as time passes. Of course, they reflect a growing environmental commitment and promote sustainability. But from the perspective of shipping carriers, the carbon tax is just an additional expenditure they’d like to pass on to shippers like you.

Again, there’s no blaming carriers for increasing surcharges to meet their ends, they work on your behalf after all. But that doesn’t mean you simply keep paying shipping carriers more than you ought to. Keep your invoices in check, claim refunds wherever you can, and ultimately ensure better performances from them for the costs that you pay.

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A Guide to FedEx and UPS Delivery Signature Options

Sashank Ravindranath — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 13:10:49 +0000

In the world of shipping and logistics, ensuring your packages reach their destination safely and securely is crucial and carriers ensure their full-on commitment to it.

One aspect of this process is the carrier getting a confirmation of receipt upon successfully delivering a package to its intended recipient or an authorized individual at the delivery address through a signature. This signature helps carriers ensure security and accountability throughout the delivery process.

Before diving into the specifics of FedEx and UPS signature options, let’s first understand what they entail:

Understanding Delivery Signature Options

Both FedEx and UPS offer various signature options to accommodate the diverse needs of businesses and customers. These delivery signature options allow senders to choose the level of security and verification required for their shipments, depending on the nature of the package and recipient preferences.

Why shippers need to choose delivery signature options

Shipping out packages comes with a lot of risk up until the delivery is made. Hence, shippers need to ensure secure and reliable delivery of packages while meeting regulatory requirements. This is where delivery signature options come in to help shippers maintain accountability and compliance.

Requiring delivery verification, especially for high-value shipments ensures that the package has arrived safely without falling into the wrong hands such as porch pirates among other reasons, and thereby offers you peace of mind.

As a shipper, it’s essential to consider factors such as the value of the shipment, recipient availability, and the level of security required when selecting a delivery signature option.

In this blog, we’ll explore the different delivery signature options provided by FedEx and UPS, helping you determine which one is best suited for your shipping requirements.

FedEx Delivery Signature Options

FedEx provides three options when shippers require a signature upon delivery. Each option accommodates different shipment requirements.

1. FedEx Adult Signature Required

Costs around $8.15 in 2024
Specifically designed for shipments containing age-restricted items, particularly at least 21 years old at the delivery address.
A government-issued photo identification is required
When there is no eligible recipient at the delivery location, FedEx may re-attempt the delivery
Firearms are one type of shipment where an adult signature is required

2. FedEx Direct Signature Required

Costs around $6.75 in 2024
Designed for shipments that are to be delivered at a location instead of a specific individual
Any person physically available at the location can sign for the delivery
When there is no eligible recipient at the delivery location, FedEx may re-attempt the delivery
Automatically applies to all packages equal to or greater than $500. However, the direct signature required fee will not apply to these packages

3. FedEx Indirect Signature Required

Costs around $6.75 in 2024
This allows FedEx to collect a signature even from some nearby the location such as neighbors, front office, or building managers
Even if there’s no eligible recipient at the delivery location, FedEx can still make the delivery without re-attempting, given that the recipient has authorized

Just like FedEx, UPS too has its own set of Delivery Signature Options or Confirmation Services that are served as a value-added service because they’re slightly more safer than just a regular ‘delivered’ parcel tracking notification.

UPS Delivery Signature Options

1. UPS Delivery Confirmation

Costs around $6.75 in 2024
Includes a delivery date, the name of the recipient, and if the package is being returned, the reason for the return is mentioned

2. UPS Signature Required

Costs around $6.75 in 2024
A physical recipient is not required at the location as UPS accepts any electronic acknowledgment of receipt from the individual to deliver the package

3. UPS Adult Signature Required

Costs around $8.15 in 2024
Specifically designed for shipments containing age-restricted items, particularly at least 21 years old at the delivery address.
A government-issued photo identification is required
An additional voice authorization or ‘Proof of Delivery’ option is available, where UPS may call the person physically available at the delivery location for an additional $5.00

Final Word

Be it FedEx or UPS, delivery signature options don’t come cheap. Also, these rates increase during peak season times and have a consistent YoY increase. Of course, paying an additional $7 will give you the peace of mind of your package reaching its destination safely and securely but you can also cut these costs in several ways:

Make full utilization of these options: For instance, let’s say you’ve ordered some wine for your boss’ retirement party and it requires an adult signature. In such cases, ensure that either you or an adult is at the delivery location to collect the package instead of re-delivery attempts.
Limit further re-delivery attempts: When you’re out of town but have a series of packages that require direct signatures, you can redirect your shipments to a FedEx location for 5-10 days.
Negotiate with your carrier: if you’re a high-volume shipper or have a long-standing relationship with the carrier, you can also negotiate a contract with your shipping carrier that includes favorable terms and pricing for delivery signature options.

Also, wrongly added delivery signature costs are a common sighting in your shipping invoices. In such cases, you can audit your invoices and file refund claims for such additional charges.

In conclusion, both carriers offer a range of delivery signature options to accommodate diverse shipment requirements. Make sure you select the right option for your needs and ensure the costs that come along with them aren’t straining your wallet.

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FedEx & UPS Rate Increase for 2024

Rohan Rinaldo Felix — Fri, 05 Jan 2024 12:25:53 +0000

Introduction To The Rate Increase By Fedex And Ups In 2024

Counterparts, rivals, competitors — call them what you want. Shipping behemoths FedEx and UPS follow almost identical practices when it comes to services or rate increases by an average of 5.9% YoY. The rates have been identically increasing for 7 years in a row but somehow, they still have the potential to impact e-commerce businesses, particularly SMBs, who operate on a limited bandwidth.

If you’re a part of an SMB business, being aware of this spike by shipping carriers can help you plan out your shipping strategy in advance and put you ahead in your last-mile game. To save you time, we’ve charted out the data for you!

Make sure to read till the end for ways to save on shipping in 2024 and reduce the impact of FedEx & UPS’ General Rate Increase on your business.

Why Are FedEx and UPS Rates Increasing YoY?

A question on the minds of all regular shippers at some point — why do these behemoths, who dominate the U.S. carrier market, with a combined market share of around 70% by revenue keep increasing the rate of their services YoY and burdening several growing e-commerce businesses?

The answer is a no-brainer and it is not just one particular reason but several factors that lead FedEx and UPS to increase the rates of their services each year.

Inflation – The supply chain and logistics is a very uncertain space that constantly needs fixes and improvements in order to run smoothly and efficiently. A major hindrance to the smooth running of the supply chain is the ever-rising inflation that impacts labor costs, fuel prices, cost of materials and equipment used in shipping operations, leading to higher overall expenses for shipping carriers. To cover these costs and maintain profitability, FedEx and UPS have no choice but to directly pass on these increased costs to customers.
Increase in demand – While the growth rate has slowed down since the pandemic, e-commerce is still growing. This means, the number of packages being sent out for delivery is on the rise — leading to an increase in demand for infrastructure and resources and thereby impacting costs.
Strategic investments = There are also frequent investments being done in technology innovations such as fleet maintenance and other areas. Not to forget, as competing businesses, they are prone to focus on profitability and shareholder value and anticipate potential economic fluctuations.

Also, it is important to note that while the average YoY increase is around 5.9%, the actual impact on individual shipments can vary based on service type, destination, and other factors. A breakdown of each carrier’s rate increases will give us a better understanding. Let’s start with the increased rates of FedEx in 2024.

FedEx Rate Increase Details for 2024

Amidst all these rate increases, shippers who opt for FedEx can be slightly relieved due to the fact that the General Rate Increase (GRI) for 2024 is at an average of 5.9%, which is 1% lower than last year’s rate increase.

However, for most shippers, the increase will be more than just 5.9%. For instance, additional handling on oversized packages will increase by about 20%. Therefore, it is crucial to understand how rate increases impact your spending with FedEx. While it’s impossible to take a deep dive on every rate increase, we have managed to cover some key takeaways for all shippers.

Domestic Express services will see an average increase of 6.25%, with packages shipped through FedEx 2 Day, will see an increase of 6.83%, followed by 2 Day AM at 6.65% and 6.39%. FedEx First Overnight sees lowest increase at 5.46%
Domestic Ground services as always have different classifications based on different zones and weights, where without surprise — packages shipped to longer distances (zones 5-8) or are heavier (11 pounds or more) see the highest increase at an average of more than 6%.
FedEx Home Delivery packages are almost similar to Ground packages but will see an additional $5.55 residential surcharge and a rate increase of 6.36%.
Another often overlooked part of the GRI is the minimum charges that you’ll be paying for the shipment regardless of the weight, distance, and other factors. These minimums ensure profitability for the carriers, especially for smaller packages or shipments to remote areas. Faster shipments such as FedEx Priority Overnight will see an increase of 7.88%, followed by Standard Overnight at 7.50%.

The following FedEx Express and FedEx Ground surcharges will also take effect on January 2024:

Effective January 1, 2024, FedEx will be increasing customs clearance service fees on imports.
Effective January 15, 2024, FedEx will assess the Additional Handling Surcharge and Oversize Charge per eligible package for international multi-piece shipments, instead of per shipment. The affected surcharges are the Additional Handling Surcharge (Dimensions, Weight, Packaging, Freight, and Non-Stackable) and the Oversize Charge.

UPS Rate Increase Details for 2024

UPS has followed suit with FedEx almost similarly across the table, starting with dropping the GRI from 6.9% last year.

Similar to FedEx, UPS has kept the shorter Zones (2-4) lower than the 5.9% increase, while shipping options such as 2nd Day Air and 3 Day Select rates in Zones 5-8 have an increase rate of nearly 8%.
On the other hand, when it comes to rate increases based on weight, lighter packages (falling below the 1-10 lbs mark) have a maximum increase of 6.65%
For minimum charges, faster shipping options such as Next Day Air and Next Day Air Saver see the highest increase at 7.91% and 7.51% respectively.

The following UPS surcharges have also been effective since December 26, 2023:

UPS also introduced an increase in rates for specific Value-Added services and other charges like additional handling rates for both weight and dimension-based packages. For instance, in Zone 2 the Additional Weight Handling rate will go from $29.00 to $34.50, and the Dimensions (Length, Width, Length+Girth) will increase from $18.50 to $22.00 (a rise of 16% in each case).
Additional Handling fees will also be imposed on international shipments weighing 55 pounds or more. UPS has also stated that when a commercial fee is submitted in connection with a shipment, a fee of up to $5.00 per shipment will be applied to the shipper if the commercial invoice is not provided in digital form using UPS Paperless Invoice services before the processing of the commercial invoice by UPS.

How E-commerce Businesses Can Prepare for the Rate Increase

It is without a doubt that the service rate hikes by FedEx and UPS will definitely impact the spending threshold of all businesses that ship. However, it’s no time to panic! There are definite ways to help mitigate the impact and even turn this tide into an opportunity to reduce shipping costs.

1. Strategies for Mitigating the Impact on Shipping Costs

Make use of multiple shipping carriers: If you’re a regular shipper with a mid to high shipping volume, don’t just use a single carrier for your shipping needs. Explore alternative carriers and regional shipping providers for competitive rates and service options.
Negotiate Volume Discounts: Shipping through multiple carriers also creates a bargaining opportunity to negotiate lower rates or better terms with your existing carriers and cut down costs.
Offer Free Shipping with Minimum Order Thresholds: Encourage customers to ship more by offering free shipping for purchases exceeding a specific amount or multiple products.
Implement a Flat-Rate Shipping Model: For certain product categories or domestic shipments, consider a flat-rate shipping charge to simplify and potentially control costs.
Consolidate Shipments: Combine multiple orders into a single shipment whenever possible. This reduces the number of parcels, lowering shipping expenses.
Explore Cost-Effective Shipping Options: Investigate alternative shipping methods, such as regional carriers or third-party logistics providers (3PLs). These options may offer competitive rates and service quality.
Understand Dimensional (DIM) Weight Pricing: Familiarize yourself with dimensional weight pricing, which factors in package size. Adjust your packaging and shipping strategies accordingly to avoid unnecessary charges.

2. Considerations for renegotiating shipping contracts

Evaluate Current Contracts: Carefully review your existing contracts with FedEx and UPS. Identify areas where you can negotiate for improved rates, discounts, and service levels.
Gather Data and Analysis: Before entering negotiations, prepare data on your shipping volume, service usage, etc to strengthen your bargaining position.
Contract Flexibility: Seek flexibility in your contracts to adapt to changing needs. Consider shorter contract terms and options to adjust rates as market conditions evolve.

3. Optimizing shipping practices to minimize expenses

Invest in Shipping Software: Explore shipping software solutions that provide real-time rate comparisons, print labels, and manage orders.
Leverage Automation: Automate repetitive tasks, such as order processing to not only save time but to minimize labor costs, streamline processes, and reduce manual errors.
Real-Time Tracking: Implement real-time tracking and monitoring of shipments to identify potential issues early and proactively resolve them, thereby reducing the risk of costly delays or returns.
Utilize Fulfillment Centers: Strategically locate fulfillment centers closer to major customer bases to reduce shipping distances and potentially qualify for lower zone rates.
Offer Pick-up Options: Allow customers to pick up their orders at local stores or designated locations to eliminate shipping costs.

How LateShipment.com can help in Navigating the Rate Increase

Check your contract with your shipping carrier, be it FedEx or UPS, and ensure that you haven’t signed any money-back guarantee waiver — as there are a lot more pitfalls than benefits in signing them.

For instance, you may overpay shipping bills by up to 20% by not claiming refunds from shipping carriers for service failures and billing errors.

The Money Back Guarantee policy of shipping carriers promises 100% refunds on shipping charges if a parcel is delayed even by 60 seconds. You can claim refunds for carrier service failures and billing errors.

However, manually claiming refunds from carriers can be both exhaustive and expensive, making it extremely challenging to recover refunds for valid claims before their eligibility window expires.

On the other hand, LateShipment.com automates the process of auditing your shipping invoices regularly and claims refunds for 50+ carrier errors that include late deliveries, incorrect surcharges, lost or damaged packages, and more. By regularly claiming refunds and holding your carrier accountable for your service failures, you can ensure better quality service from them, and save up to 20% on shipping expenses.

That’s not all! LateShipment.com also helps you analyze your carrier’s performance and getting insights on performance lapses such as delays or lost parcels. This will put you in control of shipping rates and help you negotiate for better rates.

You can also take note of our data-rich shipping reports and conclude which carrier works best for which type of delivery/destination/cost/customer/product.

Conclusion

The logistics landscape is dynamic, and the 2024 FedEx and UPS rate increases are just one wave in its constant flow. By proactively planning, making informed decisions, and embracing a culture of continuous optimization, businesses can navigate these changes with confidence, turning every tide into a springboard for growth and success.

Remember, the key lies in flexibility, strategic foresight, and a commitment to delivering exceptional value to your customers. So, raise your sails, adjust your course, and confidently sail towards a prosperous future in the ever-evolving world of shipping.

The post FedEx & UPS Rate Increase for 2024 appeared first on Lateshipment.com.

Holiday Schedule 2023: Marketing Calendar and Shipping Deadlines

Sashank Ravindranath — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 06:23:04 +0000

The holiday season is fast approaching, and for e-commerce businesses, this means it’s time to prepare for the busiest time of the year.

We’re still 2 months away from things getting really hectic but remember, early preparation is key to ensuring a smooth holiday season.

Thus, in this blog, we’ll explore why early preparation is necessary and in order to help you get started, provide you with a comprehensive holiday schedule in the form of a marketing calendar and information on shipping deadlines for the 2023 season.

Why An Early Preparation Holiday Season is Necessary

The holiday season is a time when shoppers are on a buying spree, looking to get the perfect gifts for their loved ones and deals for themselves. However, this great opportunity brings up a great challenge for businesses such as yours.

The holiday shopping rush can turn out to be overwhelming, leading to issues like shipping delays, inventory shortages, customer service overload, and so much more.
Building excitement and anticipation among your customers takes time. Early preparation allows you to create engaging content, run teaser campaigns, and build relationships with your audience.
The holiday season is not just busy but also very competitive. You need to have your marketing campaigns in place early in order to capture the attention of consumers and get ahead of competitors who are still planning their holiday campaigns.
The holiday season is a time when shipping carriers are straining their capacity due to experiencing high volumes of packages, which often leads to delays. This means that you need to plan accordingly to get your products shipped out for timely delivery.
Customers are more likely to make impulse purchases during the holidays, especially towards the last minute. For such customers, you need to be prepared by having their trending products in stock and ready to ship.

This is why starting your plans for the holiday season early is crucial:

Now that we understand the importance of early preparation, let’s dive into the details of the holiday marketing calendar and shipping deadlines for 2023.

Part 1: Holiday Marketing Calendar

Here’s a month-by-month breakdown of key holiday season dates and marketing strategies that work best each day so that you can implement them easily and maximize your sales.

October

While the holiday season officially kicks off with Thanksgiving at the end of November, shopping for the holiday season (yes, quite early) starts this month.

This is the time for you to execute fresh plans that you haven’t tried out before, watch out for what your competitors are planning (something that you’ve not thought of), etc, and set your plans in place for the holiday rush that will commence in less than two months.

The major event in October for retail and e-commerce is Halloween. Taking place on the 31st of the month, the spooky ancient Celtic festival is a time for customers to get creative and businesses to capitalize on.

Halloween - October 31

Popular trends – costumes, decorations, candy, and food

Expected consumer spending – around $100 per person

Effective marketing techniques – Halloween is no longer confined to a single day of trick-or-treating. It has expanded into a season that spans the entire month of October, with consumers engaging in various activities such as decorating, attending parties, and visiting haunted attractions.

For e-commerce businesses, this extended Halloween season provides ample opportunities for sales and engagement:

Create Halloween-themed marketing campaigns that resonate with your target audience. Use spooky visuals, themed emails, and social media content to set the mood.
Produce blog posts, videos, or infographics that offer Halloween tips, DIY ideas, and costume inspiration.
Run contests, giveaways, and user-generated content campaigns on social media. For example, encourage customers to share their Halloween preparations using your products with a dedicated hashtag.

Halloween presents a golden opportunity for e-commerce businesses to engage with customers and increase sales. With a well-planned marketing strategy, you can enjoy the fruits of ‘spooktacular sales’, it can bring.

November

Only 2 months for 2024, less than a month for Thanksgiving — November is the time when things get quite hectic at e-commerce workplaces as businesses come together to run things for a week full of shopping.

Key holiday events in November are collectively called The Cyber Weekend and include Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday.

Let’s start taking a look at them one by one.

Thanksgiving - November 23

Thanksgiving, traditionally a holiday for expressing gratitude and sharing a bountiful meal with loved ones, has evolved into a significant shopping event in recent years.

For e-commerce businesses, Thanksgiving presents a unique opportunity to engage with customers and kickstart the holiday shopping season.

Expected consumer spend – $6 Billion

Popular trends – Food, home goods, and apparel

Effective marketing techniques – With the evolution of holiday shopping, the Thanksgiving landscape has largely shifted from a day of just families coming together to becoming synonymous with early holiday shopping, thanks to the rise of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Here are some ideal marketing techniques that e-commerce businesses can come up with to have a great Thanksgiving sale:

Create Thanksgiving-themed content: Send out a big “thank you” to your customers by crafting out social media posts, personalized emails or messages to display your gratitude. This is also a great way to get into the spirit of the season and attract customers.
Mobile Shopping: With the rise of mobile devices, many consumers shop on their smartphones during Thanksgiving gatherings. Ensure your website is mobile-responsive, and consider mobile-specific promotions.
Thanksgiving Giveaways: Run Thanksgiving-themed giveaways or contests like free products, gift cards, or even a trip. This is a great way to generate excitement and engagement around your Thanksgiving sale.
Get into the spirit of Thanksgiving: You can also try spending the day with your local community and try giving back to them in order to associate your brand with the Holiday theme and etch your brand in your customers’ minds.

Black Friday - November 24

In this section, we’ll delve into Black Friday’s significance, average consumer spending, emerging trends, and effective marketing techniques for a successful Black Friday sale.

Expected consumer spend – Close to $10 Billion

Popular trends – Electronics, Apparel, Home goods, Toys

Effective marketing techniques – Over the years, Black Friday has transcended its brick-and-mortar origins and has become a global shopping extravaganza across e-commerce and the U.S. It’s characterized by doorbuster deals, massive discounts, and a shopping frenzy that lasts well beyond the traditional single day.

To have a successful Black Friday sale, e-commerce businesses can look forward to implementing the following marketing techniques:

Early Promotions: Start building excitement weeks in advance. Tease upcoming deals and exclusive Black Friday discounts to create anticipation.
Countdown Timers: Add countdown timers to your website and emails to create a sense of urgency. Highlight limited-time offers.
Personalization: Leverage data to provide personalized product recommendations and targeted offers based on customer preferences.
Post-Sale Engagement: Keep the momentum going with post-Black Friday promotions, ensuring that customers return for more holiday shopping.

With well-planned marketing strategies, you can ensure your Black Friday sale is not just successful but also a memorable shopping experience for your customers. So, gear up for the Black Friday shopping extravaganza and make it a win-win for your business and your potential shoppers.

Small Business Saturday - Saturday, 27th November

Small Business Saturday, a shopping holiday celebrated on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, is a day dedicated to supporting small businesses and local entrepreneurs. As an e-commerce business, you can capitalize on Small Business Saturday by aligning with the values of supporting independent sellers and having a successful sale.

Expected consumer spend – The average shopper spends around $150

Popular trends – Electronics, Apparel, Home goods, Toys

Effective marketing techniques – Looking to have a successful Small Business Saturday sale? Employ the following marketing techniques:

Embrace the “Small” Identity: If you’re a small business who is also relatively new to the e-commerce world, then this is your chance. Highlight your unique story, values, commitment to quality, etc, and position yourself as a small, independent venture.
Collaborative Giveaways: Partner with other small businesses for joint giveaways or promotions to expand your reach.
Email Marketing: Send targeted emails to your subscriber list, announce your participation in Small Business Saturday, display your promotions, and express appreciation for their support.

In short, Small Business Saturday offers e-commerce businesses an excellent opportunity to connect with consumers who value supporting small, independent ventures. If you’re a small business, it’s time to embrace your small business identity and offer compelling promotions. If you’re not, you can still capitalize on the holiday by supporting other small businesses and making an impact on your customers.

Cyber Monday - November 27

Cyber Monday, which follows the Thanksgiving weekend, is a digital shopping phenomenon known for exclusive online deals and discounts. For e-commerce businesses, it represents a golden opportunity to boost sales and engage tech-savvy shoppers.

Expected consumer spend – More than $11 Billion

Popular trends – Electronics, apparel, and home goods.

Effective marketing techniques – Cyber Monday marks the peak of the holiday shopping season. Thus, it is crucial for you to implement effective marketing strategies that capture their prospects’ attention and put your brand on the top of your customers’ minds compared to that of your competitors.

Here are some of the strategies that can come in handy:

Extended Cyber Monday: Cyber Monday is no longer a single holiday but is extended into a week-long event, allowing shoppers to take time and spend time with brands beyond one day. You too can take advantage of this situation and extend your product offerings and deals to cover for a week.
E-commerce store optimization: The competition will be huge on Cyber Monday — don’t let factors like slow loading times, bad UI/UX to cause your shoppers to drop off. Ensure your website is optimized for speed and ease of navigation. Remember, a user-friendly experience can significantly impact conversion rates.
The importance of social media: Social media is a powerful tool for businesses to promote their Cyber Monday sales. Make sure to promote your sales on all of their social media channels, and also run social media contests and giveaways to generate excitement.

By keeping these trends in mind, you can create a successful Cyber Monday sale that will boost their sales and grow their customer base.

December

Peak season is over, but for e-commerce businesses such as yours, it’s not yet time to sit back, relax, and write your Christmas lists. You still have just a couple more hurdles left to end the year on a successful note.

Close to 30 days in between to major shopping/ customer spending days of the holiday season. Goodbye Cyber Monday, Hello Christmas.

Christmas - December 25

Christmas, celebrated on December 25th worldwide, is a time of joy, celebration, and gift-giving.

For e-commerce businesses, it’s also a season of tremendous sales potential, thanks to shoppers’ decision to actively seek the perfect gifts for loved ones and themselves.

Expected consumer spend – Average spend of over $725 for men and $609 for women in the US

Popular trends – Toys, electronics, and apparel

Effective marketing techniques – Here are some ideal marketing techniques that e-commerce businesses can come up with to have a great Christmas sale and successfully culminate the holiday season:

Festive Visuals: Decorate your website and social media profiles with festive visuals, evoking the Christmas spirit.
Social Media Campaigns: Run Christmas-themed social media campaigns, contests, and giveaways. Encourage customers to share their holiday purchases using a dedicated hashtag.
Bundled Gift Sets: Create attractive bundled gift sets that offer savings and convenience for shoppers.
Last-Minute Shopping Promotions: As Christmas draws near, offer last-minute shopping deals and guaranteed delivery options to cater to procrastinating shoppers.
Post-Christmas Sales: Extend the holiday shopping season with post-Christmas sales to capture gift card redemptions and late shoppers.

In conclusion, Christmas is a season of joy and giving, making it the perfect time for e-commerce businesses to spur their customers to spend more. With well-planned marketing strategies, you can ensure that this Christmas becomes a season of success for your business.

New Year’s Eve - December 31

Almost done. We’ve now come to the ‘thank you note’ of the holiday season. New Year’s Eve — a time that is mostly for celebrations and parties but is also a great opportunity for e-commerce businesses to capitalize on customers looking to end the year with a bang and kickstart the new one.

Expected consumer spend – More than $100 on an average

Popular trends – Apparel, accessories, and alcohol

Effective marketing techniques – Here are some ideal marketing techniques that e-commerce businesses can come up with to have a successful New Year’s Eve sale:

Themed Marketing: Use New Year’s Eve themes and visuals in your marketing materials to set the mood.
Social Media Engagement: Utilize platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to welcome your customers to the new year and make a great impact.
Last-Minute Deals: Conduct clearance sales for your older products as a way to attract last-minute shoppers who are still looking to make the most of great deals.

By keeping these trends in mind, e-commerce businesses can create a successful New Year’s Eve sale and end the year on a high note.

Adhering to the marketing calendar and implementing the strategies required is just one half of your holiday planning task.

There exists a bigger, much more important half that plays major roles in influencing your customers’ experiences, repeat shopping, and all the other factors that ensure that one time holiday shoppers become loyal customers. And that half is just about getting better at giving your customers what they want — hand over your customers’ parcels to them on time.

Part 2: Holiday Shipping Deadlines (FedEx and UPS)

As we mentioned, preparing yourself for great holiday sales is just halfway to the finish line. Getting your products into customers’ hands is a bigger challenge for e-commerce businesses during this busy season.

On the one hand, carriers are straining their capacity to ship out huge volumes of packages during the holiday rush. On the other hand, on-time deliveries and the overall post-purchase customer experience play a key differentiator for businesses. So know what steps you must take to get on the right track this holiday season.

To make things simpler for you, we’ve noted important holiday-season dates for UPS & FedEx and have presented them to you.

UPS Holiday Schedule

To help shippers plan their deliveries for the holidays accordingly, UPS releases their schedule, i.e., a calendar with information on when services will not be operated, special restrictions for certain services and geographical locations, etc.

Staying updated on this schedule can help e-commerce businesses such as yours follow shipping deadlines and send out deliveries on time.

Thanksgiving

November 23, 2023, Thursday: Thanksgiving (UPS Holiday) – No UPS pickup or delivery service. UPS Store locations are closed. UPS Express Critical service will be available. Call 1-800-714-8779 or visit upsexpresscritical.com.

November 24, 2023, Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) – Normal pickup and delivery service.

Christmas

December 24, 2023, Monday: Christmas Eve – Unlike last year, where services were operated with modifications, UPS this year will have their pick up and delivery service closed on Christmas Eve, with The UPS Store being opened only in select locations (check with your local store for specific hours of operation). UPS Express Critical service will be available.

December 25, 2023, Monday: Christmas Day (UPS Holiday) – No UPS pickup or delivery service. The UPS Store locations are closed. UPS Express Critical service will be available.

New Year

December 31, 2023, Sunday: New Year’s Eve – Similar to Christmas, UPS this year will have their pick up and delivery service closed on New Year’s Eve, with The UPS Store being opened only in select locations (check with your local store for specific hours of operation). UPS Express Critical service will be available.

January 1, 2024, Monday: New Year’s Day (UPS Holiday) – No UPS pickup or delivery service. UPS Store locations are closed. UPS Express Critical service will be available.

FedEx Holiday Schedule

Similar to UPS, FedEx announces their holiday service schedule YoY to help businesses that ship plan their dates accordingly and avoid shipping delays.

If you’re a business that uses FedEx for your shipping needs and isn’t much worried about service delays on the assumption that you can claim refunds via FedEx’s Money-back guarantee policy, know that from December 13, 2022, to January 2, 2023, the FedEx money-back guarantee will be temporarily suspended for select FedEx Express services for U.S. domestic and U.S. export shipments. Thus, make shipping on time your priority to avoid a bad customer experience and unnecessary costs.

Thanksgiving

November 22, 2023, Wednesday (the day before Thanksgiving) – FedEx Ground, FedEx Home Delivery, FedEx SmartPost, FedEx Freight, FedEx Trade Networks, and FedEx Custom Critical will be open. Early on-call pickups in some areas for FedEx Express. FedEx Office locations will close by 6 PM.

November 23, 2023, Thursday (Thanksgiving) – Only FedEx Custom Critical will be open. All other services will be closed for Thanksgiving. FedEx Trade Networks is subject to availability.

November 24, 2023, Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) – FedEx Ground, FedEx Home Delivery, FedEx SmartPost, FedEx Trade Networks, and FedEx Custom Critical will be open. Only FedEx Freight will be closed. Early on-call and dropbox pickups in some areas for FedEx Express. FedEx Office locations will open by 7 AM or at their regular time.

November 25, 2023, Saturday – FedEx Home Delivery, FedEx SmartPost, FedEx Trade Networks, FedEx Office, and FedEx Custom Critical will be open. FedEx Ground and FedEx Freight will be closed. Early on-call pickups in some areas for FedEx Express.

November 26, 2023, Sunday – Only FedEx Trade Networks, FedEx Office, and FedEx Custom Critical will be open. FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Freight, and FedEx SmartPost will be closed. FedEx Home Delivery will be made only in Sunday-eligible stations.

Christmas

December 16, 2023, Saturday – FedEx Express, FedEx Home Delivery, FedEx Office, FedEx Trade Networks, and FedEx Custom Critical will be open. FedEx Ground and FedEx Freight will be closed. No pickups, but deliveries will be made as usual via FedEx SmartPost.

December 17, 2023, Sunday – Only FedEx Office, FedEx Custom Critical, and FedEx Trade Networks will be open. FedEx Express, FedEx Home Delivery, FedEx SmartPost, and FedEx Freight will be closed. FedEx Home Delivery will be made to Sunday-eligible stations.

December 18, 2023, Monday to December 21, 2023, Thursday – All services will be open.

December 22, 2023, Friday – All services will be open with Early station, on-call pickups, and dropbox closings in some areas for FedEx Express. FedEx Freight will be working on a modified schedule with its pickup and delivery options. For example, parcels picked up today will resume on December 27 and be delivered on December 28.

December 23, 2023, Saturday – FedEx Express, FedEx Home Delivery, FedEx Trade Networks, and FedEx Custom Critical will be open. FedEx Ground and FedEx Freight will be closed. No pickups, but deliveries will be made as usual via FedEx SmartPost. FedEx Office locations will have modified hours the day before the holiday, with some locations closing early. Please contact your local FedEx Office location for details.

December 24, 2023, Sunday (Christmas Eve) – Only FedEx Custom Critical will be open. Almost all other services will be closed for Christmas Eve. Sunday residential delivery will not be available to all destinations except for stations that deliver on Sundays, which are open. FedEx Office locations will have modified hours, with some FedEx Office locations closed. Please contact your local FedEx Office location for details.

December 25, 2023, Monday (Christmas) – Only FedEx Custom Critical will be open. All other services will be closed for Christmas. FedEx Trade Networks is subject to availability.

December 26, 2023, Tuesday – All services will be open. Parcels picked up by FedEx Freight on December 22 will be delivered today.

New Year

December 27, 2023, Wednesday, and December 28, 2023, Thursday – All services will be open.

December 29, 2023, Friday – FedEx Ground, FedEx Home Delivery, FedEx SmartPost, FedEx Office, FedEx Trade Networks, and FedEx Custom Critical will be open. FedEx Freight will only be open with for pre-arranged pick-up and delivery shipments. Freight shipments picked up today will resume on January 3 and will be delivered on January 4. Early on-call and drop box pickups in some areas.

December 30, 2023, Saturday – FedEx Express, FedEx Home Delivery, FedEx Office, FedEx Trade Networks, and FedEx Custom Critical will be open. FedEx Ground and FedEx Freight will be closed. No pickups, but deliveries will be made as usual via FedEx SmartPost. Early station, on-call pickups, and dropbox closings in some areas for FedEx Express.

December 31, 2023, Sunday (New Year’s Eve) – Only FedEx Custom Critical will be open. Almost all other services will be closed for New Year’s Eve. Sunday residential delivery will not be available to all destinations except for stations that deliver on Sundays, which are open. FedEx Office locations will have modified hours, with some FedEx Office locations closed. Please contact your local FedEx Office location for details.

January 1, 2024, Monday (New Year) – Only FedEx Custom Critical will be open. All other services will be closed for the New Year. FedEx Trade Networks is subject to availability.

January 2, 2024, Tuesday – All services will be open.

Bottom Line

Following the Holiday calendar can help you with your marketing campaigns by giving you data like important shipping dates, popular products on particular days, effective short-term marketing techniques, and sales data.

Similarly, following the schedule of services and operations from shipping carriers like FedEx and UPS can help you plan your shipping game in advance and not succumb to sky-rocketing surcharges.

That’s not all! Planning for the holiday season is a huge task that requires you to tick all the boxes and have everything ready in place to manage the upcoming rush and whatnot.

One area that most businesses unwillingly ignore is the post-purchase phase, which holds incredible value in boosting retention rates and revenue. To help you tick that box as well, we’ve come up with a downloadable guide that you can make use of. Follow the strategies in the guide and not just cover but dominate your post-purchase customer experience for this holiday season.

The post Holiday Schedule 2023: Marketing Calendar and Shipping Deadlines appeared first on Lateshipment.com.

How to Ensure Better Performance from Shipping Carriers

Sashank Ravindranath — Fri, 15 Jul 2022 13:29:44 +0000

The Importance of On-time Delivery

On-time deliveries are a business’ best practice. Yet they do not captivate customers like same-day delivery or free shipping promises do. However, failing to make on-time deliveries gives you a bad reputation.

But..but…keeping deliveries on time is not so easy, given that on-time delivery is in the hands of your shipping partner.

In such situations, it is natural to ensure a better performance from the shipping carrier that you’re using.

To do that, we’ll have to first understand the role shipping carriers in ensuring on-time deliveries.

The Role of Shipping Carriers in Ensuring On-time Deliveries

Once the package has been handed over to the shipping carrier, they take control of your customers’ post-purchase experiences as well.

Despite carriers’ efforts to deliver your customers’ parcels on time, delays occur daily, largely because of carriers straining their capacity to meet on-time deliveries.

That’s not all! 7 out of 10 common causes of delays are because of the shipping carrier — ranging from poor warehouse management to failed delivery attempts.

And the worst part about these delays is the fact that the responsibility falls on you rather than the shipping carrier.

Customers who have faced a delay on packages that are most valuable to them will definitely not shop with you again. And if that’s not enough, frustrated former customers also end up posting negative reviews on social media and deter potential customers from choosing your business.

Thus, it is clear that your shipping carriers’ performance has a significant effect on your customer experience (and wallet!).

That said, you can make use of a solution such as LateShipment.com that helps you deliver phenomenal post-purchase CX and measurable results such as a better quality of service and an on-time delivery guarantee from your shipping partner.

How E-commerce Businessses Can Ensure On-time Deliveries and Better Performance from Shipping Carriers

1. Collect delivery feedback from customers to identify areas of improvement

Your customers are the ultimate end users when it comes to order deliveries.

If they are not satisfied with the delivery experience provided, they would not only show their frustration at the carrier but also at the business that is making use of the carrier as well. Therefore, it is wise to understand what they think of the delivery experiences they receive.

Collect your customers’ feedback on delivery experiences to know whether all that time, money, and effort you spent is working in your favor. You can then use this valuable data to make the right decisions when it comes to shipping and identify areas of improvement such as delivering on time.

With the help of LateShipment.com’s Delivery Experience Management (DEM) platform, you can:

Capture your customers’ Delivery Satisfaction (DSAT) rating after every order delivery and
Monitor the average DSAT scores of customers to optimize the shipping & delivery process

Consistently improving your customers’ post-purchase can help you promote your brand’s credibility.

2. Review carrier performance scores via comparison reports

Shipping takes a lot of effort, time, and most importantly money. It is only smart that you review and evaluate your choices and decisions with the help of good data

LateShipment.com provides you a detailed assessment of how your carrier’s delivery performance fares against service-specific delivery standards in the form of intuitive reports.

With this data at hand, you can get a single consolidated view of delivery performance metrics across carriers, services, and geographies. You can then dig deeper to uncover gaps in carrier performance and know where you’re seeing profits and review areas where you’re not.

That’s not all! You can now make informed decisions and efficient last-mile carrier choices that can inevitably increase the odds of on-time deliveries.

3. Hold your carriers accountable by regularly collecting refunds for their service failures

About one-third of customers won’t repurchase from a merchant after a late delivery.

So, why bear the brunt of delivery issues?

It’s only fair to hold your carriers accountable for their mistakes. And you can do that by regularly auditing your shipping invoices and claiming refunds.

Each package shipped through major carriers comes with a service guarantee. It’s an assurance that the package will be delivered within a committed time, failing which they offer a complete refund of the shipping cost.

There are more than 50 service failures, overcharges, and discrepancies that are eligible for refunds. When unclaimed, this money that you’re entitled to be just left on the table.

Keeping a close watch on delivery issues and claiming refunds where due, also ensures better service quality by your shipping carriers.

Bottom Line

Apart from helping you ensure a better performance from your shipping carriers, LateShipment.com also helps you do bigger things with your post-purchase by combining stellar delivery experiences with easy, seamless returns and not to forget, recovering eligible refunds from your carriers.

Try LateShipment.com for free now and grow your fanbase, savings, and business. We’re ready when you are. Ready to get started?

If you still have questions for us, we’re all ears.

The post How to Ensure Better Performance from Shipping Carriers appeared first on Lateshipment.com.

Last-mile Carrier Tracking: A Competitive Edge for Your Ecommerce Business

Sashank Ravindranath — Fri, 03 Jun 2022 09:34:25 +0000

Last-mile carrier tracking can be the most expensive and time-consuming part of your ecommerce business’ shipping and delivery process.

Adding fuel to the fire is your customers’ growing demands of wanting complete visibility into the last-mile process. However, meeting these demands is not as easy as it looks. This is primarily because ecommerce businesses hand over the reins of the last-mile and post-purchase to the shipping carrier.

Your shipping carrier on the other hand is already overwhelmed by their delivery volumes and has no interest nor commitment to your customer experiences (CX).

But before we take a look at how to get the best out of last-mile carriers and grow your business, let’s start from the basics.

What is a Last-mile Carrier?

A last-mile carrier is a shipping service provider that caters to your needs, particularly in the final leg of the delivery cycle.

The last-mile carrier can also constitute the other parts of the post-purchase customer journey, based on your requirements and their capacity.

The primary expectation of the last-mile carrier is to provide quicker delivery options such as same-day delivery and be cost-efficient. As an ecommerce business owner, you need to choose a carrier that brings out both. Here are some different last-mile carrier options to give you an idea.

Last-mile carrier options

There are multiple last-mile carrier options each with its pros and cons. You can pick one that best suits your business’ needs.

Single carrier method – Make use of major last-mile carrier providers such as FedEx, UPS, or DHL to fulfill your customers from end to end. Their experience and skill-sets can provide a guarantee for your packages to reach your customers’ doorsteps both quickly and safely. If your business is smaller, you can make use of smaller local or regional carriers.
Third-party logistics or 3PL – Make use of Third-party logistics (3PL) providers for complete solutions such as assembly, packaging, warehousing, and distribution. A reliable 3PL logistics process provider can maximize your profitability through their knowledge, expertise and resources.

Now that we’ve understood the basics of last-mile and carriers, it’s time to move on to how you can provide your customers with a great post-purchase experience, especially on the last mile.

For that, you’ll need to understand the challenges that arise due to the current state of last-mile delivery.

Challenges of last-mile deliveries

Increased costs – Last-mile deliveries aren’t always successful. 1-in-3 deliveries face issues such as shipping delays, delivery exceptions, failed deliveries, porch pirates, etc. This can lead to increased shipping costs in the form of unwanted returns, customer acquisition, and more.
Negative impact on your customer loyalty metrics – Over 55% of the customers won’t return to a brand after just one instance of a bad delivery experience. This can impact your customer loyalty metrics such as CRR (customer retention rate) and CLTV (customer lifetime value).

Don’t let these challenges worry you. There’s an easy way to handle them. All you have to do is to implement proper last-mile carrier tracking and gain a competitive edge for your business.

What is Last-mile Carrier Tracking and How Does it Provide a Competitive Edge?

Last-mile carrier tracking is nothing but gaining complete visibility into your last mile. It is the ability to track and trace the shipping carrier’s location and parcel status from the transportation hub to the designated destination.

93% of customers expect complete visibility while tracking their orders and viewing real-time shipping information and 47% of consumers will not shop again with a brand that does not provide order tracking visibility. Therefore, the importance of carrier tracking in the last mile is evident.

That’s not all! Last-mile carrier tracking also provides a multitude of benefits for your business and end-users.

Last-mile carrier tracking benefits for your customers

1. Complete transparency during order tracking

With the help of real-time visibility, make sure your customers can seamlessly track their orders via order tracking pages and know at a glance what’s happening with their orders in the last mile.

This gives them a sense of control of their orders and ergo, increases their CX during the order delivery phase.

2.Receive regular communication on order status updates and delivery events

Apart from enabling your customers to track their orders, you can as well send post-purchase transactional Emails and SMS notifications to keep your customers in the loop of their orders throughout the delivery lifecycle.

This can help in reducing your customers’ anticipations during the most anxious stage of their journey.

Last-mile carrier tracking benefits for your business

1. Resolve delivery issues proactively

Empower your support team to proactively resolve issues such as delivery delays, frequent WISMO calls, etc, and take preemptive action before such discrepancies impact your customers.

This can help in reviving customers’ trust in your brand.

2. Collect delivery feedback from customers

Get your customers’ feedback on their delivery experiences and understand customer satisfaction. You can then use this information to make better shipping decisions and optimize the experience as well.

This way, your customers will be impressed with your efforts and will prefer you to your competitors.

How Lateshipment.Com Can Help with Last-mile Carrier Tracking (and More!)

LateShipment.com is a unified cloud solution for everything post-purchase that helps you:

1. Identify shipments facing issues at a glance

View real-time shipping data across carriers, services, and delivery locations
Get predictive analytics of delivery delays identified for you

2. Resolve critical shipping incidents before they happen

Trigger automated tickets on your helpdesk
Easily spot shipments that may require attention in your dashboard
Send custom notifications tailored to specific situations

3. Reduce delivery inquiries by 70% with real-time updates

Send automated email and SMS shipping notifications
Seamlessly integrate with your email marketing tools

4. Leverage tracking moments to drive 25% repeat sales

Add an order tracking widget anywhere
Create custom branded tracking pages
Use tracking moments to drive sales via product recommendations, offers, marketing campaigns, etc

5. Decode customer sentiment and engagement

Measure how your customers are engaging with your brand post-purchase
Know from your customers the experience your brand delivered
Review carrier performance in the last mile and make better shipping choices

6. Audit shipping invoices and claim refunds

Effortlessly recover up to 20% of shipping costs through refund claims
Improve carrier performance by regularly collecting refunds

7. Manage returns effectively

Automate and make returns self-service to remove the hassle
Make returns profitable via exchanges and store credit options

Bottom Line

To make it easier for you to implement last-mile carrier tracking, you can make use of a post-purchase solution such as LateShipment.com that does all the heavy lifting on your behalf.

LateShipment.com is specifically built for ecommerce retailers such as yourself to deliver phenomenal post-purchase CX and measurable results, all while effortlessly recovering refund claims from your shipping carriers.

Interested? We at LateShipment.com can’t wait to help you grow your fanbase, savings, and business.

Get in touch with our expert or write to us.

Last-mile Carrier Tracking FAQs

What is a last-mile carrier?

A last-mile carrier is a shipping service provider that caters to your needs, particularly in the final leg of the delivery cycle. The last-mile carrier can also constitute the other parts of the post-purchase customer journey, based on your requirements and their capacity.

What is last mile tracking?

Last-mile carrier tracking is gaining complete visibility into your last mile by making use of your ability to track and trace the location and parcel status from the transportation hub to the designated destination.

What is last mile delivery management?

A last mile delivery platform or solution is a tool that helps in creating delightful delivery experiences for your ecommerce business in the last mile. With a last-mile delivery platform, you can not just meet but exceed your customers’ expectations. It helps you with a host of benefits such as real-time tracking, proactive communication, customer feedback recording, etc.

Why is carrier tracking in the last mile so important?

The last-mile is the most expensive and tedious part of the shipping and delivery process. Tracking your parcels in real-time and more can help you reduce costs and scale your business operations.

How to make the best use of last-mile carrier tracking

You can make the best use of last-mile carrier tracking by sharing real-time order updates with your customers via branded tracking pages and customer notifications. This can help you increase customer trust and make them repeat shoppers. Also, you can use last-mile tracking moments to collect customer feedback and know what they perceive of your brand.

The post Last-mile Carrier Tracking: A Competitive Edge for Your Ecommerce Business appeared first on Lateshipment.com.

How to File FedEx Claims for Late Deliveries

Sashank Ravindranath — Fri, 11 Feb 2022 05:34:37 +0000

FedEx is one of the top-three behemoths in not just the US but in the worldwide shipping carrier and delivery services space (the other two being DHL and UPS).

Did you know that FedEx delivers more than 12 million packages per day? And in such cases, common delivery issues such as late deliveries are common and inevitable.

However, like all major carriers, FedEx too aims to provide top-notch service and reduce the frequency of such issues. In order to do so, FedEx has a Money-Back Guarantee option that customers can use to claim refunds for delivery failures.

Understanding FedEx’s Money-Back Guarantee before submitting Claims

FedEx’s Money-Back Guarantee is a part of your shipping contract that stipulates that FedEx will refund the shipping charges if parcel delivery is delivered late by even 60 seconds except in exceptional circumstances (natural disasters, weather delays, etc).

However, the Money-Back Guarantee has multiple limitations that you, as a shipper must understand before you start submitting FedEx claims. In most cases, your forms can end up getting rejected if the conditions are not met.

Important clauses from the Money-Back Guarantee to keep in mind when submitting FedEx claims:

Before you start reading down the clauses, make sure that you have not signed a money-back guarantee waiver in your shipping contract. This straightaway prevents you from claiming refunds and is also not an efficient move
Wait for 24 hours from the expected delivery time to claim your refund. There are chances for your lost package to end up getting delivered to your hands. However, you can straightaway submit claims for late deliveries (for select services)
Refund claims requests must be submitted within 15 calendar days of the scheduled delivery date or the date listed in the tracking details or your proof of delivery, whichever is later.

Keeping that in mind, let’s move on to how you can start claiming FedEx refunds by yourself.

How to File FedEx Claims

Login to your FedEx account and choose the ‘File a claim’ option from the support tab
Start a claim by entering your tracking/PRO number and selecting your claim type
Add the supporting documents necessary to validate your claim
Review your form and submit the claim
Check the status of your claim online or request email updates

However, manually submitting FedEx claims is not always as easy as this and can be a tedious process. Here’s why.

Why Manually Submitting Claims Can Be a Hassle

Like we mentioned earlier, manually submitting FedEx claims is a huge headache as there is a list of conditions to be met for them to accept your claim.

As we mentioned earlier, you are required to file the claim within 15 days from the date of the scheduled delivery with the receiver’s name, address, date of shipment, package weight, and tracking number
Your claim must include complete shipper and recipient information, as well as the FedEx tracking number, date of shipment, number of pieces, and shipment weight
The money-back guarantee does not apply to all services and destinations parcels that FedEx undertakes
In cases of international shipments, you have to submit documentation required by the country of origin or destination to support your case
The parcel must have been tendered to FedEx directly and before the stipulated collection time.

That’s not all. With the finer-print terms and conditions, FedEx can still reject your claim for a refund.

So, what’s the smart way out?

Make use of an automated refunds tool like LateShipment.com to claim your refunds. All you need to do is integrate this tool into your existing shipping operations while you focus on your core business functions.

How LateShipment.com Makes Filing Fedex Claims Easier

The money that goes unclaimed in shipping carrier refunds runs to the tune of over 3 billion dollars annually!

But what should matter more to you is this: Experts say that you can bring your shipping budget down by up to 20% if you claim every single refund you are eligible for.

LateShipment.com’s Parcel Audit and Shipping Refunds solution can help businesses like yours hold your shipping carrier accountable and ensure that you do not lose money that is rightfully yours.

Also, monitoring and claiming refunds regularly help you receive better performance from your shipping carrier resulting in more successful last-mile deliveries.

Apart from late deliveries, LateShipment.com also helps you recover refunds for more than 50 service failures such as lost and damaged packages, incorrect surcharges, etc.

Not just FedEx, LateShipment.com also helps you file claims and recover refunds from all major carriers such as DHL, UPS, Purolator… to name a few.

LateShipment.com’s refund recovery process allows you to focus on your core business functions while it analyses every shipment you send, identifies late shipments that are eligible for refunds, and files FedEx claims with supporting documentation.

It also follows up with the procedure and ensures that a refund is credited to you as soon as possible.

The best part is, LateShipment.com has a simple signup process, which takes less than 2 minutes for you to get started on claiming refunds.

Create a LateShipment.com account
Add your shipping carrier credentials.

That’s it! All you have to do now is to sit back as refunds get credited to your account.

What Else You Can Do with LateShipment.com

While claiming refunds are great, they don’t always compensate for your customers’ bad experiences faced in the post-purchase phase. In such cases, the onus of crafting a delightful delivery and returns experiences falls on you.

Therefore, don’t stop with just claiming refunds. Go all out with our post-purchase excellence cloud. It combines stellar delivery experiences with easy, seamless returns – all while significantly reducing your shipping spend by auditing your invoices and recovering eligible refunds from your carriers.

Time to grow your fanbase, savings, and business with LateShipment.com. We’re ready when you are.

Or still have questions? We’re all ears.

The post How to File FedEx Claims for Late Deliveries appeared first on Lateshipment.com.

2021 State of Holiday Shipping in the US

Sashank Ravindranath — Sun, 05 Dec 2021 07:27:21 +0000

The pandemic has largely disrupted holiday shipping in 2021, with a surge in online purchases, record shipping costs, port congestion, and inventory shortage.

Not to forget, the heavy weightage that has fallen on the operational efficiency of shipping carriers, raising concerns over their package-handling capacity and their ability to meet on-time delivery promises. Indeed, you can anticipate your customers to meet with stockouts and longer delivery timelines from all carriers this Holiday season.

FedEx Corp. is forecasting a 10% increase in holiday package deliveries over the previous record peak season in 2020 while UPS is also taking efforts like hiring 10,000 seasonal workers.

While carriers who are well aware of this demand, are responding with more fulfillment and distribution capacity besides hiring temporary workforce. They are also levying additional surcharges to meet the demands of delivering residential packages amid volume surges.

Before you start worrying over skyrocketing shipping bills, know that navigating through the holiday shipping season with mitigated damage from delays can help you save on shipping costs!

We at LateShipment.com have crafted our 4th annual report, which gives you detailed unbiased insights on delivery performances and expected delay rates during the 2021 holiday shipping season. This can give you a headstart in your process towards making data-backed decisions to optimize their supply chain during the critical Holiday season and beyond.

Let’s take a deep dive into it.

An Analysis of Shipping Performance by FedEx and UPS in 2021 Right Before the Holiday Season

The following section is the result of a trend analysis conducted on packages shipped during the 2021 Regular Operating Period (Jan 1 – Oct 31). You will find a detailed breakdown of package delays by UPS and FedEx across key States, Cities, Service-types, and Retail Categories in the United States.

In 2021, parcels shipped through FedEx witnessed Holiday-shipping- season-like delays while UPS performed considerably better than in 2020.

States, cities, and regions

States

During the regular operating period of 2021, UPS Packages shipped to Texas faced the most delays with 10.3% of packages delivered late. While 15.34% of packages shipped to Illinois via FedEx faced the most delays.

Cities

When it comes to cities, packages shipped through UPS to Houston faced the most delays at 8.9%, followed by New York at 8.24% and Los Angeles at 7.7%.
Among key cities, packages shipped to Miami, Chicago, and Houston through FedEx faced delay rates of 13.8%, 13.6%, and 13.5% respectively.

Regions

Among the West Coast – Holiday packages shipped to the State of Washington through UPS faced the most delays at 13.64%. And packages shipped to Oregon through FedEx faced the most delays at 25.66% followed closely by Washington at 23%.
In the Central Region – packages shipped to Arkansas and Louisiana through UPS recorded the highest package delay rate at 10.49% and 9.27%. And packages shipped to Louisiana and Arkansas through FedEx faced high delay rates of 25.65% and 25.48% respectively.
Amid the East Coast – states in the US that witnessed the most package delays were South Carolina for UPS, recording a delay rate of 8.2%. And Maine for FedEx with 19.88% followed closely by Georgia at 19.19%.

Service types

UPS Ground Services recorded a delay rate of 10.36%.
FedEx Ground services faced a package delay rate of very similar to the 2020 Holiday shipping season at 19%.
UPS Express Services – 9.9% of packages shipped through Next Day Air service were delayed.
FedEx Express Services – 14.6% of packages shipped through 2 Day service were delayed.

Retail categories

In the 2021 Holiday shipping period, the Electronics category saw a delay rate of 14.44%, while the Sports and Health, and Fitness categories witnessed package delay rates of 10.5% and 10.7% respectively with UPS.
When it comes to FedEx, the Jewelry category observed a delay rate of 14.4% while the Sports and Apparel categories witnessed package delay rates of 13% and 11.3% respectively.

With all our findings in the regular operating period of 2021, we have forecasted the on-time delivery performances of FedEx and UPS in the Holiday shipping period. This can help e-commerce retailers such as yourself stay aware of possible delays with the busy season to come.

Holiday Shipping 2021 Predictions, Trends & Insights

Holiday retail sales are likely to increase between 7% and 9% and E-commerce sales particularly will grow by 11-15%, YoY, during the 2021-holiday season. – Deloitte

With an unprecedented surge in online orders during the Holiday season, along with freight constraints, warehouse capacity issues, and insufficient workers, there would be an immense strain on shipping carriers to ensure timely delivery of Holiday orders.

Retailers and shoppers alike should brace themselves to face delays due to shipping network congestion, labor shortage, and COVID-19 outbreaks in some parts. There will also be stock availability issues.

Average package delay rates during the 2021 holiday shipping season to be between the range of 16% to 20%.

UPS’ on-time delivery performance will be 2x better than FedEx (based on their 12-month track record) during the 2021 Holiday season
Densely populated urban cities like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, etc. to face record package delays, even as high as 25% to 30% during the 2021 Holidays.
Popular e-commerce service types, Ground and Express services offered by both UPS and FedEx will remain affected, resulting in delivery delays irrespective of the service type consumers choose for their Holiday orders.
With unusually high congestion affecting every type of transportation network, both air and ground shipments are expected to face significant delivery delays.
Expensive and fast services did not really matter! 25.2% of FedEx Overnight shipments and 11.2% of UPS Next Day Air were delayed during the 2020 Holiday season.

Delays are expected to be more than the previous years due to the added burden of the ongoing supply chain disruptions. If you’re looking to be one of those retailers who are looking to win, you will need to take measures to mitigate the impact of delivery delays on customer experience and loyalty.

Let’s see how you can do just that.

How E-commerce Retailers Can Prepare Themselves to Counter Delays in the Holiday Shipping Season 2021

The surge in online orders will see retailers and shipping carriers grappling to meet customer expectations around frictionless shipping, delivery, and returns experiences.

The shift to e-commerce is here to stay but a negative order delivery experience will have a long-lasting impact on your relationship with customers; making post-purchase customer experience (CX) key to your business’s success during this Holiday season and beyond.

But why is post-purchase CX so imperative?

The post-purchase CX mandate

Focusing on your post-purchase CX strategy is critical because it helps you:

Establish trust and buyer confidence with clear shipping and returns policy, thereby fostering loyalty
Improve customer satisfaction and increase loyalty by proactively resolving delivery issues
Reduce customer anxiety by meaningfully engaging with customers during the “Order Delivery” phase
Drive customer delight post-checkout with memorable, on-brand tracking experiences
Boost revenue from repeat purchases by leveraging your customers’ order tracking moments
Increase conversion, repeat purchase rate, and retain revenue by optimizing product returns on your store

As evident here, numerous benefits emanate from a well-thought-through post-purchase customer experience strategy for your online retail business. It’s time to move on to the next part — HOW to optimize the post-purchase CX?

Here’s how.

7 Strategies to Ensure Post-purchase CX Success

Taking measures to close the post-purchase CX gap and provide customers with a frictionless delivery experience can cement you as their preferred brand.

Adopting the following ways to improve your post-purchase CX will ensure a positive impact on both your customers’ lifetime value and the retention rate of your business.

1. Proactively identify and resolve delivery-related issues

Third-party shipping services are highly error-prone. Monitoring your in-transit parcels in real-time and being in the know about parcels facing delivery issues will ensure proactive and faster resolution of delivery-related customer issues.

2. Reduce customer anxiety with automated shipping notifications

Effectively engaging with your customers throughout the order delivery lifecycle will strengthen customer relationships and foster brand loyalty. With timely email and SMS alerts, keep customers informed about their order delivery status, including critical delivery issues.

3. Offer custom-built branded tracking experiences on your online store

To ensure seamless brand experiences, every customer interaction should be owned by the brand. Default order tracking pages provided by shipping carriers are dull and off-brand. Providing brand consistent order tracking pages on your store drives customer delight and increases brand loyalty.

4. Make order tracking self-service to reduce delivery-related support tickets

Over 30% of customer support tickets created are shipping-related, with most tickets being WISMO (Where Is My Order) inquiries. Addressing such tickets can be both time-consuming and expensive. Enable your customers to track their orders from within your website or app to significantly reduce customer support inquiries.

5. Leverage order tracking moments to increase sales and reduce returns

On average, customers track their orders 6 to 8 times before order delivery, that’s 6-8 additional marketing touchpoints with customers post-checkout. Boost repeat sales with product recommendations on order tracking pages, besides providing relevant product usage information to reduce returns.

6. Get customer feedback around order delivery experiences

Capture customer feedback around their delivery experiences after every order delivery to understand the detractors of a great post-purchase experience and make necessary changes to improve.

7. Optimize your returns process to make it hassle-free while maintaining profitability

Be transparent and establish trust with a clear returns policy. Make product returns effortless for your customers while providing return methods that encourage exchanges and store credit options to ensure revenue retention.

Implementing all of these strategies just as the holiday shipping season arrives won’t take long. You can make use of a post-purchase solution such as LateShipment.com to do the heavy lifting for you.

How Lateshipment.Com Can Help

LateShipment.com is the world’s only cloud-based Post-purchase Success platform built to enable retail parcel shippers of all sizes to provide memorable order delivery and returns experiences — besides reducing shipping costs by up to 20%.

Our feature-packed Delivery Experience Management platform helps improve shipment visibility and drive customer delight post-purchase.

Our customer-first Returns Experience Management platform makes returns effortless and efficient — all while retaining revenue.

Our Automated Shipping Refunds solution brings better performance accountability to shipping carrier services by recovering millions of dollars in refund claims.

LateShipment.com seamlessly integrates with over 600 shipping carriers and business tools that include E-commerce platforms, Order Management Systems, CRM, and Marketing Automation tools to help you craft delightful post-purchase experiences, at scale.

Visit www.lateshipment.com to find out more.

The post 2021 State of Holiday Shipping in the US appeared first on Lateshipment.com.

5 Tips to Get the Best out of Your Package Shipping Carrier

Ian — Mon, 03 May 2021 11:04:00 +0000

Millions of international packages make their way to destination points and cross borders every day. And the vast majority of them are the goods people buy from eCommerce businesses operating globally.

While it’s no secret that free package shipping does not actually exist and the seller is the one who has to pay for it, international shipping either costs loads of money for a brand, requires lots of workforces, or both.

Plus, there’s always a chance of late deliveries or lost packages. And suddenly, shipping internationally becomes a true headache.

Thankfully, this struggle a seller experiences can be minimized by knowing how to get the most out of your partner shipping carrier.

Carriers often offer a bunch of additional perks to having you as a long-term partner. And it’s an important thing to have in mind when making a new agreement with a package shipping carrier.

This article will give you a basic understanding of how to make the most out of picking and dealing with a shipping carrier for your eCommerce business (or for your shipments). That way, you’ll be able to make a smart choice by saving both your money and your nerves when choosing a partner package shipping carrier.

Quit Overpaying for Shipping

Spending less on quality services is one of the top priorities for you when choosing a carrier, right?

If it’s a yes, the best way to avoid paying too much and find the cheapest shipping carrier meeting your needs is to simply compare pricing. There are many shipping price comparison sites that give you estimated costs from major US shipping carriers such as DHL, FedEx, and UPS.

Using price comparison sites will give you a primary understanding of what shipping costs to expect regarding the destination country and the country you are shipping from. And believe it or not, it usually varies greatly.

But. There’s always a but. Although DHL, FedEx, or UPS are great for international shipments due to long-term experience, smooth processes, and of course, affordable pricing, comparing a few carriers won’t give a full picture.

Regardless of these big players in global shipping, the US shipping market is crowded with less popular package shipping carriers. Possibly, some of them will also be able to offer you affordable pricing and meet your business needs.

So, do your research ⇓

Use the shipping price comparison sites ( e.g. Easyship, Upela, etc.)
Check costs manually with less-known carriers
Request a custom quote based on your unique business needs

Doing all this will guarantee you’ll find the best shipping partner for your business in terms of pricing.

Prepare to Negotiate

When you choose a shipping carrier for your business, you want to have it for a long period. You do know that bouncing from one to another is exhausting, disrupts work processes, and is wasteful.

But what you may not be aware of is that the shipping carrier needs you likewise you need their services. And you can definitely benefit from that.

When you receive a quote or a long-term offer for shipping services, know that it’s not definite. Usually, there’s plenty of room for negotiation that many businesses forget to take advantage of.

You can lay down your own conditions because as much as you’re interested in having them as a shipping partner, they’re interested in having you as a long-term client.

Want better rates, package insurance, or some extra benefits? Just ask for it!

What’s worse that can happen? Nothing. The carrier can say no and that’s it. You’re free to accept the primary offer or head to another carrier.

Be confident and persistent when making this big decision

Choose a Shipping Carrier Wisely

Picking a good shipping carrier sounds quite simple, but it’s easier said than actually done.

To make it less challenging, the best thing would be to choose a reputable and widely-known international shipping carrier. You cannot go wrong by picking from big-name courier services such as DHL, FedEx, or UPS.

However, if your shipments have a specific route, you might look for other options. Let’s say you operate in the States, but your product is purchased amazingly in the Polish market. So, you’re constantly shipping to Poland from the USA.

And what does that mean regarding picking a carrier? It simply implies that you might consider a carrier specializing in this exact route. That might save you money, shorten delivery times dramatically, and prevent shipping fails.

For example, carriers like AEC Parcel Service which specializes in delivering packages to Eastern European countries may provide a better shipping experience than those shipping to every part of the world.

Consider Convenience and Benefits

If you’re trying to actually get the best out of a shipping carrier, you have to consider what additional value the carrier has to offer.

Put simply, you have to look not only through yours as a seller, but also through the customer’s perspective. Will your customer and your business experience the best package delivery possible without any delivery issues?

What’s here to consider in a nutshell:

Figure out whether the shipper offers free package insurance covering your product.
Decide if delivery times and methods are appropriate for your business model.
Pay attention to the shipping refund policy and compensation for late deliveries.
Consider the drop-off locations and whether there’s one next to your business spot.
Will the shipper provide strong customer service for you and your clients? It should.
Check if the shipper has a real-time tracking tool for both your and your customer’s peace of mind.

Do a Feedback Research

Nothing gives a better picture of a product or service than the experiences of others. Getting familiar with opinions from former or current customers helps to compare competitors, figure out if they offer quality service, and actually makes it easy to decide if the business can be trusted.

The best way of doing it is by reading reviews online. Facebook, Google my Business, Yelp, and other sites where customers express their opinions are the most popular places to look at those stars and words about shipping carriers. In fact, in most cases reading reviews dramatically changes the first impression.

On the other hand, it’s easy to find reviews from simple customers, yet businesses do not tend to share their experiences online. So, if you’re operating in eCommerce, you might want to reach out to your business partners or even competitors asking for their experiences with international shipping carriers.

How LateShipment.com Can Help You

Regardless of which shipping carrier you’re going to choose, the top goal here is to avoid late shipment experiences and have an impeccable shipping service operating along with your business.

However, international shipping is a complex procedure and even the best carriers sometimes fail in delivering packages. That’s where LateShipment.com steps in.

LateShipment.com is the world’s only logistics cloud tool that combines shipping refunds with everything you need to create well-managed, branded delivery experiences despite the odds.

LateShipment.com drives savings in your shipping spend, gives you new revenue channels, better repeat purchase rates, and offers your customers premium delivery experiences. Here’s how we elevate the game for your business.

At LateShipment.com, we aim to transform your customer’s post-purchase journey and make it a memorable experience that encourages fierce customer loyalty.

Our Delivery Experience Management platform powers post-purchase CX success for your business by helping you:

Stay on top of delays by tracking your in-transit parcels across carriers in real-time.
Resolve delivery issues proactively with predictive alerts for shipments facing delays.
Over-communicate with customers facing critical delivery issues.
Send automated delivery status notifications via email and SMS to reduce your customers’ anxiety.
Build beautiful, branded order tracking pages, personalized for your customers.
Capture your customers’ Delivery Satisfaction (DSAT) rating after every order delivery.

Our DEM platform also seamlessly integrates with all your tech-stacks such as eCommerce platforms, CRM systems, Help desk, and Email marketing tools, etc without any change to your existing workflow.

Now, how good is that?

The best part is,

In addition to helping you elevate your customers’ post-purchase experiences, you can also SAVE UP TO 20% on your shipping costs with our Parcel Audit and Shipping Refunds solution, which can help you:

Audit your monthly shipping invoices for 50+ service failures
Submit refund claims to your carrier(s) on your behalf
Deposit the refunded amount directly into your account
Save you up to 20% of your overall shipping spend.
Get better service quality from shipping carriers

The value we add to businesses is most evident when experienced first-hand.

Try LateShipment.com now.

Or, get in touch by writing to us at sales@lateshipment.com

The post 5 Tips to Get the Best out of Your Package Shipping Carrier appeared first on Lateshipment.com.

Everything You Need to Know about the Changes Made to Canada Post, UPS, FedEx and Purolator’s Money-back Guarantee

Sashank Ravindranath — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 12:44:03 +0000

This article has been updated as of 23rd August, 2021.

It’s been a year since the COVID-19 pandemic debuted and created panic across the globe, dramatically changing the way we live our lives.

The eCommerce retail industry felt the brunt of the pandemic’s impact, just like every other industry out there.

While many retailers had to shut shop temporarily, others scrambled to deal with the humongous surge in demand. As a result, eCommerce retail – especially the supply chain and post-purchase aspect went under the scanner.

And as if this weren’t overwhelming enough, businesses also faced challenges from shipping carriers through peak surcharges and a suspension on money-back guarantees which have almost emptied SMB owners’ purses in the form of shipping bills.

While peak surcharges are still levied on packages that are being shipped to certain remote locations, major shipping carriers such as FedEx, UPS, and Purolator reinstating their money-back guarantee for select service types is certainly some good news for eCommerce business owners.

What is the Money-back Guarantee Policy?

The Money-Back Guarantee (MBG) is a clause that is part of a shipping contract that stipulates that major shipping carriers such as FedEx, UPS, Purolator, etc promise to offer you a full refund on shipping charges if parcel delivery is delayed by even 60 seconds except in exceptional circumstances (natural disasters, weather delays, etc). Apart from the Money-Back Guarantee, shipping carriers offer refunds for 50+ service failures & billing errors including late, lost, and damaged deliveries, surcharge errors, etc.

And as you may be aware, due to disruptions in the global supply chain caused by COVID-19, all major shipping carriers around the world had suspended their Service Guarantee, also known as Money-Back Guarantee across all service types.

What are the Recent Changes Made to the Money-back Guarantees?

While continuous efforts are being made to restore normalcy in operations – carriers including UPS, FedEx, and Purolator have REINSTATED their Money-Back Guarantee for some service types, effective April 5, 2021.

The latest carrier to resume On-time Delivery Guarantees is Canada Post for parcels shipped within Canada. The delivery guarantees will take effect starting August 23, 2021.

This translates to more savings on your shipping bills, given that over 20% of all shipments faced delivery issues in 2020.

But first, you must stay in the loop of the select services that are now eligible for the money-back guarantee. And that’s why we’ve compiled them for you.

Want this list right in your device?

We’ve also presented the same as a downloadable document below for you to access the links and read more about money-back guarantee being reinstated from the carriers themselves.

How LateShipment.Com Can Help You

At LateShipment.com we are committed to ensuring that every dollar in refund claims is returned to you.

Throughout the pandemic, LateShipment.com has been monitoring and filing claims for 50+ service failures on your behalf. With the reinstatement of select Money-Back Guarantee claims, we will be able to recover even more claims (that’s even more shipping cost savings!)

Our automated parcel audit and refunds solution effortlessly audits your invoices and helps save up to 20% on your shipping costs. The best part is that it takes less than 2 minutes to set up and seamlessly integrates with your existing workflow.

That’s not all! Here are some more benefits of using LateShipment.com

50+ carriers supported – With customers in over 40 countries, we successfully claim refunds from carriers worldwide.
Highly-trained algorithms – Our exclusive technology is built in-house with algorithms trained from tracking over 100M parcels.
Human-backed automation – Our automated claims system is human-backed to ensure that you never miss any refunds.
Maximum refunds recovery – Apart from common service failures, our systems are built to recover refunds for 50+ carrier errors.
No upfront cost – Zero out-of-pocket costs for your business. Pay only a part of the refunds claimed.
Refund claims for previous shipments – We don’t wait for you to ship out packages. Our systems can backtrack up to 45 days and claim refunds even for past shipments.

Feel like you’re missing out? Worry not, it is never too late to start claiming refunds!

Try LateShipment.com today now and save up to 20% on your shipping costs while providing memorable delivery experiences for your customers (It just takes 2 minutes).

Still doubtful? You can get in touch with us by scheduling a call with our expert or writing to us at sales@lateshipment.com

The post Everything You Need to Know about the Changes Made to Canada Post, UPS, FedEx and Purolator’s Money-back Guarantee appeared first on Lateshipment.com.

Lost Packages 101: How to Handle Them

Joelah James — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 09:00:16 +0000

When you ship through DHL, FedEx, UPS, or USPS most packages make it to their destinations intact and on time. But, what about those rare occurrences when packages are lost in transit? Who exactly gets blamed when this happens? The seller or the shipper?

In most cases, it is the retailer who bites the bullet. This is because customers the accountability of the package from checkout to delivery falls on the business they ordered from rather than the shipping carrier, a third party.

Customers who’ve lost their packages are often aggrieved and take their grievances to social media and call out your brand. Just like this:

Hey @amazon thanks for ruining Christmas and losing my brother's Christmas present. What's the point in 2 day shipping if you lose the package?
— Eddie Smedley (@GettinSomeSmed) December 23, 2018

And what exactly happens when posts like this catch the attention of their followers/ your potential customers?

Your brand reputation takes a huge hit, customer churn rate hits the roof, and staying ahead of competitors becomes next to impossible (Uff 😤)

Worry not!

Here are some tips for retailers on how to handle lost packages, (spoiler alert!) save on shipping costs, and improve customer loyalty.

Step 1: Determine if the sent packages are really lost

If a package that was en route to a customer goes certifiably missing and has not arrived at their doorstep four or five days after schedule, then it can be officially considered lost.

When you suspect your packages as lost, wait it out a maximum of seven days beyond the day of expected delivery.

Sometimes, there are packages that turn up after being rerouted somewhere along the chain (they might have also been incorrectly scanned or sorted).

In most cases though, the issue is either a wrong address or a weather-related one. Quite simply, it is not unheard of for a package to turn up a day or two late.

In case the tracking number shows that the product has as ‘delivered’ and the customer still files a complaint about the package being lost, then it has to be treated as a stolen package.

Here’s how you can prevent package theft.

Step 2: The packages are lost. Now what?

In case if your customers’ packages are truly lost, they naturally expect a refund or a replacement.

If the shipping carrier is unable to locate the packages, you need to file an insurance claim to cover the combined insured value of the lost packages. This requires the tracking number, proof of value of the item, and proof of insurance.

When you’re shipping valuable products, it is always wise to insure the shipments.

Remember that apart from the insurance sum, the carrier also has to fully refund the shipping costs for failing to deliver the package safely to the buyer.

Once the claim is filed and investigated, you will receive your dues via the original mode of payment be it through check or credit card.

Meanwhile, make sure YOU send the customer a replacement or a refund with a sincere apology.

Step 3: File a Refund Claim for the Lost Packages

File refund claims for DHL lost packages here
File refund claims for FedEx lost packages here
File refund claims for UPS lost packages here
File refund claims for USPS lost packages here

Step 3.1: How do I file a claim for lost packages?

The tracker on your package is usually true to its name and rarely allows packages to get lost. But on the off chance that the shipping label comes off, or the package is torn and the contents scattered, you’ll have no choice but to file lost package claims with the carrier.

Here are a few things you need to keep in mind if you’re going to file a claim for FedEx lost packages.

If the contents of the package cost less than $100, you can complete the entire form online and request a refund without documentation.
In the event of the package costing anywhere above $100, proper documentation is necessary for the claim to get processed.
Documentation can include FedEx pickup records, photos of the damaged or lost contents, and proof of value documentation.
Claims have to be filed within 60 days for US shipments and in 21 calendar days for international shipments (with all supporting documentation filed within 9 months of delivery date).
The tracking number that was initially allocated to the package is vital to the process and has to be provided.

After a scheduled inspection, your claim will be processed and you can track its progress.

In the case of other shipping carriers, you can file claims online through the following links and within the following deadlines.

UPS lost packages claim (file within 5 months online, within 9 months through customer service, and within 45 days if it is an uncollected C.O.D)
USPS lost packages claim (file within 60 days for all services except Priority Mail Express, First class, and Surface Mail)
DHL lost packages claim (file within 30 days)

Note: Filing Refund Claims for Lost Packages by Yourself Is a Huge Hassle

Apart from running your hectic business, manually submitting claims with shipping carriers by yourself is a huge hassle for more reasons than one:

Tedious Process – The process to file a claim manually is an exhaustive one, you will have to deal with multiple forms, proofs, and document submissions

Time-Consuming – After submitting a claim, you won’t get your refund immediately, it takes at least 5-7 days or forever to get a refund for one single package

Not Cost-Effective – The amount of time and money you will spend to get a refund will be greater than the compensation you will probably receive
Inefficient Use of Resources – This process doesn’t have a definitive output and require lots of back and forth communication along with document re-submissions

Worry not! You can make use of a parcel audit solution such as LateShipment.com to help you effortlessly recover refunds for lost packages while you focus on your core business.

Step 4: How Lateshipment.Com Helps You Handle Your Lost Packages

LateShipment.com’s Parcel Audit and Refunds solution effortlessly audits your invoices and helps save up to 20% on your shipping costs. The best part is that it takes less than 2 minutes to set-up and seamlessly integrates with your existing workflow.

Our parcel audit and refunds solution:

Not only submits claims on your behalf but also constantly follows up till issue resolution.
Makes sure that all claims are submitted within the timeframe of the carrier(s).
Not just lost shipments, but also helps you recover refunds for 50+ service failures like late deliveries.
And best of all this, you don’t have to pay anything out of your pockets. We only charge 50% of the refunds you’ve received, that too only when it is successfully recovered.

Sure, refunds are great for your business. But getting them doesn’t help in mitigating the pain of a loyal customer who might have lost packages such as birthday gifts or an anniversary surprises.

That’s when our other feature Delivery Experience Management (DEM) platform can help. DEM is particularly helpful if you are a bulk shipper who uses multiple carriers and would prefer an efficient automated workflow.

Step 4.2: How Delivery Experience Management (DEM) Platform Works

Delivery Experience Management platform keeps you in check the status of the parcel and helps you stay ahead of lost or damaged packages with ease. It is easy to use and tracks every package you send via major carriers like FedEx or UPS.

When a certain package takes a detour, DEM sends out an alert to the sender and the receiver. This helps you foresee a delay and handle it proactively.

If you send out several packages at once, and some of them are suspected lost by our automated system, you are intimated of that as well.

Since you get to know well in advance if one or more packages are flagged as lost, it gives you an edge when you get in touch with the carrier to resolve the issue or send a quick replacement in case of a time-sensitive delivery.

The value we add to businesses is most evident when experienced first-hand.

Try LateShipment.com now.

Or, get in touch by writing to us at sales@lateshipment.com

The post Lost Packages 101: How to Handle Them appeared first on Lateshipment.com.

Guide to Cross-Border Shipping in 2020 (And How to Easily Save up to 20% on Shipping)

Rohan Rinaldo Felix — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 14:33:13 +0000

Your business is doing well locally and you are looking to ship overseas, but you don’t know where to start. Does this sound like you? Help is at hand, so read on!

If you’re from Canada or the US, there’s more for you: an entire section dedicated to helping you get started with shipping across the US-Canada border and some insights about shipping carriers that you won’t find elsewhere.

The Last Mile Counts

Until recently, growing a customer base was about having a digital presence and a strong communication and marketing game. These days, more is required. The last-mile delivery experience you provide can determine your brand’s success.

There’s plenty of material covered on this page. You can click on a link to be taken to the relevant section.

Should You Ship Across the Border Or Use a Warehouse?
Shipping to a Few Countries Vs. Shipping Globally
International Shipping: A Minefield Of Challenges
Cross-Border Fulfillment Partners: Bridging the Divide
Using 3PLs for Fulfillment
US-Canada Shipping: A Game Of Its Own
Great Strategies to Optimize Shipping Costs
How You Could Save 20% on Shipping!
Common Questions on Cross-Border Shipping & International Fulfillment

Before you go international, you need to choose between two options. The first is to store your products in your home country and ship internationally using your shipping carrier. The second is to store your products in the destination country and ship to your customers from there. So, which one should you choose?

Should You Ship Across the Border Or Use a Warehouse?

Use cross-border shipping if your business cannot handle the cost of setting up a warehouse or partnering with a third-party logistics company. This is similar to shipping locally but involves customs duties and complying with the regulations of the destination country. It also increases the time required to deliver to your customers.

Storing your products in the destination country will suit your business if the scale involved is large and time-bound delivery is critical. It will also reduce the cost of each delivery for your customers as there are no duties to be paid. This option, however, involves significant costs associated with setting up a warehouse or partnering with a third party in the destination country.

Now, with the first decision out of the way, you need to think about whether you will be shipping only to a few countries or worldwide.

Shipping to a Few Countries Vs. Shipping Globally

The scale of your business will determine the types of service partners and strategies you will use.

Shipping to only to a few countries involves a different strategy from shipping worldwide. There are many options for both.

Shipping to a few select countries will involve research on your part about their laws and the duties and taxes involved. You will also need to zero in on a third-party logistics company that has a strong presence in these countries.

On the other hand, shipping globally requires choosing a shipping partner that has a worldwide footprint and can handle large volumes. At this scale, researching procedures and duties for each country simply isn’t feasible. Your shipping partner will be able to do this for you.

Getting Started with Cross-Border Shipping

Before you ship across the border, there are a few first steps to take.

Localize the content on your website to suit your international customers.
Price your products keeping in mind the currency and duties & taxes involved. Display this information on your site.
Provide information about your shipping carrier on the checkout page so that customers are able to track their parcels.
Have a returns policy that is prominently displayed on your international site.
Next, choose a shipping carrier or use a cross-border fulfillment partner.

International Shipping: A Minefield Of Challenges

Shipping internationally can make your business more profitable. At the same time, getting your products across borders involves overcoming a whole bunch of challenges.

You need to be aware of the complex laws and regulations surrounding international shipments and of the documents required for cross-border shipments to be permitted.
You need to study exchange rates before pricing your products.
You need to provide options for international customers to pay by their preferred methods.
You will have to constantly observe the product trends within the target markets to stay relevant.
International fulfillment takes much more time than local fulfillment.
You will need a liaison in destination countries to handle communications and returns.
International returns are expensive, so you may need to spend on a cross-border fulfillment partner to absorb the impact of returns.
Your customers will have to cover import duties and taxes on their orders. This will increase the cost for them.

There are many ways to make things easier for your business. Meet Exhibit A: the Cross-Border Fulfillment Partner.

Cross-Border Fulfillment Partners: Bridging the Divide

A cross-border fulfillment partner can simplify the shipping process for your business by integrating their secure shopping system into your pre-existing system. When an international customer wishes to purchase a product, they are led to a checkout page that resembles your own. This page, however, contains product information and prices in the local language and currency. The final bill includes applicable shipping fees and duties.

Once the purchase is completed by the customer on your cross-border fulfillment partner’s billing page, the fulfillment partner buys the product off your website. You then ship it to the partner’s local fulfillment center making use of your usual method of shipping. From this point onward, your partner will handle the shipping across borders and even returns.

Cross-border shipping partners take many challenges out of the shipping process and help you focus on more pressing concerns.

Meet Exhibit B: the 3PL.

Using 3PLs Partners for Fulfillment

A 3PL partner, or third-party logistics company, is a warehouse in your target international market. You could consider using the services of a 3PL if your business is large enough. This is how things typically work with a 3PL partner:

Your shipping carrier collects a shipment from your facility and transports it internationally.
The products are then sent to the warehouse of your partner 3PL company.
The 3PL partner handles the storage, sorting, packaging, final delivery, and returns on products.

3PLs make your job easier and less stressful. However, like everywhere else, you need to do your research before choosing a 3PL partner.

Your 3PL partner needs to have the facilities to store the kinds of products you ship.
Make sure the partner you choose has robust processes in place to handle inventory.
You need to do a detailed comparison of the prices of various 3PLs and the services they offer to arrive at the best fit.
The 3PL partner you use should have its warehouse located near the destination of your shipments to save you money.
Make sure the 3PL partner you choose is able to provide the kind of packaging you need for your products.
Lastly, ensure that the 3PL partner you choose is able to scale up alongside your business.

Common Mistakes When Shipping Internationally

When starting out with international fulfillment, avoid these mistakes:

Don’t try to handle all aspects of the shipping process by yourself. You will make mistakes.
Don’t ignore studying the documentation required and customs duties to be paid.
Don’t rush through deciding upon a cross-border fulfillment partner or third party logistics warehouse.
Don’t neglect labeling your packages with the correct details.
Some shippers neglect the quality of product packaging. Don’t be like them.

Is your business based out of Canada or the US? If so, there are steps you could take right now to supercharge your cross-border shipping game!

US-Canada Shipping: A Game Of Its Own

The scale of shipments passing through the US-Canada border is huge and always on the rise. Both countries have signed numerous agreements that have helped boost trade volumes.

While the US and Canada share a fraternal relationship, they are still sovereign nations with laws of their own and restrictions on the shipping of certain items.

Items Prohibited / Restricted in Canada

Explosive, radioactive, flammable, and otherwise dangerous items cannot be mailed within Canada. Also, only items that weigh less than 30 kg (66 lbs) are accepted for mailing. Illegal items that are shipped into Canada are removed from the mail stream and destroyed by the authorities. There is no option to return to the sender.

Items Prohibited / Restricted in the US

As with Canada, the US places restrictions on the shipping of certain items and bans others outright.

The following items are banned outright from international shipments:

Explosives
Air bags
Marijuana whether medical or otherwise
Ammunition
Gasoline
Aerosols
Cigarettes
Alcoholic beverages
Poison

Cigars, medical devices, certain medicines, and lithium batteries are some restricted items.

Documentation for US-Canada Shipments

Businesses that ship between the US and Canada will need to have the following documents in order:

A Bill of Lading that lists the goods that are part of a shipment and details about size and weight and contact information.
A Proof of Delivery that is signed when a shipment is received in good order.
A Commercial Invoice that is required when shipping from Canada to the US. This invoice is attached to the bill of lading and includes complete details about the products being shipped.
A Canada Customs Invoice is required for shipments into Canada.
A Certificate of Origin is required in both countries. This document shows the source of the shipment so that NAFTA regulations around customs duties can be complied with.

Now that you know a fair bit about the documents required for shipping between Canada and the US, the next step in your journey of enlightenment involves learning about the shipping carriers that deliver across the US-Canada border.

Carriers for US-Canada Shipments

Some major carriers that ship between the US and Canada are USPS, FedEx, UPS, Purolator, and Canada Post.

The cost you will pay on shipping through each carrier depends on factors like delivery speed, the distance between origin and destination, package size, mode of transport, value-added services, etc. Follow these links to view the pricing information of major careers:

When deciding on a carrier to handle your international shipments, doing a comparative analysis is helpful.

Unfortunately, the large carriers are famously opaque with service-related details. At LateShipment, we audit the performance of shipping carriers to ensure our customers get the service they deserve. We also help them claim refunds from their carriers for over 50 types of service failures. We save our customers up to 20% on every shipment. Signing up is free and only takes 2 minutes. Why don’t you give it a shot?

Here’s an example of the kind of valuable information we possess at LateShipment.

Shipping carriers like FedEx and UPS often claim near-perfect on-time delivery rates. Most retailers are forced to take them at their word. Unfortunately, these claims are often false.

Shipping carriers like FedEx and UPS often claim near-perfect on-time delivery rates. Unfortunately, these claims are often false.

Our audits show that the percentage of our customers’ shipments delivered late by these carriers often reaches double digits. Stats don’t lie, and we have them. Take a look at these charts.

For shipments from Canada to the US between August 2018 and January 2019, both FedEx and UPS under-performed on their claims.

During the holiday season months of November and December, FedEx delivered 7.05% and 14.53% of our Canadian customers’ shipments late. The delay rate in January 2019 was 12.87%.

Percentage Of Canadian Customers’ Shipments to the US Delayed by FedEx

UPS had delay rates of 14.39% and 12.98% for shipments from our Canadian customers in November and December 2018. The rate for January 2019 was 16.16%.

Percentage Of Canadian Customers’ Shipments to the US Delayed by UPS

Both carriers had worse delay rates for our US customers delivering to Canada.

FedEx had a delay rate of 21.89% in November and 10.57% in December. The rate for January 2019 was 12.27%.

Percentage Of US Customers’ Shipments to Canada Delayed by FedEx

UPS, meanwhile, delivered a whopping 35.86% of our US customers shipments late in November. The rates for December and January were 25.63% and 28.76% respectively.

Percentage Of US Customers’ Shipments to Canada Delayed by UPS

Never take shipping carriers at their word!

Once you have enough information of this kind to work with, you could consider some strategies to save money while shipping.

Great Strategies to Optimize Shipping Costs

While it’s true that international fulfillment can be costly when starting out, making the right decisions upfront will help your business save plenty.

Stay informed of the legal requirements of the shipping process (even if you outsource).
Include the shipping cost in the price for international customers (else YOU will have to pay).
Be transparent about your pricing.
Mention the delivery time clearly in order to avoid costly returns.
Use the right kind of packaging to protect your shipments, but don’t over-package and waste money and material.
Reuse packaging as much as possible.
Track your packages.
Negotiate rates assertively with your shipping carrier.
Sign up for a service that handles refunds from your carrier for delays on their part.
Consider insuring your shipments if you ship valuable items.

How You Could Save 20% on Shipping

Shipping across the border can open up opportunities for your business. But it also comes with many challenges like handling refunds from your shipping carrier and tracking your parcels in real time.

If you own a business that ships products, consider signing up for a free LateShipment account. LateShipment will audit your shipping invoices to identify over 50 service failures and submit refund claims to your carrier on your behalf. Businesses that use our services save up to 20% on every shipment.

That’s not all! LateShipment provides access to advanced analytics tools that will help you track every shipment in real time and fix delivery errors even before they happen. With a LateShipment account, you can rest easy in the confidence that you will be able to handle delays before they affect your customers. Visit www.lateshipment.com for more information. Signing up takes 2 minutes, and you have nothing to lose!

Common Questions on Cross-Border Shipping & International Fulfillment

1. Why is shipping to Canada so expensive?

Shipping to Canada is expensive because of the duties and taxes involved. There is also a handling fee on certain shipments. For complete information on tariffs to be paid when shipping into Canada, visit this page by the Canadian Border Service Agency.

2. Which is the cheapest way to ship from the US to Canada?

The cheapest way to ship from the US to Canada is through the USPS. Fedex and UPS have higher fees based on the service types being used. Click here for FedEx fee information.

3. How are package sizes calculated?

The basic way to calculate ground package sizes is by using the formula:

Length + 2x Width + 2x Height

For packages that are irregularly-shaped, calculate the length, width, and height from the extreme points. Visit this UPS page for more details on how package sizes are calculated.

4. Which items are banned from shipments into the US?

Some of the products banned from shipments into the US are ammunition, cigarettes, gasoline, marijuana, explosives, nail polish, dry ice, and alcoholic beverages. Certain items can be shipped as long as restrictions on their transport are fulfilled. These include medicines, cigars, and lithium batteries. The USPS has more information on this.

5. Which items are banned from shipments into Canada?

Explosive, radioactive, flammable, and otherwise dangerous items cannot be mailed into Canada. Narcotics and other controlled substances are subject to restrictions on their shipping. Perishable items like meat, vegetables, and fruit may be shipped if properly prepared and not in contravention of applicable requirements. Canada Post has more information on this.

6. What are some useful resources for international shippers?

Here are some useful resources for those wishing to ship internationally:

The post Guide to Cross-Border Shipping in 2020 (And How to Easily Save up to 20% on Shipping) appeared first on Lateshipment.com.

Know What Service Alerts In The US By UPS and FedEx Mean (And How To Handle Weather Delays)

Joelah James — Tue, 05 Feb 2019 18:02:49 +0000

Winter is here

We knew winter was coming, but not exactly like this.

The blizzard caused by the arctic blast in certain parts of the US and Canada has made life difficult for many. Several states in the Midwest witnessed temperatures of up to -50 degrees (which hasn’t been recorded in decades)!

Check out this picture of the arctic blast shared by NASA. Quite chilling.

Normal life has come to a standstill as people have been advised to stay indoors, and schools and offices have been closed. Unsurprisingly, package delivery has been delayed across the US and Canada.

Major shipping carriers like FedEx and UPS have issued service alerts on their websites and via email letting customers know which zip codes will experience delivery delays.

How are shipping carriers handling the blizzard?

Shipping carriers have shut down operations in the most affected areas and are working on contingency plans.

The UPS Worldport hub in Louisville, Kentucky for instance has operational difficulties and the carrier has notified customers in advance of the possible delay in all packages shipped out from there.

Most of us are familiar with the communication from carriers like UPS and FedEx stating cease of operations in certain areas as the safety of delivery personnel was in question. Even those hardened to extreme weather conditions happen to find this arctic blast quite intense. With weather cold enough to freeze boiling water midair, it certainly is unsafe for workers to be out delivering packages.

Amazon had to close fulfilment operations across several areas in the Midwest as freezing temperatures slowed operations down to a standstill.

You can check out UPS Service Alerts and FedEx Service Alerts here.

Is the freeze getting to retailers?

Retailers have also put up a delayed shipping tab on their websites so that shoppers are not disappointed with surprise late deliveries.

Despite the prior notifications, shippers have no way of identifying the exact packages that are delayed till its too late. Wouldn’t it be much easier if you could notify customers a little in advance about the certainty of a delay? Instead of a overall warning on the checkout page.

On the other hand, shippers will also be missing out on the refunds that they usually collect for late deliveries. This is because of the fact that any delays or exceptions caused due to weather conditions or natural disasters are not covered under the UPS Service Guarantee or the FedEx Money Back Guarantee (weather is out of their hands, after all).

So any refunds are out of the question. Unless they are for any of the other 50 odd service failures that are likely to occur without any assistance from the bad weather.

States with maximum impact on package delivery

Of all the states affected by the arctic blast, the worst affected ones are: Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Chicago, South Dakota, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, New York, Minnesota and Nebraska.

LateShipment data collected since the arctic blast began show that the states with most number of delayed packages are Nebraska (9.3%), Minnesota (5.7%) and Illinois (4%).

UPS shipments faced maximum delays in the following states.

FedEx shipments were delayed mostly in the following states.

With UPS, the states with most number of delays so far are Minnesota, Illinois and Wisconsin.

As for FedEx, Nebraska, Minnesota and Wisconsin faced the most number of delays.

What can your business do?

Yes, it’s quite difficult to get into work and field those customer calls on packages that are dreadfully behind schedule. But there are a few things you can do to ensure things don’t go from bad to worse.

There are several online tools like LateShipment.com that track your packages for you across multiple carriers and let you know precisely which ones are likely to be delayed.

All you have to do is turn on the automatic notifications feature, and your customers get notified in advance! That’s like more than half your frustrated customer calls reduced.

Besides this, you can also work out a plan where customers can do free returns for products that have been damaged or perishables that have arrived too late. Offer a replacement or a discount voucher. That will ensure they stay on even after the disappointment.

Stay tuned for any service alerts from FedEx and UPS.

Do contact us if you need any more tracking information on packages delayed due to the weather.

Let’s bundle up till the weather lets up!

The post Know What Service Alerts In The US By UPS and FedEx Mean (And How To Handle Weather Delays) appeared first on Lateshipment.com.

FedEx, UPS Waivers To Watch Out For This Holiday Season!

Ian — Thu, 25 Oct 2018 15:37:51 +0000

News flash: Money back waivers are not in effect during particular days of the year, especially during the holiday rush. I know you’re shipping out a lot more packages then, and didn’t probably look into your contract to see if the guarantee holds good. But it’s high time you did.

While it is true that the carriers ship a huge volume of packages and are prone to commit more errors during the holiday rush, they also fix extra surcharges on packages and hire a huge number of seasonal staff to handle the surge. Is not including the money back waiver in addition to all those surcharges a tad unfair?

As a retailer, this will be the season when you ship out a maximum number of packages. The prime reason money back guarantees are off is the fact that the shipping carriers themselves anticipate many delays and service errors. At LateShipment.com, after tracking over 11 million packages last holiday season we saw a huge percentage of difference in delays.

This makes it all the more important for you to ensure that all your shipments are carefully monitored.

Customers can be affected because of this, and the number of delays you encounter are more important than the refunds you miss out on. Keeping close tabs on your carrier, and using real time tracking tools like LateShipment.com can help you stay ahead of delivery exceptions even during the peak season.

For your reference, here are the money back exceptions announced by FedEx and UPS.

The FedEx money back waiver

For November 21, shipments that reach their destination within 90 minutes of the scheduled time can be waived from the guarantee.

As far as the following FedEx Express services are concerned, the guarantee will no longer be in effect from December 18 to 24, 2018. The guarantee can be used to file claims if the package hasn’t arrived on the entire day on which it was promised (no time specific claims as on normal working days).

FedEx First Overnight®
FedEx Priority Overnight®
FedEx Standard Overnight®
FedEx 2Day®
FedEx 2Day® A.M.
FedEx Express Saver®
FedEx First Overnight® Freight
FedEx 1Day® Freight
FedEx 2Day® Freight
FedEx 3Day® Freight
FedEx International First®
FedEx International Priority®
FedEx International Economy®
FedEx International Priority DirectDistribution®
FedEx International Economy DirectDistributionSM
FedEx International MailService®
FedEx International Priority® Freight
FedEx International Economy® Freight

The money-back guarantee for FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery will be suspended temporarily for packages picked up on November 26, through December 24, 2018

If you’re shipping through freight, check AM delivery or close of business delivery options as these will have the money back guarantee. The AM delivery will cost an upcharge of $105, while close of business option will cost $89.

Otherwise, the guarantee will be suspended for shipments with delivery dates from December 17, 2018 to January 2, 2019. Normal pickup and delivery will continue as usual except on December 24-25 and January 1.

The FedEx Freight no-fee money-back guarantee will be suspended for shipments with required delivery dates of Monday, Dec. 17, 2018, through Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019. During this time, FedEx Freight will continue to provide normal pickup and delivery, except on Dec. 24–25, 2018, and Jan. 1, 2019.

What’s UPS upto?

UPS tacks on additional holiday surcharges similar to FedEx across all services. And like FedEx, UPS Air and International Air packages within the US are eligible for the money back guarantee through the holiday season only with conditions applied. The commitment times for packages scheduled on November 23, December 17-22, December 24 and December 31 will be extended as follows:

UPS Next Day Air Early and UPS Worldwide Express Plus services will be extended by 90 minutes.
All other Air and International Air services will be extended to end-of-day.

The guarantee is suspended for all UPS Ground shipments, including shipments picked up or scheduled for delivery from November 26–December 24.

What can your business do?

Staying in control of your last mile seems all the more difficult with this money back waiver right? But you still can ensure that your customers get a good last mile experience.

Keeping in mind the following things can help you regain control.

Choosing service types that do not waive the money back guarantee
Monitoring all your shipments

For starters, you can focus on choosing service types that do not waive the money back guarantee, few though they may be. Adjust the delivery date you give customers to allow yourself a little flexibility. If the package arrives early, well and good. Even if it gets there a little late, it still fits into the window you set.

Secondly, monitoring your shipments ensures that you can proactively notify customers before a delivery exception hits. This will keep the blame off the retailer and maintain a good relationship despite the delay or error.

You can make use of tools like LateShipment.com to monitor all your shipments across multiple carriers and send out notifications to customers whenever a delivery exception is predicted. If you don’t want to go it for such tools, you can ensure that your support team is fully equipped to monitor shipments carefully using the tracking provided by the shipping carriers themselves.

Take control of your last mile this holiday season by tracking and monitoring every shipment that leaves your warehouse. The experience you offer your customer comes first, no matter if you get refunds for service failures or not.

If you would like a consolidated copy of the holiday deadlines for both FedEx and UPS, you can get it here.

Credits:

FedEx money back guarantee guide

UPS holiday season guide

The post FedEx, UPS Waivers To Watch Out For This Holiday Season! appeared first on Lateshipment.com.