I just tried to send my Qbot in for updating. I'm not sure if this rant is against FedX/UPS OR the local 'box-em-up' place. The woman boxed up the Qbot for $2.98. okay.....then she said shipping was $10.something. okay.......THEN I said I need $3000. insurance on it.......okay ----She wanted $72.00!!!!! she said $50.00 something for insurance and $5.95 for "signing for insurance"....huh????

I said I'd pay for boxing but would have to think about it. I went to the post office......had it boxes, so no worries. Got $3000. insurance......total: $40.00 That's a BIG difference!! She told me they can beat prices of the 'box-em-up' joints on small things but not BIG cumbersome things.

I know where I'll go from now on!
Anyone else noticed the difference?

I think the problem is with the "box-em-up" place.

The only difference between USPS/UPS/FedEx that I'm SURE of is that USPS doesn't care if you insure it. They're happy to take your money for shipping. If something happens enroute, and you didn't insure it, they don't care, and the problem is yours. UPS and FedEx will automatically add insurance into the price if the item is valuable. And if something goes wrong, you're covered and it is THEIR problem.

"Choose wisely..."

I always go to my PO. They tell me the best and least expensive way to ship. I appreciate that.

The retail stores make their money by adding on "their" charges to the PO's, Fed Ex's or UPS's fees.

I had one add on an additional $10 to a package I was mailing to France. I told them no thank you, and would drive the additional 5 minutes to the PO. Needless to say I do not use these stores any more.

I use them as few times as possible. I much prefer the USPS, not only because I think it's the best service money can buy, (I have lived overseas and am VERY familiar with other governments' postal services) and it's the cheapest one as well.

I always buy insurance. Usually $50.00 worth, but sometimes lots more. I always buy delivery confirmation. Not that I don't think it will get to where I want it to go, but because I believe the thirty five cents helps the Post Office and I can afford it.

Fed-Ex and UPS both offer insurance up to $100 free. This is included in the cost of shipping.

I looked up your $3000 value on UPS.com and the UPS charge is only $27.00 for the insurance at $3000. Of course,the shipping fee would probably be about $10-$15 depending on weight.

The problem is when you go to the shops, they charge you a surcharge to use the UPS or Fed-Ex services. Their charges are usually quite high.

If you have a local Fed-Ex or UPS facility, you can go there and ship your packages without paying the additioanl surcharges. Or, you can create an account online at UPS.com or fedex.com and enter your package information online, pay for and print your label, attach the label to your box and simply drop off your package at the local "box-em-up" store. I do it this way all the time.

And UPS and Fed-Ex both track packages for free.

Have only used "box-em-up" store once, for a huge glass/framed original
art print.
Always use my super new/friendly local Post Office ... or another location
that does UPS/FedEx for large boxes (fabrics/quilts).
Needless to say, ALL shipping has gone up and we just have to bear with it
if we sew to sell, use EBay, Etsy, etc. Amazon for books.
Guess mailing several hundred packages a year tells me there is no way
around this.

Anything important, expensive, or sentimental gets shipped ups or fedex. Ever tried to file a claim w/ the usps? Even with insurance, it is impossible! Small items (under 5 pounds) are always cheaper to send usps, as long as tracking isn't important to you. Me, I like to know where my package is and who signed for it and when. Like anything, you get what you pay for. The pack and ship stores charge more for the usps because they have to cover their cost plus the cost of the postage.

I didn't know about the online ability with FedX and UPS...I'll look into that next time. It's a 70 mile RT to get to their stores...so I'm happy to hear about this. I just did a calc on FedX site...it would have cost $35.18.............$72.00 to ship from the "box-em up" store....hmmmmmmmmmmmmm 100% markup - wow.

I have tracking #s with the post office......Let's pray I don't have to use ANY company to trace my package!

the other day i mailed off a very skinny shoe box with an insulated drinking cup in it at the post office. i had added some plastic bags to keep it from moving around and some cardboard from the back of a writing tablet for a top (I didn't have the shoe box top). it weighed 1.7 ounces and went to Wyoming. the cup cost about $3.00 but mailing it cost $5.70!! too much!!!!