Shipping Globally Revisited
- By Renee Roberts
Fedex is well prepared for shipping overseas.
By Renée Magriel Roberts
Over the last few years we have been steadily increasing our capacity to handle overseas sales. In an increasingly global marketplace, this seemed not only prudent, but also absolutely necessary.
I've dealt with many of the challenges we have faced in previous columns on global trading, currency conversion, and insurance. After now having had some experience with developing shipping alternatives, this is the topic on which I'd like to focus.
Like many other booksellers, we began by using the obvious: the United States Postal Service. While the USPS had a surface mail alternative (remember the m-bag?), there was an economical way to ship heavier parcels. However, with the demise of surface mail services, we were forced to seek out other sources, and this has proved to be advantageous, if somewhat frustrating.
We began by signing up with UPS, and I wrote an entire column on their services. While the domestic Mail Innovation service has value, it took about a year for UPS to contact me after my initial contact - that is over a year! Awful service, so I sought a different source.
Our objective was to find a reliable overseas shipper that could save us money over USPS prices, while offering comparable priority service as well as a still lower cost "standard" air mail service that took a bit longer. We settled on FedEx International services.
The effectiveness of sales from shippers largely depends upon where you are located. While UPS took over a year to sign us up from first contact, just about the next day two FedEx sales executives came to our door. They had two tiers of prices based upon the length of time to delivery (5-10 days, 10-15 days), both below the USPS. Plus, they offered free shipping from our shop via FedEx Express to their Newark sorting facility. From there the parcels fly to their respective countries and are put into the local mail system.
To prepare a FedEx package, we have to apply a full address and return address, as well as a customs slip. Packages are put together in a FedEx-supplied waterproof mailer with an outside manifest. We put internal shipping references on each manifest so that we can track which of our orders went into each package, so there is a bit more work involved on the packaging side. They charge for fractions of a pound, so there are savings not only in the basic rates, but also savings because they do not round up.
While the prices are good, perhaps the only disadvantage we can see is that FedEx billing is hard to match against specific packages. Unlike a lot of FedEx web services it is not particularly user-friendly.
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Shipping Globally Revisited
- By Renee Roberts
Pitney-Bowes has long been synonymous with mailing equipment.
To have a mailer picked up, we just call our usual FedEx number and request an Express pick-up. Easy enough, and no charge for that service. I have yet to have any complaints from customers who have received mail via this service.
Not wishing to rest on our laurels, we also recently signed up with Pitney Bowes, which has some advantageous rates for Biblio and ABE booksellers. Like FedEx, Pitney Bowes has an inside and outside sales team; both have been very reliable in answering questions and doing follow-up work.
Like FedEx, Pitney Bowes charges for actual weight rather than rounding up to the nearest pound. Their quoted prices to us were less than FedEx; there seems to be a certain amount of flexibility in the prices quoted by both services, so some haggling is certainly in order.
Unlike FedEx, Pitney Bowes does not require a customs slip on packages. They also have an optional courier service, completely tracked, that is extremely competitive (more like regular priority mail rates) that can be used for more expensive material.
Pitney Bowes uses UPS to do the pick-ups of their packages (no charge to us); they supply bar-coded labels and pre-printed internal manifests. Like FedEx, they offer two classes of service (priority fast, and not quite priority fast). We're planning on working with them beginning next week.
We have not given up using Priority Mail flat rate envelopes; if we can safely ship something very heavy in a flat-rate envelope, chances are we will use it. However, for oversize packages, packages that do not need to go at the fastest speed, books requiring courier service, or books that are too heavy or too light, these alternative service companies fit the bill.
The USPS, Pitney Bowes and FedEx are covered by our package insurance service (check with yours to see what special kind of documentation you might need). Choices do make shipping a bit more complicated, but the savings and service to the customer are well worth the effort.
Renée Magriel Roberts can be reached at renee@roses-books.com.
FedEx International Services Matrix
Urgent: It needs to be there today
FedEx International Next Flight
Delivery in just hours to major cities, depending on flight availability.
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Shipping Globally Revisited
- By Renee Roberts
Time-definite early-morning delivery in
1 or 2 business days
FedEx International First
Outbound delivery in 2 business days as early as 9 a.m. to select European countries from the U.S.
Inbound delivery to select U.S. ZIP codes from 70 countries in 1 or 2 business days by 8 or 8:30 a.m.
Time-definite delivery in
1, 2 or 3 business days
FedEx International Priority
Speed and reliability to more than 220 countries and territories.
Time-definite delivery in
2-5 business days
FedEx International Economy
A more economical solution when there is time in your schedule.
Outbound delivery to more than 215 countries and territories.
Inbound delivery from 15 key markets.
Direct-distribution shipments
FedEx International Priority Direct Distribution
Delivery typically in 1-4 business days.
Catalogs, brochures and other international mail
FedEx International Mail Service
Delivery in 4-7 or 7-11 international business days.
Day-definite ground delivery to Canada and Puerto Rico
FedEx International Ground
Delivery in 3-7 business days based on distance to the destination.
Pitney Bowes Service Matrix
Small Package Mail Service
If you are in need of a customized solution or seek to streamline your operation, we have the skill and the know-how to refine your small package delivery operation. Our variety of delivery options - backed by extensive postal resources and relationships throughout the world - can help you meet your budget and delivery requirements for both dutiable and non-dutiable small packages.
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Shipping Globally Revisited
- By Renee Roberts
Expedited
When you need speed, reliability and visibility, our Expedited services is your choice for delivering dutiable and non-dutiable packages to their destinations. With full track and trace capabilities to European countries and Canada, you will enjoy many of the same features and benefits you would receive from a courier service, but at a more economical price point.
Worldwide transit times to major cities and suburbs range from 5 to 8 business days.
Priority
Looking for speed, consistency and economy combined? Priority service is the option. Utilizing the first class mail services of postal administrations and agencies around the world, your small packages will deliver timely and consistently, but with less visibility than Expedited level of service. Upon request, however, we can make it possible for you to determine when your packages arrive and more importantly, when they leave our processing facility.
Worldwide transit times to major cities and suburbs range from 5 to 10 business days.
Standard
The most cost-effective delivery option, standard service offers a balance of reliability and economy. When cost containment for both your organization and your customers is the objective, standard level of service is your selection.
Worldwide transit times to major cities and suburbs average 7 to 21 business days.
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