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Brian Gibbs

2024 FedEx Rate Increase, Part 1: Surcharges

Effective January 1, 2024, all FedEx shippers will experience shipping rate changes. It is important to note that FedEx Express, Ground, and Home Delivery shipping rates will increase by an average of 5.9%.  Surcharge 2022 Price 2023 Price 2024 Price Address Correction $19.50 $21.00 $22.50 COD $17.50 $19.00 $20.00 Dangerous…

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Amazon CTR (Click-Through Rate)

The Amazon Click-Through Rate is a metric commonly used in online advertising and marketing to measure an ad campaign’s effectiveness or a particular marketing effort. In the context of Amazon, the Amazon CTR would refer to the Click-Through Rate for ads displayed on the Amazon platform. This metric indicates the…

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UPS Shipping Restrictions and Prohibited Items

UPS Shipping Restrictions and Prohibited Items

UPS is one of the carrier companies to use if you want to send items cross-border. However, being familiar with some of their carriage conditions, especially restricted and prohibited items, is crucial. Be mindful of UPS shipping restrictions. That way, you can guarantee that your account remains in excellent standing….

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UPS Remote Area Surcharge

The UPS Remote Area Surcharge applies to deliveries to specific ZIP Codes within Alaska, Hawaii, and the 48 contiguous states and select origins and destinations. Small Package UPS Remote Area Surcharge Fees UPS Remote Area Surcharge 2023 Cost Alaska $ 38.00 Hawaii $13.05 48 contiguous states $13.05 Non-U.S. origins and…

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Amazon FBA Capacity Limits System

All sellers must know about the new Amazon FBA capacity limits system. Over the past few years, Amazon has changed its FBA storage limits a few times. These changes confused and frustrated sellers as they would restrict or decrease the amount of inventory FBA sellers can dispatch to Amazon’s fulfillment…

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Why choose Refund Retriever?

Why would you choose Refund Retriever over one of the many other FedEx & UPS small parcel auditing companies? It looks like everyone does the same thing. Wrong. Proprietary Software Refund Retriever was started in 2006 with software we developed in-house. We do not have any outside third-party companies writing…

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What does LTL mean in shipping?

What does LTL mean in shipping?

LTL shipping offers a cost-effective and flexible solution for businesses that involve transporting small to medium-sized quantities of goods, varying from a few pallets to a few thousand pounds. LTL stands for “less than truckload.” It is a type of shipping where a shipment of goods does not require a full truckload. …

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UPS Ground with Freight Pricing

UPS Ground with Freight Pricing (GFP) is available to customers shipping within the contiguous 48 states. Customers can rate and ship UPS Ground service using Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) shipment characteristics with UPS GFP. The minimum charge that applies to any shipment will be the greatest of What is Ground with Freight…

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Amazon FBA Reimbursement Types

Many retailers lose nearly 3% of their business earnings because they do not cash out on their Amazon FBA Reimbursements. This is unintentional, as many sellers may not even know they are losing this money. The great thing is that Amazon has set up a functional system to help sellers…

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UPS Shipment Exceptions

UPS shipment exceptions occur when a UPS package meets an unexpected occurrence, which could change the scheduled delivery day. Exceptions include address unknown, damage to the shipment, or signature not received. UPS Tracking Event Descriptions Below is an explanation of some standard tracking events from when the label was created…

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What is UPS Direct Delivery Only?

UPS offers many delivery options to suit your business needs. Direct delivery only (DDO) is what the name indicates; all your parcels are delivered directly to you, the shipper, or the consignee. What is UPS Direct Delivery Only? Direct Delivery Only guarantees a package is delivered to the residential or…

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UPS & FedEx Collect on Delivery (C.O.D)

Collect on delivery is available with UPS and FedEx small parcel shipping services. UPS & FedEx C.O.D. service allows you to sell to customers without extending credit or requiring prepayment. C.O.D. service is available on an individual package basis for most service levels. FedEx and UPS deliver the C.O.D. package…

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FedEx Surcharge Fee Price History

FedEx surcharge fees can account for a large portion of a company’s shipping costs each year. These other charges are also called accessorial fees and consequently increase each year. Thus, we have decided to keep a running tab on the surcharge price history. As a rule, the cost of all…

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UPS Chargeback for Consignee Billed Shipments

UPS Chargebacks for consignee billed shipments are rarely understood by shippers. Unfortunately, we had a conversation with a UPS shipper that had a nasty surprise on his recent UPS invoice. Upon reviewing the invoice, we found nearly $500 in charges in the invoice category labeled “Chargeback.” There were four tracking numbers…

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How do I request a FedEx late delivery refund?

All FedEx ground and express packages are guaranteed to arrive on time, or it’s free. Once you identify that a package was delivered late, requesting a FedEx Late Delivery Refund on the FedEx Money Back Guarantee is the next step to getting your money back. The request must be within…

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FedEx Shipment Exceptions

FedEx shipment exceptions are not fun for recipients or shippers. The ability and promptness of a courier service operator to deliver a package without a hitch are at the top of the requirements list for most clients. In a world that prioritizes swift delivery of both services and packages, FedEx…

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FedEx Unauthorized Package Charge Increases and Rules

The FedEx Unauthorized Package Charge is a fee rarely seen by shippers, but when it appears, a shipper will take action immediately! FedEx recently announced general changes to surcharges on unauthorized shipments that require additional handling. Generally, FedEx announces these fee increases in September each year, which go into effect…

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What is FedEx International Connect Plus?

What is FedEx International Connect Plus?

FedEx Express has introduced FedEx International Connect Plus, a new FedEx Express International, day-definite, e-commerce shipping service. This new service aims to combine speed and price for international small parcel delivery. What is FedEx International Connect Plus? FedEx International Connect Plus is a global shipping service that provides customers with…

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UPS Delivery Confirmation Services

As most shippers know, UPS provides additional delivery confirmation services as a value-added service. Of course, an additional charge applies for each service. A shipper can confirm the delivery of their packages in more detail with the following UPS value-added services. So then, let’s look at some options like UPS…

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UPS Shipping Rates – UPS Daily vs UPS Retail Rates

UPS-Daily-VS-UPS-Retail-Rates Refund Retriever

Many shippers need to realize there are two package rates for all UPS shipping rates. The amount you pay for shipping depends on a few factors; therefore, it is crucial to ensure you are using the correct designation. Additionally, retail shipping rates might differ entirely from the UPS published rates. Let’s look…

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What is UPS Mail Innovations?

UPS Mail Innovations is a joint venture between UPS and the United States Postal Service (USPS). It is a cost-effective way to send packages and documents around the world. The service combines the reliability of the UPS Ground network with last-mile delivery normally provided by the USPS. Mail Innovations handles…

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What Happens to Amazon Returns?

Consumers return items for many reasons, including unmet expectations, inaccurate fit, damaged products, or accidental orders. Whatever their reason for returning the things they have purchased, Amazon takes responsibility for these items. When return items arrive at Amazon, it becomes difficult to get them back to their categories or order…

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2023 UPS Rate Increase, Part 2: General Rate Increase (GRI)

Coming on the heels of the 2023 FedEx shipping increases, the 2023 UPS Rate Increase is here! UPS announced increases in the 2023 shipping rates. UPS ground, air, and international rates will increase an average net of 6.9% effective December 27, 2022. In addition to increasing daily package rates, other changes will increase…

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Amazon Seller Refunds

Since 2006, Refund Retriever has been in the late delivery refund business, and we are proud to announce a new service offering. Refund Retriever now audits Amazon seller accounts to help identify and recover refunds for Amazon sellers. Refund Retriever customers can now add FBA refund service in less than…

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2023 FedEx Rate Increase, Part 1: Surcharges

Effective January 2, 2023, all FedEx shippers will experience shipping rate changes. It is important to note that FedEx Express, Ground, and Home Delivery shipping rates will increase by an average of 6.9%. FedEx Freight rates will increase by an average of 6.9%-7.9%. We will explore the 2023 FedEx surcharge…

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UPS Fuel Surcharges

If your company ships UPS, you understand the impact UPS fuel surcharge has on shipping expenses. The calculation is a percentage of the base rate and adds to the charges of each package. As a result, it covers additional fuel costs and keeps UPS profitable, even when fuel price rises. What is…

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What are My FedEx Rewards?

My FedEx Rewards

My FedEx Rewards is a free program that benefits FedEx small parcel shippers. With My FedEx Rewards, shippers can accumulate rewards such as brand-name gift cards from leading retailers due to daily shipping.  What are the benefits of being a My FedEx Rewards member? Money-back Guarantee for My Rewards Members…

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What are USPS Zones?

If you’re new to the shipping world, you probably wonder what USPS postal zones mean. It is the U.S. Postal Service’s way of determining the distance between a parcel’s destination address and its origin. The USPS( United States Postal Service) covers every square mile of the U.S. Since January 2019,…

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Amazon’s Choice: What it Means and How To Get Badge

With the high rate of technological advancement worldwide, online shopping is easy. E-commerce continues to boom. Industry giants like Amazon continue to rake in all the traffic and attention in the industry. This increased traffic has come with a consistent spike in buyers and sellers to its platform. The actual…

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Why are Fuel Surcharges so High?

FedEx and UPS fuel surcharges are at an all-time high. By the time this blog is live, the fuel surcharge will be even higher. UPS express fuel surcharge is 22.75%, and the ground is 18% as of June 13, 2022. FedEx express fuel surcharge is 22.75%, and the ground is…

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UPS Over Maximum Limit Charge Have you at your Limit?

In 2011, United Parcel Service began charging more to handle oversized packages. Over maximum limit packages are heavier or larger than average, therefore costing UPS more internally to process. They are passing on the cost to the shippers and making more profit. How much is the UPS over maximum charge?…

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FedEx Holiday Schedule: Shipping Deadlines to Know

For most, holidays are the most active time of the year for small parcel shippers. Even with a large staff, it is easy for a company to disregard shipping costs to keep customers satisfied. Therefore, the FedEx Holiday Schedule should be available to all customer service and shipping staff. Let’s…

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UPS Surepost Non-Machinable Charge

UPS SurePost is a low-cost delivery service with accessorial fees that can increase the final delivery cost. UPS Ground has many more accessorial fees than SurePost. Shippers can expect to see the non-machinable charges, DAS, DAS extended, peak surcharges, and fuel surcharges. In this blog, we will explore the UPS…

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Best Amazon FBA PPC Strategies

Amazon FBA PPC strategies are very important to the success of your business. If you’re an e-commerce vendor who sells on Amazon’s Fulfillment By Amazon (FBA) service and platform, the biggest fulfillment platform in the industry, you would know the most crucial goal is successful conversions and sales. The aim…

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FedEx ID Scanning for Adult Signature Packages

FedEx ID Scanning for Adult Signature Packages

FedEx ID scanning will soon impact all shippers. On June 28, 2022, FedEx express and ground will enable ID scanning functionality for domestic deliveries which require an adult signature. FedEx’s ID scanning technology will electronically capture the recipient’s name and automate age verification. This new process removes the need for…

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How To Ship Dry Ice With FedEx

Let’s discuss shipping FedEx dry ice packages. There are different classifications of products in the E-commerce world, from perishables to medicines and hardware. Each of these products has different methods and strategies for shipping. If you sell perishables, you fall under the category of businesses required to ship with dry…

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What are FedEx Fuel Surcharges?

Does your company ship with FedEx? You know FedEx fuel surcharges and understand these additional costs of transportation impact profitability. The FedEx Fuel Surcharge is an additional charge applied by FedEx to its shipping rates to adjust for the varying costs of fuel. Both ground and air shipping services can…

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FedEx Dangerous Goods

FedEx Dangerous Goods

Many companies ship items that require special attention or packaging. FedEx can ship dangerous goods with a variety of services. To begin with, you cannot ship dangerous goods of any kind via FedEx International Next Flight service. Dry ice is the only category of hazardous goods shipped via FedEx International…

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UPS Declared Value: What You Need To Know

UPS provides all packages automatically with $100 worth of liability for loss or damage. A shipper can declare a higher value for the shipment with an additional charge. With this in mind, UPS specifically states that UPS declared value is not insurance. What does UPS declared value cost? As mentioned…

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What is a FedEx Residential Surcharge?

FedEx defines a residential surcharge as a shipment addressed to a home or private residence. Including locations where business is conducted from home or a shipment in which the shipper designates the delivery address as residential. FedEx Residential Surcharge: A residential delivery charge applies to shipments addressed to a home…

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How to Find Your UPS Credits

All UPS ground and express packages are guaranteed to arrive on time or your money back. But how do you find your UPS credits? UPS credits will apply to a future invoice after the dispute happens. As a rule, UPS credits will reduce the amount due on future UPS invoices….

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UPS Holiday Surcharges – What you need to know

UPS-Peak-Surcharges-2022 Refund Retriever

How will UPS holiday season surcharges affect your business this year? From October 2, 2022, through January 14, 2023, UPS will apply peak surcharges to shipments that qualify as oversized, unauthorized or require additional handling and existing charges. FedEx also implemented peak season surcharge increases as well. Check out this…

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FedEx Delivery Signature Options

FedEx Delivery Signature Options

FedEx provides three options when shippers require a signature upon delivery. Each delivery option has various costs and requirements. Indirect Signature Required, Direct Signature Required, and Adult Signature Required. However, Indirect Signature Required is available to residential addresses only. For destinations other than the U.S. and Canada, costs for Indirect…

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How to Find Your FedEx Credits

FedEx credits are applied to the very same invoice as the original package. The refund credits are simple to find when you log into FedEx Online Billing. How to Find Your FedEx Credits: Step by Step Instructions FedEx Download Adjusted Invoice Recently, FedEx has included the ability for customers to…

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FedEx Ground Economy: Discount Rates

FedEx Ground Economy: Discount Rates

FedEx Ground Economy discounts are significant to shippers. These discounts are the maximum savings available to shippers based on the published rates for the year. During a FedEx contract negotiation, pay attention to all of these points to maximize your yearly savings. FedEx Ground Economy: What is it? Previously called…

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Amazon FBA vs FBM: What Works Better for Your Company

Many sellers ask us Amazon FBA vs. FBM, which is better? The best Amazon model is an answer only achievable by looking at your situation. Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), you store products in Amazon’s fulfillment centers, and Amazon picks, packs, ships, and provides visibility and customer…

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FedEx Agreements: Part 3 – How Do Minimums and Surcharges Work?

In the final part of a three-part series, Refund Retriever unveils the intricate details of a FedEx transportation services agreement. Our goal is to break down the general outline of FedEx agreements to make understanding them more manageable. Therefore we will cover FedEx surcharge reductions and FedEx minimum charge reductions. Earlier in part one, we reviewed…

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FedEx vs. UPS – What is the difference?

UPS vs FedEx is a question we get every single day. Which is better in terms of price, efficiency, customer support, or reliability? This is a difficult question to answer. Therefore, let’s look at each and make some comparisons. FedEx vs. UPS Service Names Both UPS vs FedEx run similar…

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Amazon FBA Returns: Issues and Solutions

Amazon FBA returns can eat away at profits and time, and returns can threaten your company’s profitability in the long run. Also, too many returns or defective items can negatively impact your Seller Rating. Amazon’s Buyer Return Policy All customers have the right to open a product, try it and…

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How to Avoid LTL Accessorial Fee Mistakes

LTL accessorial fee mistakes are not uncommon. Unexpected accessorial charges for LTL services performed by freight carriers can be costly. You cannot prevent all of these charges, but you can take steps to reduce them. Let’s discuss some commonly charged LTL accessorial fees and how you can avoid them. Limited…

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Covid-19 Late Package Report

The world as we know it has changed forever. COVID-19 has and will continue to change the way people consume products. This change has caused a disruption in supply chains and logistic principles that we have followed for many years. Until now, FedEx and UPS have experienced surges in shipping…

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Get More Amazon Reviews: Do’s and Don’ts

Retail is shifting from brick-and-mortar to e-commerce faster than ever. Amazon is the leading online shopping platform, which makes Amazon product reviews very important. Shoppers rely on millions of Amazon reviews for each purchase. As Amazon continues its rapid growth, consumers depend more on consumer reviews than ever. Reviews are…

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What is IPI? Amazon’s Inventory Performance Index

Amazon Inventory Performance Index (IPI) is a number between 0-1000. This number measures FBA inventory health. Amazon IPI captures low inventory and excess inventory levels of your FBA SKUs. Amazon’s IPI can benefit both you and Amazon. Amazon’s inventory performance index score combines the preceding three months of sales, inventory…

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FedEx Saturday Delivery and Saturday Pickup Charges

FedEx Saturday delivery and FedEx Saturday pickup are available in most cities across the United States. These fees apply to most express services. Conversely, Home Delivery includes Saturday delivery at no cost to most of the U.S. FedEx Saturday Delivery Charges Saturday delivery is available for domestic package shipments with…

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Remove inventory from Amazon FBA

Amazon FBA sellers sometimes find themselves in a position of needing to reduce inventory. But, returning or disposing of products from Amazon FBA centers isn’t free. If the merchandise is not selling, it might be beneficial to avoid long-term storage fees. We will discuss why removal could be helpful and…

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2021 UPS Rate Increase Impact Study

Every year shipping prices go up and many businesses just absorb the cost without really realizing the impact. What does the 2021 UPS Rate increase really mean? We will look at the 2021 UPS Rate Increase Impact for a single shipment and compare it to that of 2020. UPS rates…

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How Much Does It Cost To Sell On Amazon?

Starting up an Amazon storefront has to be easy, right? You have to sign up and start selling your product simply… However, the reality is that selling on Amazon is not quite that simple or affordable. Amazon is booming; everyone wants to be part of it. Consequently, it would be…

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FedEx & UPS Late Fees

As with all vendors, FedEx and UPS want to be paid promptly. Since 2003, there has been a 6% UPS late fee penalty, and now, there will be a FedEx late fee penalty that matches UPS. We are now seeing the implementation of the FedEx late fee charge. When do…

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Amazon Vendor Central: What you need to know

What is Amazon Vendor Central? There are only two ways to get your products on Amazon: a seller (third-party or 3P) or a vendor (first-party or 1P). Vendor Central sellers are known as first-party or 1P because when a sale is made to a consumer, it’s sold by Amazon themselves…

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What is an Amazon ASIN??

ASIN and FNSKU are two essential terms all Amazon FBA sellers should know. Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN) is a unique set of ten-digit letters and numbers identifying items. No two products will ever have the same ASIN. ASINs are meant to keep everything in order. The FNSKU stands for…

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Fraudulent Amazon Returns: What you need to know

As an online seller, there is nothing more frustrating than fraudulent returns. On Amazon specifically, a buyer has precisely 30 days to return a product, but sometimes the buyer will get a refund before sending it back. This leaves the seller out of a sale and inventory. It’s no secret…

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FBA Stranded Inventory: What You Need To Know

Many FBA sellers might not be aware of stranded inventory within seller central. But, it is an issue that all sellers must address regularly. Stranded inventory prevents your products from being sold and affects your IPI. Therefore, let’s dive into this issue. What is stranded inventory? Stranded inventory is a…

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FedEx One Rate Price Increase

COVID-19 has stimulated an increase in residential deliveries across the U.S. As a result, FedEx is experiencing extremely high demand and increased operating costs. Therefore, you will see a rate increase on FedEx One Rate pricing effective May 2, 2022. The new FedEx One Rate 2022 price increase base rates will…

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FedEx Priority Alerts: What You Need to Know

What is a FedEx Priority Alert? Every minute counts when you must deliver time and temperature-sensitive shipments in perfect condition. FedEx offers peace of mind for global customers that require the highest level of reliable monitoring for these types of shipments with FedEx Priority Alert. FedEx Priority Alert packages are…

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How has COVID-19 changed shipping?

COVID-19 changed the way the world interacts. The pandemic has changed shipping and the parcel delivery landscape. Naturally, more people are having packages delivered. Brick-and-mortar stores have limited hours, declaring bankruptcy or just halting operations altogether.  Therefore, here is some data to show how this shift has affected one of the…

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Regional Parcel Carriers: What You Need To Know

When shipping a package, typically, you think of the big guys. FedEx, UPS, and USPS. If you haven’t considered or implemented regional parcel carriers, you might leave money on the table. A regional parcel carrier is a package delivery company that is usually cheaper, more flexible, and more responsive than…

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What is a UPS Residential Surcharge?

UPS defines a residential surcharge as a residential delivery made to a home, including a business operating out of a home. Furthermore, an additional shipping charge will apply for each residential delivery. However, this fee applies in two cases. If either the delivery address entered or the actual delivery address…

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UPS Girth: Why is it important?

There are shipping terms the carriers use that often cause the most experienced shipper to pause and think. One of these terms that I regularly forget is girth. So today, we are going to explain the girth of a package and why it is crucial. Girth is essentially the circumference…

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FedEx Peak Surcharges

FedEx peak surcharges traditionally were only implemented during seasons with high shipping volumes. Unfortunately, FedEx peak surcharges are being applied on a year-round basis. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to reshape transportation all across the world. FedEx has kept commerce moving and delivered shipments throughout this trying time. Since we are…

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UPS Delivery Change Options

Last-minute changes and mistakes happen when shipping and shopping online. At some point, a package will go out with an incorrect address, or you may need to stop the parcel from being delivered. This is why UPS offers delivery changes and intercepts. Therefore, what are these options, and how do…

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FedEx SmartPost: What You Need to Know

Previously, we learned that the last mile or final delivery of packages, regardless of distance, is truly where costs add up. Coincidentally, that last mile varies from a few blocks to hundreds of miles. This is where UPS SurePost and FedEx SmartPost (also known as FedEx Ground Economy) can help….

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What is a UPS SurePost package?

UPS SurePost

The last mile or final delivery of a UPS package voyage is where costs add up regardless of distance. The last mile varies from a few blocks to 100’s of miles, which is where UPS SurePost can help. Consequently, reducing shipping bills and realizing viable cost savings start with last-mile…

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