Many companies ship items that require special attention or packaging. FedEx offers a range of services for shipping dangerous goods. 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 that can be shipped…
As a business owner, the most important thing about a cardboard shipping box is that it safely gets your products to your customers. You want your box quality to withstand the shipping and transportation process. When shipping with FedEx and UPS, how can you ensure your boxes won’t get crushed…
Have you looked at your UPS agreement? When was the last time you compared the agreement discount rates to an actual invoice charge? How can you approach a UPS shipper agreement negotiation with confidence? Most shippers find agreements too complex or structured in a way that is too confusing to…
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….
Coming on the heels of the 2022 FedEx shipping increases, the 2022 UPS Rate Increase is here! UPS announced increases in the 2022 shipping rates. In short, the rates for UPS ground, air, and international services will increase an average net of 5.9% effective December 26, 2021. As you can see, the price…
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…
Carrier contract negotiation is often a daunting task. Even the most seasoned shippers have trouble genuinely understanding the fine print of these complex carrier agreements. FedEx and UPS do not want to lower their rates for anyone. However, they know it’s necessary to keep their client’s business. Here are 10…
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…
FedEx earned discounts and base discounts are the main focus of any contract negotiation. As part of a three-part series, Refund Retriever unveils FedEx agreements and contracts’ black and white details. We are breaking down the general outline of FedEx agreements to make understanding them much more straightforward. We review the…
What does the future hold? How does the changing parcel landscape impact your profitability? Looking ahead, it’s becoming increasingly clear how vital shipping data is to a shipper’s business. Many shippers want to know UPS vs. FedEx rates, which is better. You can identify how much you ship when you…
Many sellers ask us which is better: Amazon FBA vs. FBM? 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…
What is Prime Day? Prime Day is Amazon’s annual shopping event, exclusive to Prime members, offering significant discounts across various products. Held mid-July, Prime Day features deals on electronics, home goods, fashion, and more, often surpassing Black Friday in sales and discounts. It’s a global event with special promotions, limited-time…
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…
What happens if UPS does not deliver on time? All UPS 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 UPS Guaranteed Service Refund is the next step to get your money back. The request…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 FBA fees are vital to profitability. Amazon is booming; everyone wants to be…
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…
Coming on the heels of the 2021 FedEx shipping increases, the 2021 UPS Rate Increase is here! UPS announced increases in the 2021 shipping rates. In short, the rates for UPS ground, air, and international services will increase an average net 4.9% effective December 27, 2020. In addition to daily package rates increasing,…
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…
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…
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…
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 who require the highest level of reliable monitoring for these types of shipments with FedEx Priority Alert. FedEx Priority Alert packages are…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 (FedEx Ground Economy) can help. SmartPost is a…
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…
A successful FedEx or UPS parcel rate negotiation is essential to substantially lower shipping costs. Preparation is critical to how well a company can negotiate lower small parcel rate agreements. Therefore, let us look at a few key points that all businesses, big and small, need to follow. 1. Get…
Online shippers face many obstacles in today’s complicated multi-channel world. Knowing how to handle shipping delays will turn customer service issues into a competitive advantage. Shipping delays before and during transit are two of the most frequent problems online business owners experience. Buyers do not like shipping delays; however, it…
How can a company save money on UPS even with a bad UPS agreement? There are many reasons that shippers cannot get the best-in-class pricing for UPS or FedEx. They could not have significant volume, less-than-desirable package characteristics, or be located in a remote area. Let us explore some options…
Is your UPS spend higher than it should be? Have you noticed that the increase in shipping volume and overall shipping costs seem to be increasing at different rates? If so, we will review some strategies to help reverse this trend and give shipping a competitive advantage. If your UPS…
Finally, FedEx Sunday delivery is here. Today’s customers want to receive their purchases every day. In light of this, Saturday and Sunday delivery are standard for Home Delivery residential shipments at no additional cost. Correspondingly, Amazon and USPS have been delivering seven days a week for a long time. In…
Here at Refund Retriever, we audit FedEx and UPS invoices for late deliveries and billing mistakes, we know data. Especially data relating to FedEx and UPS peak season deliveries. So how late were FedEx and UPS this holiday season? Many shippers were even removed from Amazon because of the delays…
Shipping is a fundamental part of all e-commerce companies and most other industries. As a result, what would happen if your UPS account was hacked? A UPS security breach could be disastrous for any company. Let’s examine some best practices to limit unapproved UPS access by hackers attempting a brute-force…
Shipping Firearms with UPS might appear daunting, but it is not that difficult as long as you know some essential rules. It is easy to ship firearms through UPS; be sure one of the parties in the transaction has an FFL license. A Federal Firearms License (FFL) is a license…
Online retail has improved how we shop and open us up to convenience and accessibility. But with this development comes the risk of Porch pirates. You’re probably wondering, ‘What are porch pirates?’ Porch pirates are individuals who steal packages delivered to the doorstep of your customers. Addressing porch pirates’ concerns…
In light of FedEx One Rate and USPS Flat Rate Priority Mail, UPS has introduced UPS Simple Rate. UPS Simple Rate is the new UPS flat rate service offering, much like a UPS flat rate box. Now shippers can use their boxes up to 1,728 cubic inches at one low cost. At…
Ground and express packages have a guaranteed delivery date and time whenever your business ships with UPS. If your late UPS package arrives even one minute after the guarantee, you are entitled to a full refund. UPS calls this a guaranteed service refund, or GSR for short. According to the…
The UPS damaged package claim process is easier to navigate than shippers believe. Recently, a valued customer of Refund Retriever contacted us with a question about damaged packages. UPS notified the shipper that they damaged a package during transit and discarded it. UPS never delivered the item to the customer….
Whenever your company ships with FedEx Express or Ground, you have a guaranteed delivery date and time. You are entitled to a full refund if the package is delivered even one minute late. To emphasize, FedEx will NOT notify you of the late package nor voluntarily give you money back….
In a previous blog post, we discussed the UPS CWT services, and now we will go over UPS Hundredweight surcharge fees. Hundredweight CWT is a cost-effective delivery for non-palletized, multiple-package shipments that weigh 100 to 500 pounds. As a rule, UPS Hundredweight CWT has a 150-pound maximum weight per package….
We get many calls and chats monthly when a FedEx shipper sees this charge on a FedEx invoice. Often, they see “NDOC P/U” yet have no clue what this is. To summarize, these charges are non-document pickup charges. This is a charge when someone contacts FedEx to have the package…
The eCommerce industry is growing each year. That’s a lot of sales, a lot of customers, and a lot of competition. Reaching online shoppers before competitors is crucial to your future success. Fast shipping can help you reach more customers, convert sales, and drive more profits. Why fast shipping reaches…
In our previous blog, we covered the basic outline of a UPS agreement and the discount incentives on the published shipping rates. In part two, we will outline a few more essential points that you will need to understand to begin a fair and balanced UPS shipper contract negotiation. Accessorial…
With the demand for fast shipping rising, shippers and e-commerce businesses need to look at more options for speedy delivery. UPS offers three different next-day or UPS overnight services. As a result, companies can ensure delivery to compete with services like Amazon Prime. UPS Next Day Air Early UPS Next…
eCommerce is tough. Not only must you source great products, optimize your listings, and get to the top of the search results before your competitors, but when successful, you’ve also got to ship those products out and fast. Amazon has created a world where fast shipping matters, and those falling…
Third-party and drop shipping is a huge part of today’s e-commerce landscape. As a result, it is vital to understand this fee and know how it affects your daily shipping costs. The FedEx third party billing charge applies to express and ground services. Currently, the FedEx 3rd party billing fee…
Third-party shipping is a huge part of today’s e-commerce landscape. Therefore it is vital to understand this fee and know how it is affecting your daily shipping costs. Beginning in 2016, UPS began charging a third-party billing fee of 2.5% of the total shipping charge billed to the Third Party….
FedEx Ship Manager FedEx Ship Manager is the shipping software that can be used to automate and make your shipping more straightforward. It ultimately helps high-volume e-commerce companies to access forms, prepare and arrange shipping labels and documents using databases of addresses and commodities, monitor the status of the shipments…
So it’s that time of year again, time to embrace UPS My Choice. Millions of shoppers are adding gifts to electronic shopping carts and having everything conveniently delivered to their doorstep. Let’s face it, it is so much more convenient to have items delivered. Who has time to battle for…
FedEx agreements’ black and white details can often look like a foreign language even to the savviest of shippers and business-minded leaders. From surcharges and money-back guarantees to termination fees and more, there is a lot to digest when it comes to reviewing, understanding, and ultimately feeling confident about the…
Last year we published a blog on where exactly to find specific zone charts for your location. FedEx zones are critical to know for all FedEx shippers in an everyday application and each time you negotiate a new agreement with the carrier. Here is a list of all the FedEx zones…
Many times, customers come across FedEx invoice abbreviations and agreements yet have no clue as to their meaning. Here is a list of common FedEx invoice abbreviations that might come in handy. What are the FedEx service types? FedEx shipping is divided into two main service types. These are based on…
During the 2019 holiday shipping season, UPS will temporarily suspend the money-back guarantee for following dates. Other than the dates below, each ground, home delivery and express package shipped with UPS is guaranteed to arrive on time or it’s free. Therefore, take a look at the rules for the UPS…
All Refund Retriever customers must use the UPS online billing center to collect all late packages and billing mistakes. Online billing is nothing to be afraid of, trust me. UPS billing center online consolidates all your shipping invoices in one place with the ability to view your UPS invoices in…
Business owners as always looking for ways to reduce shipping costs. One new way to reduce your FedEx shipping spend easily was recently introduced by American Express. With American Express FedEx rebate offer, businesses can earn 15% back as an AMEX statement credit each time they use an enrolled business card…
Selling online is a dynamic, exciting way to deliver goods to consumers without ever having to engage in traditional conversations. Make no mistake, however… engaging is a key component to online selling success. In fact, successful e-commerce operators know that leveraging the strengths of others is often the key to…
Shipping refund credits are a huge part of how Refund Retriever’s shipment auditing clients save money on yearly shipping costs. Small parcel shippers contact Refund Retriever when their current auditing company isn’t doing the job. The rate of late delivery credits fluctuates from week to week. But there are ways…
While Alibaba and Amazon dominate the marketplace industry, it’s not just these two online giants that capture consumer dollars. In addition to helping strengthen the parcel business along the way, it’s fair to say that the shipping business has been dramatically influenced thanks to marketplace sales. As a result, ways…
FedEx & UPS Guaranteed Service refunds are part of a smart shippers toolbox. Shipping is an essential part of business operations for small and large companies. In fact, FedEx and UPS collectively ship billions of packages each year. Additionally, this number is rising as each day passes. Keeping this in…
The much anticipated biannual ASD Market Week trade show will be held on March 22nd to March 25, 2020, at the Las Vegas Convention Center with Refund Retriever located in the central hall lobby participating in the Independent Retailer Conference. Ever wondered about the history of ASD Market Week? ASD…
When it comes to e-commerce shipping, shipping information has a significant influence on consumer purchases. BigCommerce reports that shipping cost and speed influence 80% of U.S. customer decisions, while 87% of customers are influenced by price 71% by discounts or promotional offerings. Consider how your e-commerce business can be strengthened…
As the year quickly passes us by, it’s evident that commerce is experiencing a lot of change… and will continue to. Though this change can appear fast and furious to online sellers, it’s this same change that presents the opportunity for e-commerce businesses to be profitable and successful. The question…
When it comes to online selling, there will always be the issue of inventory management to consider. From where you stock your items to how much you should invest in each particular product category to the fine print details of shipping items sold online to their end user, there is a lot…
The annual Internet Retailer Conference and Exhibition (IRCE) will occur June 3-4 in Chicago, IL. This event for online businesses began in 2005 by Vertical Web Media with 45 exhibitors and 1,150 attendees at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. The size has continued to expand each year and nearly exceeded 10K…
With Amazon having scored the majority of e-commerce sales last year, Amazon sales keep rising. Therefore, it’s no surprise that marketplace selling is big business. Robust inventory assortment and management can help sellers strengthen their eBay sellers strategy, yet these key details alone won’t help marketplace sellers reach their fullest…
FedEx and UPS made some significant changes to their rates and contracts for 2024, yet many businesses have yet to either know or understand these changes. For this reason – and many others – companies must update their parcel carrier contracts and gain more clarity about what impacts their shipping…
FedEx guarantees the on-time delivery of your all Ground and Express packages, but not every shipment is on time. But, if FedEx delivers your package just 60 seconds late, you are entitled to a 100 percent refund of the shipping charges. Let’s look at FedEx Money Back Guarantee Waivers. Including…
Many shippers look at FedEx SmartPost (FedEx Ground Economy) vs. Home Delivery with a confused look. With FedEx rates rising yearly, we help many small parcel shippers evaluate current contracts and discount rates. One of the most commonly asked questions, “Would Smart Post be an option to lower shipping costs?”…
Refund Retriever is joining FotoZoomer and RS Associates for Print & Ship Symposium in Las Vegas from March 18-19. All matters are covered from print operations, print management software, shipping prep, point of sale entry, accounting, production techniques, hardware care and more marketing than most people can handle. Join us…
All businesses are looking for shipping resources. Growing your business online or offline means implementing an effective shipping strategy. Looking ahead into 2018, consider how aligning with the right resources can help you accomplish this goal – as well as help you reach new ones. Among the resources to consider…
One of the most important things you can do as an Amazon seller is master inventory management — without a solid strategy in this area, your business simply won’t grow. Instead, you run the risk of an Amazon stockout, could lose the Buy Box and/or your Amazon SEO rank, or…
Let’s face it… without shipping, the world economy would be a much different place. Thanks to shipping, however, small and large businesses can connect with suppliers and consumers faster than ever. Here are ten interesting shipping facts. Parcel delivery has come a long way since the days of horseback delivery….
If you’re shipping multiple packages to the same place on the same day, save time and money using the UPS Hundredweight Service (CWT). CWT stands for centum weight. UPS Hundredweight offers a guaranteed, cost-effective delivery for non-palletized, multiple-package shipments weighing between 100 and 500 pounds. Who can use UPS Hundredweight? UPS Hundredweight…
Shipping and shopping go hand-in-hand nowadays, so ensuring your shipping strategy is as effective as possible should top your priority list. First, evaluate your current shipping efforts to help strengthen your parcel efficiency. To assess your shipping strategy, ask yourself the following questions: 1. Is the shipping strategy you offer…
‘Tis the season for shipping… and there’s no better time to prepare your business for the demands consumers expect this upcoming holiday shipping season. Whether you’re an e-commerce-based business, a marketplace seller, a vendor shipping to merchants, or offer shipping in any other capacity, aligning your holiday business goals with…
We at Refund Retriever like to give back each year. We participate in Cystic Fibrosis Foundation fundraising events such as Great Strides and Shoot 4 The Cure. What is Cystic Fibrosis (CF)? According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, “Cystic fibrosis is a progressive, genetic disease that causes…
Effective January 22, 2018, FedEx started applying dimensional weight pricing with a dimensional divisor of 139. Plus, a per pound rate for all packages over 71 lbs on all SmartPost (FedEx Ground Economy) packages. FedEx Ground Economy DIM dimensional weights are, of course, (length x width x height) divided by…
Shipping fee surcharges for additional, supplemental, or value-added services can easily account for up to 40 percent of your overall FedEx or UPS invoice costs. After doing some research with our data, we found something interesting. FedEx invoices consistently have a higher percentage of accessorial fees over similar-sized UPS invoices….
FedEx’s cost increases each year due to accessorial fees; there is no getting around them. Accessorial charges have rate increases each year, just as the general rates do. Surcharges for additional, supplemental, or value-added services can easily account for up to 50 percent of your overall FedEx or UPS invoice costs. Accessorial…
You may have heard about the large cyber attack that affected computers all over the world on May 12, 2017, known as “Wanna Cry” (also known as “Wanna Crypt” and by other names). This affected universities, hospitals, and companies large and small all over the world (including our friends over…
UPS guarantees the on-time delivery of all Ground and Express packages, but not every shipment is on time. But, if UPS delivers your package just 60 seconds late, you are entitled to a 100 percent refund of the shipping charges. Let’s look at the UPS GSR waiver, also known as a…
What is a shipping zone? UPS & FedEx shipping zones are crucial for each package you send. Shipping contracts are divided into zone pricing. Each package price is based on the destination zone. You cannot get away from zones, so investigate what a zone is and how to determine your…
Looking for the perfect gift for that business partner that is just so hard to shop for? Why not share a refund in the form of helping them save money on FedEx and UPS costs? Shipping is expensive. Help a friend lower their costs and earn $100 credit at the…
Refund Retriever has teamed up with Freight Cowboy to make LTL and truckload freight as easy as shipping a FedEx or UPS package. In just a few easy steps you can see a savings of 15-25% off your current rates by assessing our negotiated contract rates based on a billion…
As your business grows, so should freight costs. Above-average increases in freight costs could indicate your expenses are cutting into your bottom line. When freight spending becomes a large percentage of total revenue, it has a negative impact overall. Refund Retriever is proud to introduce Freight Retriever. Our new…
In today’s world, there is guaranteed to be an increase in packages stolen from your doorstep. Porch Pirates will closely follow a delivery truck and take merchandise as soon as the driver is out of sight. A report from August Home Inc. found nearly 11 million U.S. homeowners have had…
For nearly two decades, 3dcart has been the engine thousands of online stores use to build, market, and grow their online retail brands. The e-commerce software suite was designed from the very beginning to be customizable to the unique needs of different stores and easy to use for beginners through…
UPS charges for each shipping label generated on your UPS account. Therefore, it is essential to void unused UPS shipping labels. You pay for the label even when a third party creates an unused label billed to your UPS account. And while the shipping labels can be voided, only the…
We deal with FedEx and UPS all day, every day. But we never actually ship anything out. The cost of transportation impact is huge for our customers. What would be cheaper? USPS, FedEx, or UPS? We went to the post office and got a few priority mail Tyvek envelopes. We…
Refund Retriever is on top of the refund technology game. Refund Retriever started back in 2006 with one UPS and one FedEx account. We could have tracked and estimated a week’s worth of packages in a few hours by hand if we needed. Disputes were all done with a phone…
