Topic: Hybrid Mailing Services: Can they help your shipping?
Host: ShipRush
Date: Thursday, March 18th
Time: 11AM - Noon PST
Description: More choices in shipping: Are you ready?
Formerly only for high volume warehouses, new "hybrid" shipping services are available to lower volume sites, home based shippers and small businesses. If you are an active seller, you probably qualify. These services give the benefits of a full service carrier (like end to end tracking, accessible customer service, weekly net terms billing) at costs similar to the Postal Service (no residential fees, no extended area fees, free Saturday delivery, etc.).
In other words: If you ship, pay attention, because this is interesting.
Come to this session to learn about "hybrid" shipping services--what the benefits are, what it costs, and how you can get started.
Hope you can join us (right here) on March 18th!
Visit http://certifiedprovider.ebay.com/ to learn more about eBay Certified Providers and the services and solutions they offer to help an eBay seller grow their business.
There is a BRAND NEW shipping service you need to know about. It is a "hybrid" shipping service, and it is perfect for B-to-C (aka B2C) ecommerce.
(That is Business to Consumer. IOW, that means: You (the eBay seller) to Them (eBay buyers))
Since B2C is what eBay is all about, we think you should know about it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ . . . . . ShipRush Team: Free ShipRush for the Postal Service (for eBay & PayPal): http://www.zfirm.com/products/shiprush_usps.shtml
The hybrid service we are going to talk about most today is FedEx SmartPost.
There are other similar services out there (for example, DHL Global Mail and UPS Mail Innovations are similar services). We are going to focus on SmartPost today because:
- It is available to any volume of shipper (from a few packages a week up to hundreds a day) - It is fully integrated with eBay & PayPal (using the free of charge ShipRush for eBay) - It is ideal for many eBay sellers.
So here we go! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ . . . . . ShipRush Team
Hybrid services are a mix of a private carrier and the postal service. Your business relationship is with the private carrier (in this case, FedEx). FedEx comes by and picks up your packages, just like if you were shipping FedEx Ground.
FedEx then trucks your packages most of the way toward the destination and then hands them over to the Postal Service. The Postal Service makes the final delivery. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ . . . . . ShipRush Team
This service is ideal for certain profiles of shipments. You may be able to offer lower prices than the competition.
Here are the top reasons to consider SmartPost:
• Cost effective residential service. • No residential or Saturday delivery surcharges • Saturday delivery is free • Estimated delivery date given on fedex.com tracking • All shipments can be tracked at fedex.com from the day of pickup all the way to delivery. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ . . . . . ShipRush Team
Well, there are a few good things, especially if you already use FedEx:
- Your FedEx pickup can now ship to APO/FPO - Also you can ship to PO Boxes - The US Territories, Alaska and Hawaii are covered ------------------------------------------------------------------------ . . . . . ShipRush Team
No. SmartPost and similar services are best for certain types of shipments:
- Low-ish value ($100 or $200 tops, many shippers use SmartPost for items valued $75 or less) - Not time critical. Delivery is typically 3-8 days - Small in size. 9 lbs is the heaviest effective weight for SmartPost. Many shippers limit their SmartPost shipments to one or two lbs, and send heavier packages via a Ground shipping service ------------------------------------------------------------------------
If someone wants to try SmartPost, how do they get started?
There are three things you need to ship SmartPost:
- A FedEx account - The SmartPost service added to your FedEx account - A system to print SmartPost shipping labels ------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Call FedEx at 1-800 GO FEDEX - Log in to My.ShipRush.com (an account is free) and click the FedEx discount link. ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Once you have a FedEx account, you must ASK FedEx to add SmartPost to it. Call them at 1-800 GO FEDEX
If you already have a FedEx account, just contact your account exec or call 1-800 GO FEDEX ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your regular FedEx invoice will include these charges. They can be paid by credit card or other terms with FedEx. ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes. To ship SmartPost, you must have daily pickup from FedEx Ground.
The cost for daily pickup is $9 per week if shipping charges are $60 or more. $13 per week for less than $60. ------------------------------------------------------------------------
What are some example rates for SmartPost shipping?
First, remember that there are no residential or Saturday surcharges.
Here are some sample shipment costs based on SmartPost List Prices. If you ship volume, contact your Account Exec, as you may be eligible for a discount.
A note from our Legal Department: The statements and opinions made in this discussion board are those of the workshop host only and do not reflect eBay policy or eBay's opinion with respect to such statements.
Welcome and thanks for joining us today! The workshop is open!
To attend the workshop, you just need to be logged into eBay.com with your eBay User ID. Once you are logged in and are reading this message, you can post questions directly to eBay Staff and our host, ShipRush.
Take advantage of this great opportunity to ask ShipRush how you can get started with new hybrid shipping services and save money on shipping.
Workshops are interactive, so please feel free to ask your questions that directly relate to this topic. We will answer all questions!
>> Is the Canada service also included? I see that on the FedEx site
ShipRush currently cannot print labels for SmartPost to Canada. (This should be available later this year.) For now, you would need to use some other system to print those labels. ------------------------------------------------------------------------
...so I'm guessing this service really isn't intended to compete with Media Mail. Is this service intended to compete with UPS Ground and USPS Priority Mail services?
>> It appears to be a lot more expensive than Media Mail, actually...
Yes, Media Mail is quite inexpensive.
SmartPost may be useful if you would like end-to-end tracking, pickup service, and a simpler approach to making claims (for loss/damage). ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> Is this service intended to compete with UPS Ground services?
Also, SmartPost has no residential surcharge, and lets you ship to APO/FPO & PO Boxes (which Ground cannot do). ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for the link to the rate sheet but the prices are significantly higher than USPS. I don't see the value.
Also, I have called FedEx 3 times in the last 15 mins to add this service to my account and no one seems to know how to add this service to my account. One person said they could after I fill out a lengthy online form and then a field rep would contact me later. they also said, I MUST be a large volume shipper to use this and to quality.
When you call FedEx, ask for the SmartPost specialists (they have em). It is NOT only for large volume shippers. It is available for ANY volume shipper.
(This is a recent change, just last Fall.)
The service is new. Some folks in the FedEx call center do not know the details.
Military service mailing addresses.... (e.g. the troops in Afghanistan, military bases abroad, etc.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------
What will happen to this service if the USPS stops Saturday delivery? This is a possibility that's currently being considered by the USPS (in order to cut costs).
>> Thanks for the link to the rate sheet but the prices are significantly higher than USPS. I don't see the value.
The rates are competitive, but only for the lower weights. Over 5 or 9 lbs, SmartPost rates may be higher than other alternatives.
And as noted, the prices are higher than Media Mail.
The value is:
- End to end tracking (so folks don't call you) - Ability to mix all your Ground and APO & FPO shipping into a single pickup - Billing from FedEx (and net terms if you qualify) ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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