RFD Exclusive: Discount Purolator, FedEx, DHL Shipping for Small Businesses

[RJones89]

Unfortunately I agree. Our main issue was with signature on delivery. We don't use that, so turned it off. Only after shipping several dozen packages I realized that signature was still required on some of them. It was incredibly difficult to explain my problem to their staff. I finally got an answer, which is that if the price of sending the package with signature required is the same as sending the package without signature required, (i.e. signature is free) it is always required regardless of how I set it up.

I get how this could be beneficial in some situations, but it resulted in my customers being frustrated because they had to drive to a depot to pick up their package that is usually conveniently left at their door. There are apparently no plans to fix this.

There was another issue with the system not accepting certain addresses and issuing obscure error messages. We finally figured out that the names of some of my customers are too long. Fine, but that needs an error message that is easy to understand like "First name is too long; it must be xx characters or less". Finally, their features for shipping large volumes of packages are pretty underdeveloped. It's disappointing because we saved about $200-400 in a single day, but the extra effort just isn't worth the savings

There is a way to fix the signature problem. Go to http://www.purolator.com/customer_se..._supplies.html and order a bunch of Origin Signature Not Required (OSNR) labels. When you ship by Purolator and there is a signature requirement on the package (it will NOT have an OSNR logo on the top right of the label), just stick one of the OSNR labels you ordered beside the E-Shipper label and Purolator will drop it at the door.

[davy]

If we ship a package to USA with UPS standard will the US customer get charged the ridiculous brokerage fees?

[ncnmra]

I've mentioned before that Costco seems to be reselling eShipper services. See: https://ship.emergeit.com/costco/login.html

In the latest "Costco Connection" magazine (not yet online) it mentions that executive members receive the standard 2% rebate when shipping through this service.

For this to work, one would have to sign up for eShipper again using the Costco affiliate link (above).

I thought readers of this thread might like to know that!

I tried this originally, and the Costco rates are slightly higher than eShipper. I compared apples to apples and in all cases, the rates were higher.

We have stopped using eShipper for cross-border shipping because of the disaster we experienced (see my notes above). However, for domestic shipments, it is working well thus far.

EDIT: The Costco situation may have changed recently, I originally compared back in April/May of this year.

[davy]

Just a big warning with regards to the eShipper/UPS combo. We used it for a brief moment, and although the packages arrived on time, UPS billed duties to our clients on all of our duty free goods. We have a NAFTA on file with UPS, but for some reason they were clueless and couldn't cross reference it. Moreover, even though you can select "bill duties/taxes to shipper", all that does is put a small statement on their (eShipper) commercial invoice, and UPS chose to ignore it. Perhaps it was our fault for not including an ADDITIONAL NAFTA on the box, but UPS has a habit of losing documents and charging duty regardless. The fact that we can't redirect them to invoice us directly (so that we can intercept these bogus charges) using eShipper created a terrible situation for us.

Disputing this with UPS is a disaster, and therefore has cost us not only the incorrect duty fees but also bad blood with our customers. eShipper is clueless as to why this is happening and are no help whatsoever. Any savings we gained by using eShipper have been wiped out and then some.

Just heads up, in case you are shipping duty free goods and don't want the customer to see any charges.

Did you ship with UPS ground? I read somewhere if you ship by air the brokerage fees already included.
Is UPS standard ground or air?

[ncnmra]

Did you ship with UPS ground? I read somewhere if you ship by air the brokerage fees already included.
Is UPS standard ground or air?

UPS Standard is Ground, and it does *not* include brokerage fees. We shipped via Express (next day) and Expedited (2-day). The issue wasn't with "brokerage" fees, it was with the duties. UPS didn't treat our goods as NAFTA and billed the duties to our clients. This was a double problem because:

1) Our goods DO fall under NAFTA, so should have been duty free. UPS has our NAFTA certificate on file but for some reason (I never did get a proper answer) decided that they couldn't find it

2) Although we specified that we are to be billed any duties and taxes (even though there shouldn't be any, but in case the screw up as per #1, then at least we can deal with it), they billed our clients directly instead.

[ZACAN]

I am looking for sites similar to e-shipper.com or ipsparcel.com which offer discount shipping rates out of USA.
Can anyone assist?

[frogblender]

What's up with receiving "adjustment" invoices from e-shipper for previously shipped parcels?

My last 2 parcels I have received adjustments of about $6 each that are automatically applied to my credit card. The parcels weight and dimensions were accurate. This is not the first time that it has happened but I am finally making a point of addressing it.

I was dinged $10.81 in "adjustments" for a single 1lb shipment. However, due to my supply problems, I didn't actually give the package to UPS until AFTER the invoice with adjustment charge showed up - which clearly indicates the "adjustment" has nothing to do with size/weight of the package. I submitted a support ticket....

[bubble.tea]

I was dinged $10.81 in "adjustments" for a single 1lb shipment. However, due to my supply problems, I didn't actually give the package to UPS until AFTER the invoice with adjustment charge showed up - which clearly indicates the "adjustment" has nothing to do with size/weight of the package. I submitted a support ticket....

LMAO @ adjustments BEFORE the item was actually sent.

This is what I was told in past about those scamalicous 'adjustment' bills. I was told that the couriers will routinely change the billing rates for rural/urban destinations, AFTER the bill of lading has been generated. This is relayed after the fact to EShipper, who then relays them to us.

Seems scamworthy. You can't make a contract with someone, and then AFTER THE FACT, decide to change the terms of the contract, AND expect to be compensated on a fantasy contract....and yet-it seems....this is exactly what is going on.

How do they get away with it?

I am likely not shipping as much as some of you heavy hitters., I occasionally get $1-$2 in adjustments at most. Never a $10 one lol. Yikes!!

[valium]

Please any one can help me if i want to bring items for bussinus from dubai to canada how much it will coast me for the shipments and how much they will charge me here in canada , i mean the tax for such items here in canada, thx alot cause im planning to have a bussines in oiled perfume and perfume shop

[shylok]

Please any one can help me if i want to bring items for bussinus from dubai to canada how much it will coast me for the shipments and how much they will charge me here in canada , i mean the tax for such items here in canada, thx alot cause im planning to have a bussines in oiled perfume and perfume shop

Contact a customs broker.

[raceway]

Used eshipper a few times but the last time was billed an extra $60 three times what my original bill was. This was charged to me a week after the original $30 charge that I agreed too. I opened a ticket, emailed and called eshipper.

Eshipper finally agreed that they could not justify the extra $60 charge and that they would refund me the difference, this took over a month to sort out.
Still waiting on the refund.

Going to steer clear from eshipper, not worth the headache.

[PianoGuy]

I was just told by someone at e-Shipper that FedEx should be back in 4-8 weeks.

[jjkool]

eShipper rates are good, but not worth the headache! I used to get billed, double tax / sig required fees and they had no idea why. I needed to go over all my bills by hand and request the credit numerous times until they credited me.

Their service is horrible with very slow reply times if at all. Emails dont get answered, you need to call and speak with their staff that hardly speak english. I moved all my 3PL (third party logistics) to a company flagship - www.flagshipcompany.com out of Montreal. These guys have AMAZING support and rates comparable to eshipper. When I opened my account, I called with a question at 8pm and they actually had an after hours support team!!!!

If you ship alot (we do 30-40 packages a week), call and speak to someone they should be able to help you out a little with rates - I deal with Josh

[excel]

AEX only good rates for Express and ground shipping to the U.S.A.

[excel]

Eshipper is simpler to use than your company aex. Are your ground rates better or same as eshipper?