Not all shipments are created equal! The size, weight, destination, and other elements of your package will affect the final shipping price. At Parcel Plus, we know that the shipping can be complicated, so we’ve compiled a list of common factors that affect the price of your shipment.
- Guaranteed Delivery Times
- What it is: The time the carrier guarantees your package will be tendered at the delivery address on the package. Times vary by carrier, and guarantees can be suspended during peak seasons and adverse weather conditions.
- Who does it: UPS, FedEx, USPS
- How it affects you: If you need your package to arrive by a certain day and time, make sure to select the correct service which will get your package to its destination on time. The sooner you want your package to arrive, the more you will pay.
- Missed Delivery Attempts
- What it is: The number of times a carrier will attempt to deliver a package to its destination’s address before the recipient must retrieve the package from a carrier’s facility instead.
- Who does it: UPS, FedEx, USPS
- How it affects you: UPS will make three delivery attempts. After those three attempts, they will hold the shipment at a nearby UPS facility for five days before returning it to the sender. FedEx will make one delivery attempt. If you miss it, you can pick up your package at a FedEx Office location, or you can request a redelivery attempt. If you miss the first delivery attempt from the USPS, you can either request a redelivery or go to the post office to pick up your package.
- Dimensional Weight
- What it is: A pricing method which determines the shipping rate based on the dimensions of a package, calculated by multiplying the length, width and height of a package and dividing by a number which varies by a selected class of service.
- Who does it: UPS, FedEx, and USPS in selected circumstances
- How it affects you: The size of your package may affect the price, not just the actual weight. Even if your package is light, you may be charged based on its size instead.
- Residential Surcharge
- What it is: A delivery charge for packages sent to a home or private residence. Even home-based businesses are subject to the residential surcharge since they do not have an entrance open to the public.
- Who does it: UPS and FedEx
- How it affects you: If you don’t have the option of shipping to a business, you may end up paying more for shipping. The surcharge varies by carrier.
- Extended Area Surcharge
- What it is: A fee which is applied to shipments going to areas deemed more remote from the shipping hub than other, closer areas.
- Who does it: UPS and FedEx
- How it affects you: There are thousands of zip codes which are considered part of the “extended area,” and those zip codes vary depending on the carrier you choose. Expect to have a fee tacked on to the final price of your shipment if it’s going to a rural area. While the Post Office doesn’t charge an extended area surcharge, if a delivery address is too far away, they may hold the package and require the recipient to go to a Post Office to pick it up.
We know you’re busy and don’t always have time to compare rates between all the different carriers. That’s why when you visit a Parcel Plus location, we automatically compare shipping rates between UPS, FedEx and USPS to help you find the best rate and service for your package. The next time you need to ship something, visit the Parcel Plus nearest you and make sure you’re getting just what you need.
