The cost of shipping items can vary dramatically, depending on which company a person chooses and the size of their box. There are different considerations to have in mind when choosing which company is best. For instance, is it important to have this package delivered the very next day? Does saving money mean more than timely deliveries? If this is for a business, will the shipping time and package condition possibly reflect badly on the company? Does this need to be delivered to a PO box? For each person, the answer may be different. What might be important to one shipper, is possibly of no consequence to another. It is useful to know exactly what is expected out of the shipping experience before a decision is made regarding which company to use. Each company has its perks and downsides and these can be seen in the cost, as the less expensive options may not have the same guarantee as the more expensive ones do.
1 - The United States Postal Service (USPS)
USPS has lower shipping rates than either UPS or FedEx for packages around 2 pounds. If, however, it is more than 2 pounds, it will most like be more expensive, unless the mailer can use the USPS free flat-rate boxes. As the flat-rate box prices only take into account the size and not the weight, it is cheaper to use this than other methods of shipping. Although FedEx also offers flat-rate boxes, USPS's shipping is still less costly. USPS is also available 365 days a year, and can deliver to both ZIP codes and PO boxes. Their delivery times, though, are not as reliable as UPS or FedEx. However, they do offer a money-back guarantee if the delivery is not on time. USPS has a weight limit of 70 pounds.
2 - UPS
UPS is more reliable than USPS, with a guaranteed delivery of the next day. However, not all disasters are foreseeable, and they also offer a money-back guarantee if something should happen that causes them to be unable to deliver on time. UPS boasts of the fact that they deliver to more ZIP codes and businesses than FedEx. Although UPS is more expensive than USPS, it is about the same price as FedEx and most of the time even slightly cheaper. They also offer their customers free packaging for their shipments. However, unlike both USPS and FedEx, UPS does not offer flat-rate boxes, making them much more expensive for small, heavy shipments. UPS's weight limit is 150 pounds and the package's length may be no more than 108 inches.
3 - FedEx
FedEx is excellent at overnight shipping. Their strong suit is that they deliver faster than either USPS or UPS, with delivery options happening as early as 8 AM. FedEx also provides free packaging for your items. Although it can be a little more expensive than UPS, the guarantee of such an early morning delivery might make up for the slight increase in price. FedEx delivers to over 4,400 ZIP codes. The package may be 150 pounds and up to 119 inches long. However, with their flat-rate shipping boxes, the weight is limited to 10 pounds.