EmailBest Reviewed
Shipping Companies
- Best for shipping non-critical packages United States Postal Service *Est. $0
- Most reliable overnight delivery FedEx *Est. $0
- Best for ground deliveries UPS *Est. $0
- International shipments DHL *Est. $0
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Best for ground deliveries
- Thousands of locations
- Informative website
- Guaranteed on-time delivery of all shipments
- Free insurance
- Detailed tracking
- No delivery to post office boxes or military post offices
- Sometimes more expensive than others
We found the best review for UPS at Unishippers.com where over 14,000 shipments with DHL, UPS and FedEx are compared. Consumer Reports also compares shipments between major companies, though not nearly as many. We also found good comparison reviews at BloggingStocks.com and eBay Reviews.
Reviewers say that UPS is the company to go to for ground shipments, especially heavy packages. Ground shipping can sometimes be less expensive than Parcel Post with USPS, depending on the weight and destination, and is usually faster, too. What's more, UPS guarantees on-time delivery with all of their shipments, with the exception of ground shipments during the holiday season. UPS and FedEx offer similar shipping options, namely three overnight delivery services in addition to a two- and three-day service and ground shipping. Prices at both locations are very similar, though UPS is slightly more expensive. Like FedEx, UPS includes $100 of complimentary insurance on every package. Each additional $100 of coverage costs $1.
Our Sources
A 2006 study performed by PA Consulting Group finds UPS to be 90.83 percent reliable with its 10:30 a.m. overnight delivery service compared to 90.66 percent for DHL and 88.02 percent for FedEx. The study was sponsored exclusively by DHL.
Review: U.S. Domestic 10:30am Delivery Performance Study, Ken Rubin, 2006
2. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
Editors of Consumer Reports look at the big U.S. shipping companies for both overnight and non-critical deliveries. Shipping and packing tips are included in this free article.
Review: Overnight Shipping: FedEx vs. UPS vs. the Postal Service, Editors of Consumer Reports, Dec. 2008
A BloggingStocks.com poll shows that readers prefer UPS to FedEx 61 to 39 percent. Prices for the two companies in 2008 are exactly the same in four out of six categories.
Review: Battle of the Brands: UPS vs. FedEx, Kevin Shult, May 5, 2008
Author Kevin Shult says that with all of the UPS locations in the United States, it would be almost impossible not to find one near you. Shult also points out that UPS has an advantage over FedEx with ground shipments because it owns over 25,000 more vehicles.
Review: UPS vs. FedEx: Battle of the Brands, Kevin Shult, Apr. 9, 2007
5. eBay.com
The author of this article, known only as "lookinforit05," points out that insurance up to $100 is included for free with every UPS shipment and that each additional $100 of coverage is only a dollar more. It is suggested, however, that UPS is not very gentle with packages and that having items packed by the UPS Store is pricey.
Review: Shipping on eBay and Shipping Tips, "lookinforit05", Aug. 16, 2008
