DHL? better = cheaper then UPS or FeDEX?

John Casler · « **on:** 28 Feb 2006, 02:59 am »

Not sure if this is the right circle for this, but I recently had to ship a 120# amp.

UPS wanted over $95 and for me to drop it off

FedEx wanted about the same.

DHL was $66 and they came to my door (THAT AFTERNOON!!

) and picked it up.

Is this typical?

gitarretyp · « **Reply #1 on:** 28 Feb 2006, 03:07 am »

I've found DHL to be cheaper overall. They're also a lot faster --usually 2-3 days anywhere in the country. However, they charge a lot for insurance comparatively.

arthurs · « **Reply #2 on:** 28 Feb 2006, 03:10 am »

Yes it is, but I deal with all 3 in mass and would never select DHL for my personal items. Far more errors, lost/damaged, and timing issues than the other two, it is cheaper but it isn't better....none of them is perfect, but give me FedEx every time. Now I only ship around 75,000 packages a day so what do i know.....

hubcaps · « **Reply #3 on:** 28 Feb 2006, 03:25 am »

I like DHL. I occasionally have to ship out hazmat stuff for work and their paper work is so much easier... thus cheaper.

A lot of the packages we get, mostly from pharm companies use DHL. I haven't seen a problem yet.

bubba966 · « **Reply #4 on:** 28 Feb 2006, 03:46 am »

for DHL & UPS as well. I've stopped dealing with companies when possible if all they use is DHL or UPS.

Give me FedEx or USPS any day over those two...

maxwalrath · « **Reply #5 on:** 28 Feb 2006, 03:49 am »

Fed Ex was going to come to my door and pick up 2 BIG 100lb boxes, insure them for $800 each, deliver them to California, and only charge me $130.

The rates seem to vary often enough that I usually check prices on a few carriers each time I ship.

ajzepp · « **Reply #6 on:** 28 Feb 2006, 04:24 am »

I used to work for UPS....therefore I know better than to send anything likely to get broken through that service. I go with FedEx every time.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #7 on:** 28 Feb 2006, 04:45 am »

FedEx has worked for me...knock wood , no problems !!

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #8 on:** 28 Feb 2006, 04:46 am »

DHL seems to be not only the cheapest, but the fastest, too.

I think they use USPS as their main pipeline and deliver the 'last mile' in their own trucks. I've had packages from the East Coast get here in 2 days (unharmed) and cheapest among the Big 3.

I'm not sure about the USPS backbone thing - but I think I remember reading that a while ago.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #9 on:** 28 Feb 2006, 04:53 am »

For smaller items, USPS - Priority Mail works great. And they now have a flat rate box shipping fee.... http://www.usps.com/shipping/flatrate.htm?from=priority&page=flatrate

MaxCast · « **Reply #10 on:** 28 Feb 2006, 11:58 am »

If you ship a few packages a month it may be worth while to get an account. You can print shipping lables from you PC. You have to pay $2 per box for a call to pick up. Or you can take to a ups shipping center or give them to a ups driver for no $2. Rates are cheaper with an account vs. counter sales.

bpape · « **Reply #11 on:** 28 Feb 2006, 02:36 pm »

For smaller items I use USPS all the time. Good pricing, reliable, decent transit times, etc.

For larger items, I've found FedEx to be the most cost effective and reasonably priced most of the time. I do drop it off but that's just to save a couple bucks.

Also, FedEx Home Delivery usually charges about $2 per package for the service but they also deliver on Saturdays at no extra charge.

rbrb · « **Reply #12 on:** 28 Feb 2006, 04:00 pm »

As a Canadian I try and not use UPS or Fed Ex. They have a great scam going if something crosses the border from the U.S into Canada.

With the free trade agreement American made electronics should be able to cross the border without duties all though federal sales tax would still apply.

Every item shipped across the border gets charged with a brokerage fee regardless what the item is, it's value or whether it's new or used. Generally the charge is $60. $60 of pure profit.

The USPS does not charge a brokerage fee. I have not tried DHL yet.

aggielaw · « **Reply #13 on:** 28 Feb 2006, 04:00 pm »

I had to ship my amp back to Steve McCormack about 3 weeks ago and used DHL because the local people there are very friendly and helpful.

I had them pack it, so the counter clerk and I talked for about 20 minutes while it was packed, and he mentioned FedEx and UPS both raised their rates significantly to cover the skyrocketed price of fuel from Katrina and Rita, and because nobody complained loudly enough, neither service has dropped their rates. DHL, he said, has not (yet) raised their rates, but he expected them to do so this year. I shipped a couple of parcels by FedEx and UPS last week, and sure enough, they were more expensive than they used to be.

The amp had to go from Tucson, Arizona to San Diego, California. A mere 8-hour drive. Of course, DHL managed to bend the hell out of one of the heat fins on the side of the amp, and Steve later told me DHL is not a preferred shipping service (presumably because they have a higher rate of breaking things than UPS [pronounced "Oops"]) if that's possible.

It seems there's still no clear favorite for shipping.

The happy part of the story: that little voice in the back of my head told me to buy insurance for my amp. Best $25 I ever spent.