USPS News of the Day

[TheBrickClique]

7 hours ago, Pseudoty said:

USPS is consolidating its ground shipping options by combining USPS Retail Ground®, First-Class-Package ®, and Parcel Select Ground® into a single service: USPS Ground Advantage™. Get the details from USPS.

The new service will not be available until it is launched July 9, 2023, at which time you may need to update your listings.

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Announcements/USPS-introduces-the-new-ground-shipping-service-USPS-Ground/ba-p/33836509

According to the FAQ, pickup will be available for Ground Advantage -- so we can pickups for what used to be Parcel Select Ground.  Although usually Priority Mail would be cheaper for the zones and I'd freely upgrade or pay a few cents extra just for the Priority Mail pickup if there were no other First Class Packages or Priority Mail packages.  Now, I don't have to weigh the cost of Priority Mail upgrade over the hassle/costs of a trip to the PO.  Win!

[Darth_Raichu]

USPS Ground Adv is cheaper than Priority.   But will it be cheaper than UPS or Fedex Ground ?

[ravenb99]

4 hours ago, Darth_Raichu said:

USPS Ground Adv is cheaper than Priority.   But will it be cheaper than UPS or Fedex Ground ?

Priority moves to be the premium service which already is the same rate as UPS ground on the light stuff (UPS usually undercuts a penny).  This will move to be USPS version of UPS/Fedex Ground so it will compete with those on the further zones and heavier weights.  They are trying to get that piece of the business they lose from the other 2.  Same 2-5 day shipping service now instead of the horrible Parcel Select times and insured up to $100 like the other 2.

My USPS rep stopped by and said probably see a lot of the penny undercutting by both sides on the services like there are now as everyone fights for the packages in the ecomm slowdown.

Ultimately up to the platforms what they want to charge with whatever their base rate is.  Saw it during Xmas a lot this year where they fluctuated the prices to USPS and UPS favor a few times right before the deadlines.   

With UPS drivers not being allowed to scan individual packages on pickup now it will make post office more appealing if your driver scans to keep metrics up.  UPS has been missing a lot higher amount of origin scans compared to the past.

 

[Darth_Raichu]

34 minutes ago, ravenb99 said:

Ultimately up to the platforms what they want to charge with whatever their base rate is.

This is what I am curious to see.  USPS commercial rates can be lower on paper, but the other 2 have exclusive deals on the platforms to make my out of pocket costs even lower.

There was a time before dimensional weight when Parcel Select was way cheaper than the Ground options from the other 2.  So I am not going to complain if USPS Ground can get us there again  

24 minutes ago, ravenb99 said:

and insured up to $100 like the other 2

They made it 3 times harder to claim so this is essentially worthless

[ravenb99]

Ground Advantage rates are pretty good.  Most packages low weight (4 lbs and under) were $1.50 to $3 cheaper than UPS ground.  Question is whether they really match the same service times.  Few UPS were still cheaper as you got more DIM weight involved.

Also undercuts priority by about 80 cents on a lot which on some cheap sales helps out.

Figure try it out now while its slow season and see if they deliver on those shipping times.   Not sure if a big influx comes they could handle it but we shall see.  Would expect UPS matches some in the near term too.

 

[exciter1]

3 hours ago, ravenb99 said:

Ground Advantage rates are pretty good.  Most packages low weight (4 lbs and under) were $1.50 to $3 cheaper than UPS ground.  Question is whether they really match the same service times.  Few UPS were still cheaper as you got more DIM weight involved.

Also undercuts priority by about 80 cents on a lot which on some cheap sales helps out.

Figure try it out now while its slow season and see if they deliver on those shipping times.   Not sure if a big influx comes they could handle it but we shall see.  Would expect UPS matches some in the near term too.

 

I went UPS whenever possible after Christmas 2020 was a nightmare 😂 

[Darth_Raichu]

Interesting how Amazon have not switched to GA while eBay did it on Sunday

[ravenb99]

47 minutes ago, exciter1 said:

I went UPS whenever possible after Christmas 2020 was a nightmare 😂 

yup same that was abysmal.   Least hasn't had that happen again

[ravenb99]

Seems the USPS Ground Advantage mainly hurt the first class stuff.   Lumping it all one is taking the long time for the far zones where as they used to get there in 2 days when combined with the priority.

Used it on 35 package Monday , 27 arrived by today with a few more out for delivery

out of the 8 that didn't make it yet 6 are first class weights.  The heavier stuff 2lbs+ made it quicker it seems.