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Ground Advantage vs. Priority
Not sure if I am understanding some of the postings so I may be wrong. My default position is to use USPS Priority. On larger packages/farther zones I will use Fedex or UPS if Priority is more expensive. It seems to me the Ground Advantage now competes with Fedex or UPS on these packages too expensive for Priority since the rate seems to be cheaper and NOW Ground Advantage comes with insurance (up to 100.00). Am I missing something?
33 comments
kh-cathy
·2 years agoHi everyone,
Due to the age of this thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.
Thank you for understanding.
kentj340
·2 years agoThe following is what I learned from a post office clerk about Ground Advantage.
On Jan 4, I created a GA label and put the 13-lb package on the counter inside my local post office a half hour later. Because my customer was complaining I never mailed his package since there were NO SCANS of the label after 9 days, I went back to the post office Jan 13 to ask why no scans. These are exact quotes since I recorded the conversation on my iPhone.
Me: "It was supposed to have been delivered a couple of days ago." (According to the USPS estimated delivery time.)
Clerk: Well, it's Ground Advantage. It takes longer than that. As a matter of fact, they can let it sit there if they wanted. That's why they went to that Ground Advantage instead of First Class packaging."
Makes me wonder what exactly is the written procedure in the USPS manual for handling GA. Looks to me it is low priority among other kinds of mail, and clerks will ignore GA to process other kinds of mail first.
kentj340
·2 years agoAnother experience with Ground Advantage: On Jan 10, I created a GA label for a 15-ounce shipment, and it was picked up the same day from my mailbox. Jan 23 it was "Accepted at USPS Origin Facility", my local post office 3.6 miles from my mailbox. The tracking number: 9400108205499665047591
Check it out.
I had deliberately made the shipment 15 ounces instead of 1 lb to avoid Priority Mail. I should have used Priority Mail.
elmomax
·2 years agoground advantage is awful. packages sit waiting to be processed with numerous delays at stopover points. 12 days and still waiting for delivery with no end in sight. awful, just awful. will not buy from seller if they ship ground advantage with no other options.
Unavailable member
·2 years agoTwo things.
One this thread is from 2023
Two the reason Ground Advantage is slower is because the packages are transported by truck not by air like priority.
Plus depending on where your seller is there have been weather conditions slowing down USPS.
deserdog
·2 years agoYou have to sign up at Piratship.com. No monthly charge, just have to pay for the labels. Here is an example that compare the cost of Pirate Ship to Etsy labels for a 12x12x12 package that weigh 2 lbs.
Zone 1
Ebay: GA $6.83 Priority $7.00
Pirate Ship: GA $5.95 Priority $6.79
Zone 8
Ebay: GA $9.88 Priority $13.17
Pirate Ship: $9.88 Priority $13.17
So in this example for sales that are closer to you, Pirate Ship is cheaper but the same for sales further away.
elihech-0
·3 years agoWhen I was selling on eBay, I mostly shipped via USPS First Class, one item (at the buyer's request) I shipped via Media Mail. None of my buyers seemed fraudulent, though. I started this February and stopped around the dead of March at my parents' request.
Anyways, changing the subject, this leaves me confused and concerned. Do sellers and/or buyers have to pay up to $100 for insurance included with USPS Ground Advantage for each package?
P.S. Lately I've been having some anxiety issues and acting like a worrywart.
nobody*s_perfect
·3 years agoThere is no charge for the insurance, which covers package value up to $100; same as Priority coverage.
elihech-0
·3 years agoOh, that's good. Thanks, friend.
fern*wood
·3 years agoI just printed a 5 lb label with Priority mail and noticed the Ground advantage price was higher. I had forgotten we still get a TRS discount which makes Priority more appealing to use---plus the name looks better.
yuzuha
·3 years agoI've found that in most cases, there's virtually no real price difference between Priority and Parcel Select/Ground Advantage unless you're shipping something really heavy. Like, looking at the label options for the 2 lb package I'm mailing tomorrow, it's $7.20 for Priority versus $7.15 for Ground Advantage. There's absolutely no reason to use GA rather than Priority there.
deserdog
·3 years agoMy last 5 parcel select ground package were delivered in 2 or 3 days to zones 7 and 8. Correct me if I am wrong, but the post office uses other companies to ship via air priority packages to zones 5-9. And they pay volume versus weight. So it only makes since if a bin only half full of priority packages be filled up with now ground advantage and or media mail. Most of my first class, parcel select ground and media mail to furhter zones have been delivered in 2 or 3 days. this indicated air transport to me.
craigkevin
OP3 years agoI have shipped packages same day to same location and had no difference between Parcel and Priority thus my question, if Ground Advantage is now insured, why not use it. I do know Priority is advertised faster and offers free supplies. Aside from that I don't see it given the price delta.
pooh333piglet
·3 years agoNo that's what I think USPS was also after with some of these changes. Their Competition.
714ricki
·3 years agoGround Advantage will use truck & train options & will have unsteady delivery times....while Priority will use air or truck & will have a more exact delivery time. Why not offer both options to the buyer & let them decide on what is best suited for their situation. Price vs Time! ✌ï¸ðŸ™ðŸ˜Ž
craigkevin
OP3 years agoAware of unsteady delivery times so basically we are talking a single day. I don't offer options to buyers. There would be too many options. I decide based on the shipping options/logistics. My question was about the 'new' apparent direct competition with other options given it is now insured. Thanks though.
sapphire_studio
·3 years agoIf you use pirate ship cubic rates for ground Advantage you will save even more. They must be trying to really phase out priority because it's a lot more money for only getting there a day or two sooner. I don't think it's worth paying 5 to 10 dollars more to ship a heavy item just for a free box. And if you're passing on the cost to the buyer instead that could easily cost you the sale against your competitors who have switched to ground advantage.
craigkevin
OP3 years agoI didn't see any difference with Pirate Ship. Do you have a comparison to provide? Thanks.
nobody*s_perfect
·3 years agoPirate Ship offers Priority Cubic pricing, which is not available through eBay postage labels.
craigkevin
OP3 years agoI seldom come to this board and tried to find my answer elsewhere before posting and I see you are all over the place on many of these postings. Do you have idea on the reason USPS now insures Ground Advantage whereas PArcel Select was not. Other than supposed faster shipping and free supplies I see no real purpose other than to try to assume the approximately 30% of my shipments that would otherwise go to Fedex or UPS where Priority is too expensive. That's really what I was wondering and probably didn't state well since most of these replies are answering something completely different.
nobody*s_perfect
·3 years agoOver the years, USPS has deliberately become more competitive with the private carriers, and adding insurance to their ground shipping service is only the latest step in that process. Remember back when we had to pay extra for tracking?
Adding insurance to GA is clearly a ploy to attract business away from UPS and FedEx. And it probably won't cost USPS much, since they apparently decline most damage claims.
When you're deciding whether Priority costs more than Ground Advantage, be sure to compare the GA rate to eBay's actual discounted price for a Priority Mail label. eBay's rate is often lower than USPS's published Commercial rate; IIRC this is true for packages up to 5 or 10 pounds and out to Zone 4. For instance, shipping a 5-pound package to Zone 4 costs
$14.05 Priority retail
$12.45 Ground Advantage retail
$10.27 Priority Commercial published rate
$8.92 Ground Advantage eBay label
$7.47 Priority eBay label
You can use eBay's shipping calculator to check on their prices for Priority labels; AFAIK nobody has put together a handy reference chart of these prices.
http://www.ebay.com/shp/Calculator
deserdog
·3 years agoZones 1 -Zone 4, you get a really good rate.
2 lbs. 12x12x8 $6.92 GA $7.05 priority
3 lbs. """""""" $7.08 GA $7.13 priority
4 lbs. """""""" $7.10 GA $7.17 priority
5 lbs. """""""" $7.29 GA $7.37 priority
6 lbs. """""""' $7.75 GA $7.81 priority
All are below commercial rate.
craigkevin
OP3 years agoMaking my point.
craigkevin
OP3 years agoOf course I know those price points. To someone like me, it seems the big thing was insurance which wasn't offered before. So personally USPS will get more GA from me but it will come from 1) UPS and Fedex shipments, and 2) USPS Priority. Today for first time I had three times as many GA as Priority. Typically I have 80% Prioriry, 15% Fedex or UPS, and 5% Parcel Select. So to draw UPS and Fedex they will invariably reduce their Priority volume also; free supplies and supposedly faster shipping, notwithstanding. Are you ebay employee?
nobody*s_perfect
·3 years agoI just don't see insurance as a big deal. How many claims do you have?
fern*wood
·3 years agoI can't shake the feeling that the name GROUND advantage will have a negative connotation to many buyers.
meryla2909
·2 years agoHi again,
Maybe you can help me! I use the ebay calculator for my big item and it is says 102 ground advantage and 43 ups. From Idaho to Miami. When I choose the cheaper one and it goes to my listing it is a lot more!
What is wrong!
meryla2909
·2 years agoSo how do you use it when you sell through ebay? How do you print the label and show ebay that it has been shipped? I am sorry, I am a little new at this!
buyselljack2016
·2 years ago@meryla2909
Pirateship can be set up to integrate the shipping info to/from your eBay account.
meryla2909
·2 years agoThanks for answering, how do I do it? I only have a starter store, maybe that i why I do not see it?
Happy Thanksgiving!
meryla2909
·2 years agoHi I have been a seller for a year now, what is Pirate ship. I want to be competitive with my shipping costs I have some big items to ship and if I can save money I would love to pass it on to my buyers or even keep a couple of dollars per transcation!
Is Usps priority faster than UPS ground advantage?
Maria
nobody*s_perfect
·2 years agoAs the names imply, USPS Priority Mail is usually faster than either UPS Ground or USPS Ground Advantage.
Pirateship is a private company which also sells online postage labels. They offer some services which you can't get through eBay shipping labels such as Priority Cubic and Ground Advantage Cubic. But those are not for large packages so won't help you.