FedEx costs no longer competitive?

[clyde10]

I am shipping a 3lb package that is 14 x 12 x 9 from IA to NC and the USPS Priority label costs 8.99. I checked FedEx smartpost and the cost is around $21. FedEx home delivery was also around $21.  It seems to me that FedEx is always higher now. Does anyone disagree?

[berserkerplanet]

I disagree. You can't generalize.

What you are seeing is dimensional weight effects. Your package at 1512 in³ volume is just under the USPS 1728 in³ threshold, dimensional weight doesn't apply, and it ships at 3lb.

FedEx and UPS have no threshold - all pkgs are subject to dimensional weight rating.

That pkg ships at an eBay FedEx Ground/Home Delivery weight of 14x12x9/166 = 10lb and and eBay Smartpost weight of 7lb

If it were slightly larger and exceeded 1728 in³, it would incur USPS dimensional weight, and might be more expensive than FedEx since Priority Mail gets more expensive faster than FedEx as weight (actual or dimensional) increases. And on June 23, it is going to get worse when USPS changes their dimensional weight divisor.

There is no pat answer. In general FedEx is good for heavy things, USPS good for light. Other than that, it has to be evaluated for each pkg.

[clyde10]

Ok, thanks for the helpful info. You are right about the USPS going up very fast with a slightly larger box. In this case I was able to easily cut the box down to the 1512 inches cubed to be under the 1728 and got a decent rate without sacrificing protection. I will continue to check both USPS and FedEx for the best rates, keeping in mind USPS is a somewhat safer avenue.

[moyobami0]

Hello

[moyobami0]

Hello

[berserkerplanet]

It went up really fast if you went over 1728 in³ because Priority dimensional weight kicked in (currently only happens to pkgs to zones 5-9, but will be all zones starting 6/23/19) What I meant by increasing more rapidly is that Priority prices increase almost exponentially at higher weights, whereas FedEx rates increase very little comparatively as pounds are added.


Thought about it a bit more and:

I can't figure out how you arrived at any of the rates you quoted in your OP.

IA to NC is roughly zone 5 (could be 6 maybe but can't determine that without zipcodes). Priority Mail for 3 lb to zone 5 is $9.26 (or $11.95 retail). If you were TRS and getting that extra 3% or so on the Priority rates, the $8.99 might reconcile, but your profile says you are not.

FedEx rates of $21 for a pkg the size you quoted to zone 5 is way too high unless you are talking about FedEx counter weights at retail pricing (which makes any comparison to Priority prices "unfair" since eBay online FedEx label prices would be 30% to 50% less)

Where did you obtain those USPS and FedEx amounts?

[lja440]

FedEx would ALWAYS be higher for me no mater the size or weight of the package.

USPS pickup from my home - FREE

FedEx pickup from my home - $11.45