Companies today expect quick, easy and cost-effective shipping solutions. And carrier pickup fits the bill. Customers can notify the local post office of pre-paid packages that will be available for pickup... View More
Editor�s Note: How have rate increases by UPS, FedEx Ground and the U.S. Postal Service affected the industry�s top consolidators? We posed this question to consolidator companies, and here are their responses.... View More
Until recently, a hassle was what most catalog and online customers could expect if they had second thoughts about a purchase. But not now. Now direct sales merchandisers who want to get a leg up on the... View More
Americans have always had a fascination with time travel and the possibility of venturing either centuries into the past or future. As children, we heard of mail that was delivered by stagecoach, on horseback... View More
American Freightways, a scheduled for-hire carrier of less-than-truckload (LTL) shipments of general commodities, has been using dock-mounted computer terminals since 1993, the year the company adopted... View More
When R.R. Donnelley Logistics purchased CTC Distribution Direct in February, the acquisition represented a dramatic oppor-tunity for both companies. Chicago-based Donnelley Logistics, the shipping and... View More
Most shippers limit their alternatives to the largest domestic players such as UPS, FedEx, Airborne and the U.S. Postal Service (including consolidators). Have you ever wondered if there were any alternatives... View More
Montgomery Ward closed its doors, Chrysler announced plant closings and the layoff of 20% of its work force, UPS profits soar nine percent, JC Penney idles thousands and closes stores, CNN cuts workforce,... View More
Eight million small businesses rely on the U.S. Postal Service as a low-cost communications and delivery network. More than $9 trillion-trillion in bills and payments move through the mail each year. It... View More
Critical changes at UPS, FedEx and DHL yield both good and bad news for shippers. The bad news is that rates continue to rise. 2005 tariffs for each of these carriers have risen an average of 2.9%. In... View More
The United States Postal Service is facing unprecedented challenges as the new century unfolds. Postal Service projections indicate that First Class mail will decline at an average annual rate of 2.5%... View More
Modern Woodmen of America is the nation�s fifth largest fraternal life insurance society. The organization was founded in 1883 and today provides life insurance and annuity products for more than 750,000... View More
On February 7th, United Parcel Service�s (UPS) new rates went into effect. The December 29, 1999 news release announced that the rate increase is �modest.� Whether or not that is true depends on which... View More
As everything goes �e� so, too, do we. Already, we are experiencing a growth in package volumes as e-commerce vendors look for low shipping costs that don�t compromise service levels. The U.S. Postal Service... View More
I can�t remember any development in carrier pricing that has been more volatile than the dastardly Delivery Area Surcharge. To say I have been inundated with calls and e-mails about the subject would not... View More
This month�s Viewpoint column by William J. Augello not only is inaccurate but one-sided. I begin by noting he has singled out UPS for criticism over procedures that are standard throughout the industry.... View More
The growth of the parcel consolidation sector can be seen in one simple statistic: over half of the companies listed in our survey entered the parcel consolidation business in 1997 or later. Clearly, the... View More
Like many companies, Aspen Direct discovered that shipping small packages First Class was draining its mail center budget. The Mount Prospect, IL-based company that specializes in promotional and... View More
�Close the door and have a seat, Jon,� the boss said. Jon felt his face grow hot and was surprised that his shirt was soaking wet with sweat. This was a new job, a great company and an exciting time. However,... View More
United Parcel Service raised $5.5 billion last fall with its record-setting initial public offering. The obvious question at the time was how UPS would spend its new-found fortune. No one expected the... View More
