Real-Time Ocean Rate Data
With ocean rates continuing to rise week after week, it’s important to have access to Real-Time ocean rate data, here are the latest weekly updates from Xeneta.
Click here to visit Xeneta to learn more.
With ocean rates continuing to rise week after week, it’s important to have access to Real-Time ocean rate data, here are the latest weekly updates from Xeneta.
Click here to visit Xeneta to learn more.
We reported earlier today that UPS has reinstated modified versions of their Guaranteed Service Delivery Refund Program. Now, our friends at FedEx have made an announcement that they too will be reinstating their Guaranteed Service Delivery Refund Program effective today, April 6, 2021 for some of their Express Delivery Products. As with UPS’ announcement, FedEx has not yet indicated whether they will reinstate the Guaranteed Service Refund Programs for any of their Ground Service Products.
Want to make sure you take advantage of the Service Delivery Refund Program? Reach out to us today
Below is a copy of the FedEx announcement.
The pain of paying ever-rising ocean rates for US Importers will continue into May and there is no end in sight. Effective May 1, 2021, a General Rate Increase (GRI) has been filed for all cargo imported from Asia ports of loading, to U.S.A., Canada, and Mexico ports/ramps of discharge.
The proposed increases are as follows:
USD 900 / 20′
USD 1,000 / 40′
USD 1,125 / 40′ HQ
USD 1,125 / 40′ Reefer
USD 1,266 / 45′
USD 1,600 / 53′
If US importers are waiting to finalize their 2021 ocean contracts with the steamship lines in the hopes that rates will start to decline soon, a word of advice. Don’t wait any longer because there is no end in sight to these General Rate Increases. And, to add insult to injury, getting your containers on the ship, even at these greatly increased prices will be the real challenge.
Want to take control of rising international shipping costs? Click here to learn more.
Last week we reported that UPS was going to finally reinstate its Money Back Guarantee program on April 5, 2021 for late deliveries, at least for some of their service offerings. Well UPS did in fact make that announcement on their website yesterday.
First and foremost, remember that effective March 26, 2020, UPS suspended its UPS Service Guarantee for all shipments from any origin to any destination as a result of the Covid-19 Pandemic. For all U.S. origin shipments, the Service Guarantee suspension actually became effective on March 24, 2020.
Now, effective April 5, 2021 the UPS Service Guarantee will be reinstated however ONLY for the following services. UPS Next Day Air services (UPS Next Day Air® Early, UPS Next Day Air® and UPS Next Day Air Saver®) and UPS Worldwide Express services (UPS Worldwide Express NA1®, UPS Worldwide Express Plus®, UPS Worldwide Express®, UPS Worldwide Express Saver®, UPS Worldwide Saver, UPS Worldwide Express Freight® Midday and UPS Worldwide Express Freight®).
In its announcement, UPS made the following provision changes and it’s a big one. “Until further notice, the guaranteed delivery time for UPS Next Day Air Saver® deliveries has been extended to end-of-day (11:59 p.m. on the guaranteed day of delivery). The Service Guarantee remains suspended for all other UPS shipments from any origin to any destination. Also, delivery times for UPS Next Day Air Saver® and UPS 2nd Day Air A.M.® services scheduled for delivery on or after March 30, 2020 will be extended to end-of-day (11:59 p.m. on the guaranteed day of delivery) until further notice.”
It’s important to note that while UPS extended the time its deliveries for these services will qualify as “on-time” did not reduce its fees for these services to compensate shippers for these extended delivery times.
It is not clear at this point at least, whether UPS will reinstate their service guarantees for their Ground Delivery Services, nor is it clear if FedEx will play “Follow the Leader” in reinstating it’s service guarantees, so stay tuned!
Want to make sure you are taking advantage of this reinstatement? Contact us today to learn more.
According to several sources said to be familiar with this matter, and reported by Freightways, UPS Inc. will partially reinstate its money-back guarantees for late or missed deliveries, effective April 5, 2021.
For now, what we hear is UPS will resume its “guaranteed service refunds” (GSRs) program for its three next-day air delivery products: Early A.M. (deliveries by 8 a.m.), Next-Day Air (by 10:30 a.m.), and Next Day Air Saver (by mid-afternoon),. This policy shift will not extend, at least for now, to UPS’ Ground Parcel delivery services.
When reached about this news, UPS declined comment.
UPS suspended its money-back guarantees in March, 2020, citing unprecedented market conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. UPS’ main rival, FedEx, which also suspended its service guarantees, has not yet indicated whether it will reinstate its Money Back Guarantee programs.
UPS and FedEx have sterling delivery performance records, hitting their targets roughly 98% to 99% of the time. Still, given the two carriers’ massive volumes — UPS delivers about 17 million daily packages — even a 1% to 2% blemish translates into big bucks should every shipper whose deliveries weren’t made on time file claims that the carriers couldn’t dispute.
The program also represents a fertile revenue source for parcel consultants that shippers retain to analyze carrier performance, identify problem shipments and collect a cut of any refunds granted to the shipper.
Want to learn how you can take advantage of GSR reinstatement? Reach out to us today to learn more.
Attention ALL Postal Shippers, the USPS has proposed changes to two of their business services. The proposed changes must first be approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission, but odds are these changes will in fact go into place on the dates specified in the USPS announcement issued on Friday, March 26, 2021.
The proposed changes will affect Bound Printed Matter, (BPM) and Priority Mail Express, (PME.) For Bound Printed Matter, products containing advertising, promotional, directory or editorial material such as catalogs, books and other printed material will now be classified as “Competitive Products” and allow the USPS to offer various pricing strategies to better respond to market conditions for such products.
The BIG change for Priority Mail Express Service, will now guarantee delivery by 6PM on the guaranteed delivery date rather than providing users of this service with a variety of delivery guarantee times, previously at 10:30, Noon or 3PM. USPS states that the price for utilizing Priority Mail Express will not change.
Below, is a copy of the USPS official notification of these changes.
The United States Postal Service filed notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) seeking to transfer Bound Printed Matter (BPM) Parcels to the Competitive Product list, and simplifying the delivery time for Priority Mail Express (PME).
The changes to PME will take effect no earlier than May 23, 2021. The BPM Parcel change will take effect on a date yet to be determined and is subject to approval by the PRC.
Currently, PME has three guaranteed delivery time windows within the 1 – 2 business day service standards: 10:30 a.m. (in select locations, for an extra fee), noon, or 3 p.m. The new single guaranteed delivery time will be 6 p.m. on the committed delivery day, regardless of package origin and destination.
The price of using PME as a shipping option will not change. The current price for PME flat rate envelope starts at $26.35. Additional pricing information can be found on our website.
BPM parcels contain advertising, promotional, directory or editorial material such as catalogs, books and other printed material, and can weigh up to 15 pounds. The contents must be securely bound by permanent fastening such as staples, spiral binding, glue, or stitching. The Postal Service has requested that the PRC change the classification of BPM parcels from a Market Dominant product to a Competitive product.
By transferring these parcels to the Competitive Product list, the Postal Service will have a greater opportunity to utilize product and pricing strategies to be market responsive and better aligned with the Postal Service’s shipping product portfolio.
Bound Printed Matter flats — generally catalogs up to three-quarters of an inch thick and weighing more than one pound — will remain as a Market Dominant product.
The PRC will review the changes before they are scheduled to take effect. The complete Postal Service filings can be found on the PRC site under the Daily Listings section at prc.gov/dockets/daily.