UPS and FedEx alternatives

It's my understanding that any package being delivered by both UPS and Fed Ex must be able to sustain a drop from 4-5" on all sides in order to make a damage claim making insurance moot if you did not pack your item properly

I am not familiar with a USPS method that offers true tracking - delivery notification sure, but not true tracking like FedEx or UPS. Ever since they lost a large mortgage payoff check that I sent via priority mail, in their packaging, with delivery confirmation, I will not use USPS for anything of high value. It has been 6 years, and that check has never shown up.

My shipments of expensive gear all go by FedEx Saver or 2nd day Air. It is my understanding that both of these methods are air shipments and are generally handled a little more carefully than ground. Lamm and Joule both recommend the FedEx air shipping methods for their stuff, not ground and not UPS.

Expensive and heavy stuff, like large speakers, can be properly boxed, securely strapped to a pallet and sent by commercial truck.

Regarding insurance, I recently ran into a situation where the local FedEx station told me "electronics may only be insured up to $1,000." I have never heard or been told that before, and FedEx has always been more than happy to take my money for higher insurance values. I didn't think to ask at the time, but maybe they have another category with higher limits that they use for "stereo equipment?" I need to check to see if my homeowners covers these types of shippments.

Checkout Pilot Air on a pallet. Very safe IMO.

Good idea but there is no more DHL service in the United States.

DHL is (I think) the third big player in that business. You could try them.

Thanks. You might be right on the restrictions on US parcel post deliveries, another factor is insurance. I wonder if freight companies like Fedex freight or Panther ship ground packages to residential. There's got to be more than a couple alternatives.

Hi Jeremy, your better off shipping US Postal Parcel Post for 100lbs, You've seen the videos of UPS and FedEx drivers throwing packages like HDTV's over the fence, "I’m sure they all do it, even US mail" I ship with US postal all over the US every few days and I can only think off 2 times maybe 3 times of shipments being return due to sender not there to sign or damaged. But that’s like every 100 orders or so. Just get tracking and insurance from the US Mail when you send out. I'm not sure what the limitations for something that heavy. US Mail might have restrictions on the weight and size.