Why have shipping costs gone up so much lately?

May 26th, 2019.

Why have shipping costs gone up so much lately?

We feel your pain. It's never fun paying for shipping. Unfortunately the big shipping companies don't feel the same way. Just like the airline industry with its infamous up charges and hidden fees, the shipping industry has introduced several hidden surcharges.

Starting in January, 2015 both FedEx and UPS started added theses 5 hidden surcharges.

1. A $3.70 charge for any delivery to any residential address.
2. A 6.75% surcharge on fuel, as of May, 2018.
3. They now charge for DIM Weight instead of actual weight of the package.
4. They now charge $2.70 if your address is too far from where there delivery trucks comes from, which apply to a lot of our orders.
5. And they have another $2.70 charge if your address is 'way' too far from where their trucks come from and this is on top of the normal Freight Charge, which applies to a lot of all orders. So all orders are charged the standard freight bill, and then in addition, $9.10 in surcharges by the shipping companies.

Are we making a profit on shipping?

Absolutely not. Just as the USPS doesn't make a profit, shipping is not an area where we make any money. In fact, we're often taking a loss on the shipping cost of your order.

I'm just buying one  item! Why isn't my shipping cost lower?

Unfortunately the big shipping companies don't care about the size or quantity of your order. They're going to charge you a fee no matter what to deliver it to you. Add to that the 5 surcharges they added in January of 2015 (see our breakdown of them in this answer.) and you can be left with a very unpleasant surprise at checkout.

To avoid as much shipping price pain as possible, we recommend trying to bundle as many of your purchases together to get more bang for your shipping buck.

Is there a surcharge on a small order?

No, there is not.

If I place my order on Saturday morning, will I have it by Monday morning if I pay for next day air?

No. We ship Monday through Friday (excluding holidays), and UPS & FedEx pick up from our dock Monday through Friday (excluding holidays). We do not ship, nor does UPS & FedEx pick up, on Saturday, Sunday, or holidays. Except for circumstances beyond our control, most orders process and ship the same day if placed before 12 noon.

Do you require a signature on some shipments?

Because of credit card fraud all equipment & software order/shipments require a signature.

Why do you only ship  FedEx Ground or FedEx Home Delivery? Why not use UPS?

We want to get our labels to you in an undamaged condition. That is the best situation for you. As of late 2017, we are reporting much higher damage claims with label shipments orders delivered by UPS vs FedEx Ground or FedEx Home Delivery. Therefore, all shipments of labels will ship FedEx Ground or FedEx Home Delivery or YRC freight for truck shipments in most cases.

If I order 2 to 3 day expedited shipping and it ships on Monday, will the latest I get it be on Wednesday?

No, the latest you will get it will be on Thursday. All carriers don't count the day of shipment, or weekends, as days. Shipping on Monday means you would count (Tuesday + Wednesday + Thursday) which is three business days.