Re: Plant disaster/ups versus usps

Just received a USPS priority mail package containing an ordered plant. 
Plant was sent on 5/16 and arrived 5/20 in good condition.  Leaves were not
wilted; planting material still damp.  I planted it late this afternoon and
watered.   Stamps on the package indicated that it was processed through
Louisville, KY which seems strange to me but I don't know the sorting
centers from mid-West to East.

Bonnie Zone 6+ ETN




> [Original Message]
> From: Marge Talt <mtalt@hort.net>
> To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
> Date: 05/18/2004 8:42:58 PM
> Subject: Re: [CHAT] Plant disaster/ups versus usps
>
> David, when you ship a plant, is it still in the pot?  How large a
> pot?  How tall are the plants you're shipping?
>
> Virtually every nursery sending plants from west coast to east will
> either ONLY send 2nd day or 3rd day or highly recommends it - or
> takes no responsibility for the state of the plant on arrival if the
> buyer selects ground shipping.  Forestfarm will ship ground between
> certain dates only, when they can be sure the plants are dormant and
> the weather in other parts of the country won't either freeze or cook
> the plants.
>
> There's been a thread on Trillium-L about shipping costs - got fairly
> lively - but the upshot is that shipping costs are high from the
> carrier standpoint and those costs need to include pulling, packing
> and paperwork as well as the actual shipping for a nursery to not
> lose its shirt in the long run.  Labor and materials for shipping
> ain't free - even if it's your own labor....that shouldn't be free as
> you are in business to make a profit, not go bankrupt:-)
>
> One of the reasons you generally get smaller plants via mailorder is
> the cost of shipping!
>
> From what I gather, figuring out shipping charges is one of the major
> headaches of doing mailorder sales!
>
> Seems odd that your UPS isn't offering 3 day select...but you can't
> account for what UPS does or does not do these days.  I used to
> prefer them, but now, when I ship plants, I send them priority
> mail...haven't had any problems with that method.  Have also shipped
> Fedex Ground and thought I'd found something better than UPS, but
> with the tacked on fees, the costs ended up being more than priority
> mail...so that's the end of Fedex ground for me!  I think UPS has
> lost its collective mind with their charges, but they have the market
> fairly well sewn up and guess they can charge what they like these
> days.
>
> BTW, Kitty, I don't trust any of the carrier's web site pricing...the
> end price is ALWAYS substantially higher than the web site quote...at
> least that's been my recent experience.  You get a ballpark and
> comparison between carriers for x size and weight of box going to
> x...but what they show online ain't gonna be what they want to
> actually ship it.
>
> Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
> mtalt@hort.net
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> ----------
> > From: David Franzman <dfranzma@pacbell.net>
> > Kitty, I've checked with my UPS folks for the fastest yet most
> economical
> > delivery and if 3 day select was among the choices it had to have
> been
> > considerably more expensive than that. I will certainly ask again
> but I'm
> > afraid the cost differential is significantly higher.   (I"m not
> doubting
> > you I just wonder if that is offered here and if the cost is only
> $10 more I
> > would have used it.) Now mind you that my plants don't weigh 20# so
> if the
> > choice were $13 (which is what is typical for that distance and by
> the way
> > they guarantee 7 day delivery) or $46 that's a huge difference when
> you
> > talking about a $20 plant.
> > 
> > Parcel post, as I've been told could take up to two weeks as they
> don't
> > guarantee a particular delivery time.
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: "Kitty" <kmrsy@comcast.net>
> > 
> > > David,
> > > Other choices include UPS 3-day select and USPS Priority Mail -
> also 3
> > day.
> > > They are more expensive than ground shipping but are a  bit less
> than some
> > > of the faster services.
> > >
> > > If you shipped a 20 pound 12x12x12 inch package from Santa Rosa
> CA  to St.
> > > Augustine FL by UPS:
> > > Next Day Air -  $94.61
> > > 2nd Day Air -  $59.36
> > > 3day select -  $46.75
> > > Ground  -   $25.25
> > >
> > > Same package via USPS:
> > > Express Mail - Overnite (usually, they say)  $53.45
> > > Priority Mail 3day  - $36.40
> > > Parcel Post 7day  -   $26.12
> > >
> > > For an extra $10 I might opt to get my plants in better
> condition.  I once
> > > ordered from Greer and they sent via UPS ground and it took 10
> days.  They
> > > don't offer 3 day select for some reason, so it has to be ground
> or 2nd
> > day
> > > air.
>
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