Federal Express

Being realistic means being practical and/or pragmatic.
For holiday 2013, there were five really big factors that were going to impact final delivery. And yet UPS and FedEx still failed to be realistic, practical, or pragmatic in communicating their failure to deliver on their promises for holiday 2013. Let's first take a step back. What were the five big factors impacting final delivery?

Amazon.com and United Parcel Service said Thursday that they would offer refunds to customers who did not receive their Christmas orders on time, after a larger-than-expected surge in last-minute online shopping caught the shipping giant off guard. Customers who failed to get their deliveries by Christmas Day will get $20 gift cards and refunds on shipping charges, Amazon said. UPS also offered refunds on shipping costs. FedEx did not promise refunds but said it would work with people affected.

FedEx introduced a new product called One Rate that offers a flat-rate shipping option. If you sell on eBay, you might have seen the ads for FedEx One Rate as you browse the site. Is FedEx One Rate a good fit for online merchants? Rafael Zimberoff, product manager for ShipRush, a shipping automation tool that integrates with shipping carriers, marketplaces, listing tools, accounting tools and more, put it into perspective for those in the e-commerce space. Zimberoff said FedEx One Rate was a response to USPS Priority Mail flat-rate boxes, which he called "a beautiful product."

Rounding up the year's best tips to help you optimize your business.

Last week, UPS announced its 2014 general rate increase. Ground, air and international parcel products will increase an average of 4.9 percent, effective Dec. 30, 2013.

This time of year, e-tailers are finalizing preparations for seasonal sales spikes. Efforts have included everything from stockpiling inventories to bolstering the labor force. However, one important and necessary action many have overlooked will contribute to higher costs and lost profits. Has your organization recently negotiated better shipping discounts with FedEx, UPS and other parcel carriers?

For the typical e-commerce startup that's selling a physical product, shipping is often an afterthought. Compared to splashy marketing campaigns and new product features, shipping isn't exactly the sexiest topic. However, efficient shipping operations directly affect revenue and future growth, and companies that don't adhere to best practices run the risk of having increasing sales without raking in enough profits. Consider implementing these six tips:

ClickZ recently reported that Fortune 100 brands are missing an opportunity when it comes to delivering a mobile experience to consumers. Not one of the companies analyzed received a perfect score of five. Here are some of the results: Coca-Cola and FedEx tied for first with a score of 4.49; TIAA-CREF and Walgreens tied with…

This week FedEx announced average rate increases of 3.9 percent for express and international services, effective January 6, 2014. Unlike previous rates increases, FedEx will not offset rate increases by modifying fuel surcharge indexes. However, for many shippers the impact will be greater than the "average" increases announced, especially for deferred express products.

Google FedEx SmartPost or UPS SurePost and plenty of hits show up in the search results. Some reviews are positive, extolling benefits that include cost effectiveness and fewer surcharges over air/ground alternatives, end-to-end package visibility, free Saturday delivery, and more. However, your search results will include complaints ranging from transit times that were too lengthy to crushed/damaged packages. One thing is for sure: With the meteoric growth of e-commerce and consumers’ demand for free or low cost shipping, these services are here to stay.