٭٭٭ No Man Walks Alone - Official Affiliate Thread ٭٭٭ (a.k.a. I shouldn't have slept on it)

[Trayco]

Shipping question.
Have y’all been using FedEx more lately for any certain reason?
My preference is ups so I can easily redirect if I need to.
Just curious
Thanks!

 

[gdl203]

Yes, we are starting to use Fedex more and eventually will likely shift all shipments to Fedex. UPS is crushing us with rate increases and Fedex is a little better. With free shipping representing almost all orders and orders being smaller and smaller (many more 1 item orders), all of our margin is going to UPS for shipping and return shipping.

 

[Trayco]

Yes, we are starting to use Fedex more and eventually will likely shift all shipments to Fedex. UPS is crushing us with rate increases and Fedex is a little better. With free shipping representing almost all orders and orders being smaller and smaller (many more 1 item orders), all of our margin is going to UPS for shipping and return shipping.

Makes sense!
Thanks for answering.

 

[gdl203]

If you guys are having bad experiences receiving your orders with Fedex, please let us know. If their service is detrimental to our customer experience, we'll reconsider using them

 

[Trayco]

If you guys are having bad experiences receiving your orders with Fedex, please let us know. If their service is detrimental to our customer experience, we'll reconsider using them

Will do. So far they have been good and no complaints. They do offer a similar managing of packages like usps did.

 

[circumspice]

If you guys are having bad experiences receiving your orders with Fedex, please let us know. If their service is detrimental to our customer experience, we'll reconsider using them

I have generally viewed all of these debates like people debating the merits of Bud Light versus Miller Lite.

I am honestly not surprised that you as a small biz may need to swap providers periodically to get decent pricing, akin to residential consumers with cable+internet packages - sticking with your incumbent probably gets you 2-3x inflation annual increases, but if you can switch providers, you might get better pricing for a year or two.

 

[Mr. Six]

UPS is union, Fedex isn't (and is virulently anti-union, among the more odious views of its corporate leadership. Not that the folks at UPS are saints). I always choose UPS if I have the option as a result. I also don't mean this to start a bad-faith argument about the merits of organized labor. Just letting Greg know about a (strong) preference.

 

[gdl203]

We aren't union

 

[oulipien]

We aren't union

you're like five people though

 

[Mr. Six]

Yeah, but if your employees wanted to organize, would you try to stop them? And use illegal and strong-arm tactics to do it? And support legislation and judicial conference "classes" to undermine their ability to organize?

 

[gdl203]

none of our suppliers are union not has it ever been a factor in how we decide who we work with or support.

It’s just surprising to see this come up and I’m wondering what’s next? If FedEx vs UPS for FREE shipping is a subject of political battle (welcome to America 2021, everything must be a battle), then what’s next? Which bottled water do we buy in the office? Is it union?

idk man. I respect anyone setting their own parameters for how they spend their money, so I understand and i guess some customers will decide not to buy from us because Fedex? But I’m just wondering if there’s a point where it gets too much. Do you ask your cheese shop if their dairy supplier is union or ? What about their transportation provider?

 

[nahneun]

If you guys are having bad experiences receiving your orders with Fedex, please let us know. If their service is detrimental to our customer experience, we'll reconsider using them

Got my order delivered by Fedex today. Woke up to a text message this morning at 6 AM saying it was out for delivery and got a prompt email when it was dropped off in front of my door around 10:30.

10/10, but maybe being woken up at 6 AM isn't the greatest hahaha

 

[gdl203]

Got my order delivered by Fedex today. Woke up to a text message this morning at 6 AM saying it was out for delivery and got a prompt email when it was dropped off in front of my door around 10:30.

10/10, but maybe being woken up at 6 AM isn't the greatest hahaha

What did you get?

 

[oulipien]

none of our suppliers are union not has it ever been a factor in how we decide who we work with or support.

It’s just surprising to see this come up and I’m wondering what’s next? If FedEx vs UPS for FREE shipping is a subject of political battle (welcome to America 2021, everything must be a battle), then what’s next? Which bottled water do we buy in the office? Is it union?

idk man. I respect anyone setting their own parameters for how they spend their money, so I understand and i guess some customers will decide not to buy from us because Fedex? But I’m just wondering if there’s a point where it gets too much. Do you ask your cheese shop if their dairy supplier is union or ? What about their transportation provider?

This seems like an odd line to take after both your recent actions and the thoughtful interview with Simon. I don't think Mr. Six even so much as suggested that he'd take his business elsewhere if you stuck with FedEx; he just said that when he has the choice he chooses UPS, to support a unionized workforce. That seems like a totally reasonable thing to inform one's choice, when choosing between suppliers of what, to the user, is basically commodity-like. (To my mind it's reasonable even when it's not commodity-like, but especially so in that case.) It's not commodity-like in your case if the rates really are that different. But you've already shown that you're willing to let your principles influence your business, so why is this where you bring out "everything must be a battle"?

 

[nahneun]

What did you get?

the chamula turtleneck. i haven't really been shopping for clothes lately but i saw people ordering, so i took a peek at the website. people were sleeping on it!