The Bottom Line
Like UPS, FedEx will most probably be more expensive for the small business owner. FedEx offers a wide variety of services and shipping options, including specialized domestic and international services. Unfortunately these will come at a significant cost for a small business. FedEx's web site, which includes nearly real-time tracking, is well laid out and easy to navigate. If cost is no object and delivery time is critical, then FedEx is your best bet.
Pros
- Detailed online tracking information; including signer's name
- Free shipping supplies and package pick up
- Wide variety of domestic and international shipping services
- Electronic billing and payment services
- Overnight delivery performance ranks high
Cons
- Substantial shipping volume needed to negotiate discounts
- Smaller customers are a lower priority that larger customers
- Inferiority residential delivery
- Problem resolution is poor
- Very few FedEx Office stores (formerly "FedEx Kinko's")
Description
- Package services up to 150 pounds
- Freight services for over 150 pounds
- Comprehensive domestic and international services
- Free shipping supplies
- Same day and overnight delivery; including the early AM delivery
- 2 to 3 days delivery service
- Economy ground delivery available
- Specialized international services
- Less-than-truckload and bulk ground shipments
- Volume discounts can be negotiated
Guide Review - Review: Federal Express (FedEx)
FedEx offers a wide variety of domestic and international shipping services. Specialized services such as Early AM and Same Day delivery, coupled with their high on time delivery performance, can be the differentiating service that you can offer to your customers. Otherwise, for a small business with a small volume of shipping, FedEx will most probably be more expensive than the United States Postal Service (USPS).
FedEx does have a retail stores known as "FedEx Office" that provide drop off, packaging services, document processing and other office services. Unfortunately most of the stores are located only in larger retail and commercial metropolitan areas.
If time sensitive shipments are critical for your company (domestic and international), then the extra expense of using FedEx may be worth it. Unless your business grows to a significant volume, negotiating discounts will be limited. FedEx does provide a comprehensive web site that allows you to explore services, prepare shipments and retrieve tracking information for your packages. In addition, FedEx can handle packages over 150 pounds for both domestic and international shipments.