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by
Kevin Savetz
For
online auction users, shipping is a necessary evil. No one likes
wondering what an item will cost to ship or waiting for packages
to arrive. Whether you're a buyer or a seller, the following
companies and Web sites can help take the mystery out of
shipping auction goods, as well as make the process of shipping
much easier and more efficient. If you'd like to see online
shipping sites please visit our shipping
resources category
The
Majors
All of the major delivery services have Web sites, including UPS,
FedEx, Airborne
Express, and the United
States Postal Service. The features of each Web site are
similar: At UPS and FedEx (remember the old days when it was
called Federal Express?) you can track packages, request a
pickup or find a drop-off point, and estimate shipping costs.
Airborne's site is less elaborate, but allows customers to track
shipments and find a nearby drop box.
The USPS site has it
all: package tracking, a rate calculator, post office locator,
as well as a handy-dandy directory in which you can look up zip
codes and figure out those squirrely zip+4 codes. Need to buy
postage stamps? Visit the USPS's other site, Stamps
Online. There you can choose from a bevy of stamps which can
be delivered to your door for $1 shipping. (Of course, there's
no shipping charge if you log off and drag yourself to the post
office to buy stamps from a flesh-and-blood, carbon-based
person.)
But of all the
available online shipping services, the most beneficial for
auction users is online package tracking--it's the greatest
invention since the Web browser, allowing you to verify that
your shipment got there. Or if, on the other hand, you're a
buyer, you can obsessively check to see when your auction
winnings will arrive. (If you don't already, make it a habit to
exchange tracking numbers with the folks with whom you do
business.)
iShip
and SmartShip
If you sell a lot of stuff via online auction, you'll appreciate
the benefits of a shipping service site such as iShip
(which is part of Stamps.com)
or SmartShip.
Both sites provide a one-stop tool for tracking packages sent by
all of the major (and some smaller) carriers. They also can
quickly serve up cost estimates, allowing you to compare
shippers' prices based on the weight of the package, when you
want it delivered, and other variables.
iShip offers a
unique tool for auction sellers: It provides your bidders
with customized shipping cost estimates based on the package
weight, yours and the bidder's zip codes, and the carriers you
prefer. With iShip Sell It, you can inform bidders of
shipping and handling charges while an auction is in progress;
with iShip Price It, you can compare the prices of the major
carriers; and with iShip Track It, you can track a package as
well as receive an email notification of when it arrives at its
destination.
Lastly, SmartShip
offers a nifty tool for finding the nearest drop-off point for
your favorite carriers, as well as email notification of your
package's delivery status. For some shippers, SmartShip allows
you to make your pickup request online, print a shipping label,
and prepay for the delivery with your credit card.
Back to Auction tips &
tactics
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