Sedona And Santa Fe Report Research Paper
Recommending a City for a Business Getaway:
When the employees at Strategic Advantage, a
communications firm, exceed their performance goals for the year by a wide margin, they’re invited to
“President’s Club,” which means that they and their families get to go on an all-expenses-paid trip to a
cool U.S. city. As the president’s administrative assistant, you research the places the president has in
mind each year to help him choose the destination.
For this year, the president wants you to research two cities in the Southwest: Sedona and Santa Fe.
Both are popular, highly rated vacation cities, and both are somewhat out of the way; it’s unlikely that
many of the company’s employees have ever been to either. He’s asked you to research and compare
the relative advantages of the two cities. Is there golf? Other recreational opportunities? Shopping?
Great food? Natural beauty? How hard is it to get there? Are interesting side trips possible? And how
much money would we be talking for a nice hotel or resort there? (Forty-plus people will be going.) Is
there sufficient opportunity for socializing? (This is supposed to be a team-building experience, too).
Do sufficient Internet research to answer all of your boss’s likely questions. Then write up your
findings in an attractive document that he can share with the other executives.
Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. I
INTRODUCTION ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 1
INTRODUCTION TO PROBLEM OR NEED / BACKGROUND ………………………………………………………………………………………….1
PURPOSE OF THE REPORT ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………2
SCOPE OF THE STUDY……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………3
SOURCES AND METHODS ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………3
RESULTS OF THE STUDY ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4
UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE (USPS) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………4
USPS Shipping Options …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………4
USPS Shipping Costs …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….5
USPS Advantages ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..5
UNITED PARCEL SERVICE (UPS) …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………6
UPS Shipping Options ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….7
UPS Shipping Costs………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………7
UPS Advantages ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….8
FEDERAL EXPRESS (FEDEX)……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….8
FedEx Shipping Options ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….9
FedEx Shipping Costs …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..9
FedEx Advantages ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..10
CONCLUSION(S) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 10
RECOMMENDATION(S) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 11
WORKS CITED …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 12
APPENDIX ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 15
APPENDIX A: INTERVIEW WITH JERRY AGOSTISI ……………………………………………………………………………………………. 15
APPENDIX B: FIGURE 1 (TOTAL NUMBER OF PERSONAL PCS SHIPPED WORLDWIDE FROM 2006 TO 2020)………………………… 16
APPENDIX C: FIGURE 2 (NUMBER OF ONLINE STORES THAT USE THESE COURIERS TO SHIP) ………………………………………….. 16
Executive Summary
This report is designed to compare the top three courier services in the United States for
Matt’s Electronics to conduct business with moving forward. The three courier services that are
being compared in this report are the United States Postal Service, the United Parcel Service, and
Federal Express. This report compares the three courier services utilizing information such as
shipping options, shipping costs, and different advantages of using each courier service. The
information will be used to decide which courier service or services will be used for Matt’s
Electronics.
Background: Matt’s Electronics began operation in 1992 in a small garage in Atlantic
City, NJ. After opening, Matt’s took pride making electronic repairs and helping other maintain
their electronics. Since then, Matt’s has expanded to selling electronics. They have even began
selling their products online. In fact, Matt’s Electronics has become one of the biggest
distributors of electronics on the East Coast. Recent demands for PCs are steadily increasing,
therefore Matt’s needs to be able to expand its business to serve customers across the country
and overseas.
Research Methods: Most of the information gathered from this report has been gathered
from secondary sources. The secondary sources include extensive research utilizing statistics
found in online articles and facts from each of the courier’s websites. Additionally, articles that
people wrote discussing some of the advantages that they have experienced, were used. Finally,
an interview with a retired USPS Supervisor and small business owner was used to gather some
information form a more personal perspective.
Results: The USPS offers domestic shipping options and prices that simply cannot be
beat. Additionally, USPS Flat Rate will allow the company to ship a variety of different items to
different regions of the United States, for a flat rate. However, they are limited when it comes to
next-day and international shipping options. The UPS, having its own fleet of aircraft, offers
international deliveries to over 220 countries and territories around the world. They also offer
cost-friendly next-day shipping options with a money-back guarantee. FedEx, the most
expensive option of the three compared, also offers many international shipping options. With
their own fleet of aircraft, they are also able to make next-day and international deliveries with
ease.
Recommendations: For Matt’s Electronics, it is recommended that a more “hybrid”
approach is taken. This means, that instead of choosing just one courier to deliver parcels, it is
best to have the option to use two. For example, the USPS delivers to every address in the United
States for less than the other two couriers used in this comparison. This means that it is
recommended that Matt’s Electronics should use the USPS for their domestic shipping needs.
Additionally, since Matt’s Electronics is beginning international sales, it is recommended that the
company start using UPS as well. This is because UPS offers next-day delivery to most domestic
addresses and delivers to more countries and territories than the other two couriers used in this
comparison. This way, no customer will be too far out-of-reach for Matt’s Electronics.
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SHIPPING COURIER RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MATT’S ELECTRONICS: BASED
ON A 2021 COMPARISON OF THREE MAJOR COURIER SERVICES
INTRODUCTION
Introduction to Problem or Need / Background
Matt’s Electronics began operation in 1992 in a small garage in Atlantic City, New
Jersey. The company started out as a small tech-company that customers could bring their
computer or electronics to for repairs or maintenance. There were not many competitors at the
time, however, Matt’s Electronics always made sure to put the customer first to ensure customer
satisfaction. With that said, Matt’s is always striving to find new business ideas to ensure that
customers are always pleased with their decision to choose them as their Electronics specialists.
To better cater the needs of busy customers that do not have the time or resources to
bring in their computers or electronics, Matt’s Electronics began its “Mobile Maintenance &
Repair” service. This service gives the customer peace of mind, by allowing Matt’s Technicians
to come out to a customer’s residence or business and make the appropriate repairs right on-thespot. This service helped keep Matt’s Electronics very competitive throughout the years and
because of its great success, has allowed Matt’s Electronics expand into a much larger
organization.
With the new expansion and other ventures, Matt’s Electronics also sells new and used
electronics such as computers, laptops, tablets, and much more! The decision to sell new and
used electronics to customers turned out to be a successful one. With that, the store has
expanded, and most products can now be purchased online. In fact, Matt’s Electronics has
recently become one of the largest electronics retailers on the East coast. While Matt’s
Electronics strives in supplying the best product they can to the customer, the need for computers
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and electronics around the nation and world continue to steadily increase. In addition, many
businesses have moved to virtual platforms due to the COVID-19 pandemic (Forbes). With that,
the demand for PCs is steadily increasing (Statista). To compete with big-name electronic stores
and stay relevant, Matt’s Electronics needs to expand their online store and make shipping
available to other regions of the United States, as well as other countries around the world.
Though the United States Postal Service seemed like the most cost-efficient courier
service for the company at the time, customer demands are now rising. With that, Matt’s
Electronics needs a reliable courier service that can efficiently deliver packages to customers at
any location in the United States and internationally as well.
Purpose of the Report
The purpose of this report is to explore the different courier services that Matt’s
Electronics can use to ship their products to customers domestically and internationally.
Currently, Matt’s uses the United States Postal Service to ship its products along the Eastern
Seaboard. This study will be in the form of a comparison. Different aspects of the United States
Postal Service (USPS), United Parcel Service (UPS), and Federal Express (FedEx) will be
compared to decide whether Matt’s should continue to use the USPS or choose a new courier
service for their shipping needs. The courier service that is selected needs to be able to deliver
packages efficiently. This means that packages need to be delivered on-time, handled with care,
and the service needs to be reasonably priced to fit the company’s budget.
The results of this report will be divided into three main sections. Each courier service
will have its own dedicated section. Each section will be divided into three more sections
discussing shipping options, methods, and some advantages of the courier service. The method
used to compare costs of the three courier services, will be to calculate the cost to ship a 16-
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pound package from the company’s location in Atlantic City, to one of its new customers in
Visalia, California. In addition, customer reviews and testimonials will also be discussed to offer
a better understanding on which courier has the most customer satisfaction overall.
Scope of the Study
The results of this report will assist the executives at Matt’s Electronics in making the
best possible choice when it comes to the company’s shipping needs. To effectively compare
each courier service, this report compared the costs of each service that each courier offers. It is
also important to take into consideration of any extra fees for packages that may be considered
“too heavy” or packages that may exceed a certain size, since larger items such as PCs will be
shipped. Customer testimonials were also researched to better gauge how satisfied customers are
with each courier’s service. Finally, conclusions of each courier service will be made as well as a
well-supported recommendation on which courier service Matt’s Electronics should do business
with moving forward.
Sources and Methods
The information that was used for this report was found using secondary and primary
sources. Secondary sources, such as online research are most effective in finding the costs of
various shipping options that each courier offers. Online articles were also used to find which
couriers deliver the most packages late or on-time, as well as advantages each courier has to
offer. The primary source used in this report is an interview that was conducted with a retired
USPS Supervisor and small business owner, Jerry Agostisi. Mr. Agostisi was able to explain
information such as costs and customer service experiences he had encountered. As a small
business owner, Mr. Agostisi has experience shipping with USPS as well as the other shipping
couriers compared in this study.
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RESULTS OF THE STUDY
UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE (USPS)
The United States Postal Service, or USPS, has many advantages when it comes to
catering to Matt’s Electronics’ current shipping needs. The USPS claims to deliver to ever
address and location in the United States. This has been great for the company’s success in
delivering products efficiently to customers on the Eastern Seaboard. However, there have been
some instances where customers would report incorrect tracking information and even some
delivery delays. One interesting factor that was gathered from research was that the USPS is
responsible for delivering about 48 percent of the mail in the world (USPS About). This shows
that the USPS is a trusted name when it comes to delivery services. Another important piece of
information to consider, especially regarding our online business, is that the USPS is the most
used shipping method when it comes to e-commerce in the United States. Lukas Peters, who
specializes in analyzing e-commerce topics, published a study that showed 54% of the top 500
online stores in the United States, indicated that they use USPS as their primary shipping service
(Peters).
USPS Shipping Options
The USPS offers two different shipping options that meet the company’s needs. The first option
is Priority Mail. For this option, the USPS claims that packages will be delivered within one to
three business days. This option also includes tracking, insurance, and supplies needed to ship
products (USPS Shipping Services). In addition to this, if USPS Flat Rate services are used, any
package that is under 70-pounds does not need to be weighed and can be delivered to any state
for a flat rate. However, it is worth to mention that Flat Rate has some limitations when it comes
to size of the package and the location it is going (USPS Flat Rate).
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Another service that the USPS offers that fits the company’s needs is Priority Mail Express. This
service is advertised to deliver every day of the week and next-day delivery to most addresses
within the United States. According to the USPS website, if the package is not delivered on the
next business day, it will be delivered on the second business day by 6:00pm. Flat Rate postage
is also available for purchase if this option is selected to ship a package (USPS Shipping
Services).
USPS Shipping Costs
The cost of shipping a 16-pound package from Atlantic City, New Jersey to Visalia, California,
utilizing the Postage Price Calculator on the USPS website, the following data was gathered:
•
Priority Mail 3-Day (our packaging): $71.10
o Flat Rate (small box): $9.20
o Flat Rate (medium box): $16.25
o Flat Rate (large box): $22.65
•
Priority Mail Express 2-Day: $139.80
USPS Advantages
One major advantage that the USPS has to offer is its service called USPS Click n’ Ship.
This service allows customers or businesses to set up an online portal where they can store and
organize addresses, calculate shipping rates, lookup zip codes, pay for postage and print labels.
Another advantage that the USPS has to offer is the carrier pickup option. This option will allow
Matt’s Electronics to save time and manpower by not having to bring packages to the Post
Office. Instead, Matt’s Electronics employees can use the service to schedule to have packages
picked up and shipped to customers (USPS Click n’ Ship). Also, the USPS Flat Rate boxes, and
other Flat Rate shipping supplies, are an advantage as well. If the product that is shipped fits in
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the appropriate Flat Rate box or envelope, and weighs less than 70 pounds, it will ship for a flat
rate. Finally, utilizing the Priority Mail International service, USPS can deliver to 190 countries
world-wide (USPS International Mail & Shipping Services).
UNITED PARCEL SERVICE (UPS)
The United Parcel Service, or UPS, can also deliver a range of services for Matt’s
Electronics. Since the company is moving towards expanding its online store overseas as well,
the need for a courier service that can efficiently make deliveries around the globe is imperative.
UPS has been shipping parcels internationally since 1975, when they began service to the city of
Toronto. In addition, UPS is the first courier service to offer Next Day Air service. This service
allows UPS to deliver to all 50 states, utilizing their large fleet of aircraft. With UPS Airlines,
UPS is also able to ship packages across the globe with ease. In fact, they ship to over 220
countries and territories around the world (UPS About). This is more than the other couriers that
were studied in this comparison. According to the same study and article that was published by
Lukas Peters, UPS is the second most used shipping courier when it comes to e-commerce in the
United States. However, it is worth to mention, that UPS has recently gotten into a partnership
with Amazon (Fortune). This speaks highly of the capabilities of UPS, considering the amount of
packages Amazon ships daily is approximately 1.6 million (Szecsei).
UPS Shipping Options
The United Parcel Service has a total of seven different shipping options that someone
can choose from. For this comparison, information gathered about three of their different
shipping options will be used. UPS Next Day Air Shipping service offers next-day shipping
which includes shipping supplies and a money-back guarantee for packages that arrive late. UPS
Second Day Air service is the same, however, this service guarantees delivery by the second day.
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A third option that UPS has to offer is called UPS Three Day Select, which will guarantee the
same in three business days. However, this service is only available for packages that are being
shipped to customers within the contiguous 48 United States. UPS Ground is also available as a
cost-friendly service that will deliver packages to customers within one to five days (UPS
Calculate Time and Cost). UPS also offers a range of shipping options for international
shipments. These options range from one to five-day delivery, depending on where and how
quickly a package needs to be delivered (UPS International Shipping).
UPS Shipping Costs
The cost of shipping a 16-pound package from Atlantic City, New Jersey to Visalia, California,
utilizing the shipping calculator tool on the UPS website:
•
UPS Next Day Air: $40.05
•
UPS Second Day Air: $25.50
•
UPS Three Day Select: $19.25
•
UPS Ground: $11.95
UPS Advantages
According to a blog on Easyship, UPS is known for its quick delivery service, reliable
parcel tracking, and they offer discounts for customers that ship with them often (Pros and Cons
of UPS). Another advantage that will be beneficial to Matt’s Electronics are the pickup options
that UPS has available to its customers. UPS Online Shipping will allow Matt’s Electronics to
purchase postage, print shipping labels, and schedule pickup services all online. This will save
the company time, manpower, and money by not having to physically travel to the UPS location
to conduct its business (UPS Online Shipping). In addition to this, there are many UPS locations
where customers of Matt’s Electronics can choose to have their products shipped to, rather than
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having carriers leave the products at their door. This can allow for more secure deliveries for
more expensive products.
FEDERAL EXPRESS (FEDEX)
The Federal Express, or FedEx, offers various shipping options for Matt’s Electronics to
send packages across the country and overseas. Among the big-name courier services that are
being studied in this comparison, FedEx is the third most used courier service for e-commerce in
the United States (Peters). Although they place third in domestic deliveries, they are included in
this study because they compete with UPS when it comes to internationally deliveries. FedEx
offers cost-friendly ground shipping, same-day shipping, overnight shipping, and they also offer
a freight option for products that may weigh over 150-pounds. The Federal Express, like the
USPS, offers flat rate postage for items that weight less than 50 pounds (FedEx Shipping
Options). Another reason that makes the FedEx brand so successful, is the fact that they also they
their own fleet of aircraft. With this, FedEx can make overnight and international deliveries with
ease (FedEx Charters).
FedEx Shipping Options
To start, FedEx Ground offers one to five-day delivery service to states within the
contiguous United Sates. Parcels that the company ships to Alaska and Hawaii may require three
to seven days. FedEx also offers International Ground, which will ship parcels from the United
States to Canada. One unique shipping option that FedEx has to offer its customers is Same-Day
Delivery services within the customer’s city and even throughout all 50 states. Additionally,
FedEx offers its customers Overnight Shipping. With this, Matt’s Electronics’ customers can
receive orders the very next day.
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As far as international shipping with FedEx, there are a few options to choose from.
FedEx International Next Flight advertises that it can get parcels on the next available flight, and
have parcels delivered to most countries around the world within 24-hours. With FedEx
International First and FedEx International Priority, parcels can be delivered to Matt’s
Electronics’ customers within one to three business days. These two services are offered to over
220 countries and territories around the world. Finally, FedEx International Economy can have
products to customers within two to five business days in over 215 countries and territories
around the world (FedEx Shipping Options).
FedEx Shipping Costs
The cost of shipping a 16-pound package from Atlantic City, New Jersey to Visalia,
California, utilizing the shipping calculator on the FedEx website:
•
FedEx Standard Overnight: $72.50
•
FedEx 2Day: $26.60
FedEx Advantages
One major advantage of using FedEx, will be the amount of internationally shipping
options that they have available. With FedEx Ship Manager, customers can access all shipping
needs online. Their online portal will allow Matt’s Electronics to pay for shipping, print labels,
track packages, and keep an address book for the company’s clients. This will allow the
company to save time by not having to visit a FedEx location. Another factor that will save the
company time and money is the pickup option that FedEx offers. With the FedEx Ship Manager,
Matt’s will be able to schedule days and times that parcels need to be picked up and shipped out.
Finally, like the United States Postal Service, FedEx offers its customers free shipping supplies
such as boxes, tape, and packing materials to protect fragile shipments.
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CONCLUSION(S)
In this comparison, three courier services were being studied and compared. Using the
primary and secondary sources, the following conclusions were made for each courier service
that was analyzed in this comparison. Before getting into the conclusions, it is important to note
that all couriers used in this comparison, offer free shipping supplies, an online portal to handle
all the company’s shipping needs, and pickup service.
The United States Postal Service is the current courier that is being used for Matt’s
Electronics. As their current courier, they can ship parcels to customers on the East Coast with
ease while keeping late or damaged parcels to a minimum. USPS is responsible for delivering
48% of the world’s mail. Additionally, it is reported that 54% of the top e-commerce sites in the
United States are using them for shipping services. One downside of USPS is that there was no
next-day option when it came to shipping a parcel to a customer in California. However, with
their cost-friendly rates and flat-rate options, the USPS stays competitive. Although this may be
the best option for domestic shipping, there may be better options for international. USPS seems
like a good fit to the company moving forward. However, there are better options available when
it comes to shipping internationally.
The United Parcel Service offers many different services when it comes to international
shipping. UPS ships to over 220 countries and territories around the world, and this is more than
the other couriers that were studied in this comparison. However, for this specific comparison, it
is worth noting that UPS offers next-day shipping. Additionally, UPS has its own airline, which
allows them to make both domestic and international deliveries with ease. Another important
mention is that UPS offers a money-back guarantee for parcels that are delivered late. UPS
seems like an appropriate alternative due to international shipping options and competitive rates.
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The Federal Express, or FedEx, is another courier that has many different shipping
options to offer for international shipping. This courier has the highest rates than the other
couriers that were used in this comparison. However, it is important to include them because of
what they have to offer. FedEx also has its own airline which allows for quick deliveries.
Another option that was observed was that FedEx has a Ground Service which can be a costfriendly alternative to delivering parcels to Canada.
RECOMMENDATION(S)
When making the recommendations for what courier service Matt’s Electronics to use, it
is important to remember that the correct option may not be just one courier. This is because the
USPS is providing Matt’s Electronics with exceptional shipping services at a very competitive
price, to its customers on the East Coast. However, they may not be the best option for
international shipping. After gathering information from the primary source, it is easy to see that
the best option will be to use two shipping couriers at the same time.
It is recommended that Matt’s Electronics continue to use the USPS for its domestic
shipments. This is because of their extensive network, which allows them to deliver to every
address in the United States. In addition to this, with USPS Flat Rate, the company will be able
to ship items of different size and weight (if it is under 70 pounds), to different regions of the
United States, for a flat rate. This currently, and will continue, to save the company money.
As for next-day deliveries and parcels that are going to international customers, it is
recommended that Matt’s Electronics begin to use UPS. This is because UPS offers guaranteed
next-day delivery, and they also offer many international shipping options. Finally, since the
UPS delivers to over 220 countries and territories, no customer will be out-of-reach.
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WORKS CITED
Agostisi, Jerry. Personal Interview. 13 October 2021.
Alsop, Thomas. “Global PC Unit Shipments 2006-2020.” Statista (2021). 27 September 2021.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/273495/global-shipments-of-personal-computerssince-2006/
Federal Express. “Benefits of Using FedEx Express Parcel Delivery Services.” FedEx (2021). 04
October 2021. https://www.fedex.com/en-dj/shipping/benefits.html
Federal Express. “Calculate FedEx Shipping Rates.” FedEx (2021). 04 October 2021.
https://www.fedex.com/en-us/online/rating.html#
Federal Express. “FedEx Charters.” FedEx (2021). 04 October 2021.
https://www.fedex.com/us/charters/airplanes.html
Federal Express. “FedEx Ship Manager.” FedEx (2021). 04 October 2021.
https://www.fedex.com/en-us/shipping/ship-manager/online.html
Federal Express. “FedEx Shipping Options.” FedEx (2021). 04 October 2021.
https://www.fedex.com/en-us/shipping/services.html
Federal Express. “International Shipping.” FedEx (2021). 04 October 2021.
https://www.fedex.com/en-us/shipping/international.html#international-packages
Fortune Datastore. “United Parcel Service.” Fortune (2021). 29 September 2021.
https://fortune.com/company/ups/
Jules. “UPS vs USPS: 2021 Shipping Comparison.” Easyship (2021). 29 September 2021.
https://www.easyship.com/blog/ups-vs-usps-prices#pros-and-cons-of-ups
LaFleur, Kim. “The Pandemic Forced Businesses to Move Online – It’s Time for Fundraising to
Also Go Digital.” Forbes Technology Council (2020). 27 September 2021.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2020/12/14/the-pandemic-forcedbusinesses-to-move-online—its-time-for-fundraising-to-also-godigital/?sh=50bd07652327
Peters, Lukas. “United States: Top Five Most Used Shipping Methods.” Statista (2021). 27
September 2021. https://www.statista.com/forecasts/1081152/united-states-top-shippingservice-providers-ecommercedb
Szecsei, Szabolcs. “32 Amazing Amazon Statistics Showing Off its True Power.” Capital
Counselor (2021). 29 September 2021. https://capitalcounselor.com/amazon-statistics/
United Parcel Service. “Calculate Time and Cost.” UPS (2021). 29 September 2021.
https://wwwapps.ups.com/ctc/request?loc=en_US
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United Parcel Service. “International Shipping Services and solutions.” UPS (2021). 29
September 2021. https://www.ups.com/us/en/services/international-shipping.page
United Parcel Service. “More Than 100 Years of Innovation.” UPS (2021). 29 September 2021.
https://about.ups.com/us/en/our-company/our-history.html
United Parcel Service. “More Than 100 Years of Innovation.” UPS (2021). 29 September 2021.
https://about.ups.com/us/en/our-company/our-history.html
United Parcel Service. “UPS Next Day Air Shipping.” UPS (2021). 29 September 2021.
https://www.ups.com/us/en/shipping/services/domestic/next-day-air.page
United Parcel Service. “UPS Online Shipping.” UPS (2021). 29 September 2021.
https://www.ups.com/us/en/services/shipping/online.page
United Parcel Service. “UPS Pickup Options.” UPS (2021). 29 September 2021.
https://www.ups.com/us/en/shipping/services/pickup.page
United States Postal Service. “About the United States Postal Service.” USPS (2021). 27
September 2021. https://about.usps.com/who/profile/
United States Postal Service. “Click-N-Ship.” USPS (2021). 27 September 2021.
https://about.usps.com/postal-bulletin/2004/html/pb22136/clicknship.html
United States Postal Service. “International Mail & Shipping Services.” USPS (2021). 27
September 2021. https://www.usps.com/international/mail-shipping-services.htm
United States Postal Service. “Mail & Shipping Services.” USPS (2021). 27 September 2021.
https://www.usps.com/ship/mail-shipping-services.htm
United States Postal Service. “Priority Mail.” USPS (2021). 27 September 2021.
https://www.usps.com/ship/priority-mail.htm#flatrate
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2021.
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mil=False&dz=93277&dmil=False&mdt=10%2F21%2F2021&mdz=9%3A29&m=6&p=
16&o=0
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APPENDIX
Appendix A: Interview with Jerry Agostisi
Interviewer: Matthew Agostisi
Date: October 13, 2021
Subject: More information on USPS / Experiences with different shipping couriers as a small
business owner.
Interview Questions:
1. What courier service did you choose to work for and why?
After leaving The Wall Street Journal, I faced many difficulties finding work in my field
at the time. I decided to apply for the USPS, mainly because that was what my father did
after his time in the Navy. After becoming hired on as a full-time employee, I
immediately took a test and applied for a supervisor position. I passed and was selected to
be the Supervisor of The United States Postal Service Office in Perth Amboy, New
Jersey.
2. How long did you work for the United States Postal Service?
I worked for USPS for 15 years. As I said earlier, I started as a part-time letter carrier.
After my 90-day “probation period”, I was hired on as a full-time letter carrier. As soon
as I was eligible, after 6 months of being a letter carrier, I took the Supervisor Exam and
passed. After waiting 6 more months, I was finally offered my supervisor position and
chose to keep that position until retirement.
3. Is the Post Office a part of the U.S. Government, or is it private like FedEx and
UPS?
For those that do not know, the USPS is an independent branch of the U.S. Government.
This means that the USPS is in fact a part of the government. However, it is running
similarly to a private courier. For example, taxpayers do not fund the Post Office, as they
would other agencies through tax dollars. The Post Office makes its money through the
sales of stamps and other postage fees.
4. As a Postal Supervisor, do you recall any instances of customers reporting late or
damaged packages? If so, how often?
In my time at the Post Office, I experienced a fair share of instances that a package was
not delivered on a promised date or something that delivered, was damaged. There have
also been instances where packages were completely lost. At my Post alone, I would
receive maybe 2 or 3 calls a week regarding a package that was late. I can count two
occasions that I remember, specifically, that a package was lost. As far as damaged
packages, this usual occurs within transit from one USPS facility to another and I have
not received any reports of damaged packages in my Post. Fortunately, most customers
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that I have experienced would purchase insurance for parcels that contained expensive
items.
5. Is the USPS capable of flying mail and parcels?
Yes. In fact, the United States Postal Service uses many kinds of cargo planes to send
mail and parcels to far domestic or international locations. Additionally, the USPS can fly
domestic and international parcels on Federal Express (FedEx) flights as well.
6. As a small business owner, what courier service, or services, do you use and why?
Since the Post Office is significantly less expensive than FedEx or UPS, I usually go with
them. Customers usually prefer to use USPS for this reason as well. Another reason I go
with them is because I mostly ship within the United States. If I am shipping to another
country, my go to courier is UPS. They ship internationally at a quick speed for a
relatively low cost.
7. Would you ever consider using FedEx for you small business’ shipping needs?
I have had experience using FedEx in the past. I used them to transport a parcel from the
location of my business which is Jamesburg, NJ, to a small town in Canada. I used the
FedEx ground option because of how inexpensive it was. Although it was inexpensive, it
took a very long time to arrive to the customer. When shipping to this customer again, I
chose a similarly priced shipping option that was offered by UPS. I went with UPS that
time and it got to the customer much quicker, as well as instant up-to-date tracking
information.
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Appendix B: Figure 1 (Total Number of Personal PCs Shipped Worldwide from 2006 to
2020)
Appendix C: Figure 2 (Number of Online Stores that Use These Couriers to Ship)
