January 2008 rate increases by FedEx, UPS, and DHL add economic pressure to shippers and their customers

TORONTO - The New Year was not so happy for many companies and consumers who use courier services to ship their packages. As of January 2008, FedEx, UPS and DHL all increased their net average shipping rates for express services by 4.9 percent. The carriers are justifying the increase as a necessity to provide enhanced levels of service to their customers. The U.S. Postal Service did not increase its rates for 2008.

Even though shipping rate increases are typically an annual event, merchants with small profit margins are affected the most, obliged to pass the increased costs to their customers. Online retailers such as Amazon, Dell, Overstock.com and sellers on eBay are also under pressure to increase their shipping rates. With a global economic recession looming, one of the solutions to find the most cost-effective shipping options is to use a web-based courier search engine.

Comparing rates between national, regional and local courier companies can be an arduous task, especially when trying to factor in the new 2008 rate increases. ShipGooder.com is a new search engine that quickly searches current rates from FedEx, UPS, DHL, the U.S. Postal Service and Canada Post. ShipGooder.com compare rates from a range of courier companies instantly, allowing them to make informed decisions that could result in savings.