As the industry ramps up for peak small parcel shipping this holiday season, it becomes important to take note of how UPS and FedEx’s delivery commitments and guarantees change at the end of the year.
What most shippers think of first, probably, is getting a clear understanding of the latest date a package can be shipped and still make the due date they need. That’s important, yes, but it’s not the only thing to watch. These temporary rules impact shippers’ ability to get refunds for service failures during the peak period, too.
It does not mean companies should stop auditing invoices, however. The potential for refunds still exists. Better yet, with higher than normal volumes, carriers will still be making mistakes and your chance for finding refunds will likely go up. So, keep auditing your invoices!
The following information is taken from the UPS and FedEx websites as guidance for shippers to use from the end of November through December.
UPS:
Taken from the UPS website, the following are key dates and notes on service that shippers need to be aware of throughout the busy holiday shipping season.
You can read the complete announcement here. https://www.ups.com/us/en/help-center/shipping-support/days-of-operation-us/holiday-shipping-us.page
November 25, 2019: Normal UPS® service. UPS® Ground service modification begins.
The UPS® Ground service modification will be in effect for packages tendered to UPS November 25 – December 27. During this time, a limited number of UPS® Ground and UPS® Standard packages, with transit times of three or more days, and with certain origins and destinations, may experience additional time in transit.
December 02, 2019: Normal UPS® service. UPS® Ground Service Guarantee suspension begins.
The UPS® Service Guarantee suspension comes in effect today. The UPS Service Guarantee is suspended for all UPS® Ground shipments, including shipments to and from AK, HI, and PR picked up or scheduled for delivery Dec. 2-Dec. 24.
December 13, 2019: Normal UPS® service. Last day to ship some UPS® Ground packages.
Today is the last day to send some UPS® Ground packages scheduled for delivery on Tuesday, Dec. 24. Note that most UPS® Ground shipments will have later last shipping days. This date is for the longest shipments. Check your shipment’s transit time at ups.com/ctc.
December 16, 2019: Normal UPS® service. UPS® Air service modifications begin.
The commitment times for UPS® Air and international Air shipments, from today to December 24, will be extended as follows:
- UPS Next Day Air® Early and UPS Worldwide Express Plus®: extended 90 minutes
- All other UPS Air and international UPS Air services: extended to end of day.
A limited number of UPS 2nd Day Air® and UPS 3 Day Select® shipments tendered to UPS today, and with certain origins and destinations, may require an additional day in transit. (Note that UPS 2nd Day Air® and UPS 3 Day Select® shipments are guaranteed throughout the holiday season.)
December 17, 2019: Normal UPS® service.
A limited number of UPS 2nd Day Air® and UPS 3 Day Select® shipments tendered to UPS today, and with certain origins and destinations, may require an additional day in transit
December 18, 2019: Normal UPS® service.
A limited number of UPS 2nd Day Air® shipments tendered to UPS today may require an additional day in transit. (Note that UPS 2nd Day Air shipments are guaranteed throughout the holiday season.)
December 19, 2019: Normal UPS® service. Last day to ship via UPS 3 Day Select®
Today is the last day to send UPS 3 Day Select® packages scheduled for delivery on Tuesday, Dec. 24. This is the last day to prearrange pickup service for Air and international Air packages if needed on Dec. 24.
December 20, 2019: Normal UPS® service. Last day to ship via UPS 2nd Day Air®
Today is the last day to ship UPS 2nd Day Air® packages scheduled for delivery on Tuesday, Dec. 24. All UPS Next Day Air® packages picked up today will be scheduled for delivery on Monday, Dec. 23 unless processed and labeled for Saturday delivery on Dec. 21. Saturday Delivery is not available to all ZIP codes.
December 21, 2019: Normal UPS® Saturday service.
Delivery of UPS Worldwide Express®, UPS Next Day Air® and UPS 2nd Day Air® packages processed and labeled for Saturday Delivery. Pickup service is available for UPS Air and international Air packages for regular Saturday pickup customers. UPS On-Call Pickup® service is available to all customers for UPS Air and international Air packages. Pickup and delivery of UPS Ground on Saturday packages available in many metro area ZIP codes.
December 22, 2019: No UPS® service except UPS Express Critical®.
December 23, 2019: Normal UPS® service. Last day to ship via UPS Next Day Air®
Today is the last day to ship UPS Next Day Air® packages scheduled for delivery on Tuesday, December 24 with a UPS On-Call, or scheduled, Pickup, or by visiting a The UPS Store location or a UPS Authorized Service Location.
December 24, 2019: Christmas Eve: Limited UPS® service.
Pickup service available only for Air and international Air packages if prearranged by Thursday, Dec. 19.
January 02, 2020: Normal UPS service resumes.
December 25, 2019: Christmas. UPS® holiday.
No UPS® pickup or delivery service. UPS Express Critical® service is available. Call 1-800-714-8779 or visit upsexpresscritical.com.
FedEx:
FedEx presents its service changes in a different format, which you can read on the carrier’s website here – https://www.fedex.com/content/dam/fedex/us-united-states/services/holiday-money-back-guarantee_2019.pdf.
FedEx Express: Consistent with our FedEx Service Guide, the FedEx Money-Back Guarantee will be suspended temporarily on the following dates:
Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2019, if the delivery was made within 90 minutes of the delivery commitment for the selected service and destination.
Wednesday, Dec. 18, through Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2019, for shipments delivered by the end of the day on the published delivery commitment date for the selected service and destination.
This applies to the following FedEx Express® services:
• FedEx First Overnight®
• FedEx Priority Overnight®
• FedEx Standard Overnight®
• FedEx 2Day®
• FedEx 2Day® A.M.
• FedEx Express Saver®
• FedEx First Overnight® Freight
• FedEx 1Day® Freight
• FedEx 2Day® Freight
• FedEx 3Day® Freight
• FedEx International First®
• FedEx International Priority®
• FedEx International Economy®
• FedEx International Priority DirectDistribution®
• FedEx International Economy DirectDistributionSM
• FedEx International MailService®
• FedEx International Priority® Freight
• FedEx International Economy®
Freight FedEx Ground Packages tendered to FedEx Ground for delivery on the day after Thanksgiving will be scheduled for delivery on that day if the recipient business is open, but in any event, the delivery commitment will be extended to the next business day for application of the money-back guarantee.
The money-back guarantee for FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery® will be suspended temporarily for packages picked up.
If you are not auditing your small parcel invoices, now is the time to start. Contact us at info@transimpact.com for our no-cost audit and recovery service to get back the money FedEx and UPS owe you for the billing errors they make.