Report: FedEx offering huge discounts to fill hole left by Amazon
- FedEx trying to fill Express network capacity after not renewing Amazon contract.
- Express service not build for eCommerce, trying to find a role for it.
- Good opportunity even for smaller sellers to get discounts.
According to a Wall Street Journal article citing “people familiar with the matter”, FedEx is trying to attract online sellers with big discounts on its FedEx Express network.
Don’t Miss
- Do you need a business bank account for your online business? Have a look at our review of the five best bank accounts for sellers, some of which are free with no minimum balance or deposits.
- AI can change your entire social media game today. Learn how you can save time writing engaging content faster. [sponsored]
- How to lower your taxable income and pay less in taxes. [sponsored]
- ‘My Community Made’ is a new marketplace to compete with Etsy and Amazon Handmade.
- EXCLUSIVE: Interview with Chris Prill, VP eBay Motors, discussing the new Guaranteed Fit program.
The FedEx network handles mostly overnight, two-day, and three-day Express service letters and parcels and operates separately from its FedEx Ground network.
With FedEx deciding not to renew its Amazon contract next month, the company will have excess air lift capacity that it needs to fill.
READ MORE: FedEx To Stop Delivering Amazon Packages In US
However, the WSJ article also stated “FedEx is grappling with how the Express air network fits in a shipping economy increasingly dominated by online orders for everything from toothpaste to T-shirts.”
Apparently, the carrier is trying to lure shippers away from UPS by offering two-day Express service at prices that match ground rates.
This would make perfect sense as many online merchants have to compete with Amazon and other large online retailers offering free two-day delivery service.
By offering two-day Express service at a discounted rate, shippers can enter the guaranteed two-day delivery market without adding other fulfillment operations.
In a statement to the WSJ, a FedEx spokeswoman said the carrier’s pricing strategy hasn’t changed and added that the two-day Express service “has been very successful and continues to deliver tremendous value to small and medium businesses competing in the ecommerce market.”
FedEx Express discount opportunity
Sellers should not expect to see discounts on retail pricing on price tables used by marketplaces or discounts (perks) offered through affiliation with industry groups.
Typically, major discounts are part of negotiated rates which require a FedEx account sales executive to review the merchant’s shipping volume.
While discounts will vary by shipping volume, as a general rule, it is a good idea for merchants sending over 100 parcels per month to ask for negotiated rates.
If the WSJ story has legs, there could be an opportunity for mid-level shippers to gain significant discounts on Express rates with FedEx, especially if they are using a competing service such as UPS, DHL, or USPS.
Have you negotiated rates with carriers for your business? If so, will you try to find out if FedEx can offer you better rates specifically on two-day Express service? Please use the comments section below or head over to our Facebook Group for Small Business Sellers and interact with other small business owners.
And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to stay up to date with important news and business insights for your online retail business.
Connect with us: Head over to our Facebook Group for Small Business Sellers and interact with other small business owners.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn to stay up to date with relevant news and business insights for your online business.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Business Insights for Your Online Business Presented with a Dash of Humor
We do not share your information and you can unsubscribe anytime.
Richard Meldner
Richard is co-founder of eSeller365. He has over 17 years of experience on eBay which includes tens of thousands of sales to buyers in over 100 countries and even has experience with eBay’s VeRO program enforcing intellectual property rights for a former employer. And for about two years Richard sold products on Amazon using Amazon FBA in the US.
To “relax” from the daily business grind, for a few weekends a year, he also works for IMSA as a professional race official.