Listen to this articleIf you have ever bought something on the internet that didn’t ship solely via USPS, then using either FedEx Smartpost or UPS Surepost was likely an option; they are both shipping options that use the United States Postal Service for the final leg. In other words, UPS or FedEx will deliver the packages to your local Post Office, and the Postal Service will handle the actual delivery. The concept sounds good, but in practice it can be anything but.
The Good
For the e-tailers, it’s a really good deal. They setup the contract with UPS or FedEx, and they get shipping rates that are much more economical. The Post Office gets a steady source of income from UPS and FedEx. Customers will find that this option is usually is the basic shipping level, and it is usually free or has a very low cost.
