PARCEL REALITY CHECK FINDING #1
Publisher Shipment Revealed a 46.54% Cost Difference
KEY TAKEAWAY
Most publishers and printers carefully review paper costs, printing costs, and production costs.
Far fewer regularly evaluate parcel shipping costs.
This finding highlights one recent shipment that produced a 46.54% cost difference. More importantly, the publisher has been realizing similar shipping advantages through the GMN program for more than a year across shipments originating from multiple printers.
A simple review of recent shipment activity can uncover savings opportunities that may otherwise go unnoticed.
What We Found
A publisher needed to ship event materials from a single origin to a single destination.
Using the Parcel Reality Check process, we compared the shipment against a comparable carrier basis value and identified a significant cost difference.
While this analysis focuses on a single shipment, it represents the type of result the publisher has experienced for more than a year through shipments originating from as many as five different printers.
Shipment Results
Comparable Carrier Basis Value: $373.66
GMN Billable Amount: $199.77
Value Delivered: $173.89
Percent Below Basis Value: 46.54%
Why It Matters
Publishers and printers often focus on printing costs, production schedules, and delivery deadlines while parcel expenses receive less attention.
Over time, shipping costs can become accepted as a normal cost of doing business without regular comparison against alternative shipping programs.
The importance of this finding is not limited to a single shipment. The publisher has consistently experienced similar shipping advantages over an extended period across multiple print partners, demonstrating that parcel cost reviews can create ongoing value rather than a one-time result.
A Parcel Reality Check helps determine whether the actual cost of moving printed materials, event kits, marketing collateral, and publication shipments is aligned with current market opportunities.
The Reality Check
The shipment moved from the same origin to the same destination.
The contents of the shipment did not change.
The delivery requirement did not change.
The difference was the shipping program being used.
In this example, the Parcel Reality Check revealed a cost that was 46.54% below the comparable carrier basis value, resulting in $173.89 of value delivered on a single shipment.
While every shipment is unique, this shipment serves as one documented example of a pattern the publisher has experienced over more than a year across shipments from multiple printers.
Could This Apply To Your Business?
Companies that regularly ship:
- Printed materials
- Event packets
- Marketing kits
- Trade show materials
- Educational materials
- Publications and newsletters
- Direct mail support materials
may benefit from a Parcel Reality Check.
Just a review of recent shipment activity to identify potential opportunities.
Your Reality Check Findings Include
- Parcel cost analysis
- Surcharge review
- Service-level evaluation
- Carrier option comparison
- Billing accuracy review
- Recommended next steps
- No software purchase required.
- No consulting engagement required.
- No obligation.