DHL officially dead for DCBS (how is UPS doing?)

Alec Burkhardt · Post by **Alec Burkhardt** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 5:50 pm

Trev wrote:
Alec Burkhardt wrote:
Trev wrote: hmmm . . .interesting. anybody have an idea how much fedex differs from ups for ground shipping? might be worth trying for a month.
there have been things only available from one or the other that I would have missed out on just using one.
Like what?

Well, DCBS has the First Light program, which makes available books that generally aren't (yet) available through Diamond. Both DCBS & HC have done free giveaways (sketches, prints, etc.) with various Indy books. Even if the book is the same (i.e. Jetta/Shi or M.I.M.E.S.), the freebie tends to be different from each. HC seems to give free books (they gave Dark Reign: New Nation away free with orders of Mercury and the Murd {along with the free Katie Cook sketch print, which DCBS was also doing}) a bit more often as a way of trying to get people to start in on new events.

Those things, combined with the fact that I have typically saved $2-$35 a month ordering from both over ordering from either one are enough to keep me using both services. Even in the three months where HC was cheaper than ordering from both, there was generally something I was getting from DCBS that I couldn't get from HC, and therefore didn't include in my price comparison. Really, I can't think of anything I regularly purchase where I just shop at one place, so this is no different than how I purchase books, music, dvds, etc.

As for Frank's comment about variant covers, that's not really an interest of mine, but if it's listed in Previews, it's available from either DCBS or HC. I think HC may not list the 1:10 / 1:25 / 1:50 / etc. type variants as separately orderable, but I'm sure if someone was interested in them, they could contact HC and get them. DCBS does seem to list these variants at fairly reasonable prices, and I expect that as DCBS is probably ordering more the HC, that HC may not be able to match DCBS' price on these items. But there again, every month there are different items that are cheaper at one place than the other. DCBS also sells supplies (bags, boards, dividers, etc.) which HC may have but don't include on the monthly order spreadsheet. And of course, without ordering at least $75 from HC, the deal wouldn't be as great because the free shipping would go away. But as I'm typically around $200+ a month, it's not hard for me to split my order.

Trev · Post by **Trev** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 10:15 pm

Frank Castle wrote:
Trev wrote:
Alec Burkhardt wrote: there have been things only available from one or the other that I would have missed out on just using one.
Like what?
Variant issues for one thing. I have not seen any variants listed with HC but DCBS has them all up at a fair price.

Yeah, I've started just getting all the Eaglesham covers for JSA -- seemed like I would pick up 2 out of every 3 at the comic shop for $10 after getting the Ross cover. I can just get the cover I really want from DCBS and save ~$4 per issue.

Anything at HC that they don't have at DCBS?

Frank Castle · Post by **Frank Castle** » Thu Dec 04, 2008 6:30 pm

Seems like an extra long wait with the holiday but my first UPS box should arrive tomorrow.

BobBretall · Post by **BobBretall** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 10:33 am

I'm getting REALLY crappy performance from UPS. Granted there was the Thanksgiving Holiday, but, I never got my packages delayed by this much due to Thanksgiving from DHL in past years.

I got my box last week on THURSDAY Dec 4th (package shipped on Wed Nov Nov 26th, 8 days in transit)

This week, I am scheduled to get my box on Wed Dec 10 (package shipped Thurs Dec 4th).

Thanksgiving has caused delays on 2 weeks running, 2 days & 1 day.

BobBretall · Post by **BobBretall** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 10:54 am

Re: Heroes corner.....

Shipping: While monthly shipping is cheaper (free if you send at least $75), weekly shipping seems more expensive than DCBS
HC: $19.95 for weekly
DCBS: $17.90 for weekly

This being said, if HC uses FedEx that gets me my box a day earlier each week, that's something I'd pay $25 for.

BobBretall · Post by **BobBretall** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 10:56 am

One more note on HC. Their web-site says the Excel Spreadsheet for December is not going to be available until the 13th!!!!

That's kind of ridiculously late. I suspect it reflects that they do not have very many customers that care about the spreadsheet if they can feel confident in delaying it until the 13th.

Darth Kramer · Post by **Darth Kramer** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 11:04 am

BobBretall wrote:I'm getting REALLY crappy performance from UPS. Granted there was the Thanksgiving Holiday, but, I never got my packages delayed by this much due to Thanksgiving from DHL in past years.

I got my box last week on THURSDAY Dec 4th (package shipped on Wed Nov Nov 26th, 8 days in transit)

This week, I am scheduled to get my box on Wed Dec 10 (package shipped Thurs Dec 4th).

Thanksgiving has caused delays on 2 weeks running, 2 days & 1 day.

We have been having shipping problems with things at work, but UPS has said to us that they are picking up a lot of DHL's contracts in a very short period of time, plus increased shipping volumes due to the holiday which is increased even more due to the loss of DHL. They said to us that December may be a pretty rough month shipping wise, but they expect things to normalize in the new year once volumes have regulated and they have a better idea what to expect in a post-DHL landscape.

BobBretall · Post by **BobBretall** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 11:07 am

Darth Kramer wrote: We have been having shipping problems with things at work, but UPS has said to us that they are picking up a lot of DHL's contracts in a very short period of time, plus increased shipping volumes due to the holiday which is increased even more due to the loss of DHL. They said to us that December may be a pretty rough month shipping wise, but they expect things to normalize in the new year once volumes have regulated and they have a better idea what to expect in a post-DHL landscape.

That makes sense. I guess I'll expect a bad December and hold my opinion until January.

Just Bill · Post by **Just Bill** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 3:08 pm

It's funny, I'm so behind in my reading these days that I don't even notice when the box ships... it's usually a surprise when I see that it's arrived every month.

BobBretall · Post by **BobBretall** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 5:00 pm

Just Bill wrote:It's funny, I'm so behind in my reading these days that I don't even notice when the box ships... it's usually a surprise when I see that it's arrived every month.

I'm behind too, but there are 3 comics I care about getting on time so I can read them in any given week (for the show)

Alec Burkhardt · Post by **Alec Burkhardt** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 5:43 pm

BobBretall wrote:One more note on HC. Their web-site says the Excel Spreadsheet for December is not going to be available until the 13th!!!!

That's kind of ridiculously late. I suspect it reflects that they do not have very many customers that care about the spreadsheet if they can feel confident in delaying it until the 13th.

That is ridiculously late - and certainly not the norm for HC. In fact, I believe November was the first month since I've started using both HC & DCBS that HC's spreadsheet wasn't available first. Then again, for the last two months HC has actually emailed me the spreadsheet when it was ready, rather than my having to keep checking a website for it's availability.

BobBretall · Post by **BobBretall** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:15 pm

Alec Burkhardt wrote:
BobBretall wrote:One more note on HC. Their web-site says the Excel Spreadsheet for December is not going to be available until the 13th!!!!

That's kind of ridiculously late. I suspect it reflects that they do not have very many customers that care about the spreadsheet if they can feel confident in delaying it until the 13th.
That is ridiculously late - and certainly not the norm for HC. In fact, I believe November was the first month since I've started using both HC & DCBS that HC's spreadsheet wasn't available first. Then again, for the last two months HC has actually emailed me the spreadsheet when it was ready, rather than my having to keep checking a website for it's availability.

I don't track HC regularly, but with the talk on this thread I went to their site to download the spreadsheet so I could do a comparison to see what I'd pay there vs. what I pay at DCBS, only to find that the Excel won't be available until next Saturday.

I know that HC had a rep for getting their sheet out a day or 2 earlier than DCBS, but boy, when they are late, they go whole hog, coming in an estimated 2 weeks late!

Trev · Post by **Trev** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 8:42 pm

BobBretall wrote:I'm getting REALLY crappy performance from UPS. Granted there was the Thanksgiving Holiday, but, I never got my packages delayed by this much due to Thanksgiving from DHL in past years.

I got my box last week on THURSDAY Dec 4th (package shipped on Wed Nov Nov 26th, 8 days in transit)

This week, I am scheduled to get my box on Wed Dec 10 (package shipped Thurs Dec 4th).

Thanksgiving has caused delays on 2 weeks running, 2 days & 1 day.

I feel you, Bob. According to UPS, my shipment of last week's books left IL last Friday morning at 8 am and has yet to surface. I was hoping it was a mistake and the package would arrive normally today. No luck.

Several years ago I implemented some software for a large computer manufacturer that integrated with UPS for shipping information mining and retrieval. Back then you'd get no status on a package for a day or two and then suddenly receive 5 updates at once spanning 36 hrs or so. I was hoping that's what happened with my shipment today, but no luck.

If I don't see an update by tomorrow morning, I'll have to call UPS to figure out where my package is at. BTW, this is my 2nd shipment with UPS.

I really think it has to do with using UPS ground vs. 2 or 3 day shipping. They don't have a very high quality of service with Ground.

Post by **JohnMayo** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 8:43 pm

Trev wrote:
BobBretall wrote:I'm getting REALLY crappy performance from UPS. Granted there was the Thanksgiving Holiday, but, I never got my packages delayed by this much due to Thanksgiving from DHL in past years.

I got my box last week on THURSDAY Dec 4th (package shipped on Wed Nov Nov 26th, 8 days in transit)

This week, I am scheduled to get my box on Wed Dec 10 (package shipped Thurs Dec 4th).

Thanksgiving has caused delays on 2 weeks running, 2 days & 1 day.
I feel you, Bob. According to UPS, my shipment of last week's books left IL last Friday morning at 8 am and has yet to surface. I was hoping it was a mistake and the package would arrive normally today. No luck.

Several years ago I implemented some software for a large computer manufacturer that integrated with UPS for shipping information mining and retrieval. Back then you'd get no status on a package for a day or two and then suddenly receive 5 updates at once spanning 36 hrs or so. I was hoping that's what happened with my shipment today, but no luck.

If I don't see an update by tomorrow morning, I'll have to call UPS to figure out where my package is at. BTW, this is my 2nd shipment with UPS.

I really think it has to do with using UPS ground vs. 2 or 3 day shipping. They don't have a very high quality of service with Ground.

I'm expecting my shipment to arrive on Tuesday. Back when DCBS used UPS before, that was the day it always showed up on...

Trev · Post by **Trev** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 8:47 pm

BobBretall wrote:One more note on HC. Their web-site says the Excel Spreadsheet for December is not going to be available until the 13th!!!!

That's kind of ridiculously late. I suspect it reflects that they do not have very many customers that care about the spreadsheet if they can feel confident in delaying it until the 13th.

I tend to stay 2 months behind in ordering, so this isn't a big deal. I wait until I have two issues of previews before I place an order, so I haven't even done November yet.

I found that when I placed an order the same week I got previews, I would miss some stuff that I didn't find out about until listening to the various podcasts and reading forums.

This way, I get a chance to hear what others have ordered before I do my order. Doesn't help you, Bob, but I thank you for helping me order.

I might give HC a go if DCBS doesn't pick up a second shipping choice -- hopefully fedex.