The brunt of the pandemic has been felt by the commerce industry, with delays in shipping and delivery resonating throughout all economic sectors. These impacts have of course had an effect on service delivery and fulfillment, and this has been reflected in the customer experience. Yet this holiday season has seen the major shipping companies step up to these new challenges, overcoming backlogs and ensuring 99% of packages have reached their destination on time.

It's understandable that you may feel a little lost when faced with picking a shipping company that best suits your needs. In fact, it is very easy to find yourself paying over the odds, or not getting the most efficient or suitable service for your money. The three major shipping services in the US today, DHL, FedEx, and UPS, offer a range of prices and services, but which is the best suited to your needs?

To ensure your requirements are aligned with the services provided by a shipping company, it's worthwhile digging a little deeper to find out what they can actually do for you. And the best way to form a reliable picture is the testimonial of the people who actually have experience using these services.

DHL, FedEx, and UPS have been in the business for generations and form the backbone of the vast majority of commerce in the US today. However, according to consumer data gathered on the review website, PissedConsumer.com, DHL, FedEx, and UPS are also among the most complained about shipping companies.

DHL 

Founded in 1969, DHL is one of the world's major shipping companies, servicing the delivery needs of millions of customers 24/7. DHL offers a comprehensive range of shipping services, including Domestic Express, DHL Economy Select, DHL Express Worldwide, and DHL import.

Perspectives gathered via DHL reviews published online highlight a common range of issues encountered by customers. DHL complaints are primarily concerned with shipping and delivery complications, charges, and customer service.  

Examples of the issues raised by consumers in DHL reviews include:

• packages that never came;

• delayed deliveries or package in transit;

• package delivered to the wrong address;

• bad customer service.

The company website provides accessible tracking and reschedule options, but ways in which to make a complaint, reach DHL customer service, or resolve a problem are not clearly signposted. Upon entering a consignment number, further contact options are provided. All claims must be made in writing within 30 days of the order.

FedEx 

Established in 1971, FedEx is among the world's largest and most well-established package delivery companies, fulfilling millions of shipments every day. Their services include FedEx Ground and FedEx International Priority.

According to FedEx reviews found on Pissed Consumer and across the Internet on review websites and forums, it is clear that many consumers are not particularly satisfied with the company and its services. Amongst all the complaints presented in FedEx reviews online and complaints on social platforms like Twitter, consumers most often report:

• lost, damaged, or empty packages; 

• delayed packages continuously "pending";

• terrible FedEx customer service, etc. 

Details on complaints procedure and a customer service contact number are provided on the FedEx website. There does seem to be a lot of disillusionment about the efficacy of FedEx customer service. However, with many reports of customers feeling palmed off or misled about the whereabouts of late or missing shipments.

UPS 

Originating in 1907, UPS is among the largest delivery companies operating today. UPS provides many specialized shipping services via their domestic, international, and freight divisions. Services offered by UPS include Express, Express Saver, and Standard.

Opinions gathered from UPS reviews found across the Internet reveal that the top UPS complaints from consumers mostly revolve around problems they have faced with service delivery, with consumers frequently reporting missing packages and late deliveries etc. 

UPS reviews across forums and social media also highlight a common complaint about the company's employment of an automated customer service line. As well as a UPS customer service number, the UPS website provides a virtual assistant and details on how to make a complaint.

When determining which delivery services are best suited to you, browsing such reviews can help you discover the ways in which some companies work better than others. Consider using multiple companies if you have multiple service needs, for example, one may provide the best cost/value ratio for international shipments, while another will offer better rates by volume. Most importantly, however, one may have a better reputation for a particular service, even if it is considered poor in others.