Get It There in One Piece – FedEx Offers Expert Tips on Preparing and Shipping Holiday Packages

As retailers and shoppers prepare for the busy holiday season, the experts at FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) have called on their packing and shipping experts to compile solutions that help consumers pack it smarter, get it there faster, save money and minimize the environmental impact for shipments in the U.S. and around the globe.

As retailers and shoppers prepare for the busy holiday season, the experts at FedEx are providing tips to help consumers pack their shipments smarter, get them there faster, save money and minimize the environmental impact for shipments in the U.S. and around the globe. (Photo: Business Wire)

Ship Smart with FedEx

Make sure your package is delivered securely by following these top packing and shipping tips from the experts at FedEx. You can also visit fedex.com/packaging for more advice.

• Choose the right supplies
  • Use sturdy boxes with flaps intact. For heavier items, use double-wall boxes. Keep within the weight specifications for your box.
  • Make sure your box is large enough to put adequate padding around contents. Position your item in the center of the box and surround with cushioning such as bubble wrap, packing "peanuts,” densely packed shredded paper or foam pads. Use enough packing material – ideally one inch on all sides – so the item does not shift during transit.
  • Use tape designed for packing, not duct or masking tape. Use the "H Tape” method to securely close all of the box flaps.
  • Do not wrap the outer box with paper or string, which can get caught in automated processing equipment.
  • FedEx Office^® offers a variety of shipping supplies, including boxes, packing materials and other essentials. Locations also provide free FedEx shipping supplies for FedEx Express shipments.
• Label your package properly
  • Position the address label squarely on the largest surface, and provide complete sender and recipient addresses, including phone numbers and ZIP codes.
  • Put the recipient’s address and your return address inside the box as well.
• Use the experts at FedEx Office
  • Team members at FedEx Office are specially trained in proper packing techniques to help customers ensure gifts arrive safely and securely.
  • There are about 1,800 FedEx Office locations across the U.S. that offer a full range of FedEx Express, FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery shipping options – with most stores open as late as 11 p.m. and more than 300 that are open 24 hours.
  • Professional packing services begin at just $4.99.
• Make it easy online
  • Use FedEx Ship Manager at fedex.com by simply clicking the "Prepare Shipment Online” option under the "Ship” tab on the fedex.com U.S. home page, register as a user and follow the easy-to-use instructions. No extra software is required.
  • Customers can log onto fedex.com to track their shipment and determine shipping options, including rates and transit times to ensure that gifts are shipped in time to arrive for the holidays.
• Don’t miss the shipping deadlines
  • Customers have until December 16, 2011 to find and send that perfect holiday gift via FedEx Ground or FedEx Home Delivery. Last-minute shoppers have until December 23, 2011 to ship FedEx Express.
• Allow recipients to receive gifts at their convenience
  • When shipping FedEx Home Delivery, customers can set up one of three convenient delivery options to ensure that recipients are home at the delivery time.
    • For an additional charge, customers can choose FedEx Evening Home Delivery® for delivery between 5 and 8 p.m.,
    • FedEx Date Certain Home Delivery® for a specific delivery date; and
    • FedEx Appointment Home Delivery® for a certain date and time for delivery.
  • Hold at FedEx Location service is available for customers who know their recipient won’t be home to accept delivery of a package.
    • Customers can choose to have their FedEx Express or FedEx Ground package sent to a domestic FedEx Office store of their choosing before any delivery attempt is made. FedEx Express packages may also be sent to FedEx World Service Centers, including select international locations.
    • Packages are held for up to five business days and a government-issued ID is required to pick up packages.
  • With FedEx Redirect to Hold, U.S.-based customers who missed a delivery attempt by FedEx Express or FedEx Ground or know they will not be available to accept a package at a given time can have the package re-routed to a local FedEx Office store.
  • FedEx Hold at Location and FedEx Redirect to Hold are provided to customers free of charge.
  • To avoid missed deliveries of packages that require a signature, recipients also can now sign up for notifications at www.fedex.com/notifyme.

Save Money with FedEx

Simple steps can be taken to save money when shipping and time when preparing items to ship, including:

• Open a FedEx account, create your shipping label online and save up to 8% on eligible FedEx Home Delivery and FedEx Ground services and 16% on eligible FedEx Express U.S. and international services.
• Ship before Dec. 16, 2011 and use FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery Services for the most cost-effective delivery. FedEx Home Delivery service connects virtually every residential address in the U.S. via our residential-only delivery network while offering Date Certain, Evening and Appointment delivery services to make shipping more convenient.
• Send your package via FedEx Ground from a FedEx Office location. FedEx Ground shipping rates at FedEx Office locations are up to 10 percent less than those at the UPS Store.*

• If you’ve missed early shipping deadlines, research the many options available via FedEx Express, including the economical FedEx Express Saver and FedEx 2Day services.
• Package your shipment properly to minimize the weight and the cost of shipping.
• Drop off your FedEx Express shipments off at one of more than 52,000 FedEx drop off locations to avoid added surcharges.
• Visit fedex.com to view possible savings with companies such as American Express, Delta SkyMiles, Google Checkout, NFIB, Hertz, Grasshopper, Pitney Bowes, QuickBooks, USAA, stamps.com and Salesorce.com

*Average based on a comparison of FedEx Ground rates at FedEx retail locations compared to The UPS Store ground retail rates for walk-in non-account holders.

Ship it Green with FedEx

FedEx offers the following tips to get your package to its holiday destination while minimizing the environmental impact:

• Use the smallest box possible while adequately protecting your item. For fragile presents, double box the gift for more protection while shipping.
• Purchase boxes made from recycled materials. FedEx envelopes are made from 100 percent recycled content. FedEx 10 kg and 25 kg boxes contain a minimum of 70 percent recycled content and are recyclable.
• If you must reuse an exterior box, make sure it is in good condition with no holes, tears or corner dents. Remove any old labels to avoid confusion.
• Look for eco-friendly solutions to cushion your package’s contents. FedEx suggests solutions such as shredded paper or biodegradable packing "peanuts.”
• Make sure you package your product properly with the correct amount of cushioning material and utilize a sturdy corrugated shipping container. Remember that the less your package weighs, the fewer resources it will use.
• Save a truck stop. While you’re running other errands, drop off your FedEx Express shipments at one of more than 52,000 FedEx drop off locations. Both FedEx Ground and FedEx Express packages can be dropped at more than 1,800 FedEx Office locations nationwide.
• Ship with a company that has strong environmental priorities. FedEx aggressively seeks to improve vehicle fuel efficiency through smart practices, operates more than 400 hybrid and electric delivery vehicles around the globe and more than 3,300 alternative fuel vehicles. The FedEx hybrid fleet has logged more than ten million miles of revenue service since being introduced in 2004 – the equivalent of more than 400 laps around the equator.

Visit http://fedex.com/us/holiday/ or http://news.van.fedex.com/holiday2011 for more helpful holiday tips.

Get it Across the Border with FedEx

FedEx Express has the largest global air express network in the world, serving more than 220 countries and territories to get gifts where they need to be for the holidays. When shipping internationally, remember that your shipment’s destination country will help you determine the documentation needed, what duties and taxes will need to be paid and more.

• Prepare your required documentation – this is one of the most important elements in international shipping. Accurately completed paperwork will help your shipment reach its destination on time and reduce the risk of shipment delays.
• Determine the associated Duties and Taxes – underestimating these fees could result in additional fees once the package arrives at its destination.
• To avoid customs clearance delays, be sure to correctly complete all necessary documents, keep your information consistent on all documents and clearly list each item in the package, including what it is made of and how it will be used.

About FedEx

FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $40 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world's most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 290,000 team members to remain "absolutely, positively" focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. For more information, visit news.fedex.com.

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