UPS Rates to Rise an Average 4.9%

UPS Ground, Air and International, and Air Freight rates within and between the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico will increase an average net of 4.9%, UPS announced Nov. 21.

The 2014 Ground minimum charge is $6.24, a 6.8% increase from 2013.

“As it has historically done, UPS Ground increases are higher at the lighter weights and less impacting at heavier weights,” Shipware president and CEO Rob Martinez wrote in an email to Multichannel Merchant.

UPS also announced increases to package surcharges and accessorial charges.

The 2014 Ground Minimum Charge is $6.24, a 6.8% increase from 2013.

FedEx’s average 3.9% rate increase for Express products takes effect Jan. 6, one week after the UPS increase. FedEx has not yet announced its 2014 Ground and FedEx Home Delivery increases, but it is expected to match UPS within the next few days, Martinez wrote.

“It is important to note that FedEx maintains a more favorable fuel surcharge threshold than UPS for both Express and Ground packages (at current fuel prices),” Martinez wrote.