5 Dollar Shipping

Posted: July 17th, 2007 | Author: saldarji | Filed under: business, technology | No Comments » I paid about 5 dollars to get the golf clubs shipped to me in Arkansas by UPS. I have no idea how they make money. Here is the route:

BENTONVILLE, AR…07/17/2007…10:12 A.M….DELIVERY SPRINGDALE, AR…07/17/2007…5:46 A.M….OUT FOR DELIVERY
SPRINGDALE, AR…07/17/2007…5:35 A.M….ARRIVAL SCAN
LITTLE ROCK, AR…07/17/2007…12:59 A.M….DEPARTURE SCAN
LITTLE ROCK, AR…07/16/2007…5:28 P.M….ARRIVAL SCAN
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK…07/16/2007…11:40 A.M….DEPARTURE SCAN
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK…07/16/2007…8:12 A.M….ARRIVAL SCAN
WICHITA, KS…07/16/2007…5:12 A.M….DEPARTURE SCAN
WICHITA, KS…07/16/2007…12:05 A.M….ARRIVAL SCAN
SALINA, KS…07/15/2007…10:13 P.M….DEPARTURE SCAN
SALINA, KS…07/13/2007…9:25 P.M….ARRIVAL SCAN
COMMERCE CITY, CO…07/13/2007…9:34 A.M….DEPARTURE SCAN
COMMERCE CITY, CO…07/12/2007…10:53 A.M….ARRIVAL SCAN
SALT LAKE CITY, UT…07/12/2007…1:40 A.M….DEPARTURE SCAN
SALT LAKE CITY, UT…07/11/2007…11:04 P.M….ARRIVAL SCAN
HERMISTON, OR …07/11/2007…7:45 A.M….DEPARTURE SCAN
HERMISTON, OR—07/11/2007…6:10 A.M….ARRIVAL SCAN
PORTLAND, OR…07/11/2007…2:12 A.M….DEPARTURE SCAN
PORTLAND, OR…07/10/2007…10:23 P.M….ARRIVAL SCAN
TUALATIN, OR…07/10/2007…9:26 P.M….DEPARTURE SCAN
TUALATIN, OR…07/10/2007…6:45 P.M….ORIGIN SCAN
TUALATIN, OR…07/10/2007…5:32 P.M….BILLING INFO RECEIVED

Mapped, it looks something like this:

I suppose if you convert the 5 dollars into raw energy/fuel, it is theoretically possible to get a box that size from Oregon to Arkansas. It really is a miracle of modern logistics. technology, and efficiency that it could be so cheap to ship a package that distance. The other alternative is that UPS makes a loss off of orders like mine, but ends up making an offsetting profit on shorter routes.

We have come a long way from Western Union, horse-drawn carriages, and coal-burning trains.

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