HomeDelivery, Logistics & FulfillmentPlanet Express Review: Best Package Forwarding service?

Planet Express Review: Best Package Forwarding service?

While Planet Express is not a new name in the shipping business, it is not very common either. Naturally, this raises many doubts in the minds of potential customers. After all, you are entrusting your valuable packages to a company you don’t know much about. However, new as it might be, Planet Express is certainly worth the hype around it. Let’s know more about this detailed Planet Express review.

Established in 2017, Planet Express is a mail-and-package forwarding service based in the US. Despite barely being 3-year old, Planet Express has made a name for itself in the shipping industry. Showing an aggressiveness that only a start-up could show, Planet Express has kept its rates among the lowest in the industry, while also offering many interesting features to the customers. A lot could be attributed to its CEO Jason Luong, who was also the COO at Shipito for 8 years.

Features of Planet Express

  • Package photos
    A major issue in such delivery systems is that if there was a fault from the seller’s side (broken or wrong product), you would not realize it until you have received it – making the return process a pain. Planet Express remedies this by offering free photos of your product when it is received at their warehouse. This gives you a chance to ensure the proper condition of the package before it is forwarded ahead.
  • Package Consolidation
    One very useful feature of Planet Express is the package consolidation. Essentially, it gives customers the power to decide which of their products should be shipped together. It optimizes the space taken by the final package and also saves the individual charges on shipping these products separately.
  • Special Request scope
    Planet Express keeps outdoing itself in giving more control to the customers. It offers a ‘special request’ feature to the users, where they can make any specific request about the package. This includes adding custom messages, returning some portion of the package to the retailer, reinforcing the package etc.
  • Shop For Me
    A consistent issue faced by many customers is making international payments on e-commerce platforms. Not everyone has cards that accept international transactions. So, Planet Express comes to the rescue once again. By paying a fee (7% of the price of the product), you can leave it on the company to place your order, including filling the payment and address details. Quite a handy power, to be frank.
  • eCommerce fulfilment
    While Planet Express is great for individual shoppers, it also cares for merchants and retailers. That’s why it offers a separate plan for e-commerce merchants who have no warehouse but place frequent orders.
  • Personal Warehouse Address
    Perhaps the sweetest feature of this Planet Express review 2021 is their warehouse address. By signing up and paying a nominal fee, you get the address of your own personal warehouse, either in California or in Oregon. Any product you buy in the US will be shipped to these warehouses – from which you can then forward to your own address.

Shipment Process in Planet Express

  1. The first step towards using Planet Express is creating an account on it. The company asks for a 5$ deposit before you can get your personal warehouse address. However, fret not; this money can be later used towards your payments. As soon as you make the deposit, you receive the address of their US-based warehouse. Now it is time to get to the business.
  2. With your Planet Express 2021 warehouse address, you can shop on any US-based eCommerce platform without any restrictions. Just remember to enter the warehouse address while placing the order. When the order is placed, the package will be delivered at the warehouse.
  3. Next, you can notify the warehouse about the incoming package; however, it is completely optional. Planet Express guidelines ensure that warehouses have to accept all orders of their members. But notifying the warehouse in advance would only make things go quicker.
  4. When the package is received at the warehouse (and you have seen its photo for assurance), you can decide what to do next. Planet Express offers you many options to choose from. If you are a merchant, you can decide to let the packages (usually in bulk) to remain in their warehouse until you need them for your local customers. This is an excellent option for merchants who can’t afford a warehouse of their own.
  5. If you are a regular shopper who only wanted to save on Planet Express ship charges, you could ask the product to be immediately forwarded to your address. Planet Express boasts of covering most of the countries in the world, barring few unstable ones. Don’t forget to leverage the package consolidation and special request features during the process.

Pricing

There are two broad plans offered by Planet Express 2021:

  1. One Package Plan

Account fee: Free

Handling fee: $2 per package

Storage: 10 days of free storage, after which $0.1 per day per lb

Consolidation Package: Not available

  1. Consolidated Package Plan

Account fee: $10 per month OR $50 per year

Handling fee: $2 per package

Storage: 45 days of free storage (7 days in case of the consolidated package), after which $0.1 per day per lb.

Consolidation Package: Available; charges $5 flat, plus $2 for each package in the consolidated order.

In addition, certain features are available in both plans:

  • Photo cost (before warehouse): $1 for 3 usual pictures; $2 for 10 detailed pictures
    Photo cost (after warehouse): $2 for 3 usual pictures; $5 for 10 detailed pictures
  • Special Request charges: $5 per package
  • Shop For Me charges: $5 flat per item, plus 7% of the purchase item price.
  • Package trashing/deletion: Free
  • Planet Express ship discounts: Facilitated to all customers
  • Any priority request has an additional fee of $3

Pros of Planet Delivery

Now that we have seen what they have to offer, let’s list all the good stuff we found in this Planet Express Review:

  • Multiple warehouses
    While Planet Express 2021 already had a warehouse in California, it opened another one in Oregon last year. This allows customers to avoid the 9.5% sales tax that was imposed on any purchases made within the state of California.
  • Lowest rates
    One comparison is enough to tell you how much cheaper Planet Express is compared to its competitors. There are many reasons for that. The Package Consolidation feature allows customers to optimize their shipped orders, thus minimizing the rates. Since Planet Express ship in bulk, just as big names like FHL and UPS, it too is offered discounted charges. However, unlike the other services, Planet Express passes on discounts to its users.
  • Web Interface
    The web interface of the Planet Express 2021 site is now very intuitive and easy-to-use. All essential features could be found easily on the dashboard. One can move from one step to another without having to ask anyone. This makes it appealing for new users.
  • Zero Hidden Fees
    As you saw above, all the charges of Planet Express are displayed upfront. Unlike other delivery services that add extra charges in the middle of the process, Planet Express is clear about what they will charge for any service. Their Postage Calculator allows you to calculate the shipping charges even before placing the order on an e-commerce site. The transparency is definitely a big point for them.
  • Cheap Storage
    Whether you are a regular buyer who wants to ship multiple packages together, or a merchant looking for a virtual warehouse – the company offers really cheap storage for all. 10-day storage is free for all, which could be extended to 45 days if you opt for the Consolidated Package Plan, Even beyond the free period, warehouse charges only one cent per pound of package weight. So, even if you leave a 5lb package in their warehouse for a month, it will only cost you $1.50!
  • Excellent Customer Support
    If there is one thing that delivery services often lack, it is good customer support. But that’s not the case with Planet Express. Their customer support is excellent and always available. In case you ever face a problem in the delivery, they will go out of their way to ensure your satisfaction.
  • Hassle-free shopping in the US
    Planet Express ensures that as far as shopping within the US goes, you will never face any problem. Every US-based eCommerce seller delivers to either of their warehouses. They also ensure that every order is received at their warehouse.

Cons of Planet Delivery

  • The fixed-fee structure might make things costlier for one-time users.
  • The warehouse is not equipped for large quantities of orders from a single customer, despite its e-commerce fulfillment claim. Thus, it is only suited for small-to-medium businesses.

Final Words

Planet Express is, without a doubt, an impressive mail-and-package forwarding service. It offers impressive features to its customers, individuals, and traders alike. All of this offered at some of the lowest rates in the industry. While it is not perfect, Planet Express is certainly one of the best services individual shoppers and small merchants can hope for. Given its current rate, it seems likely that the company will only get better with time. Our verdict of the Planet Express review is that the company should definitely be given a chance to serve you. For more details on their services, you can visit, www.planetexpress.com.

Alf Alferez
Alf Alferez
Dedicated writer with a strong track record of developing customer loyalty and managing general office operations. Enjoy being a part of a company where my skills and creative ideas will benefit the overall productivity of the organization. I have a strong desire to work in helping make the world a better place. Please reach out to me on alf@ecommercenext.org
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