Before you ship with UPS

Basically the Hub and spoke system works like this.Your package is picked up and brought to the nearest distribution hub.From here it is processed,scanned and sent to a corresponding hub.If you purchased faster methods like overnight or 2nd day your package will be shipped to a major air hub.If you ship using the standard three day service your package will likely be shipped through various ground hubs before arriving at its destination.Here lies the problem,at every hub stop your package is handled by a loader,unloader and a sorter.On average I would say your package stops at about two hubs per trip.Which means your package is taking damage at every hub!Not to mention the drivers who pressed for time administer the final touches.

Complete list of Ups hubs :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_Parcel_Service_hubs

One of these ground hubs are where I spent my nights loading packages and let me tell you its some of the hardest work I have ever done.Most of the employees loading these packages work under unfavorable conditions are underpaid and disgruntled.These part time employees work one of two four hour shifts where they are squeezed as much labor out of them as physically possible.The number of packages that traverse these hubs on a daily basis is hard to put into context.I do not know the numbers but what I can tell you is that I personally handled about 3000 packages a day at a medium size hub with about 50 to 100 employees per shift most of whom are either loaders, unloaders or sorters.