Holiday Shipping: Cost Or Convenience?

DENVER (CBS4) - The deadlines will be here before people know it for shipping holiday packages. CBS4 looked for the best ways to ship and exposed the hidden charges that many may not have thought about.

CBS4's Suzanne McCarroll set out with a package in hand to see the difference in pricing.

One of the places McCarroll went was called PostNet. They will do everything, there are no lines, and it's incredibly convenient. But customers do pay for that convenience -- it's truly one-stop shipping.

"They like to be able to come in with their gifts and have us package them for them," Tim Hammonds with PostNet said. "A lot of people don't like to do that."

PostNet gift wraps, packs fragile items and ships the package. The convenience comes with a built-in cost, however.

"Depending upon what it is, it can be 20 to 50 percent more," Hammonds said.

The markup recently took a woman by surprise when she mailed a box to her husband in Afghanistan.

"I was charged $10 extra on top of what I mailed the package for," the woman said.

Flo Harlor prefers doing her own packing and going the post office. The U.S. Postal Service is trying to entice customers in with new perks, including online choices.

"You can use our USPS.com website, print your own postage labels and shipping labels out of there," Lisa Nystuen with the U.S. Postal Service said. "We'll ship boxes free to your house, Priority and Express mailboxes and our carriers will come and pick it up for you during the next delivery day."

"If it Fits, it Ships" offers a flat rate for any item at the post office. A small package to outside of Boston costs $1.90 to ship.

Still as the lines at the post office start to get long, the idea of walking in to someplace like PostNet and having a package gift wrapped, packed and shipped is very appealing.

USPS 2010 Holiday Mail Deadlines

Dec. 20 -- biggest mailing day of the year

* Dec. 4 -- for holiday mail sent to U.S. troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan
* Dec. 10 -- for holiday mail sent to other overseas U.S. military sites and to most international destinations
* Dec. 20 -- for holiday mail sent by regular mail to out of state U.S. locations
* Dec. 22 -- holiday mail sent by regular mail in state
* Dec. 22 -- for Express mail letters and packages sent within the U.S.