uShip was featured in a segment on CNBC’s Power Lunch on July 5, 2011. The Business Coast-to-Coast segment discussed the peak summer moving season and featured a uShip customer and transporter completing a cross-country move.
Read the transcript below:
For more than 20 million Americans, the time between Memorial and Labor Day is the peak moving season– but rising fuel prices mean you may pay more than ever before.
There is a high-tech alternative called uShip offering a unique new way to ship your stuff. Darren Rovell, who is unique and new and likes to ship stuff, has more.
DARREN ROVELL: This is a great story. I love this. It’s sort of like eBay, but for shipping. The Austin-based uShip has done $200 million in sales since its inception in 2004. At any given time there are 10 to 13 million job available.
EMPLOYEE: The shipper is actually going put that down as a deposit.
Meet uShip, an Austin-based shipping marketplace connecting people who need help moving goods with transporters who are looking to fill their trucks.
MATT CHASEN: Instead of going through all the work of calling moving companies and getting quotes that way, you can simply post your move on our site.
Matt Chasen started uShip as a business school project when he was 27. It has since grown into the largest online marketplace for shipping, with offices in the US and Europe. Similar to eBay, uShip works by transporters bidding for business. Only on eBay, when people bid, prices go up. On uShip, prices go down.
MATT CHASEN: Customers, at the end of the day, wind up saving about 50% relative to traditional up-front rates.
The more than 200,000 transporters on the site have generated almost a quarter billion in sales, or more, by using uShip. From transporting household items, cars and boats, to less traditional items like livestock.
CUSTOMER: Nice to see you!
Newly retired Barbara and Ronnie Laudenbach received a quote of $2500 to move their belongings from Shreveport, Louisiana to Austin, Texas. The high cost caused them to look on uShip. 24 hours later, they accepted a bid of $850.
CUSTOMER: Prices are up by gas, and that’s why I was shocked that his price came in at a third of what the regular shippers charge.
The Laudenbachs were able to get such a great deal because their mover doubled up on another move allowing him to charge less. It’s a win-win for all, but make sure you do your homework and check feedback and recommendations for movers– and don’t go with the lowest bid you can find.
That’s cool. Really cool. It’s like LendingTree– they’ll ‘fight for your mortgage.’
