Associated Global Systems Unveils Low Cost Heavyweight Freight shipping Program Geared to e-Commerce Marketers
NEW HYDE PARK, NY, April 2000

Associated Global Systems (AGS), with 40 years of experience as a heavyweight delivery specialist, has announced a new program to answer the needs of on-line marketers, both consumer and business-to-business. The program is being made available to catalog marketers as well.

Development of the program was triggered by a flood of independent surveys published in 1999, showing increased consumer dissatisfaction with the high cost of delivery of goods purchased on-line. This is often reflected in "abandoned shopping carts: when shipping charges are revealed prior to consummation of the transaction.

Some e-marketers have sought to boost sales by assuming shipping costs themselves, thereby putting further pressure on profits in an already highly completive environment. And virtually all must deal with the cost of return shipments, which the surveys peg at 5% to 6% of all purchases.

The new program, AGS e-Commerce Heavyweight Freight Services, is designed to substantially trim costs for shipments upward of 75 pounds, while also addressing such problems as late deliveries and excessive damage claims. AGS claims that it significantly undercut the heavyweight charges of other carriers because it has the experience and resources to anticipate and meet the requirements for every shipment, regardless of weight, shape, or size.

"In fact," observes Norman Freeman, AGS founder/president, "the integrated carriers who handle much of the on-line small package volume often turn to us for help with large shipments that they have difficulty handling. They know that our on-time delivery rate is among the industry's highest, and that our damage claims rank among the lowest."

As specialists in heavyweight freight, Freeman continues, AGS is equipped to provide any required added-value services, including special packing, refrigeration, two-man delivery teams, unpacking at customers' sites, installation and testing of products, recovery and return of defective merchandise, off-hour pickup or delivery.

He expects e-marketers to find AGS' unique on-line tracking capabilities particularly useful.

Says Freeman: "Many carriers still limit customers to an air bill number for tracking purposes. AGS enables customers to track through its web site using their own product, order or customer reference numbers - whatever works best for them."

The AGS program, which can be fully customized to an individual e-marketer's specific needs, offers a complete menu of delivery options, including Same Day, Overnight, Second Day, Three Day and 4-5 Day domestically, as well as comparable options around the globe.

Founded in 1958, Associated Global Systems is a privately held $120 million company, providing a full range of transportation, logistics and supply chain management services worldwide. It has 400+ offices in North America, and provides air, ocean and ground services to, from and within 205 countries overseas.

For additional information about this press release, contact Scott Richter at 1-800-645-8300 or email Scott.Richter@AGSystems.com.