UShip
Encyclopedia
uShip, Inc. is an Internet
company that operates uShip.com, a global online marketplace
for shipping
services. Individuals and businesses list items they need shipped in a variety of categories, such as household pets, boats, or heavy industrial equipment, and transportation service providers place bids for the right to ship the item. The company uses a feedback rating system for both the service providers and customers, similar to the eBay
feedback system.
For some categories, including boats, autos and less-than-truckload
(LTL) freight, upfront shipping quotes from multiple sources are presented. Customers can book immediate shipments based on these quotes or opt to wait for auction bids, similar to eBay’s ‘buy it now’ feature.
The site's reverse auction
format aims to reduce the cost of shipping by enabling service providers to find shipments along their routes and fill empty cargo space.
, and runner-up at US Moot Corp competition in 2004. uShip.com was launched shortly after, and received funding from Benchmark Capital
in 2005
, the world’s largest heavy equipment auctioneers.
A TerraPass
partnership allows uShip to calculate the monthly carbon footprint of service providers enrolled in the program, who can them purchase carbon offsets and invest in energy efficiency projects.
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
company that operates uShip.com, a global online marketplace
Online marketplace
Online marketplace refers to a type of ecommerce site where product and inventory information is provided by multiple third parties, whereas transactions are processes by the marketplace operator. Online marketplaces have become a driver of new business for online merchants that leverage them as...
for shipping
Shipping
Shipping has multiple meanings. It can be a physical process of transporting commodities and merchandise goods and cargo, by land, air, and sea. It also can describe the movement of objects by ship.Land or "ground" shipping can be by train or by truck...
services. Individuals and businesses list items they need shipped in a variety of categories, such as household pets, boats, or heavy industrial equipment, and transportation service providers place bids for the right to ship the item. The company uses a feedback rating system for both the service providers and customers, similar to the eBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
feedback system.
For some categories, including boats, autos and less-than-truckload
Less than truckload
Less than truckload shipping is the transportation of relatively small freight. The alternatives to LTL carriers are parcel carriers or full truckload carriers. Parcel carriers usually handle small packages and freight that can be broken down in to units less than . Full truckload carriers move...
(LTL) freight, upfront shipping quotes from multiple sources are presented. Customers can book immediate shipments based on these quotes or opt to wait for auction bids, similar to eBay’s ‘buy it now’ feature.
The site's reverse auction
Reverse auction
A reverse auction is a type of auction in which the roles of buyers and sellers are reversed. In an ordinary auction , buyers compete to obtain a good or service, and the price typically increases over time...
format aims to reduce the cost of shipping by enabling service providers to find shipments along their routes and fill empty cargo space.
History
CEO and founder Matthew Chasen had the original idea for uShip in 2001, when his mother had a hard time finding someone to ship an heirloom dresser . Later that year, as he drove a half-empty truck to business school, he realized that he could help fill the excess truck capacity with people's oversized deliveries (ibid). While at the University of Texas, Mr. Chasen entered the idea for uShip into several business competitions, winning first prize at the University of North TexasUniversity of North Texas
The University of North Texas is a public institution of higher education and research in Denton. Founded in 1890, UNT is part of the University of North Texas System. As of the fall of 2010, the University of North Texas, Denton campus, had a certified enrollment of 36,067...
, and runner-up at US Moot Corp competition in 2004. uShip.com was launched shortly after, and received funding from Benchmark Capital
Benchmark Capital
Benchmark Capital is a venture capital firm responsible for the early stage funding of some very successful startups. In 1997, the firm invested $6.7 million in eBay, which became worth more than $5 billion by the spring of 1999. Other high-profile investments include Ariba, Juniper Networks, Red...
in 2005
Partnerships
In 2009, uShip entered a partnership with Ritchie Bros. AuctioneersRitchie Bros. Auctioneers
Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers is an industrial auctioneer. The company has 110 locations in 25 countries and 43 auction sites worldwide. The company sells through unreserved public auctions a broad range of used and unused industrial assets, including equipment, trucks and other assets utilized in the...
, the world’s largest heavy equipment auctioneers.
A TerraPass
TerraPass
TerraPass is a social enterprise that provides carbon offsetting products to individuals and businesses. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, TerraPass uses proceeds from member purchases to fund greenhouse gas reduction projects such as wind farms and methane digesters...
partnership allows uShip to calculate the monthly carbon footprint of service providers enrolled in the program, who can them purchase carbon offsets and invest in energy efficiency projects.