Galatians, I am pleased that you've brought this topic up for discussion.
I contend that paying extra for UPS or FedEx 2nd Day or Overnight Express is worth the extra expense, especially when rare tropical material is being shipped. I feel that it's better to pay extra for quick shipping than to receive something rare that got heat damage in transit and which may not be replaceable because it was dawdled along the way by, for example, USPS!
I have found this especially to be true for me when ordering tropical fruit plants from Hawai'i that then have to make it all the way to me in Florida. USPS just don't cut it, IMO! Plus USPS does not guarantee safe arrival of plants.
One other thing that could help when sending plants duing the heat of summer would be to line the shipping box with 1-in. thick (or thicker) styrofoam sheets to protect the contents from the temperature extremes, and maybe plus a cool- or heat-pack depending upon the season.
These are my personal observations, based primarily upon my experiences having made many sizeable orders of orchid plants and having them shipped to me from Hi and CA by orchid nurseries in those states. These orchid nurseries normally ship via 2nd Day via FedEx or on occasion via UPS.
But when I have requested that tropical fruit plants be sent this faster way then curiously, I usually get push-back from some vendors who tell me that it is too expensive to ship that way. This reaction has caused me to rethink buying plants from them.
Just my 2¢ worth . . . .
Paul M.
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