 the site of a former prison, and the ghost of the insane warden intends to cure the hapless Orsk employees of their sinful ways. The shift from happy-go-lucky indictment of retail to rather standard, violent horror is so quick that it feels almost like two separate novels. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it is noticeable, and if you were expecting a silly horror-comedy romp, you should know that that’s not really what you get.
Author Grady Hendrix clearly banks on the novelty factor here. And it is novel: the physical book is made to look very much like an IKEA catalog, down to the blue and white line-drawings of furniture items at the start of each new chapter. It toes the line of gimmickiness without quite falling over it, thankfully, and the story is compelling enough on its own to keep the pages turning. Hendrix is a competent writer and has a good handle on the paradoxes of the retail experience, which is by turns soul-crushing and affirming (at least for those who fully buy into it). And the characters are believable and, if not exactly likeable (Trinity and Matt are as annoying as you’d imagine), they are certainly relatable.
Despite the apparent quirkiness of the whole thing, there’s nothing really funny here. It’s mocking US retail culture, but not in a genuinely comedic-parodic way. There are some jokes, and a lot of asides about consumer behaviors in retail environments that are sort of amusing but also somewhat depressing (because probably true). The funniest content comes from the format of the book, rather than the narrative, with its product descriptions, illustrations, and catalog-like dimensions and cover. The transition to all-out horror that happens after the seance is jarring, and it starts to feel very much like an early-2000s big-budget film. I’m thinking especially of the remake of House on Haunted Hill and Thirteen Ghosts: the ghosts in Orsk commit acts of extreme violence, much as those film ghosts did, and the descriptions of their “smudged” faces and the primary documents that reveal the warden’s crazy behavior strongly resemble that era of mainstream horror.
This is not my favorite type of horror. Something about ghosts who inflict physical torment has always turned me off. The novel practically begs for a Marilyn Manson soundtrack, and maybe an accompanying video by the Brothers Quay. But it is, nevertheless, a solid, well-written ghost story that’s worth a read, particularly if you’ve ever worked in retail.<reponame>muhhsinin/muhhsinin.github.io
{
  "id": 2805,
  "surahNumber": "024",
  "ayatNumber": "014",
  "arabic": "وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ لَمَسَّكُمْ فِي مَا أَفَضْتُمْ فِيهِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ",
  "english": "Had it not been for the Grace of Allah and His Mercy unto you in this world and in the Hereafter, a great torment would have touched you for that whereof you had spoken.",
  "bengali": "যদি ইহকালে ও পরকালে তোমাদের প্রতি আল্লাহর অনুগ্রহ ও দয়া না থাকত, তবে তোমরা যা চর্চা করছিলে, তজ্জন্যে তোমাদেরকে গুরুতর আযাব স্পর্শ করত।"
}
What is expedited shipping? Which carriers offer this kind of service? Read more below.
Expedited shipping is an option that many people consider when they need to send packages quickly – especially businesses. However, not everyone is familiar with this kind of delivery or understands what it is.
Expedited shipping is faster than standard shipping. The speed can vary from courier to courier, but in general, it will take between 1 and 2 working days. Often, the vehicle carrying the package will take it straight to its destination without stopping, and may have two drivers in order to undertake this safely.
Expedited shipping simply means that it’s faster, but with most couriers, it means shipping that takes 1 to 3 business days at the most, and sometimes less. Most couriers will offer expedited shipping options so that they can meet their customers’ demands.
Several different kinds of delivery fall into the category of “expedited shipping.” If you use next-day delivery, express delivery, or same-day delivery, you are using expedited shipping. In general, the delivery company will be aiming to reach the destination as soon as possible.
How soon this is depends on the company and how far you are sending the item. Some companies offer overnight delivery or delivery by 1 PM or delivery by 9 AM – it just depends on what service you choose and which company you are using.
As an example, USPS’s Priority Mail Express (their fastest service) will arrive by 3 PM within 1 or 2 working days. Other couriers may deliver by the next day, depending on the situation, so choose your courier with care if you need quick delivery.
Is Expedited Shipping Expensive?
Yes, expedited shipping options do tend to be expensive. That’s because the company has to sacrifice efficiency for speed. It cannot carry as many packages while carrying expedited ones, and may have to make long trips with no economies of scale.
When a company carries a lot of packages, it can afford to make a low margin on each – so when they are only able to carry one or two packages, they need to charge significantly more. That means that the costs of expedited shipping can sometimes be very high, even if the item you are sending is only small.
You should therefore be prepared to pay a lot more if you wish to send something more quickly, regardless of which shipping company you use.
How Fast Is Expedited Shipping?
We’ve established that it’s fast, but how fast? The answer is that it depends on the company, the service you choose, and how long it would take if you selected standard shipping. The last of those might surprise you, but if your package would usually take a week to ship, it won’t get there in a day even with expedited shipping.
The further you send something, the longer it will take, no matter what shipping method you pay for. For example, if your package would usually arrive within about 6 to 7 days, it will probably take 3 to 5 days with expedited shipping. If your package would usually arrive within 3 to 5 days, it will probably take 1 to 2 days.
If you are sending packages within the US, you will usually be able to purchase expedited shipping options that will take 1 day or even arrive on the same day (although same-day delivery tends to be very expensive).
Internationally, things will take longer, but there are still some speedy options. DHL will ship to many countries within 1 to 2 business days, although not every country (and again, distance makes a difference).
UPS also provides fast international shipping to many different countries with guaranteed delivery dates, and FedEx provides an overnight pickup service that ships internationally and delivers the following day.
It’s pretty impressive to imagine that this can occur at a national and international level. If you need things to arrive quickly, you have a lot of options.
How Much Time Does Expedited Shipping Usually Save?
It can vary, but on the whole, expedited shipping will take 1 or 2 days off the normal delivery time that would be achieved by standard shipping. That could be significant for time-sensitive items or documents.
It’s also worth noting that a lot of online shoppers like to use expedited shipping to receive their items quickly – so you should definitely consider this shipping method if you are running an ecommerce business. Not all customers will pay for a faster delivery option, but many will.
Should I Use Expedited Shipping?
Not everyone needs to use expedited shipping; it is more expensive and often unnecessary, especially if it only saves a day or two. If you don’t need it, standard shipping is a cheaper option.
However, there are many instances in which those 2 days could make a big difference, and if you are offering products to customers, you might benefit from at least giving them the option of expedited shipping.
A lot of customers are happy to pay the extra for expedited shipping in order to receive their items more quickly, and businesses that don’t at least offer the option may miss out on sales. It’s