CLEVELAND -- You pack them up. They ship them out, and NewsChannel5 put the the shipping companies to the test.

5 On Your Side Consumer Specialist Angie Lau tested the large shipping companies -- FedEx, United States Postal Service and UPS -- for shipping holiday gifts.

5 On Your Side partnered with sister stations all over the country, beginning in Baltimore, to conduct the test.

Investigative Reporter Tisha Thompson placed a delicate glass ornament in a sea of styrofoam peanuts, and weighed it down to a little less than 10 lbs.

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She then sent the package to NewsChannel5, Lau reported.

The costs are as follows:

FedEx three-day cost -- $15.48
UPS three-day cost -- $22.96
United States Postal Service, using its priority mail service -- $7.35

On day one, nothing arrived. Then on day two, Lau was notified at 9:30 a.m. of a delivery.

Lau reported the USPS was the first to arrive and was by far the cheapest. She added that everything arrived safe and sound.

The FedEx package arrived in one piece, but the UPS box was ripped, she added.

Lau reported although the UPS box arrived banged up, all the companies passed the breakage test. FedEx and UPS arrived two hours after the first package.

The same test was repeated for Detroit, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Phoenix, and West Palm Beach.

The winner was FedEx with the fastest time nationwide, but the best value for the holiday season is the United States Postal Service, Lau reported.

She said the cost was less than half the price of FedEx and a third of UPS's rate.

The local U.S. Postal Service Retail Ambassador Natasha Williams said they will get the package there cheap, but reminds customers it's up to the consumer to pack it right.

"Prevention always is the best cure. We always try to get the package to the destination in one piece, in the event of damage, and they bought insurance we will process insurance claim for them," said Williams.

Go to USPS Web site for additional holiday shipping information.