I really don't think I can agree with that. We all know that virtually all front line hotel employees are making small hourly wages. What could possibly constitute what you refer to as "a surprisingly large amount (of cost) when you consider all the labour involved?" What labor?!?

FedEx shows up on the back dock of the hotel and drops off 2 boxes with the receiver. The receiver calls banquets or someone in the sales department to come pick up the 2 boxes, which takes about 90 seconds. The boxes are then stored in the bellman closet, or more frequently, in the banquets storage areas. Case closed. Why would this cost $50 or more?

I'd estimate the dedicated labor cost at somewhere around $1.10.

Now, if we're talking a pallet of meeting materials and lots of odd shaped, very heavy containers shipping in, that's a different story. But the usual case is that a few small boxes (or large envelopes) are mailed to the hotel for the guest's collection -- I can't see any more than a very marginal cost being assessed for that.

Sorry.