US Post Office rant

[MS Fowler]

Please bear with me, I need to rant.

I ordered some parts ( not MB related) and the seller shipped it last Friday via Priority Mail. He sent me the tracking number, and I followed its progress. Fri it left San Francisco, and Mon at 10 am it arrived at my post office. Pretty good!
Monday a 4:04 PM it was delivered---well according to the scan at the USPS, it was delivered--but not to me.
I have called them three times, and NEVER have they called me back as they promised. It is now Thursday, the package is not here, the PO won't give me an answer.
What does "PRIORITY MAIL" mean?
Do you think for that UPS or Fed EX would tolerate this sort of incompetence?
They better not quit working for the USPS, because they could never stand the "real" world!
Stupid post office!

Still no package, but I feel better.
Thanks for listening.

[Aquaticedge]

I know how you feel, USPS diddnt do that to me but fedex did.. sucked because it was a part for a customers computer. check with your neighbors. one of them just might have it

[Jorn]

Originally Posted by MS Fowler

Please bear with me, I need to rant.

I ordered some parts ( not MB related) and the seller shipped it last Friday via Priority Mail. He sent me the tracking number, and I followed its progress. Fri it left San Francisco, and Mon at 10 am it arrived at my post office. Pretty good!
Monday a 4:04 PM it was delivered---well according to the scan at the USPS, it was delivered--but not to me.
I have called them three times, and NEVER have they called me back as they promised. It is now Thursday, the package is not here, the PO won't give me an answer.
What does "PRIORITY MAIL" mean?
Do you think for that UPS or Fed EX would tolerate this sort of incompetence?
They better not quit working for the USPS, because they could never stand the "real" world!
Stupid post office!

Still no package, but I feel better.
Thanks for listening.

UPS and Fed EX show the same incompetence, if not worse.

[tbomachines]

If I had a dime for every time I had a similar situation occur. I NEVER EVER use USPS for anything. They are hideously unreliable and often have misinformation through their tracking.

[Brian Carlton]

Originally Posted by MS Fowler

Do you think for that UPS or Fed EX would tolerate this sort of incompetence?

Both tolerate such incompetence every day. If they lose your package, the most the shipper can get is $100. unless you pay an exorbitant insurance amount.

Do you believe they have any confidence that they can deliver reliably? Both are acceptable but no better than the post office.

[panZZer]

Originally Posted by MS Fowler

Please bear with me, I need to rant.

I ordered some parts ( not MB related) and the seller shipped it last Friday via Priority Mail. He sent me the tracking number, and I followed its progress. Fri it left San Francisco, and Mon at 10 am it arrived at my post office. Pretty good!
Monday a 4:04 PM it was delivered---well according to the scan at the USPS, it was delivered--but not to me.
I have called them three times, and NEVER have they called me back as they promised. It is now Thursday, the package is not here, the PO won't give me an answer.
What does "PRIORITY MAIL" mean?
Do you think for that UPS or Fed EX would tolerate this sort of incompetence?
They better not quit working for the USPS, because they could never stand the "real" world!
Stupid post office!

Still no package, but I feel better.
Thanks for listening.

I have never heard that the USPS is supposed to call you and alert you like UPS does on a hold for pick-up at the depot

[tbomachines]

Originally Posted by Jorn

UPS and Fed EX show the same incompetence, if not worse.

I have to disagree here. I have shipped/received hundreds of packages over the years. I have used just about every shipper out there and had packages in all shapes and sizes. The only one that I have ever really had an issue on is USPS. And I have had multiple problems at that - lost packages mostly, had a couple show up like 2 weeks late with little to no information on their tracking site, opened multiple claims over the years. They're shooting at about 25% of all packages I've received as being on time and without problems. I will pay extra money to NOT use USPS at this point. They suck.

[Eskimo]

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

Both tolerate such incompetence every day. If they lose your package, the most the shipper can get is $100. unless you pay an exorbitant insurance amount.

With the exception of certain types of items, FedEx allows one to pay extra for "declared value" greater than $100. Technically, it isn't insurance - though it may seem like it. It sets an upper limit on their liability, but there's no guarantee that they will pay out that amount. If one has sold an item at retail, for example, then FedEx may try to pay out only a wholesale cost for the item if they misdeliver it and it can't be recovered. (Ask me how I know.)

As exorbitant as the additional "declared value" cost from FedEx may seem to you, if you really want to cry, see what the USPS would charge you for the same dollar amount as insurance purchased from them. It's a terrible deal!

Some folks who ship a lot - and want insurance for their packages - obtain it through a third-party provider (U-PIC or Shipsurance, for example). Other folks who ship a lot find it to be a better deal to simply not buy insurance at all - and save enough by doing so to pay out of pocket for the occasional loss - and still come out ahead of the game over the long haul.

[MS Fowler]

Originally Posted by panZZer

I have never heard that the USPS is supposed to call you and alert you like UPS does on a hold for pick-up at the depot

They were supposed to call me in answer to my phone calls. They made the promise to call me; I didn't expect any special treatment.

Sorry if I confused you.

[MS Fowler]

Thanks for all your support and anecdotes.

[R Leo]

Here on the outer rim, FedEx is handled by contract carrier. If you order something and it's expected arrival via FedEx is the Thursday before a long weekend, and you aren't camped at the gate, waiting when they drive up, you can bank on getting a sticker with the note: "Unable to deliver. Next attempt will be made (date after holiday)." An easy, unaccountable way for the contract carrier to make a 3-day weekend into a 3 1/2 or 4-day weekend. But, it sucks if you, mister consumer, paid for 2nd day shipping with the fantasy you'd somehow get your package before the long weekend arrived.

UPS here is another thing entirely. The driver has my cel number and SWMBO's. He's got something, he calls one or the other of us to say he's leaving it in a plastic bag by the gate or, we need to come sign for it. UPS has my appreciation and loyalty.

USPS...Jeez. Our former rural carrier was retired in place. She honked and waved at me one day when I was working in the pasture after she left mail in my box. I went later to get the mail and discovered that she'd left a pink slip for undeliverable registered mail, signature required.

It's a 25mi round trip to the post office. She could have waved me over to sign for that letter, but no. I have to 'make the trip.' I went to the post office and spoke to the postmaster. His reply? "Well, you know Liz, she can't be trained." Well, I sure as hell can be trained and you can damned well bet I will avoid using USPS.

The USPS can't go out of business fast enough to suit me.

[aklim]

If I ship it with USPS, it has to be a WGAS item where I don't care if it gets there or ever gets there. Anything mission critical will NEVER EVER be shipped USPS. I have received a book a month later than it should be. USPS has no clue where it was. One day, it showed up. This is AFTER the shipper refunded the money so I had to refund the refund.

If I ship USPS as your request, I am not going to guarantee that it gets there or in what condition. I will send you proof of postage via an email scan if it comes to that. I ship Fedex Ground or UPS Ground as a carrier of choice.

I have seen less incompetence and the tracking information is way more accurate that USPS. I wouldn't pay a penny more for USPS tracking since it is about as useful as the proverbial teats on a bull.

On a side note about the phrase. Some men have been known to lactate so that phrase might not be as accurate as thought. I mean, doesn't that give new meaning to the word "Milkman"?

[aklim]

Originally Posted by R Leo

Here on the outer rim, FedEx is handled by contract carrier.

If you order something and it's expected arrival via FedEx is the Thursday before a long weekend, and you aren't camped at the gate, waiting when they drive up, you can bank on getting a sticker with the note: "Unable to deliver. Next attempt will be made (date after holiday)." An easy, unaccountable way for the contract carrier to make a 3-day weekend into a 3 1/2 or 4-day weekend. But, it sucks if you, mister consumer, paid for 2nd day shipping with the fantasy you'd somehow get your package before the long weekend arrived.

USPS...Jeez. Our former rural carrier was retired in place. She honked and waved at me one day when I was working in the pasture after she left mail in my box. I went later to get the mail and discovered that she'd left a pink slip for undeliverable registered mail, signature required.

It's a 25mi round trip to the post office. She could have waved me over to sign for that letter, but no. I have to 'make the trip.' I went to the post office and spoke to the postmaster. His reply? "Well, you know Liz, she can't be trained." Well, I sure as hell can be trained and you can damned well bet I will avoid using USPS.

The USPS can't go out of business fast enough to suit me.

FedEx or FedEx Ground? I know the ground is by a private carrier using the FedEx van or a van with FedEx logos on it.

Can't say I had that before. In my shop when there is nobody around, they have a sign to say to go to the next door and unless it must be signed by me, they leave it there. Same with home delivery unless a signature is required.

Last year, if there was any snow, they wouldn't deliver the mail. Pink slip? Nope. Just no mail for days on end till I called. Neighbor complained about it so we will see what this year is like. If you expect me to clean every flake of snow off the road, all I have to say is "Go Fawk Yourself". I'll clean what the snowblower can get to so you can drive on it but get real.

Apparently neither can he. However, it is job security for the lazy.

I will agree with that 100%

[The Clk Man]

Originally Posted by MS Fowler

Please bear with me, I need to rant.

I ordered some parts ( not MB related) and the seller shipped it last Friday via Priority Mail. He sent me the tracking number, and I followed its progress. Fri it left San Francisco, and Mon at 10 am it arrived at my post office. Pretty good!
Monday a 4:04 PM it was delivered---well according to the scan at the USPS, it was delivered--but not to me.
I have called them three times, and NEVER have they called me back as they promised. It is now Thursday, the package is not here, the PO won't give me an answer.
What does "PRIORITY MAIL" mean?
Do you think for that UPS or Fed EX would tolerate this sort of incompetence?
They better not quit working for the USPS, because they could never stand the "real" world!
Stupid post office!

Still no package, but I feel better.
Thanks for listening.

WWJD?

[aklim]

Originally Posted by The Clk Man

WWJD?

Dunno. Have him send me email or let me know in the newspapers or CNN.com.