US Post Office rant - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

aklim · #31 03-09-2012, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

When Fedex loses a tracked package, the tracking ends where the last scan was done. Nobody has a clue why it did not proceed.

WTF good is "tracking"? Once it's gone, it's gone.

A time or two, I have had something delivered to my old address and the tracking helped me determine where it is so I could get the shipper to make the appropriate changes. I agree it isn't perfect but it is better than nothing. Also, a couple of times, when the package hit the Madison terminal and I needed it in a hurry, I actually ran down to the terminal before it got loaded and intercepted it.

Brian Carlton · #32 03-09-2012, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

A time or two, I have had something delivered to my old address and the tracking helped me determine where it is so I could get the shipper to make the appropriate changes. I agree it isn't perfect but it is better than nothing. Also, a couple of times, when the package hit the Madison terminal and I needed it in a hurry, I actually ran down to the terminal before it got loaded and intercepted it.

Agreed.

Tracking is fine..........provided that they do not lose the package.

aklim · #33 03-09-2012, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

Agreed.

Tracking is fine..........provided that they do not lose the package.

You don't think it helps track the package when they lose it to some extent? If you know where it was last seen, would it help as a place to search?

Brian Carlton · #34 03-09-2012, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

You don't think it helps track the package when they lose it to some extent? If you know where it was last seen, would it help as a place to search?

My experiences with Fedex and USPS show otherwise. They have nobody who GAS and the word "search" is not in their vocabulary.

Fedex lost a very costly piece of tooling that was the property of American Airlines and one which they needed desperately. They knew exactly where they lost it but would not even think of looking for it.

The package mysteriously appeared at A/A about two weeks later, all banged to hell. Fortunately the steel tooling component was unscathed.

Eskimo · #35 03-09-2012, 02:50 PM

In my case, a buyer contacted me ~5 weeks after delivery asking about his FedEx Overnight package.

When I checked, FedEx tracking showed that the package had been delivered and signed for - at an address "one street over" from where it was supposed to be delivered.

And then the real fun began...

FedEx eventually made good on the entire declared value of the package, but man, it was a lot of work!

In all honesty, I was surprised that they never tried to tell me that 5 weeks was simply too long to wait before notifying them of the problem.

hill · #36 03-09-2012, 04:02 PM

Have you folks ever tried Greyhound? Yes they have to go get it. But they also have to show ID and sign for it. Two bumpers from Sacramento to Los Angeles was $100

Can't Know · #37 03-09-2012, 07:27 PM

One way around this is to have your sender mail it with signature required. That's a giant PITA for you, but that way they can't just leave it. There are those who love to steal packages left by front doors, etc. and for regular priority mail, that's what they do.

I have a relative who runs a coffee business in Hawaii and ships the good stuff all over the place. Virtually all of it is USPS priority mail and in talking with him, he has to reship occasionally for exactly the same reason you're describing, but ultimately it's cheaper than shipping UPS or FedEx even including the ones he has to reship. If a customer demands it, he will ship UPS and pass the extra expense on to them.

aklim · #38 03-09-2012, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Can't Know

Virtually all of it is USPS priority mail and in talking with him, he has to reship occasionally for exactly the same reason you're describing, but ultimately it's cheaper than shipping UPS or FedEx even including the ones he has to reship. If a customer demands it, he will ship UPS and pass the extra expense on to them.

Yes and no. Dollar wise, you are right. OTOH, what is the inconvenience to the customer worth? Your fault, my fault, nobody's fault doesn't change the simple fact that I needed my package that didn't come. I don't want the bad feelings between someone I sell to so when you ask for cheap, I don't guarantee it gets there. All I guarantee is that I send it out. I feel it is makes me look bad. Whether I can afford to look bad because of "guilty by association" is the question.

elchivito · #39 03-10-2012, 10:23 AM

Quote:

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.

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.

Pretty much my exact experience. The mail contract carrier out here has misdelivered packages a number of times and couldn't seem to remember to whom she had delivered them. I had a couple returned to me by their recipients, "hey, I got a package for you in my mailbox today", but several others vanished into the void. We've had the same route driver for UPS for years and he knows which gate to leave packages and will even stop in the middle of the road to hand off a delivery if he sees me out and about. Fed Ex is always a different driver who can't figure out which gate to use. I've found unable to deliver stickers stuck on side pasture gates and other weird places. Any more, the USPS's primary function seems to be the delivery of junk mail. I had the idea to switch to a PO box so I could stop in every couple of weeks and empty the trash into THEIR recycle bin, but the postmaster told me I couldn't stop home delivery indefinitely. I'm not sure what would happen if I just took out the mailbox. Hmmmm

t walgamuth · #40 03-10-2012, 01:35 PM

I've tried all of them. Greyhound no longer serves Lafayette. I think basically if the package is lost you are screwed, no matter who you use. I use usps the most because I have to walk by it when walking from my parking spot to my office.