Jump to content

Traders Alert - Bad Postal Service


Recommended Posts

I have problems with my local postal services for some time but today the services are getting worse.

Wondering if anyone had this experience and if so, how would guys solve this: Finding a better service? Self-delivery? Online? Or visit the Post again with a 12 gauge?

Joking on the last part but seriously their terrible services lately (USPS) is no joke.

:485c3a61:

Link to post
Share on other sites

Well, as the old saying goes...you get what you pay for. Unfortunately, I personally don't even think we get that these days with the USPS. But I can relate to what you're saying. My post office absolutely sucks. There's been several times in the past year where I've had to make repeated calls because no one knew where my package was. I don't want to come across as racist at all, but my post office itself is in a less than ideal side of town, although I don't live in it myself...the people who staff it do. So with that comes the mindset and mentalities of people who have a chip on their shoulder simply because they actually have to perform work to collect a paycheck like the rest of us. Here's a few examples.

Last December I ordered a reference book from a guy online at eBay. He shipped it from NY on December 12'th. To his own fault, he chose media mail, which does not provide tracking. After three weeks, I contacted him for a refund, although he kept claiming that he had sent it out on the 12'th. While I can't say I didn't believe him, his refusal to pay the extra 1.90 for tracking service left him open for every inch of the negative feedback he got, and he had to refund me my money. Fast forward to May, and guess what arrives????? Yes, my book....five months later.

Round two, I had a package that I was expecting. I live in apartments, and they have drop boxes where they can leave small parcel packages. They didn't. Instead, they left a note in my box saying it was in the office. I checked my apartment office, and it wasn't there. I called the post office itself, it wasn't there. She called the driver, then called me back saying that the driver tried to personally deliver it to my door, which I know for a fact is a lie, because I worked from home at the time, and had been home all day. I have two chihuahua's in a one bedroom apartment, so they would have more than let me know if someone had knocked. Bottom line, is that they couldn't identify where my package was. I got heated with the lady on the other line who was inconvenienced that I wanted my package, and expected her to provide answers, and she told me that the driver would redeliver it because it was still on the truck. I was puzzled. Why would she leave a notice in my box if it wasn't in either office, and how lazy are you to not even drop it off in the parcel box, or in my front office??? Yeah, they never answer the hard questions like those.

Round three.....I ordered some parts from Northstar models for a commission build back in Feb. I knew I had at least a four month turn around time until I needed them, since I was backlogged with other commission and contract projects, so I was in no hurry. Fast forward to May, and I realized that I had never received these, and that build was fastly approaching. I contacted the company to find out why, and what do you know....they said that it had been returned from my post office. I called and they said that I failed to pick them up from the post office. Mind you, they never let me know that I even had a package waiting. What's worse was that the package was about the size of the box that bottle of a visine comes in. It would have easily fit in my actual mail box, nevermind the parcel boxes...or the front office. They just simply never let me know it had showed up, and after it had sat in the post office FOR A MONTH, they just shipped it back.....to UKRAINE!!!!

Luckily for me, the guys at Northstar were top notch, and turned it right back around, and I made my post office acutely aware that I'd be tracking it daily as it made it's second hop across the pond en route. I did get them the second time, but as you can see....you're not alone. The worst part for me is that with all the commission work I do, I obtain pretty much everything I need for projects online, so I have a steady influx of packages arriving every couple of weeks. The fact that I cant seem to get them even to my mail box is baffling. You have one job postal lady...and no, it's not to stand there on your speaker phone talking loudly to your obnoxious friends while you're half fool stuffing mail in my box without paying a second glance to what you're doing.

Link to post
Share on other sites

We don't have USPS over here in NI,we have Yodel!..Who I believe are owned by USPS.

Out of 5 deliveries I waited in for,I got 2!..The other 3,which were 2 replacement broadband routers & a steering wheel lock for my new car,never arrived....I wasn't too worried ablout the routers as I had a spare,older one & I never paid for them,but the lock I paid £25 for.

Hell,when I complained to them they sent the driver back & he told me he delivered my packet as he remembered it,was about the size of a A4 letter & he left it under my doormat....Shouldv'e seen his face when I told him it would have been a box about 3 foot long by a foot square!

Still never received it...

Link to post
Share on other sites

Sorry to here your having issues with USPS. What service are you using and what specifically is the problem you are having? I have had better experience with them than more expensive services from the others. Just make sure your packaging is clearly labeled and boxed correctly. I find being nice to the people behind the counter has a tremendous effect on the quality of my service also. I know them by name since i see them pretty often and they are more enthusiastic with any kind of assistance i need. I hope you can find a solution to your situation.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I try to use UPS if at all possible. Next is FedEx as they are only marginally better than the USPS. USPS' Tracking is a joke and is false security. By their own admission, it confirms delivery but not to the correct address. If it is insured, it is worthless. At least with UPS and FedEx you have tracking and insurance paid for up front. I don't mind USPS if it is insured and even if it requires a signature. They seem to keep up with packages better that way. The problem is, by the time you pay for insurance and maybe the signature request, you're up to UPS and FedEx rates. You get what you pay for.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Well, as the old saying goes...you get what you pay for. Unfortunately, I personally don't even think we get that these days with the USPS. But I can relate to what you're saying. My post office absolutely sucks. There's been several times in the past year where I've had to make repeated calls because no one knew where my package was. I don't want to come across as racist at all, but my post office itself is in a less than ideal side of town, although I don't live in it myself...the people who staff it do. So with that comes the mindset and mentalities of people who have a chip on their shoulder simply because they actually have to perform work to collect a paycheck like the rest of us. Here's a few examples.

Last December I ordered a reference book from a guy online at eBay. He shipped it from NY on December 12'th. To his own fault, he chose media mail, which does not provide tracking. After three weeks, I contacted him for a refund, although he kept claiming that he had sent it out on the 12'th. While I can't say I didn't believe him, his refusal to pay the extra 1.90 for tracking service left him open for every inch of the negative feedback he got, and he had to refund me my money. Fast forward to May, and guess what arrives????? Yes, my book....five months later.

Round two, I had a package that I was expecting. I live in apartments, and they have drop boxes where they can leave small parcel packages. They didn't. Instead, they left a note in my box saying it was in the office. I checked my apartment office, and it wasn't there. I called the post office itself, it wasn't there. She called the driver, then called me back saying that the driver tried to personally deliver it to my door, which I know for a fact is a lie, because I worked from home at the time, and had been home all day. I have two chihuahua's in a one bedroom apartment, so they would have more than let me know if someone had knocked. Bottom line, is that they couldn't identify where my package was. I got heated with the lady on the other line who was inconvenienced that I wanted my package, and expected her to provide answers, and she told me that the driver would redeliver it because it was still on the truck. I was puzzled. Why would she leave a notice in my box if it wasn't in either office, and how lazy are you to not even drop it off in the parcel box, or in my front office??? Yeah, they never answer the hard questions like those.

Round three.....I ordered some parts from Northstar models for a commission build back in Feb. I knew I had at least a four month turn around time until I needed them, since I was backlogged with other commission and contract projects, so I was in no hurry. Fast forward to May, and I realized that I had never received these, and that build was fastly approaching. I contacted the company to find out why, and what do you know....they said that it had been returned from my post office. I called and they said that I failed to pick them up from the post office. Mind you, they never let me know that I even had a package waiting. What's worse was that the package was about the size of the box that bottle of a visine comes in. It would have easily fit in my actual mail box, nevermind the parcel boxes...or the front office. They just simply never let me know it had showed up, and after it had sat in the post office FOR A MONTH, they just shipped it back.....to UKRAINE!!!!

Luckily for me, the guys at Northstar were top notch, and turned it right back around, and I made my post office acutely aware that I'd be tracking it daily as it made it's second hop across the pond en route. I did get them the second time, but as you can see....you're not alone. The worst part for me is that with all the commission work I do, I obtain pretty much everything I need for projects online, so I have a steady influx of packages arriving every couple of weeks. The fact that I cant seem to get them even to my mail box is baffling. You have one job postal lady...and no, it's not to stand there on your speaker phone talking loudly to your obnoxious friends while you're half fool stuffing mail in my box without paying a second glance to what you're doing.

I know what you are saying and I m surprised. US is first world country and its mail services being worse than third world.

I have friends in US. Whenever they have to ship something to me in Canada, they go FedEx or UPS. I ask them why and they reply USPS is pathetic. They have narrated such horror stories, not in as many words but now I know why.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I totally get this...

I live in the boonies. I have a USPS office not 1 mile from my house.

We have "Rural" letter carriers. I have actually witnessed my carrier whip into my driveway and throw my package onto my side-porch. It's concrete by the way.

Used to be the carport before the great construction of 2010.

ALL of my cherished and paid for magazine subscriptions are always folded, even though I have a huge "Rural" mailbox. You could get a decent sized package in it, really. a magazine wold fit in it flat. Easily.

but no.

Sometimes I get the helpful yellow sticker, you know, the one that says they tried to deliver but I wasn't home crap? It's usually attached to the mailbox, which indicates they they didn't even try. They just couldn't be bothered with it.

I cringe when I select FedEx home delivery and see that my package is going to be delivered to my local USPS for delivery.

I have now started to request UPS <cringe> or FedEx all the way to the door for packages.

yes, I have complained. I have sent letters /irony/, with no joy.

I think we are stuck with what we have.

Jester

Link to post
Share on other sites

You need to report the carrier to your postmaster. Those jobs are VERY hard to get, and people wait in line to get them (why, I don't know). If enough people complain about a contract rural carrier, they *will* lose the route. I know someone it happened to.

As for the USPS in general, no system is perfect. But if you think the USPS is at all bad, I invite you to sample the services (I use the term loosely) of ANY other postal system in the world. The USPS is truly a marvel of efficiency and represents a tremendous value for the money you pay. Despite all the horror stories you read, you don't hear about the other 99.99999999% of articles they deliver on time (or ahead of schedule) undamaged and in the right hands. Again, just ask anyone outside the US.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I've shipped out 200-250 packages a year for the last 10 years via USPS. I can count on 1 hand how many problems I've had. 2 domestic (1 got lost, 1 stolen off a porch), and 2 international (1 lost, 1 buyer in Germany claimed non delivery, even though tracking showed delivery, which is why I only use Express now to certain countries). That's it.

I make an effort to get to know my carrier, I'm always friendly, and polite, and they go out of their way to help me out if there is ever an issue. I'm now on a "pick up" route too, which means 4 days out of the week I have my normal carrier, and the other days its someone else. I haven't been in a post office in years, printing everything at home/office, and handing it to the carrier.

I'm always surprised at the horror stories I hear, because in the 10+ years of shipping at this volume (from 3 different locations), I have no complaints at all.

Charlie

Link to post
Share on other sites

Working at UPS I still use the USPS for everything I ship out. I've only had one problem where someone sent me something and they read the 44221 zip code as 14221 which is in Buffalo NY. I called a local NY post office and they said the package was undeliverable (duh) and was being returned to sender instead of rerouted to me. Well 2-3 days later it showed up at my house so apparently someone had a brain. The address was clearly legible as well on the package so it was a brain fart.

Trust me though UPS and FedEx screw things up probably more often than the USPS but they have better tracking to deal with it.

Years ago a family member in CA sent us a box of oranges for Christmas. FedEx returned the box a week or so later which was all spoiled oranges now. They told her on the phone there was no such place as Cuyahoga Falls OH. She told them she lived there for 60 years so it must have existed at some point. Lol.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I use the USPS for letters and small packages that will fit into my curbside mailbox whenever possible. Just recently I had a letter size bubble envelope take 8 days from Chicago to Long Island, when 4 days is the norm, but it did get here. Rarely does anything shipped by the USPS not arrive especially all the monthly bills. I've had issues with carriers leaving that post card that no one was home to sign for a package, when there is always someone home. I even took that post card to the post office right after it was left in my mailbox, and complained to the Postmaster that I was at home. But that's a rare occurrence. UPS is the best for packages, with Fed Ex a distant 2nd. I've never had a package just not arrive, but I've had plenty of damaged boxes and bent envelopes.

Joel

Link to post
Share on other sites

I live in the middle of nowhere USA and I have had nothing but complete success with USPS. I have never had a problem with USPS whatsoever in sending or receiving. My mail carrier who has been hand delivering (...hand delivering...) my mail for 12+ years is a fantastic standup guy who even goes that extra mile to make sure any packages are under cover and out of the elements if I am not home to receive them (home delivery...remember that?). The helpful folks down at the local USPS Post Office always always always go the extra mile to ensure whatever I am sending goes out safely, securly, timely, at the best possible price...and ALL of my packages have gotten to their destinations when they are supposed to and in the shape I sent them out in. Sorry to hear of your problems, I really am. But my experience with USPS has always been positive and I am happy.

Link to post
Share on other sites

You need to report the carrier to your postmaster. Those jobs are VERY hard to get, and people wait in line to get them (why, I don't know). If enough people complain about a contract rural carrier, they *will* lose the route. I know someone it happened to.

As for the USPS in general, no system is perfect. But if you think the USPS is at all bad, I invite you to sample the services (I use the term loosely) of ANY other postal system in the world. The USPS is truly a marvel of efficiency and represents a tremendous value for the money you pay. Despite all the horror stories you read, you don't hear about the other 99.99999999% of articles they deliver on time (or ahead of schedule) undamaged and in the right hands. Again, just ask anyone outside the US.

Where I live in the US we have a community mail box. Our pigeon hole box (one of eight) within it is about 5 X 5 inches wide. Our mail carrier will fold anything they can to fit in that space, including parcels. I've complained to the postmaster multiple times but he is totally unsympathetic. Basically he just shrugs.

I get photos off of my favorite auction site and I have to tell the senders to pack the photos in cardboard and to mark them as "DO NOT FOLD". And guess what - even with the markings and multiple thicknesses of stiffener my stuff still gets folded and crammed into the box. I also had a large 1-inch thick paperbound book get folded and crammed in. This last one I showed to the postmaster and he finally agreed that I might have a problem. I then asked for all of our parcels to be left in the larger mailboxes up the street that are reserved for large packages. The problem has gotten better but it's still not completely solved. I still get stuff folded/mutilated delivered to our regular mailbox.

Also our letter carrier once left a package in our storm door, between the metal frame and the door frame, as if it was placed to keep the storm door propped open. At the time our storm door was not lockable. The wind was expected to rise to 60 mph that day (of course) - the wind came up and tore the door half off the frame. We had to put in a tort claim against USPS and it took months to get any money out of them. Our new storm door has a lock on it.

We've also had mail delivered to our address that was for a matching street number, in another city, in another zip code entirely. The only common item in the address was a four-digit house number and sometimes the state. We've had this happen several times. I assume that somewhere in Lower Armpit, Utah somebody is sometimes getting our mail.

The USPS may be the most efficient mail system in the world overall, but some parts of it are piss-poor.

John Hairell (tpn18@yahoo.com)

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...