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[WFP]

Last Friday, I had to go to the Post Office with Anne to pick up a package.  Since I was shipping a part to another member on the site I thought I would use the opportunity to send it Priority Mail.  Next Time, UPS or FedEx!!!

Shipped from Southeastern, MA to California.....by way of Alaska?     WTF ....and then the tracking still expects delivery by the 19th when the tracker clearly shows last status as a day later!   BTW, this was a screen shot taken a few minutes ago.

On a related note, I really like the (I believe relatively new) UPS feature that alerts you to pending deliveries.  It must scan your name and address and if it finds a match, sends an e-mail alert.

Bill

[porthole]

Bill, I have found the USPS tracking to be very vague until the parcel is actually delivered. Nothing like UPS "when scan - updated" tracking.

[ultrafxr]

Bill, I agree.  But personally I prefer FedEx Ground.  Recently shipped several packages and checked rates and FedEx Ground was cheaper in each case.  And FedEx Ground delivers on Saturday.  Plus since Fred Smith is a good ole Memphis boy I like to support him. 

[JCZ]

And if you look to the left, it was "processed through the sort facility" in Alaska on both the 19th and the 20th   Apparently it wasn't "processed through" on the 19th.

I told Bill I'll be lucky if I see it this year.

[ThunderBueller]

Just don't use FedEx for computer monitors. 

[110tHunDer]

 
There's some similar videos involving brown trucks, too.  Nothing's safe!

[porthole]

Must have seen the fedex video 2 dozen times today on the news. One report followed it up with a fedex tractor trailer running down the highway with a still in the box oven in front of it.

[WFP]

I just went to check status and was prompted to respond to a Survey...very good timing for my responses! 

/Bill

[JCZ]

I just went to check status and was prompted to respond to a Survey...very good timing for my responses! 

/Bill

I just checked the status on my end however, I didn't get a prompt to complete a survey.

[WFP]

I just checked the status on my end however, I didn't get a prompt to complete a survey.

Big Brother is watching you and knows you too well!

[kb]

The US Postal Service does hire a lot of veterans, that has got to be worth something?

[grc]

The US Postal Service does hire a lot of veterans, that has got to be worth something?

     I know it's fun to beat up on anyone and anything even remotely associated with the government, but it's been my experience over the past 5 to 10 years that the USPS does a better overall job on packages than either Big Brown or FedEx.  And my gut feeling was recently reinforced by the results of some shipping tests by a leading consumer magazine using instrumented packages sent through each of the aforementioned companies.  When the results were tabulated, the packages that had been handled least roughly were those shipped through the USPS.  Big Brown and FedEx have gone down the same path that many other companies have in the past; as they got bigger and bigger they lost some of what made them really good in the beginning.  While they may have better online tracking systems, the actual routing of packages in my experience is just as strange as the example of shipping a package from the east coast to California by way of Alaska.  If you get regular ground rate 5 day shipping from either, your package may travel two or three times the actual distance from the shipper to your home.  And the odds of getting that package beat all to hell have gone up exponentially over the 15 years I've been getting stuff shipped to me through them.  I remember how it used to be, with the UPS guy ringing the doorbell and waiting to hand you your package with a big smile and cheery attitude.  Now the guy who makes deliveries in my neighborhood doesn't even ring the doorbell, he just drops the package on the porch near the front door and hightails it back to his truck.  He especially doesn't hang around when he delivers a damaged package, he just quietly sneaks up and leaves the box and then hightails it out of area.

There are a lot of good people working at the USPS, and I will continue to support them with my business.  The fact that many of them are veterans is just icing on the cake.


Jerry

[ultrafxr]

I've got no axe to grind with any of the three.  Guess I've been lucky but never had a package damaged by any of them whether I was shipping or receiving.  I applaud the USPS for their carriers and clerks - lots of good hardworking folks.  And my step dad worked his whole career for the USPS.  But my complaint with them is the extremely slow service at the counter and lack of staffing.  And it is not just one location - I've been to a dozen around town over the years and it is always a wait for service.  But UPS and FedEx have a much more streamlined system and you can get in and out much quicker.  I'd rather be riding than standing in line any day.  

[JCZ]

Maybe somebody can tell us:

1.  Why my package went to Alaska?

2.  Why did it show a delivery date, the date it was received in Alaska?

3.  Why did it show a "processed through USPS mail sort in Alaska" on two different dates?

4.  Why the estimated delivery date hasn't been corrected, even though they've updated the information after that date?

5.  Why are they playing frisbee with my package in Alaska?

6.  Will I see my package this year, here in California?

Just kind of curious.

[muddypaws]

USPS is the worst run company of 2011 in my opinion. I use them as a last choice. Never had a problem with both my company's with ups.