USPS Needless Delays on Basic Shipping

[Harold]

The past few times I've sent a package by Retail Ground (due to oversize for Priority Mail) the tracking shows it travelling needlessly for several days before finally being delivered.  I just sent a package from New Jersey to San Francisco and it took 11 days to be delivered.  The tracking showed it moving around SF for 4 days.  I think the USPS does this to discourage the use of cheaper services.   Anyone else have similar experiences?

[39BuickEight]

Sometimes I see that, but I also have time where something is delivered ahead of time.  I ship everything I sell on eBay that’s not either huge or over 50 lbs. (I FedEx that stuff) via USPS.  

 

Recently I sent something from KY to Phoenix, regular ground, and it got there in 3 days.

 

Also, there are times a delivery is made and it’s never shown.  I had a part sent to Vegas that said it was there sitting for several days, never delivered.  I contacted the buyer and he said he got it a while ago.  It never was updated as delivered.

 

I also found out last week that flat rate boxes can be sent worldwide (for more money of course, but it’s still an option.)

[Dynaflash8]

I had several boxes of Buick parts ready to take to Hershey, until I had by-pass surgery.  It has been too soon to handle the weight.  I was thinking about going back to eBay this winter, but their rules have gotten so demanding I sort of think it isn't worth the effort.  Last  year I made $500 off the corner of a friend's table up there.

[C Carl]

You just keep on taking it easy for a while there, Earl. Hear ? Life never looks so sweet and precious as it does when you "Beat the Reaper". I beat the s.o.b. over two heart attacks fairly recently. Took a while to get back up and at 'em again, and I haven't had a terrifying cardiac emergency in over 2 1/2 years ! Hershey will still be there for you when you are ready for it again. 

 

I have had very good service from USPS. Hound dog, too. Now UPS is another matter entirely. I wouldn't ship with them again if the only alternative was the milk run route of the Donkey Express.               -    CC 

Edited September 14, 2019 by C Carl
Cuteness (see edit history)

[Trulyvintage]

USPS is being tasked with handling a surge of Amazon 2nd day and later shipping.

 

The rural mail carriers hate it.

 

Amazon is getting into Deep Doo Doo in several states with it’s delivery contracts with small companies providing “ independent contractors “ with Sprinter vans.

 

It is building up into a showdown with State & Federal Regulatory Agencies.

 

There have been serious accidents and at least one death involving poorly trained Amazon Drivers.

 

 

Jim

[60FlatTop]

Sometimes you just gotta save stuff.

 

 

[1937hd45]

Clueless to all things Amazon, BUT the free boxes that fill the Cardboard Only dumpsters are just as good a deal as the FREE Priority Mail poxes at the post office. USPS handles 98% of my eBay deals the heavy stuff goes FedEx Ground. No complaints from me. 

 

Bob

[vermontboy]

It took 9 days for a package sent Fedex to go from Long Island to Rochester via Philadelphia (3 days of sitting), to Pittsburgh ( 3 more days), to Ohio and finally back to Rochester .......

I remember the days you could take a package to Fedex at 7 o'clock at night for early AM delivery (in one case an 11 AM public bid opening) and you knew it would be there. One of our salesmen had no trouble meeting a Fedex truck on the shoulder of the LI Expressway to make a bid opening....

those days are gone forever ......

[C Carl]

Gone, gone. And nothing's gonna bring 'em back. I, along with quite a number of us old guys, have spent significant amounts of time living /traveling /driving/working in 3rd World countries. Almost seems to me that the amount of difficulty/delay we encounter in the Good Ol' these days smacks of 3rd Worldism. Yeah. Many problems thereof, with few to none of the benefits. And please don't even think of getting me started on s.h. countries unless it is face to face in some bar somewhere, some time. 

          So glad I got to live and drive most of my life in a better world than this'un.    -   Carl 

[1937hd45]

Maybe it is just me, but I do remember not so long ago all the postal workers at the counter were fluent in English, it was their first language in most cases. 

 

Bob 

[JACK M]

I bought a small item from back easy somewhere that was shipped FedEx.

I tracked it all the way across the country to Portland.

To my surprise it was diverted to Seattle and turned over to the post office for delivery. That added a few days.

[hidden_hunter]

At least you don’t have the “fun” of shipping international - where things getting arbitrarily take a long time for no

reason (two weeks in LA then shows up 2 days later)

[mercer09]

Harold, good point. Just had a 2 day priority envelope take 12 days, coming in the opposite direction that you mention. The package languished for almost a week out in Cali.

 

In the meantime, I have recd letters from Cali to NJ in just 3 days.

 

The whole system is a mess and in the meantime, we are losing billions each qtr running the USPS.

 

Amzn has had huge benefits from using USPS in the past and those days are coming to a close.

[hidden_hunter]

On the flipside, I've had stuff from UPS take 2 days to be delivered from California to Melbourne - but you sure do pay for it 

[trimacar]

I think I might hold the record for the most traveled package.  Sent from New York, arrived Washington DC, from there to Los Angeles, back to DC, finally to me.....August 13th to September 3rd and some 6000+ miles.....and it was a 40 pound box.....

[pont35cpe]

I have an item "in the network" someplace. Was shipped on the 31st Aug. from Ohio, haven`t seen it yet. USPS says "it may be delayed because of Dorian" I live in Texas..

[R Walling]

 Be thankful that you do not live in Guatemala, there is no post office there!

 

 On packages that cross countries borders, they may sit in the shippers warehouse for a certain number of days in case that customs want to inspect it.

[chistech]

How about this. Purchased a few model airplane kits in Japan. Sent out Japan Post service, arrived in NY 1 day, one day in customs, next day at my door with special USPS! I can’t get a package from south shore MA to NH in less than two! I’ve order 4 times from the same Japanese hobby shop because these WWII war bird kits are only made and sold in Japan and the quality along with the different, often never seen airframes make the long distance purchases necessary. I’ve ordered four times and up to 5 kits (48 x 10 x 8” boxes) at one time with the longest ever taking four days. Pretty 😜!

[padgett]

For the most part things arrive when expected. I did have some light bulbs shipped from California spend a week in Hawaii before heading to Florida.

[Marty Roth]

14 hours ago, 60FlatTop said:

Sometimes you just gotta save stuff.

 

 

 

Rhode Island to New York

in Less than 5 full days,

by way of Houston, Texas?

[Marty Roth]

I get an email every morning from USPS.

It shows an actual photo of each separate article which is scheduled for delivery in that day's mail, and notes packages (magazines too) ,

 

I'm still awiting for two items, apparently mis-delivered, each containing checks from an insurance company which were shown in early August and have never arrived, even though the pictures clearly have my address. The checks have not been cashed, and were reissued by the company. Are they stuck behind a machine at the post office, or in the mailman's Jeep? Maybe a neighbor got them and sent to recycle?  

[60FlatTop]

My overseas shipment delivery dates are very predictable. They always arrive the day after the buyer asks "Where is my item?"

[hidden_hunter]

We have had stuff go to Austria before as well, that's always fun - Austria's post office even has a stamp for it 

[1937hd45]

Anyone else wonder how that eBay Global shipping system works? Does a buyer pay twice the cost if I were to mail the item directly to him/her? 

[trimacar]

My favorite are the shipping costs from China, which are just about zero.  Long ago, the US tried to "help out" the developing country of China by making postage and delivery from that country dirt cheap.  Look at electronics on Ebay, you can buy a $2.99 item from China with FREE shipping.

 

Those days are long gone, yet the law is still on the books, and it costs the USPS a fortune.  Common sense doesn't seem to prevail in the non-State district on the east coast......

[Terry Wiegand]

You guys are simply forgetting the basic idea here - ANYTHING THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS INVOLVED WITH IS SCREWED UP BEYOND BELIEF!!  On certain things the postal system cannot be beat for costs.  On other things UPS is the way to go.  Last month I shipped a gasoline tank (in a wooden box) to Ohio for cleaning and ceramic coated lining.  The box weighed 65 pounds and UPS got $100.00 from me for the shipping and insurance.  USPS would not touch it even though it was under their 70 pound limit.  A person has to be careful when shipping anything because the idea is to separate you from your money in a New York second.  I ordered a couple of small dies from a company in Indianapolis and the things had to go Atlanta before getting to Wichita.  I am West of Indy but the blasted things had to go East before I got them.  Tell me what is wrong with that picture - and this was the US Postal System.

 

Terry Wiegand

South Hutchinson, Kansas

[vermontboy]

Part of it was created by the responses to the Anthrax scare where all mail had to be photographed. That is what now allows you to know what mail you are going to receive. What that means is that if I send a letter to the house next door and mail it at the post office it cannot just be placed back out in the mail stream but must go to a distribution station where everything gets sorted and photographed and then sent back to our post office and then put out for delivery.

 

Sort of like taking your shoes off at the airport because a terrorist once put some plastic  explosive in his shoe........we tend to over react...

[hidden_hunter]

10 hours ago, 1937hd45 said:

Anyone else wonder how that eBay Global shipping system works? Does a buyer pay twice the cost if I were to mail the item directly to him/her? 

 

Its crap, 30+ days to get stuff - you’re better to use a parcel forwarder

 

They also double dip on import duties 

[mercer09]

ebay also now takes a percentage on shipping- which should be illegal...........................

[yachtflame]

I sent a restored windscreen lifting mechanism from Amherst, MA to Ocala, Fla. via USPS. It took six weeks to go to LA, Seattle, SF then finally to Ocala. My geography must be off but I didn’t think the West  coast was in a direct line from MA to FL. It took filing for the insurance for them to find it and actually send it to Ocala.

 That said, I use USPS exclusively and will not ship via UPS. The delivery guy drove past me house 3 times before I hung a sheet out my upstairs window with my address printed on it. Funny how they sometimes have to go to the local US Post Office to get directions to an address! 

 

Wayne

[countrytravler]

Been in the retail business for 40 years selling and buying car parts. We use all shipping including Greyhound. 90% of the time, shipping time has been reasonable. 

 

[trini]

When I buy from US vendors I specify USPS. It takes a little longer but I am in no hurry. UPS charges brokers fee. For a forty dollars item the brokers fee is 27 dollars. Even the driver advised me not  to use UPS. Parts over 25 years old are considered antique and are not subject to duty. There may be a small inspection fee by customs. Anything considered antique is duty free. If charged by mistake you get a refund.

 

I do not buy from evil bay. They add some kind of import duty on the price. What import? The maximum  allowed into Canada without having to pay import duty was 50 dollars and I think that is increased. So why are Canadian customers paying custom duty when buying from evil bay? Who  is  getting that money ? Not the Canadian Government, of course.

 

   

[Buffalowed Bill]

I have been waiting for this USPS bashing to stop, really not wanting to get involved, but with amount of misinformation griping and downright fictitious stuff continuing to be flung around, I feel I have to put my two cents worth. Sadly it seems like this has to be revisited, even though it has been covered often.

 

The USPS belongs to you. It's been around for us for about 250 years and is obligated to take care of all it's customers, not just the ones it chooses to prioritize, at the exclusion of others that it chooses to marginalize. When you see that the USPS completes the delivery of a parcel for the private carriers, it most often because that the private carrier has choose not to deliver to that location because it is too expensive. The difference is that your PO is required to handle all requests for help, even from their competitors. I wonder if anyone here believes that one of the private common carriers is going to deliver a package from Florida to Metlakatla Alaska or Guam. That's not likely!

 

The USPS does not have it's own planes, to deliver your mail around the country. Instead it uses commercial airlines, and even UPS and Fed Ex planes, on a space available basis. Your parcel travels in a direction which will allow for the best use of commercial airlines scheduling and destination. That's why a parcel leaving Seattle, for instance, may be routed through Phoenix, Denver, and Atlanta before being delivered in NY. To coordinate the routing a sophisticated program called "Starship" is used. Each airline submits a schedule of it's daily flights, the data for which is input into the system. The address/barcode is electronically scanned for each piece of mail,  and routed on a commercial plane which can best facilitate it's timely delivery. Subsequent transfers are made on the basis of most timely, not distance, or straight line.

 

Weather condition which can ground planes has the same delaying effect in the mail flow as it does on passenger service. If a delay seems to be protracted the USPS can choose to truck mail rather then wait out airport closures. To say that the USPS tries to slow down the mail flow to make the customer use a more expensive mail classification is just laughable. For the most part, all mail, regardless of classification, travels on the same plane, on a space available basis, so why would they want the customer to choose a cheaper, slower alternative, or more expensive class, for that matter, if is not needed, ridiculous! The clerk should have given the customer the delivery schedule, and the price for each classification, but the option is up to the customer.

 

The USPS runs an operating deficit only because of an arbitrary congressional edict. All postal employees, and retirees health benefits are required to be funded, in advance, for fifty year in the future. Without getting into the politics that spurred this policy, suffice to say that no other public or private US business is required to do the same thing. The cost of this obligation costs the USPS approximately eight billion ($8B) a year. With a current deficit of $3+B/year its obvious that if the PO was not so obligated, it would have an yearly surplus of about $5B. Which, of course, it would return to all of us in lower rates, based on the next tree year rate schedule.
  

Edited September 17, 2019 by Buffalowed Bill (see edit history)

[C Carl]

Very interesting, B' Bill. Great explanation. I guess, in a way, that makes USPS personnel my employees ? No wonder they are so friendly to me when I go to the Greenwood P.O., or the main branch on 145th street. Likewise where I have a box for my remote place in the Northwestern wilds out of Ellensburg.    -   CC 

[mercer09]

All wonderful Bill, except for your last paragraph...................

 

bottom line, dumb decisions by our gov. wish I had the same opportunity at my vocation, but most of us dont.

 

same as school teachers, but no point going there.

 

the math just doesnt work.......................................................................... so we all pay for bad decisions.

[cahartley]

On 9/16/2019 at 4:21 AM, mercer09 said:

ebay also now takes a percentage on shipping- which should be illegal...........................

 

This is far from new.

Ebay wised up a long time ago because sellers were circumventing final value fees by selling a $100 item for $20 with $80 shipping.

[mercer09]

This is far from new

 

 

of course, but still is a ripoff to the 99% legit sellers.

 

Why I am no longer a seller- only a few cars a year. Not worth my time to list 9.99 items to be taxed out the A--!

 

 

[cheezestaak2000]

the USPS delivery truck stops in front of my house almost every day. last month, it sounded like it was developing a rod knock. i listened every day as it got progressivly louder. about a week later, i saw it on the back of a tow truck. now a month later it's replacement is starting to sound a little suspect. i may have a clue to their problem. btw, there is a town here in delaware named canden-wyoming. i can only guess what kind of problems they might have getting their mail.

[39BuickEight]

7 hours ago, cheezestaak2000 said:

the USPS delivery truck stops in front of my house almost every day. last month, it sounded like it was developing a rod knock. i listened every day as it got progressivly louder. about a week later, i saw it on the back of a tow truck. now a month later it's replacement is starting to sound a little suspect. i may have a clue to their problem. btw, there is a town here in delaware named canden-wyoming. i can only guess what kind of problems they might have getting their mail.

My brother is a mechanic for the USPS.  Those mail trucks are on Chevrolet S-10 pickup chassis’s.  They are all 15 years old at minimum.  They just keep fixing them.  There are no plans to ever purchase new delivery vehicles.  The only way one is taken off the road permanently is due to frame rust.  Eventually they will have to buy something new.  Then stamps will be $5.00 each.

[39BuickEight]

On 9/18/2019 at 7:01 AM, mercer09 said:

This is far from new

 

 

of course, but still is a ripoff to the 99% legit sellers.

 

Why I am no longer a seller- only a few cars a year. Not worth my time to list 9.99 items to be taxed out the A--!

 

 

 

As a seller, I simply price my items accordingly.  It’s very easy not to be “ripped off.”