usps rant


engineerkyle

engineerkyle

Member
Hi All,


The United States Postal Service has really turned me off, so I'm looking for alternatives to shipping packages. Let me tell you what happened.


First, the USPS Click-and-Ship website is buggy. Three times in the last few months my mailing labels have failed to print. When this happened in the past, I'd call a 1-800 number, be put on hold for a few minutes, then an operator would walk me through a reprint. OK. However, for this most recent software failure, I could not get through on any 1-800 number, and was on hold indefinitely. I've paid for labels, which are in the Que, but they will not print.


Getting desperate, I took my package to the post office and asked the clerk for postage. "This is a Priority Express box." she said with a worried look.


"Yes," I replied, "I get them for free from your website. Just sent it regular"


"I can only ship a box labeled Express with express postage. $55.00"


"That's insane, postage costs me five and a quarter online!" I retorted. "Let me borrow your utility blade and I'll strip the box, then you haven't broken any rules"


"Strip the box?" the clerk puzzled.


"Yes, I can peel the lettering on the box off, then you can mail it for me."


"I can't do that, because I already know it was a Priority mail package." She snapped back. I asked for the manager, same story... so I left with my box, 2 days late already, and took it to Kinko's. I had no choice but to use $15.00 FedEx shipping. There goes my profit on this little model. So I'm done with the USPS. What service do you guys us to ship models to customers? I'd like to print postage online, I'd like the service to be intuitive and reliable and fairly priced. With Click-and-Ship, I could send anywhere in the US for under $6.00 (most of my products are small and light) and worldwide for less than $20.00. Therefore, I didn't mind when eBay estimated shipping for around $6.50 domestic, because I could get under that. For my website pieces, I include shipping in the final price.


Now, with my USPS boycott, I don't know what to do. Again, what shipping service do you all recommend?


Thanks in advance


engineerkyle.
 
Just my observation here..

As of late, I think we have become a society of whiners about whatever happens to be thrown our way. Even if it is Mother Nature! As for myself I just Grin and Bear It! Why can’t the rest of us.

BCK RR
 
BCK RR said:
Just my observation here..

As of late, I think we have become a society of whiners about whatever happens to be thrown our way. Even if it is Mother Nature! As for myself I just Grin and Bear It! Why can’t the rest of us.

BCK RR
Click to expand...


you're right... and I am very easy going. But policy for the sake of it really frosts my cookies.
 
Sadly........USPS has been the most reliable (and cheapest) for me. I've had Fed-ex and UPS both leave packages (with signature required) on doorsteps when people were out of town. I had Fed-EX leave a package on MY porch last winter (again, signature reqired) in -20 temperatures. It was a box of fruit......fruitsicles by the time I got home at 8pm, mush when it thawed. I've had "overnight" packages take 5 days. Noone has a perfect record, but USPS has the best average for me, and no MAJOR screw-ups, all minor stuff.
 
FedEx is the most unreliable and expensive my experience. 10 days to delivery an item coming a 6 hours drive away???

UPS is my preferred shipper (at the moment). I haven't had any problems with them at all.

USPS (in our area) is basically unreliable - you might get your package, you might not. With that being said though, I have only had a few issues with them with "tried to deliver cards" being left when we where at home at the time. No effort made to make the delivery at all.

All carriers are going to have their problems and I think that those issues vary from area to area, so I am just referring to where I live.

As for being a society of whingers ... hate to say this BUT if you don't complain nothing changes and only gets worse ... and that is what is happening. The "Oh well I guess I have to accept it" attitude merely compounds the problems and is relied on by business (in general) to push the envelope a little harder for THEIR OWN benefit.

I agree with the OP - USPS is anything but customer orientated and will not lift a finger to help resolve an issue.
 
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I use the USPS for smaller packages and UPS for the big stuff. No problems with either service to date, and the USPS is the cheapest with smaller packages. That Priority Express box is free because the service is a premium one. I recycle boxes and buy very few, but if you took a package to UPS with their red "Next Day" labels on it good luck getting a ground rate. You have to stay within their rules and know how their systems work. You can't game them.
 
I haven't had any problems with the post office at all. I have to get everything for model railroading on line as we have no hobby shops in the area. In most cases everything arrives in less than five working days. We don't get mail delivery where I live so any problems like Dave had with fruit wouldn't happen with the post office.

I have also sent some packages, but had to go to the post office in person and the rates were not high at all, in most cases cheaper than UPS or Fed Ex and arrived in a timely manner.
 
USPS is great. You can't beat the USPS Priority Flat Rate boxes. The USPS doesn't want to ship large parcels. UPS and FEDEX like large parcels. That said, I have long wanted the USPS privatized.
Wayne
 
engineerkyle said:
. "This is a Priority Express box." she said with a worried look.


"Yes," I replied, "I get them for free from your website. Just sent it regular"


"I can only ship a box labeled Express with express postage. $55.00"


"That's insane, postage costs me five and a quarter online!" I retorted. "Let me borrow your utility blade and I'll strip the box, then you haven't broken any rules"




"Yes, I can peel the lettering on the box off, then you can mail it for me."


"I can't do that, because I already know it was a Priority mail package." She snapped back

Now, with my USPS boycott, I don't know what to do. Again, what shipping service do you all recommend?


Thanks in advance


engineerkyle.
Click to expand...

I can't believe it, I had a similar exchange with our postal clerk. She wanted 6.30 or something and it should have been 2.90 because it was only about 6 oz, so fit the first class category of under 13 ounces and ships the cheapest, but due to the package being a recycled priority mail box, I lost most of my profit for the sale.

So now I am making my own boxes out of old cardboard boxes. Unfortunately, for these low weights, usps is the cheapest.
 
engineerkyle said:
"I can't do that, because I already know it was a Priority mail package."
Click to expand...
I would have either not told them about stripping the outside off, taken it to the next post office a few blocks down, or come back a bit later to a different clerk.

But technically the clerk is correct. Using an Express or Priority mail box for non-express or non-priority mail purposes is illegal. Had she accepted it she would be an accessory and put her job at risk.
 
G'day Kyle and all contributors..Not much help here for US /Overseas post but I used to grizzle about Australia Post a lot...Then I discovered Express Post and Express Post Platinum and now the Courier Service...With all my model rail stuff that mostly needs to come from Queensland in either a 3kg or 5kg satchel..the cost is mostly $12-16..if it's able to fit in a satchel..If it's in a carton it might get to $20 or a little more..My Flextrack cost $28 to ship down from Bundaberg Queensland..I could confidently say that if I don't get my stuff next day it will be the day after that...1-2 days max.. and only once in over 100 transactions has it been outside that...Dangerous Goods disclosure not signed was the reason..The Standard Mail service is better than it was but that's by road and even from Melbourne , Victoria to our island State ,Tasmania, which is only 300 km as the seagull flies across Bass Strait ..3-4 days is usual Has to come on the ferry...Not a great deal cheaper anyway usually..I've stopped being unhappy with Australia Post now , so long as the seller allows Express Post services...Cheers Rod..
 
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I do my best not to use USPS Priority boxes. I do try to use the flat rate boxes sometimes, but most of the time, I'll just "make a box" from a bigger plain brown cardboard one and get it sent at a cheaper rate.

So far, I have no complaints.
 
Stoker said:
You dared speak up against an ordained apostle of the new "god"? I am shocked that they did not press a little button and have you dragged off by some black ski masked goons and shipped on a Black Flight to Gauntanamo Bay for "enhanced interrogation".
Click to expand...

Do I detect a small amount of sarcasm here? You better be careful my friend - you might be on the next "flight" with comments such as this. On a brighter note, I hear the weather is better down there :)

But wait, Guantanamo Bay no longer exists, just like there is no such place as Area 51, so I guess we are all safe :)
 
Actually Stoker, I know full well that GB still operates ... and no, I don't believe the majority of what the government tells us, here or anywhere else. So, back on topic ......
 
engineerkyle I think FedEx ground is the next cheapest option.

You might look into buying boxes and then shipping at your local post office. The cost of the box may be less then the difference in shipping.

I have never used click and ship, but if I were you I would try and call again, you are due a credit.

You are not whining, you have a right to expect that you get what you pay for.

I love USPS because of the great value when I am sending something. FedEx is ok, but my UPS man is the best! You could almost set your clock by this guy. He comes the same time of day every time and he knows I am slow to the door, but I am home 99% of the time and he is patient. The FedEx people knock on the door and run, that's fine for no signature needed, but I have to call FedEx and complain that they won't wait even a minute for me to get to the door if they need a signature. The next day they wait only because I complained. I understand they have a tight schedule but come on man wait a minute, it's more efficient then coming back the next day.

The UPS guy is so good that If my dogs are out back and I don't hear the door bell and he will step in and call for me, he knows I never lock my door when I am home alone. I always pick UPS as my shipping option for what I buy. Not because I have to wait an extra day for FedEx to come twice, I do it for the good old fashioned service. UPS drivers are teamsters I believe and my driver is worth a few extra dollars.
 
Stoker said:
You dared speak up against an ordained apostle of the new "god"? I am shocked that they did not press a little button and have you dragged off by some black ski masked goons and shipped on a Black Flight to Gauntanamo Bay for "enhanced interrogation".
Click to expand...

My god, Stoker... I just laugh so out loud!
 
From Montana to New York, should only take 3 - 5 days, not withstanding the weather of course. I have a package coming from Chicago, via UPS, and that has been delayed in Buffalo due to weather. I'll be watching and thanks montanan, looking forward to receiving it :)
 
So far my experiences with the USPS have all been good. Quick and all packages have arrived undamaged.

I got a box from a local bike shop to ship my bicycle to Arizona for a bike ride a few years back. I marked out what I thought were all previous markings and printed a new shipping address label on my computer (fairly large and VERY easy to see and read). I got a call two days later from the bike shop where I got the box from in a town 15 miles away. Seems that UPS delivered the bike to them because there was an address on the box that was barely legible and only about an inch and a half long. To UPS' credit they did ship my bike to the address on the label for no extra charge and I got an apology as well. It might help that this all took place in a couple of small towns.
 
I'm going to make shipping labels through paypal, now.... I've been told the cost is the same as going straight to USPS. I'll let paypal worry about it.

Thanks guys!
 
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