UPS - Service failure yet again.

[mrsilv04]

This is getting really old. UPS is apparently incapable of transporting a package 200 miles through Indiana, to me in Illinois. Instead, it was left in Indianapolis.

"Guaranteed" delivery... not.

When I asked UPS what the delay was, I was told that it was "weather related problems in the northeast affecting air services"

There are two problems with such a lame excuse...

Problem #1: Indianapolis is a LONG way from the problems in the northeast.

Problem #2: Ground packages that travel a few hundred miles rarely ever see a airplane. That's why it is called G-R-O-U-N-D. It should have been obvious to anyone at UPS who actually took the time to check the tracking info.

 

[JHZR2]

This is why I dont get why so many people complain about USPS. IME, UPS and FEDEX have proven to be equally as inept, and cost a LOT more to ship stuff, with worse outcomes overall.

 

[757guy]

Didn't Illinois also get about 18" of snow yesterday? I know Indiana and other parts were hit hard as well and that the roads were a mess.

What you might not be taking into account is the duty limits of the over-the-road drivers. Their work way is strictly regulated by the DOT and it's quite possible that most drivers exceeded their max duty day because of the slow traffic problems lately. Once they run out of time - they have to stop. Multiply one late OTR truck with all of the other issues and you can understand why the system breaks down sometimes.

You would have the same issue with airline travel - duty limits regulate how many hours we can be on duty. There is no getting around mother nature - she will win sometimes.

I hope you get your package soon.

757 Guy

 

[supton]

I hate "ground" service. Once in a while something will come FedEx ground, which means it can't be delivered--it will invariably go to the post office that is three miles from my house, not the one that is two miles from my house. You see, I have a mailing address and a physical address; and the delivery guys have figured out how to ship to either address. USPS, not so much. Supposedly the post office is to send it back for wrong address, but they are nice and will call us, probably because us residents would come after them with pitchforks if they did.

 

[CarbonSteel]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
This is why I dont get why so many people complain about USPS. IME, UPS and FEDEX have proven to be equally as inept, and cost a LOT more to ship stuff, with worse outcomes overall.

We ship hundreds of packages per week domestically and internationally. The track record of Fed-Ex and UPS against USPS is far and away superior. They all have shortcomings at times, but USPS is epic fail more often than not when dealing with packages versus letters. We receive a 70-80% discount off rack rates with Fed-Ex and I have no complaints.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: 2010_FX4
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
This is why I dont get why so many people complain about USPS. IME, UPS and FEDEX have proven to be equally as inept, and cost a LOT more to ship stuff, with worse outcomes overall.

We ship hundreds of packages per week domestically and internationally. The track record of Fed-Ex and UPS against USPS is far and away superior. They all have shortcomings at times, but USPS is epic fail more often than not when dealing with packages versus letters. We receive a 70-80% discount off rack rates with Fed-Ex and I have no complaints.


Good for you but my experiences dont mirror that at all.

70-80% discount shows just how ridiculous their pricing is. What is this, Kohls on black friday?

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
This is why I dont get why so many people complain about USPS. IME, UPS and FEDEX have proven to be equally as inept, and cost a LOT more to ship stuff, with worse outcomes overall.


Back in the day ... I used to ship and receive a lot of laptops and computer parts as a side business.

Only a handful of times did I have problems with USPS or FedEx. I can count the instances on one hand.

UPS screwed up 3/4 orders I shipped with them. Delivering to the complete wrong address, or taking 4 or 5 weeks to ship a package. More than once, UPS thought it was necessary to send a laptop going from NY to NJ or MD all the way to California two or three times before getting to it's final destination on the east coast. One of the laptops bounced across the countrh 4 or 5 times before it go to the right place.

I'm glad I insured it and provided tracking info to my customer.

They also have the highest package mutilation rate. I never had anything chewed up by Fed Ex (USPS chewed up one package), but UPS was by far the worst for mutilating packages.

If you are a small residential account, they don't care about your stuff. Period.

One time I moved and used my new address. They felt they knew better than me and delivered my package to an old address ...

 

[grampi]

I've been noticing something that UPS has been doing lately that I never noticed them doing before. I always keep track of my packages using the tracking numbers and I've noticed recently that UPS has been "handing off" my packages to the USPS for final delivery. Why are they doing this? Seems to me this just adds to the shipping time.

 

[andyd]

I was a shipper/receiver/ parts guy a career ago. I never had any trouble with any of them. Nervous recipients were given a tracking # when requested. The trick is to have a small, ideally, no, inventory. Your goods come and go always on the move. Similar to the balls a juggler keeps in the air.

 

[heynow]

Originally Posted By: 2010_FX4

We ship hundreds of packages per week domestically and internationally. The track record of Fed-Ex and UPS against USPS is far and away superior. They all have shortcomings at times, but USPS is epic fail more often than not when dealing with packages versus letters. We receive a 70-80% discount off rack rates with Fed-Ex and I have no complaints.


I have had the same experience. UPS and FedEx are not perfect, but light years ahead of USPS. Ever try to get a hold of someone by phone at USPS to see where your missing package is? Good luck. It's also fun when USPS tracking shows your package as delivered, yet you don't get it for another three days.

For anything but very small packages and letter I have found FedEx and UPS to always have better rates and tracking info. Often I do not get any update for tracking from USPS until the package has already arrived.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: heynow
Originally Posted By: 2010_FX4

We ship hundreds of packages per week domestically and internationally. The track record of Fed-Ex and UPS against USPS is far and away superior. They all have shortcomings at times, but USPS is epic fail more often than not when dealing with packages versus letters. We receive a 70-80% discount off rack rates with Fed-Ex and I have no complaints.


I have had the same experience. UPS and FedEx are not perfect, but light years ahead of USPS. Ever try to get a hold of someone by phone at USPS to see where your missing package is? Good luck. It's also fun when USPS tracking shows your package as delivered, yet you don't get it for another three days.

For anything but very small packages and letter I have found FedEx and UPS to always have better rates and tracking info. Often I do not get any update for tracking from USPS until the package has already arrived.


USPS tracking is completely useless....

 

[simple_gifts]

Few people have enough experience with the logistical challenges of these companies to affirm or deny their reasons for non delivery as being valid.

 

[heynow]

Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
Few people have enough experience with the logistical challenges of these companies to affirm or deny their reasons for non delivery as being valid.



Very true.

If you think about it, it's pretty amazing that we have multiple systems that can get a package reliably shipped anywhere in the country in a matter of days, for a very reasonable price. UPS could raise their prices and hire a bunch more employees, but then people would be complaining about their rates. You can't please everybody.

 

[itguy08]

Originally Posted By: heynow

I have had the same experience. UPS and FedEx are not perfect, but light years ahead of USPS. Ever try to get a hold of someone by phone at USPS to see where your missing package is? Good luck. It's also fun when USPS tracking shows your package as delivered, yet you don't get it for another three days.


Yup. Called the local post office and spoke to someone there. They checked into it and called me back a day or so later and the package was delivered a day or so later. The tracking info. never showed as delivered either.

UPS was also good - had a package that showed as delivered not show up. Called their 800 # and had a call from the local office telling me the driver made a mistake and delivered to the wrong house. Asked me if I wanted them to go and get it. Ended up just going over and asking my neighbor who did have it.

Both are equally good, IME.

 

[dishdude]

IMO

USPS - lowest cost, worst tracking
UPS - best tracking, but they beat the packages to death, expensive for residential deliveries.

They all seem pretty reliable. When you consider the amount of packages they process, I think it's pretty amazing how reliable they are. I have never had one lost.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted By: grampi
Originally Posted By: heynow
Originally Posted By: 2010_FX4

We ship hundreds of packages per week domestically and internationally. The track record of Fed-Ex and UPS against USPS is far and away superior. They all have shortcomings at times, but USPS is epic fail more often than not when dealing with packages versus letters. We receive a 70-80% discount off rack rates with Fed-Ex and I have no complaints.


I have had the same experience. UPS and FedEx are not perfect, but light years ahead of USPS. Ever try to get a hold of someone by phone at USPS to see where your missing package is? Good luck. It's also fun when USPS tracking shows your package as delivered, yet you don't get it for another three days.

For anything but very small packages and letter I have found FedEx and UPS to always have better rates and tracking info. Often I do not get any update for tracking from USPS until the package has already arrived.


USPS tracking is completely useless....


Last thing I had "tracked" by them was never updated. It showed "picked up by carrier" even after I had gotten it!

 

[heynow]

Originally Posted By: itguy08
Originally Posted By: heynow

I have had the same experience. UPS and FedEx are not perfect, but light years ahead of USPS. Ever try to get a hold of someone by phone at USPS to see where your missing package is? Good luck. It's also fun when USPS tracking shows your package as delivered, yet you don't get it for another three days.


Yup. Called the local post office and spoke to someone there. They checked into it and called me back a day or so later and the package was delivered a day or so later. The tracking info. never showed as delivered either.

UPS was also good - had a package that showed as delivered not show up. Called their 800 # and had a call from the local office telling me the driver made a mistake and delivered to the wrong house. Asked me if I wanted them to go and get it. Ended up just going over and asking my neighbor who did have it.

Both are equally good, IME.


Your local post office must have better customer service than mine. They don't even pick up the phone around here.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: heynow
Originally Posted By: itguy08
Originally Posted By: heynow

I have had the same experience. UPS and FedEx are not perfect, but light years ahead of USPS. Ever try to get a hold of someone by phone at USPS to see where your missing package is? Good luck. It's also fun when USPS tracking shows your package as delivered, yet you don't get it for another three days.


Yup. Called the local post office and spoke to someone there. They checked into it and called me back a day or so later and the package was delivered a day or so later. The tracking info. never showed as delivered either.

UPS was also good - had a package that showed as delivered not show up. Called their 800 # and had a call from the local office telling me the driver made a mistake and delivered to the wrong house. Asked me if I wanted them to go and get it. Ended up just going over and asking my neighbor who did have it.

Both are equally good, IME.


Your local post office must have better customer service than mine. They don't even pick up the phone around here.


In the town where I grew up, the post office was famous for not delivering mail to people they didn't like and opening cards and taking money. If you had anything important, you would run to the city to mail out.

My parents had most of their bills sent to my grandmother's house in another town.

 

[DuckRyder]

Originally Posted By: grampi
I've been noticing something that UPS has been doing lately that I never noticed them doing before. I always keep track of my packages using the tracking numbers and I've noticed recently that UPS has been "handing off" my packages to the USPS for final delivery. Why are they doing this? Seems to me this just adds to the shipping time.


That is "smart post" or something like that, FedEX and UPS both offer it... in my opinion it is for the convenience of the shipper and is a lower cost than regular ground, but it will add at least a day to the travel time.

I think it is absurd that a company would pay nearly the same price as a USPS flat rate 2 day box to ship something to a customer in 8 days...

USPS tracking has gotten better, it is still a long way from perfect though.

For me UPS is the worst, but I think it depends almost entirely on your local hub/driver.

 

[Number21]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
This is why I dont get why so many people complain about USPS. IME, UPS and FEDEX have proven to be equally as inept, and cost a LOT more to ship stuff, with worse outcomes overall.


As a power seller on ebay, I ship a LOT of packages. Mainly USPS. Their tracking is pathetic, but I don't really need that. I keep track of any shipping problems because I "self insure". My failure rate with USPS is less than 1 in 1000 packages. The last item they damaged, I filed a claim for the included $50 insurance, and got a check for $63 about 10 days later. No arguing.

I try to avoid UPS like an STD. My failure rate with them is more than 1 in 100. During Christmas I had an Amazon package say "delivered" but it never showed up. UPS's fault. Don't even bother calling UPS, they are worthless. They will fight like they are on trial for murder. They will do anything and everything to weasel out of making an insurance claim. And they are usually SLOWER AND MORE EXPENSIVE!!!!

The UPS driver that comes to my house is a joke, he usually just taps on the door and walks away, he doesn't really want you to open it.

Also, the failure rate has something to do with how good the person preparing the package is. I consider myself to be very good at packaging, and I go above and beyond what a lot of people would do. That's why my packages are almost never broken! It isn't for lack of trying by the shipper! A damaged box, or a bad label, or a poorly prepared package, can all slow down your shipment.