USPS Deserves to go down

[andrewg]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Here's a great example of real life with USPS.

Recently bought stuff from a guy in Canada. Sent him a check via USPS special international mail for $23.95.

That was on 10-8-11. It's still not there!

High rates, bad service.

Yep...have fun with that. I would say that they have caused me more stress and worry than anybody should need to deal with. Late deliveries....lost mail...crummy counter relations....you name it.

 

[mechanicx]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Here's a great example of real life with USPS.

Recently bought stuff from a guy in Canada. Sent him a check via USPS special international mail for $23.95.

That was on 10-8-11. It's still not there!

High rates, bad service.


I'm not sure what is going on with that. I can send a letter by USPS with a check in it to Canada for 80 cents. Or a large envelope Priority 6-10 days for about $11 or Express 3-5 days for about $25 with tracking and for around $30 1-3 days. Did you get tracking? Maybe the recipient is the problem. Anyway one case doesn't make a rule.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Wasn't trying to do anything like 'make a rule'.

Just a real example of inept [censored]

 

[mechanicx]

OK but others have similar FedEx and UPS examples. No biggie then. I've never gotten anything but affordable and good service from the USPS.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: mechanicx
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Here's a great example of real life with USPS.

Recently bought stuff from a guy in Canada. Sent him a check via USPS special international mail for $23.95.

That was on 10-8-11. It's still not there!

High rates, bad service.


I'm not sure what is going on with that. I can send a letter by USPS with a check in it to Canada for 80 cents. Or a large envelope Priority 6-10 days for about $11 or Express 3-5 days for about $25 with tracking and for around $30 1-3 days. Did you get tracking? Maybe the recipient is the problem. Anyway one case doesn't make a rule.


Unless you get certified or delivery confirmation, most likely the recipient cheated by saying they haven't received it.

Delivery confirmation and tracking is not to track where the package is at, it is to prevent the receiver from lying about not receiving the items.

 

[suspiciousmind]

USPS being in buisiness is a matter of national security.

UPS and Fedex can close their doors tomorrow if they feel like they're unable to make a profit......what if there's no USPS then?.....outsource to India?

 

[mechanicx]

This is a good point. The USPS is somewhat operating like a quasi-military organization. And it's not allowed to operate like a business, expand outside of mail services and chase profits. We don't expect the military to turn a profit. Some privatization of the military was tried and it seemed to be mostly a failure.

 

[Tempest]

Quote:
USPS being in buisiness is a matter of national security.

Can you expand on that?

 

[Vikas]

Why did you use USPS? Why did you not use FedEx or UPS to send your check?

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: Tempest
Quote:
USPS being in buisiness is a matter of national security.

Can you expand on that?

I'm listening...

Somehow I don't think we'll collapse if I don't get my Penney's Catalog

Originally Posted By: suspiciousmind
.....what if there's no USPS then?.....outsource to India?

Only two things that will happen is cost will go down and service will improve.

 

[JHZR2]

Im not sure about that. I cant say that I have any indication (and I ship and receive a lot) that UPS/FedEx would be cheaper or have better service.

I dont get Steve's issues with mailing something to Canada for $23.95(!). I do know that if we used UPS to get something down to the Caribbean, even within the USA, it would literally take months, as it does. So there are cases and considerations for everything.

 

[97f150]

I have been fighting the postal service for the past week or so over a change of address that they lost somehow.

I moved 2 months ago, and filled out a change of address form for the family. Over the next few days I contacted everyone I do business with and changed my address over. 3 weeks or so after moving I get a stack of forwarded mail, mostly junk with the address forwarding label on them. This was it.
Last month my company mistakenly mailed my expense check to my old address. I still have not received this. I contacted the post office and they inform me that they do not have a change of address on file for me (quite rudely I might add). I went over there with the confirmation and all of a sudden no one knows what to do.

This is my usps story to add to this thread.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Hey, just relating an actual experience. I paid EXTRA for expedited international delivery!

Wonder how long it would take normally? It was an ordinary letter size envelope, nothing special or heavy. Allegedly it was held up in customs, but all I have is a harried clerk's guess.

And to Al, we agree on this. I'm ready for some "change" at the post office.

 

[Vikas]

Why did you use USPS? You come across of the type who would gladly use private shipper than giving your hard earned money to gummint entity

Seriously, was it cheaper? You expected better deal from USPS?

Personally, if given a choice of shipping (to me) between USPS vs UPS/Fedex Ground, I always prefer USPS. It gets it me within couple days vs taking at least a week with the private guys. Private guys use ground and USPS uses air and costs less.

I bought oil sensor on ebay Monday morning. If the guy had shipped it using priority, I would have had it my hand by now or at least by tomorrow. But he uses UPS ground and I am not going to see it until Monday.

- Vikas

 

[mechanicx]

I wonder about these USPS horror stories when I never had any problems or no one that I know has. Not saying it doesn't ever happen (to all shipping services) but it always seems to come from anti-USPS types. As I posted earlier, USPS ships most places internationally in 2-3 days for around $30 and 6-10 days for around $11, and from various price points and service in between around 80 cents to $30.

As far as a private postal service delivering better service cheaper, I don't see that happening. What I see happening is 100,000s of jobs cut and benefits and wage cuts, cuts in service and postal rate increases to pay executive salaries and to maximize profits.

That said, the postal service does need to make changes, but not the ones typical given and not for the reasons typical given. Also gov customer service can sometimes leave a lot to be desired. But customer service can flat suck everywhere anymore.

 

[JustinH]

I've never had a problem with the USPS. I used to run an ebay business where we would ship about 40-50 packages per week using their priority mail service, never one problem. That business was for about 5 years also.

The problem is that they promised too much to their workers, pensions that could not be sustained, and medical benefits also. They didn't take into account the Internet coming along and really hurting their business.

I pay about 20 bills per month using my bank's online bill pay service, zero stamps. I bought one book of stamps last year, and haven't used half of it yet.

 

[97f150]

Originally Posted By: JustinH


I pay about 20 bills per month using my bank's online bill pay service, zero stamps. I bought one book of stamps last year, and haven't used half of it yet.


Ditto. This is the only problem I have really had with the postal service. I called my company today and the stopped payment on the lost check and issued another one, my luck the lost one will show up tomorrow or Monday. I wouldnt call my experience a horror story, but geez $1300 or so a month late isnt anything to ignore either.