USPS Random Sampling

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Apr 15, 2017
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Location
Napa, CA.
I ordered a laptop off eBay. Noticed that on eBay’s tracking it shows “random sampling” while on USPS website it shows nothing of the sort. I suspect eBay’s API access to USPS doesn’t filter that out while the USPS website does. Anyway, what is that? And yes, I googled it and binged it and didn’t really get any solid answers.

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Maybe the delivery driver is undergoing a random drug test lol just kidding. I found the following information:

"At RBMCs, the Postal Service will randomly sample parcels before they are manifested by the merchant or agent, will compare the sampling to the manifest for accuracy, and then will deduct funds from the permit holder's account."

from here : https://about.usps.com/postal-bulletin/2003/html/pb22113/kit-text1.html


It appears to just be an audit of random packages to ensure proper payment for delivery and such.
 
USPS tracking is the worst and always slow or messed up.
I haven't gotten 3 packages in the last 2 months that have been shipped by USPS. They just end up sitting at the St Louis, MO distribution center and then never get updated. Just says Delayed in Transit and never updates again. Don't have this problem with any other shipping company, really wish every one would stop using them entirely for shipping packages.
 
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What amazes me is that a Package can leave LA and arrive in KC, KS distribution center in two days. . Sits there a day to go to the KC, MO Distribution center. Sits there a day to go to Liberty Missouri's distribution building. If lucky it gets "Out for Delivery" the same day, otherwise it's the next day. All three of these distribution center are within 20 miles of each other as the crow flies. Now you know another reason they are broke, financially and functionally.
 
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I haven't gotten 3 packages in the last 2 months that have been shipped by USPS. They just end up sitting at the St Louis, MO distribution center and then never get updated. Just says Delayed in Transit and never updates again. Don't have this problem with any other shipping company, really wish every one would stop using them entirely for shipping packages.
A large part of the problem is they can be substantially cheaper, and no one wants to pay for shipping. You get what you pay for.
 
What amazes me is that a Package can leave LA and arrive in KC, KS distribution center in two days. . Sits there a day to go to the KC, MO Distribution center. Sits there a day to go to Liberty Missouri's distribution building. If lucky it gets "Out for Delivery" the same day, otherwise it's the next day. All three of these distribution center are within 20 miles of each other as the crow flies. Now you know another reason they are broke, financially and functionally.
Remember... the guy running the Postal service, used to run one of the trucking fleets they use... early on one of his changes was that the trucks HAD to leave their Distribution centers ON TIME. loaded, or not.
if that truck is supposed to leave Sheboygan at 12:30 bound for Frostbite Falls, by god it better be rolling at 12:30. doesn't matter if half the load is still sitting on the Dock...

that and their DRASTIC consolidation of Sorting centers over the past 15 or so years...
we used to have one here locally, handled all the 458xx Zipcodes.
that got shut down, Consolidate the state down to 3-4 total centers, and our mail went through Toledo.
year or 2 later, they consolidated AGAIN, and now Pretty much ALL mail for the entire State of OH, goes through Columbus for Sorting.

if I mail a card to my Neighbor, it goes on a 200+ mi round trip.

i can't even begin to tally all the packages i've had say "Out for Delivery", and then they don't even deliver our route that day, we get both days mail the next Day.
 
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Remember... the guy running the Postal service, used to run one of the trucking fleets they use... early on one of his changes was that the trucks HAD to leave their Distribution centers ON TIME. loaded, or not.
if that truck is supposed to leave Sheboygan at 12:30 bound for Frostbite Falls, by god it better be rolling at 12:30. doesn't matter if half the load is still sitting on the Dock...

that and their DRASTIC consolidation of Sorting centers over the past 15 or so years...
we used to have one here locally, handled all the 458xx Zipcodes.
that got shut down, Consolidate the state down to 3-4 total centers, and our mail went through Toledo.
year or 2 later, they consolidated AGAIN, and now Pretty much ALL mail for the entire State of OH, goes through Columbus for Sorting.

if I mail a card to my Neighbor, it goes on a 200+ mi round trip.

i can't even begin to tally all the packages i've had say "Out for Delivery", and then they don't even deliver our route that day, we get both days mail the next Day.
We regularly just don't get any mail on days Informed Delivery says we will. Then it comes the next day.

I always wonder what happens when we don't receive mail, I mean was the driver just lazy? Mechanical problems? Exceeded paid hours and returned to home base?

If there's no accountability, I think we all know that if you combine that with the average work ethic it's just too easy to say, "Meh, I'll do it tomorrow."

As my mom says, "Tomorrow never comes."
 
The flip side of this is that I regularly see postal carriers working late in the evenings and on Sundays out my way. Some of this in the past had to do with delivering packages for Amazon.
 
USPS-Still waiting for a rock auto part that originated in VA went to NJ now its in AZ and im in CT .What sense does most of that make?So much for a thursday july 11 delivery .I knew i should have paid for UPS. even Fed ex would have been better
 
A large part of the problem is they (USPS) can be substantially cheaper, and no one wants to pay for shipping. You get what you pay for.

Mostly incorrect. With the latest 2024 USPS pricing of packages, it's now in many cases more expensive than FedEx and even UPS. The pricing for even small packages less than two pounds is an outrage.
 
The only scenario where typical USPS package rates are cheaper is shipping WITHIN your local zone. Almost anything shipped longer distances is now more expensive than FedEx and sometimes UPS.
I ship USPS ground advantage regularly and it’s outside of my state and quite a bit cheaper.
 
I received the package fine. It was a signature package. Not sure if I already posted that update or not.

Price wise, when I ship, I check UPS, USPS, and FedEx. USPS is usually cheapest. FedEx is the least conveniently located for drop offs so even if USPS or UPS are $2 more I’ll go with one of those.
 
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