primitives whine about UPS, USPS

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1018730516

Oh my.

Boxerfan (953 posts)    Wed Feb 25, 2015, 11:52 PM

Another reason to use USPS over UPS. Customer service actually told me a bald faces lie
 
I have given up on using UPS for anything I ship. My local PO is miles ahead in service & security on valued items.

I ordered some items that I could not get locally. The price for shipping was almost 2/3 the cost of the item but I needed it.

Since it was late arriving I decided to check the shipper to see if they had a track #. Using that I was informed the package had been "left on my doorstep" about an hour before I got home.

I checked all around outside and nothing. Called cust service & a local rep called me back. She then informed me the package had been miss labeled and the driver left it at a house down the street at unit 7. And he was out of the area so I should go ask the address he delivered it to. Or it could be unit 18.

WTF?

Mine is 71 and I explained the shipper had the correct information on the ship invoice. She said the address was labeled wrong so she could not help.

Frustrated I went to the 1st of 2 possible and knocked. Got my package and thanked them for holding it for me. And they were confused why it went to them also. It was addressed perfectly legibly 71.

How the heck does a cust service person think a person is not going to find that lie out once the package is recovered. I took a picture & called corporate to raise hell. Did not get far but I assured them I had zero trust in the services they offered & would never use them. Especially when a company that is truly part of America's fabric-the USPS does a better job every time I've used them. And it was founded by Benjamin freaking Franklin.. 

orleans (24,405 posts)    Thu Feb 26, 2015, 12:31 AM

1. then...on the other hand--the post office can REALLY SUCK
 
i had a deadline to meet with a book manuscript--sent the damn thing in a large manila envelope that was sealed up nicely with sturdy tape

then i hear from the editor, all pissed off, wondering where the hell it is. he didn't get it.

i had to reprint the whole damn thing and resend it.

a few weeks later he tells me he got the empty envelope from the first copy i sent him.

even though i had a return receipt request, the ****ing post office had no record of what happened, other than an empty/open envelope was delivered. weeks later.

assholes!

so...case in point. their sh*t can stink too.

just sayin' 

Panich52 (1,248 posts)    Fri Feb 27, 2015, 12:37 AM

2. USPS isn't just part of 'America's fabric' -- it's mandated in US Constitution: Article I, Sec 8
 
Founders knew such a thing was a vital part of a working democracy.

UPS is just a business.

Whoa.

Wait.

What?

Who cares about what's in the Constitution?  Surely not a primitive, whose dear leader ignores it all the time.

Angleae (2,346 posts)    Fri Feb 27, 2015, 05:52 AM

3. Article I, Sec 8 is powers of congress, not duties of congress.
 
Nowhere in the Constitution does it require congress to actually use any of the powers laid out in Article I, Sec 8.

Phentex (10,380 posts)    Fri Feb 27, 2015, 06:49 AM

4. UPS left a package on my porch not addressed to me...
 
The names aren't similar, the addresses are nothing alike, street names completely different. But oddly enough it was for one of my closest friends!

It happens but I thought it was such a strange mix up.

I am glad your neighbor was an honest person.

begin_within (21,438 posts)    Fri Feb 27, 2015, 07:57 AM

5. Write to the CEO
 
I don't know who it is, but I'm sure you can ind out easily. I'msure they won't do much about it, but they might send you a nice letter and you will have the satisfaction of getting it off your chest to the people in power at the company. Certainly the customer service rep should have been more helpful and interested in resolving it.

UPS does offer a guarantee of a delivery date, so if you did not receive the package on the day it was guaranteed by UPS, the person who shipped it can apply for a refund of the shipping charge and then forward that refund to you, if the sender is willing to do all that.

I've shipped over 1000 packages through UPS from my little business, and over the years I have had a handful of problems similar to yours. For the most part, their system runs well, but yes, once in a while there is a ****-up. The sender can require that the package cannot be left without someone signing for it, but there is a small extra charge for that.

Every package shipped through UPS is automatially insured for $100 even if the sender doesn't buy any additional insurance on the package. So if you had never received the package, the sender could apply for a claim with UPS, though they would have to provide an invoice to UPS stating the actual value, and they would only be refunded that value plus the shipping charge.

The USPS doesn't automatically insure any package - you have to buy insurance insurance on it if you want it. I have also had a handful of problems over the years with packages shipped through USPS. But most of the time, packages get through with no problems.

dolphinsandtuna (29 posts)    Fri Feb 27, 2015, 08:36 AM

6. UPS and Fedex are worse than useless.

They misdeliver packages, leave heavy packages against my outward opening door despite numerous requests from me not to, leave packages out in front of my garage so I have no idea they're there. The post office never does crap like that.

I just love seeing a UPS package has been delivered and not finding it and being told I should go around and ask my neighbors. Sure, even when there isn't two feet of snow on the ground, half the houses here are unoccupied so I have to tromp through a bunch of yards while I'm on crutches.

Not to mention the UPS employee who showed up at my doorstep screaming obscenities at me because he'd left a laptop with no signature and it had disappeared and I'd reported that.

[Carl]

God,any little curve in the road sends these mutts off into the ditch.

[DumbAss Tanker]

I'm fine with both of them.  Generally much easier for me to use USPS for outgoing, for incoming it's six of one, half a dozen of the other, to me.  UPS tends to be quicker, but a tad more expensive, so it all evens out.

[tanstaafl]

I have used all three over the course of 30+ years as a service tech throughout the world, along with a couple of unusual methods, including the USAF, Royal Navy and US Navy. I never hesitated to ask for help.

This I have learned over a career:

Never ship anything that looks valuable by USPS. Although, I did receive my order for 22 short sub-sonics. Must have been the plain, small cardboard box and no distinguishing label or name on it.

If time is not critical, ship UPS Ground.

If time is critical, ship FedEx. UPS Next Day cost was Zone Based. If the FedEx pickup was missed, I've had the factories buy a seat on a commercial flight for my stuff a few times.

If overseas, ship DHL. They never failed me. And I have been to some really shitty places, nowhere near civilization (I was never at the edge of the world, but a couple of times you could swear you could see it.)

[thundley4]

There have been countless times that the USPS has misdelivered regular mail here.  We get mail from our neighbors and they get ours, then sometimes we get mail from someone two blocks away on a different street.  We've also gotten mail from someone that lives across town.

I remember when I was stationed in Florida, I received a letter from my sister here in Illinois that was postmarked Phoenix, AZ and it took 3 weeks to get to me. Most were postmarked in Springfield, IL and only took 2-3 days to arrive.

[njpines]

I sent a card recently to Kansas via USPS. It took 8 frigging days to get there. Seriously guys? WTH?

[thundley4]

I recall reading a short sci-fi story many years ago, and that the USPS had discovered a faster than light drive. It was based on the reasoning that the time to deliver a letter was indirectly proportional to the distance between the two addresses.  Closer took longer, and father away got there quicker.

[franksolich]

I dunno.

Maybe I'm too easy to please, to satisfy, too mellow, laid-back, and indulgent.

But anyway, I've got no complaints about any delivery service; sure, at times, something's gotten messed up, but hey, since franksolich isn't perfect, it's unreasonable of me to demand that others be perfect.

[GOBUCKS]

In my experience, UPS, Fedex, and USPS are all unbelievably good.

Quick, cheap, and reliable.

Even with union labor at UPS and USPS.

Never had a misdelivery except an occasional piece of junk mail addressed to a neighbor.

My only gripe is I cannot get the mailman to stop delivering junk mail.

DUmmies love the USPS because it loses money.

But I'd rather see my taxes spent on USPS than on creating jobs for cutthroat muzzies.

[Gina]

I sent a card recently to Kansas via USPS. It took 8 frigging days to get there. Seriously guys? WTH?

I have so many problems with USPS.  My sil lives about 50 miles from me.  I sent her a check and it took over 3 weeks to get to her and when she got it the envelope had been opened and my check was still in there.  I don't trust those assholes one bit.

and I always get a guys mail on a street behind me.  We do not have the same name, street, or street number.  I used to take the guy his mail but I've gotten so sick of it I leave notes in the mail to walk it over there themselves.  Lazy mofo's.

[thundley4]

I have so many problems with USPS.  My sil lives about 50 miles from me.  I sent her a check and it took over 3 weeks to get to her and when she got it the envelope had been opened and my check was still in there.  I don't trust those assholes one bit.

and I always get a guys mail on a street behind me.  We do not have the same name, street, or street number.  I used to take the guy his mail but I've gotten so sick of it I leave notes in the mail to walk it over there themselves.  Lazy mofo's.

I just write on the front in big letters: Wrong Address.

The thing is, I think they take the mail back to the post office and let it go through the system again instead of checking to see if the address is on their route.

[jukin]

The USPS won't ship ammo. Oh and by the way I did buy lots of bulk 223 bout two weeks ago. Now it is unavailable. Don't be too surprised if internet ammo dealers are no longer allowed access to the internet in 15 months or less....unless the courts overturn the FCC diktat. But then what would have been the purpose of Harry Reid, accused pederast, eliminating the filibuster to pack the DC appeals court.

Remember all those wild internet rumors in 2008 about how bad for freedom an Obama presidency would be?
Yeah, wildly underestimated.

[landofconfusion80]

My parents' tax info got shredded enroute to the IRS via the USPS.  The remnants came back to them in a big clear windowed envelope. Just terrible.

Anyway, if you get wrong mail, there are different abbreviations to put on the front of the mail when you send it back:

ANK: Address Not Known
RTS: Return to Sender ( use in combination with ANK)

I used to be a casual carrier and it made things much easier doing it that way.

[delilahmused]

I have used all three over the course of 30+ years as a service tech throughout the world, along with a couple of unusual methods, including the USAF, Royal Navy and US Navy. I never hesitated to ask for help.

This I have learned over a career:

Never ship anything that looks valuable by USPS. Although, I did receive my order for 22 short sub-sonics. Must have been the plain, small cardboard box and no distinguishing label or name on it.

If time is not critical, ship UPS Ground.

If time is critical, ship FedEx. UPS Next Day cost was Zone Based. If the FedEx pickup was missed, I've had the factories buy a seat on a commercial flight for my stuff a few times.

If overseas, ship DHL. They never failed me. And I have been to some really shitty places, nowhere near civilization (I was never at the edge of the world, but a couple of times you could swear you could see it.)

All have their good and bad points but when Jake lived on base, UPS, which has more than one shipping center at Pendleton, could never find his damn building. Seriously. Either they'd send it back or he'd have to drive to the UPS place to pick it up. The USPS always knew where he was.

Cindie

[BlueStateSaint]

I sent a card recently to Kansas via USPS. It took 8 frigging days to get there. Seriously guys? WTH?

I think I may see the problem.  Someone saw "KS" on the envelope and thought it meant "Kazakhstan."

[Gina]

I just write on the front in big letters: Wrong Address.

The thing is, I think they take the mail back to the post office and let it go through the system again instead of checking to see if the address is on their route.

. Yeh I know but I got sick of doing their jib. Let the person with late/missing mail complain.

[obumazombie]

Angleae (2,346 posts)    Fri Feb 27, 2015, 05:52 AM

3. Article I, Sec 8 is powers of congress, not duties of congress.
 
Nowhere in the Constitution does it require congress to actually use any of the powers laid out in Article I, Sec 8.

If I was Angleae, I wouldn't go around quoting the constitution and declaring the plain meaning of it. Not on DU anyway.

[Ptarmigan]

In my experience, UPS, Fedex, and USPS are all unbelievably good.

Quick, cheap, and reliable.

Even with union labor at UPS and USPS.

Never had a misdelivery except an occasional piece of junk mail addressed to a neighbor.

My only gripe is I cannot get the mailman to stop delivering junk mail.

DUmmies love the USPS because it loses money.

But I'd rather see my taxes spent on USPS than on creating jobs for cutthroat muzzies.

Never had any problem with them either.

[Ptarmigan]

Panich52 (1,248 posts)    Fri Feb 27, 2015, 12:37 AM

2. USPS isn't just part of 'America's fabric' -- it's mandated in US Constitution: Article I, Sec 8
 
Founders knew such a thing was a vital part of a working democracy.

UPS is just a business.

My Stupidometer broke. 

[longview]

I've had a couple mistakes over the years with UPS, USPS, Fed Ex.  Overall, though they save me lots of time and money and do a better job than I would!

It does take several days for mail to reach some places.  I get accused of using Pony Express.  *shrug*. I can guarantee it would take even longer if I had to deliver it.

[JohnnyReb]

My parents' tax info got shredded enroute to the IRS via the USPS.  The remnants came back to them in a big clear windowed envelope. Just terrible.

Anyway, if you get wrong mail, there are different abbreviations to put on the front of the mail when you send it back:

ANK: Address Not Known
RTS: Return to Sender ( use in combination with ANK)

I used to be a casual carrier and it made things much easier doing it that way.

40 years ago I changed CPAs. He did my taxes for that year and filed 3 amended returns at the same time. All were mailed in the same envelope but the IRS refused to refund my money on the largest one ($4,000+)....said they didn't receive it before the April 15 deadline. The government does as it damn well pleases.....and it pleases them very much to screw you over as often as possible.

[RobJohnson]

My mail lady is hawt.