USPS Stellar Delivery at times

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Muck7898 said:
We are fortunate to have a great usps team in our area and the shipment tracking meets my simple expectations. When I purchase a knife I prefer it be sent usps because I know if it makes it to my little indiana town then I’ll get it. Ups and fedex do well locally but I really appreciate the convenience of usps tracking.
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I appreciate the tracking too, except when they don’t log anything for days. Currently, I’m waiting for a package with signature required. It was last “seen” by tracking in CA 2 days ago, supposedly going to be delivered today, and does not say “out for delivery.” Very confusing. But I’m home anyway because I don’t want to miss it.…
 
I’ll give another thumbs up for USPS doing a stellar job!
 
Historically speaking I've had great and reliable experiences with USPS, but lately not so much.
 
I had mostly good success shipping USPS priority mail for the last few years until recently. I shipped 2 knives Priority Mail and they were delayed and I thought lost. Both knives were eventually delivered about 4 weeks after I shipped. Of course during this time I did everything possible to accommodate the buyer and spent hours with USPS filing missing items reports.

My local small town post office regular told me they were “consolidating” hub or distribution centers and it was causing quite the back up. I don’t have any reason not to believe her.

I recently started using UPS but damn is it expensive.

Also, I usually ship insured and signature required. What is interesting is that when I thought I was going to have to file an insurance claim on one of the knives, I was supposed to provide an original receipt showing the value. This was a major problem for me because I wasn’t the original owner. I started to wonder if all my “insured” purchases were all a waste of money if I didn’t have the original receipt.

Also, their communication throughout the entire ordeal was almost non-existent. I would give them a 2 out of 10 rating. The only communication I would receive would be random emails that my package was still lost or that the missing package report was closed (without any explanation and the knife had not been found or delivered). There was a number given in the email but when I called it went straight to voicemail or would just keep ringing.

I’d love to use USPS again in the future but they’ve lost my trust at this point.
 
I ordered a piece of clothing from Australia which was sent through Australia Post. The Australian company sent me a survey on the product and I had to tell them it was never received. They said their tracking number was international and sent me a link to the U.S.P.S. tracking site. The status was 'waiting on hold, per customer'. I was never notified there was a package waiting. No card in the mail box, no sticker on the door. Went by on Saturday to the local office, but they didn't have the package. Called the Delivery Supervisor phone number a few times, but noone answered. Went back again to the local office and they looked again. The staff working the counter were helping another person whose package was not delivered even though they received a text on it. The local office staff were commenting they wanted to go to the local distribution center and kick some buttocks. When they reached the carrier, it was determined that my house number was confused with the same house number on an adjacent street. The other house put a hold on their mail. Finally got the package after almost a full month. Had they not confused the houses, it would have been delivered 2 weeks ago.

This experience and the comments from the staff make me think there are systemic issues going on with the U.S.P.S. right now. Could be that is related to staffing, but we on the outside can only speculate. I still would use the U.S.P.S. if I had to send something, but I don't run a business which depends on it. We could be coasting on the past performance and now things are starting to get worse across the country. Time will tell.
 
I've had great luck with USPS, half of the time the package will arrive a day earlier than the original tracking estimate.

The funny thing is if I ship two packages at the same time, one within a state or two and one 3,000 miles across the country, the furthest one get their first. Maybe it's because the furthest one goes by plane and the closer one by truck? Regardless I agree, USPS has been pretty solid.
 
Redmeadow Knives said:
I've had great luck with USPS, half of the time the package will arrive a day earlier than the original tracking estimate.

The funny thing is if I ship two packages at the same time, one within a state or two and one 3,000 miles across the country, the furthest one get their first. Maybe it's because the furthest one goes by plane and the closer one by truck? Regardless I agree, USPS has been pretty solid.
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I agree on the good luck with USPS (knocks on wood...).

Also, two different times I've shipped a package to Hawaii and a package to the LA area from the Midwest on the same day. Both times the Hawaiian packages were delivered first.
 
An odd thing that happens from time to time, someone will send me something by UPS, which the hub is about a mile away from my house, but, once it gets there they don't send it over to me, they transfer it to the USPS which is about 2 miles from them and I will get it delivered the following day. Just a bit bizarre to me.
And a word about UPS, most all the packages that arrive via them are quite filthy, I think the trucks just never get cleaned out well enough and the packages collect a lot of dirt during their ride, not so great in my opinion.
G2

Edited to add;
It would be nice if the forum was able to allow 'Likes' in this section, I completely agree about not having it in a sales post, but here where everyone gives kudos or vents against something, it seems like it would be a good thing to allow.
 
Gary W. Graley said:
An odd thing that happens from time to time, someone will send me something by UPS, which the hub is about a mile away from my house, but, once it gets there they don't send it over to me, they transfer it to the USPS which is about 2 miles from them and I will get it delivered the following day. Just a bit bizarre to me.
And a word about UPS, most all the packages that arrive via them are quite filthy, I think the trucks just never get cleaned out well enough and the packages collect a lot of dirt during their ride, not so great in my opinion.
G2

Edited to add;
It would be nice if the forum was able to allow 'Likes' in this section, I completely agree about not having it in a sales post, but here where everyone gives kudos or vents against something, it seems like it would be a good thing to allow.
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In that case the shipper likely used ups smart post. It a cheaper service and does get delivered by the post office.
On another note USPS has really started to take many attempts to reduce costs. I had a package sit in their local distribution Center for 4 days until it moved to the local PO less than 10 miles away. Although the USPS cost cutting measures are likely needed (they have lost billion s every year) its going to degrade service. Just is what it is.
 
;Ironically I am waiting on a package from Mt Ho9od Oregon. It arrived at the distribution center for my area Saturday (central Florida) and now it is in New York Ny. Tracking is still saying it will be delivered by 9:00 on 5/6.

Update. It went from NY back Atlanta then to central Florida, then to Miami then finally delivered today
 
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USPS is always a mix bag for me, I have had packages traverse all the US before being delivered, delivered to wrong addresses,lost packages, if its a cheap knife its not much problemo but when its a semi custom or expensive production that it becomes nerve wracking.
 
You aren't wrong OP, they are solid but leave me scratching my head sometimes. When I first joined in 2006 (different account that got frozen somehow, hyperlink in my sig takes you there) I sent a USPS MO that took nearly a month to get from the PNW to TX. Fortunately the seller was amazingly patient (thanks again Z Zyzax ) and it all worked out. I've also sent to Hawaii with a couple times, as well as Japan using a military APO and USPS hasn't let me down.

Similart to OP, I did a trade with a member in UT whose knife got to me in two days. Watched via the tracking number while mine went from the PNW to Cali, NJ, and elsewhere before it finally came west again. I can only imagine the sights it saw and the stories it could tell...

I do have to say that I kind of snicker when I see people that say they will only ship to CONUS. Not sure if they think that means all 50 states, or if they think Alaska and Hawaii are different countries. Oh well, subject for another thread.

Winston
 
USPS to Alaska from up state NY, traveled in less that 4 days total and cost about the same as if I shipped to Ohio, so those of you who won't deal with outside of continental USA you shouldn't, as cost and time wise the mail goes fairly quick.
Not saying things always will be that fast, but it's been that way for about 3 shipments in as many months.
G2
 
Gary, unless I’m mistaken the cost is the same, for the flate rate boxes anyway.

Again, that’s what cracks me up about the CONUS only thing some people state. Same cost, a US state is a US state, and like I said, shipped to an APO in Japan for the same cost as to next door and it was there in a week or less, not sure what the hang up is about “no CONUS”

Not saying they’re perfect, but sure works for me.

Winston
 
Winston_Smith said:
Gary, unless I’m mistaken the cost is the same, for the flate rate boxes anyway.

Again, that’s what cracks me up about the CONUS only thing some people state. Same cost, a US state is a US state, and like I said, shipped to an APO in Japan for the same cost as to next door and it was there in a week or less, not sure what the hang up is about “no CONUS”

Not saying they’re perfect, but sure works for me.

Winston
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I could be mistaken but while priority flat rate is the same, first class (or whatever they call it these days) isn't.
 
Tactical Pteradactyl shipped me a knife on April 30th via 1st class USPS insured mail, and it was out for delivery May 4th. However, it didn't arrive before 5PM closing time, and was rescheduled to be delivered the next business day (per the tracking online notes at 12:10AM that Sunday).

There was a wind storm that Sunday night that took out power to the post office (and Zoo, and thousands of homes) until Monday afternoon, but the package also wasn't delivered Tuesday either. On Wednesday I went to post office and left the tracking and recipient address for the Supervisor, with no call back about it. So, I filled a Missing Package report on Day #7 Friday May 10th. It still has not been found as of Friday May 24th.

However, I got a phone call on Wednesday May 22nd, saying they'd keep looking but that it was likely gone forever, and they'd send me a letter stating as much. Once I receive the letter I have to share that with the knife maker, who in a previous call about a week ago told me that the knife is not replaceable until next year, and to just give the post office more time to trace it.

So, I'm not very happy with USPS right now.

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Gary W. Graley said:
USPS to Alaska from up state NY, traveled in less that 4 days total and cost about the same as if I shipped to Ohio, so those of you who won't deal with outside of continental USA you shouldn't, as cost and time wise the mail goes fairly quick.
Not saying things always will be that fast, but it's been that way for about 3 shipments in as many months.
G2
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Amen !! We feel unloved up here guys !
Kidding aside the difference in both time enroute and cost is quite insignificant. Most everything comes in and out on a jet and gets here pretty fast.
I havent been on the forum for very long, and even less time actively involved in the for sale classifieds, but at this point have both bought and sold a few things. It really and truly is a bummer when you see that CONUS ONLY on something where if you really do want the knife time might not be on your side.
 
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