USPS Strikes Again!

Mayonardo said:
From what has been mentioned previously there are ways to ensure your package gets to the right person. This costs extra. If one is focused on low cost shipping, the consequence is increased risk.
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To the right person AND in a timely manner.
 
Every freight carrier looses stuff, breaks stuff, backs over it with the trucks, has a whole trailer burn up on a highway pass.

It's just a numbers game, send out enough stuff and you'll have a problem. But that ceiling is what you hit when you're a dealer, not someone on the exchange; even if you sell or buy a lot the odds are you'll never be that exception.

What you do when you pack and ship can help reduce those chances.

My advice for the folks who reuse boxes or packing is to make sure you fully remove all the old labels, addresses and any barcodes. If your info is torn off somehow then they'll look at the other scanning info or details and return to that person or business.
 
Recently I ordered 2 custom knife grinding jigs. The maker told me when they shipped. By USPS Priority. No signature. When it did not arrive, I checked with him. He sent the tracking number showing it delivered Aug 2nd. It said "delivered to individual at 2:59". I went to the post office on Aug 9th.

I told the postmaster that I have video cameras, and I can prove that the carrier did not deliver it to our shop, and that no trucks were thee at all within hours of this time.

The postmaster then said she could use the GPS pin attached to the electronic signature to find where it was delivered.She then pulled it up, and found exactly where it was delivered incorrectly. She then called the carrier, and he was able to retrieve the package at another business that same afternoon. I picked it up today. What a relief. Over 700.00 worth of tools.

My point is this, apparently Priority mail in our area has a GPS pin attached at the time of transfer to the recipient address. Through this, they can see exactly where it was dropped.

Has anyone actually asked that this tool is used?
 
Brian77 said:
My point is this, apparently Priority mail in our area has a GPS pin attached at the time of transfer to the recipient address. Through this, they can see exactly where it was dropped.

Has anyone actually asked that this tool is used?
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The package was found at a neighbors, so no need for GPS in this case.
I believe they have GPS tracking throughout the system and it works well with individual housing and businesses. Where it is weak is multiple addresses at one location, such as banks of mail boxes and apartment buildings-they all come up with the same GPS location.
 
I have been lucky with the USPS ... but I do require a signature if I ship anything over $200.00 ... but the USPS require a signature if it's valued at over $500.00 now ... and there are ways to prove the recipient didn't sign for it but you may have to kick someone in the butt to get their attention ...

but I do recommend PIP insurance or stamps dot com and their insurance ... yes if you rarely ship anything stamps dot com may not make sense for you ... but you can still get third party insurance shipping USPS that do pay claims much easier and faster than the postal service if there is a problem.
 
Uncle Timbo said:
I'm not bragging but I use FedEx and have had zero problems...so far. (Now excuse me while I go find some wood to knock on)
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Fed Ex "relieved" me of one USPS box that I dropped in their pickup barrel by mistake....I know...stupid me.
But it was an exhaustingly busy day and I made a goofy error. This happens quite often and Fed Ex sends those "mis-mailed" packages over to USPS every few days...but in my case, I was told that the "pick-up driver" visits those big drop-boxes every day, and said my $400 fixed blade was not in there.
I had no recourse.
 
Sonnydaze said:
Fed Ex "relieved" me of one USPS box that I dropped in their pickup barrel by mistake....I know...stupid me.
But it was an exhaustingly busy day and I made a goofy error. This happens quite often and Fed Ex sends those "mis-mailed" packages over to USPS every few days...but in my case, I was told that the "pick-up driver" visits those big drop-boxes every day, and said my $400 fixed blade was not in there.
I had no recourse.
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You/they/somebody lost a $400 knife? I'm sorry, but if that was me, you'd see a old hillbilly start crying.
 
I am in this dilemma right now. I'm trying to figure out who to use to ship some very high end, hand made customs to a sheath maker to the tune of $4K plus. I normally use USPS and have not had problems (knock on wood) but I know their insurance will not cover handmade items that there is no receipt from the maker for. The girl at Fed EX told me they would only cover up to $500 on stuff like that. The third party insurers I checked into would only cover $1K. Looks like I might be driving them from FL to NC. Anybody have any other options?
 
Bottom Line said:
I am in this dilemma right now. I'm trying to figure out who to use to ship some very high end, hand made customs to a sheath maker to the tune of $4K plus. I normally use USPS and have not had problems (knock on wood) but I know their insurance will not cover handmade items that there is no receipt from the maker for. The girl at Fed EX told me they would only cover up to $500 on stuff like that. The third party insurers I checked into would only cover $1K. Looks like I might be driving them from FL to NC. Anybody have any other options?
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USPS Registered mail would be my choice given those answers.
 
Registered mail is an option ... you may want to check out stamps "dot" com ... they are quick to settle claims and if you deal with shipping those kind of priced items the monthly fee I think is less than $15.00 and you can print labels and postage right at home ...

I don't deal in quite that range often but it's worth the piece of mind if you are worried.
 
I am sorry I am so late to this thread.
When you get a mis delivery like this you need to act immediately!! Same day! Call the post office - get on the USPS website file complaints. The supervisor can look at the postal computer and see exactly where that package was delivered. It is called GEO LOCATION. They can send someone to get it. If it shows Mis delivery and is not recovered the insurance will pay. But speed is important in recovery.
I am talking domestic CONUS shipments
 
My last two knife orders originated in the Northeast, but went to Nevada, and Washington State on their way to my home in Florida. I'm starting to think that this is the norm when "shipping is free".
 
mwhich50 said:
My last two knife orders have went from the East Coast to Nevada, and Washington State on their way to my home in Florida. I'm starting to think that this is normal when "shipping is free".
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They do that when they mess up the load of a truck/container. It'll start out at one coast, get stuffed and then marked off with barrier and go to the next hub. They'll unload what comes off at that hub, stuff in more and send it along. If a package gets missed it goes for a ride till the truck gets fully emptied, they see it was miss-sorted and then it starts a new trip.

And as a side note the tracking is often not real time. So if you punch the number in and get a result that might not be from actual scans but just from where the carrier expects the package to be.
 
Danke42 said:
They do that when they mess up the load of a truck/container. It'll start out at one coast, get stuffed and then marked off with barrier and go to the next hub. They'll unload what comes off at that hub, stuff in more and send it along. If a package gets missed it goes for a ride till the truck gets fully emptied, they see it was miss-sorted and then it starts a new trip.

And as a side note the tracking is often not real time. So if you punch the number in and get a result that might not be from actual scans but just from where the carrier expects the package to be.
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Sounds about right. Yeah tracking is almost useless. The only time it is accurate is when it is "out for delivery".
 
mwhich50 said:
Sounds about right. Yeah tracking is almost useless. The only time it is accurate is when it is "out for delivery".
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On occasion, items are "out for delivery," and then "delivered." -- but not delivered to me. Sometimes the neighbor gets it. Sometimes it arrives the next day. So far, only once in 25 years did it totally disappear. That was when the Postal Carrier was dumping mail - boxes and envelopes -- in the drainage ditch behind our rural mail box or on the side of the road in the snow. He's gone now.
 
UffDa said:
USPS strikes again. I mailed a knife a few days ago. This time I insured it. ($350) Tracking showed that it was delivered. Yesterday, the buyer sent me email stating that he didn't receive it. Another WTF! He went to the post office this morning and they told him that it was delivered. He checked with his neighbors and it was delivered to one of them, so all is good on that one. I guess that things have changed. It used to be that you had to sign for insured mail.

I sent another package that weighed 34 pounds. When I checked tracking, there were big red letters saying that it has an insufficient address. WTF? I figured that the person delivering it didn't want to carry 34 pounds. I sent email to the buyer and he replied that the package was delivered. Tracking still shows a problem. ???

I am almost afraid to mail anything anymore.
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Relax.

I've mailed several hundred and only one was every lost and that was found again after a delay of about a week.

USPS is the best we have ...... cheap and reliable.
 
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