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OT: USPS delays

I’ve got several really late USPS deliveries in process.
On the other hand, UPS just delivered a luggage set to me from Kohl’s that I never ordered. It had an addresss for someone on the other side of Michigan.
it matches my current luggage so I’m gonna keep it.
 
I had a package ship on November 27, it got to warrendale on the 30th, where it sat until dec 9. I received it on Monday the 14th. It was wrapped in plastic because somehow it got all wet. They put in a plastic note that basically said “oops we effed your shit up.” Well wrapping a wet cardboard box in plastic and letting it sit a week made everything moldy. Vendor is “looking into it.” Ffs
 
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Having a similar issue as others, my insurance requires me to get my scripts thru the mail in three month intervals. Ships out of N Carolina to Macon. I work a lot in PA. They used to mail it to me in PA. Now can no longer ship to PA, licensing issue. I left for PA before my next refill was ready to ship. My wife mailed me a weeks supply on 12/8 with a 12/12 due date. Had enough to last me to 12/13. Still has not arrived. been out since Monday. Called customer service today, they have no idea where it is. Tracking says it left Macon on 12/8 and was going to be late. status has not changed. Wife mailed out another weeks supply today overnight, guaranteed by 3 pm tomorrow. good luck with weather :rolleyes:
 
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as others have observed the scanning of package movement has been skipped or eliminated. Also, packages seem to be taking strange routes instead of direct routes to destinations.
Stopping the scanning has resulted in a loss of inventory visibility and ability to plan for and manage volume. Now locations know packages are destined for them but no idea of where or when. I can reasonably guess that some employees at overwhelmed locations, who may have been tracked by the scanner, are shipping bins of packages on the 1st truck out regardless of where it is going. It’s someone else’s problem now. That would explain why 1. packages are showing up at locations not in a direct/logical location relative to the destination and 2. why the USPS cannot give any estimate of when it may arrive. The postal system already has computer established routes for every shipping point-to- destination. The days transit is fairly firm. Allow a few extra days for peak periods but not 10+ like what is occurring now. When a package goes outside that route and is no longer tracked... they’ve lost control and have no predictability.
 
I've had problems for months. My credit score is currently 817 (it's always been excellent), but it dipped down more than 100 points after Mastercard put me in collection a few months back claiming I missed two consecutive payments. I never receiver the statement they claim they sent. Long story short, after a few letters and conversations, MC acknowledged that complaints like mine from longstanding, quality customers, are flooding in. They blamed CV19 for the mail disruptions and so do I.
Surprised that they didn’t resist more. If you have 817, they would think you would know when your account closes each month and when your payment was due each month.
 
I use Media Mail quite extensively and I haven't noticed any systemic service issues lately. I did have a package coming from NH to FL that got diverted to Memphis a week or two ago but that happens.

I think the Media Mail system is different than Priority and 1st Class in that it wasn't affected as much by the services reductions that were imposed this summer.

I've also heard from a vendor that there is a cardboard shortage. That delayed a shipment to me by two weeks last month.
 
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73
Yes, I mailed 4 of the "2 day" priority boxes afternoon of the 9th and 3 of them have yet to be delivered.
We sent 15 of the Priority Mail boxes 8 days ago (yes, cookies to friends and family). To our knowledge, 2 have been received. Would it have been the same if we had shipped bulk rate?
Hmmm, it just occurred to me that, as far as you know, I sent them to each member of this board. Yeah, that's the ticket! Everybody, your cookies are in the mail! Gee, I hope they don't get lost ...
 
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I had a small package mailed from near Indianapolis to me in Annapolis MD on December 3rd. On December 7th, tracking told me that it had arrived in DES MOINES IOWA--the day USPS had said it would arrive at my home. With no tracking available after that, it finally got to me on December 15th. Somebody's drinking on the job! :mad:
 
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We once had a package for us in Columbus go to a sorting center in Columbus--and then get sent to another sorting center--in Cincy. It then came back to Columbus. We were told as I recall that they use a pallet system and the pallet doesn't get broken up until it gets to the pallet sorting center.
 
We once had a package for us in Columbus go to a sorting center in Columbus--and then get sent to another sorting center--in Cincy. It then came back to Columbus. We were told as I recall that they use a pallet system and the pallet doesn't get broken up until it gets to the pallet sorting center.
I had a packet of papers to be signed from our business office in Powell, OH to my address in Powell, about a 5 minute drive away that normally took 1-2 days to get delivered. It took over 30 days for me to receive them.

In the meantime I went to the business office after not receiving the time sensitive packet for 2 weeks and signed a duplicate copy of the documents. When the originals arrived, there was a Pittsburgh postmark on the envelope. Post office could give no explanation why that happened. I asked the personnel manager to email me when documents were about to be sent out and I would just come to the business office and sign them in person, cutting out the unreliable middle man.
 
Yes. Sent a package from State College on Dec. 7th to Philly. Its still in Pittsburgh!! Seems like an long way to deliver it.
 
We sent the CC payment on 12/4, got an email yesterday that we were "forgiven" for our late payment (due 12/13) as it was our first time late. It's in the Mrs.name so she will be calling them today to inquire. I strongly suspect it has to do with the USPS......or late posting by the CC company, or both.
 
My other favorite was the time I needed to send material out to multiple people for a hobby show. One needed it the next day, so I used Express Mail. The other two I used Priority mail for. The Express mail person and the Priority Mail person lived fairly close to each other (near Akron as I recall). The Priority mail package arrived a day before the Express Mail one. They went through the same sorting post office in Northeast Ohio. They did give me a refund for the Express mail package, however.
 
We sent the CC payment on 12/4, got an email yesterday that we were "forgiven" for our late payment (due 12/13) as it was our first time late. It's in the Mrs.name so she will be calling them today to inquire. I strongly suspect it has to do with the USPS......or late posting by the CC company, or both.

Why do you not pay your bills online? It seems that it is more convenient to let your bank do it for you.
 
Update: Received a text message that my overnight package made it to Philly at 9 am this morning. So there's a chance I get it by 3pm

 
So went to post office today to mail a Priority 2 day package. Here's a recap of interaction.
Clerk: can I help you?
Me: slides package with Priority 2 day label under plastic shield
Clerk: would you like it to go Express mail, to get there overnight?
Me: no, just the Priority 2 day as it's labelled.
Clerk: well...there is no 2 day guarantee, that's only an estimate.
Me: so am I charged the same 2 day rate?
Clerk: there's no change to price.
Me: so, I guess I could ship it 1st class instead, if 2 days is not guaranteed.
Clerk: 1st class is worse...estimating up to 3 weeks currently.
Me: I'll stay with the Priority then.

I was puzzled by the immediate question as to whether I want to ship Express, I didn't stick around to hear if that is the standard query to all. Would the PO be using this situation as a chance to gouge folks and are folks panicking and using Express, given what I was told? The Priority 2 day rate for my package was $8.85 and the Express rate was $41.75. First class was $5.65. I paid the extra $3 over 1st class because I believed the clerk's estimate of 3 weeks.
 
I've had problems for months. My credit score is currently 817 (it's always been excellent), but it dipped down more than 100 points after Mastercard put me in collection a few months back claiming I missed two consecutive payments. I never receiver the statement they claim they sent. Long story short, after a few letters and conversations, MC acknowledged that complaints like mine from longstanding, quality customers, are flooding in. They blamed CV19 for the mail disruptions and so do I.
All my bills are received and paid online. Wake up to the year 2005 already.
 
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We probably have 10-12 packages in USPS limbo -- orders dating back to early November. Fortunately nothing we were counting on for Xmas, because I think a lot of this stuff won't be delivered until well into the new year. The USPS is completely hosed up and a lot of packages are just being stashed in warehouses with basically no tracking and no time frame for delivery.

Some of USPS's problems actually stem from Fedex -- Fedex got overwhelmed with packages and just dumped a lot of their stream on USPS to deliver -- USPS can't refuse it, plus they need the money.

But I do wonder whether some of this is Washington/budgetary. The Postmaster General has tried to stop USPS losses by reducing staffing and overtime, so they don't have the delivery horsepower they have had in the past.

It all plays into Amazon's hands - not even just Xmas, for some time now, if you wanted to order something and receive it on any kind of schedule, Amazon was the way. I'm still getting Amazon stuff in 2 days which is pretty incredible.
 
Not necessarily. You can pay them online through your bank, which is what I do.
I'm not sure I follow how you do this Jim? Isn't that allowing them access directly to your checking acct.? If I'm mistaken I'd love to learn how to do this with minimal intrusion from outside parties. It would make things easier!
 
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btw good artlcle about this in Philly paper today, w great picture of Philly-area postal facility just drowning in packages. Some facilities have filled trailers in parking lots. Sounds like these things will not be delivered for months. And it's not just SE Pa, it's happening around the country.

 
Carl, if you think about it, you're exposing your checking account information every time you mail out a check. So electronic payment is no less secure and probably more secure as long as your personal computer setting up the transactions doesn't have viruses or worms.

There are multiple ways to set up autopay. Most banks will let you set it up on the bank side -- so you enter the account numbers for utilities or credit card accounts. You can pay a set amount each month or set up e-billing so the vendor sends the ebill to your bank, and your bank automatically pays the bill before the deadline.

The other way to do it is to set it up on the vendor site -- and you can pay a bill automatically by entering your checking account number or credit card. Credit card is nice because you get consumer fraud protection and you also get credit card rewards points. But if you use credit card, many vendors will charge you a 3 percent fee for that (because they have to pay the credit card company 3 percent). Paying from your checking account should be free -- if it's not, get another bank.

Especially if you do this through your bank, I think you're pretty well protected against fraud -- if there's any security break, it would be the bank's responsibility as long as it didn't happen through your computer.

I'm not sure I follow how you do this Jim? Isn't that allowing them access directly to your checking acct.? If I'm mistaken I'd love to learn how to do this with minimal intrusion from outside parties. It would make things easier!
 
I'm not sure I follow how you do this Jim? Isn't that allowing them access directly to your checking acct.? If I'm mistaken I'd love to learn how to do this with minimal intrusion from outside parties. It would make things easier!

Carl- call your bank and ask them to help you set this up. I pay everything this way. I've only written 2 personal checks in the past year and both were for repairs at the house and required payment upon completion. Any major business doesn't get a check but an electronic deposit, since they are likely set-up to receive an ACH payment. It is sent on the day I specify and in almost all cases the company I pay receives the money the next business day though my bank says to allow 2 days. Any business you pay who doesn't get an electronic payment receives a check by mail. It is sent the day you specify and is subject to transit time just as if you mailed it. Below is a real check as issued by my bank. It only shows my name, address, and my account number at the business I am paying. All other banking info on the check is that of the bank. I've transferred money to family members electronically this way as well...bank to bank...no checks. Most banks (and credit unions) if not all do not charge for this, not even postage as it is more efficient for them. Of my regular monthly bills all are paid electronically (my bank to the company's bank, so no one sees/touches anything related to the payment) except for the one shown here.
131985042_10222082362781752_1025437103582677909_n.jpg
 
EVERYBODY’S being overwhelmed right now....USPS, UPS, FEDEX. Many vendors are already posting warnings on their websites that they can’t guarantee delivery before Christmas and are showing delivery dates of late-Dec or early-Jan.
I just shipped a package today through UPS from KY to Wisconsin and they said it will be there by Tuesday....it cost me about $5 more than it would have to ship USPS and I avoided the hour long line at the post office....definitely worth it.
 
update 2:

Finally got my meds overnight delivery at 6:30 tonight. Only 27.5 hours after its Thursday by 3 pm deadline. Still no word on my 12/8 meds that was due by 12/12 that one still says it left Macon 12/8 and is on its way :rolleyes: :mad:
 
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Apologies as I did not read the full thread and this may have been stated.
USPS cost $50 and may get there in 7 days.
Company I work for is a FedEx shipping site. $40 cost to public.
I shipped a package from Bryan, OH to Chamberlain, SD. Was picked up around 3:00 Tuesday and my niece had it Thursday afternoon in tact.
I don’t see myself shipping via USPS in the future.
 
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Apologies as I did not read the full thread and this may have been stated.
USPS cost $50 and may get there in 7 days.
Company I work for is a FedEx shipping site. $40 cost to public.
I shipped a package from Bryan, OH to Chamberlain, SD. Was picked up around 3:00 Tuesday and my niece had it Thursday afternoon in tact.
I don’t see myself shipping via USPS in the future.

Could it fit in a USPS flat rate box, whatever it was?

Also, I can't believe people wait in line at USPS for anything other than international. Using paypal.com/shipnow saves up to 40% off the retail rate, and you just print the label and you can have them pick it up, leave it by your mailbox or just walk in to usps (not wait in line) and throw it on the counter. It's like the people who bypass the kiosk and wait in line for 20 minutes to buy a stamp.
 
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Could it fit in a USPS flat rate box, whatever it was?

Also, I can't believe people wait in line at USPS for anything other than international. Using paypal.com/shipnow saves up to 40% off the retail rate, and you just print the label and you can have them pick it up, leave it by your mailbox or just walk in to usps (not wait in line) and throw it on the counter. It's like the people who bypass the kiosk and wait in line for 20 minutes to buy a stamp.
It would not have fit in a flat rate.
My employee cost was $30. Saved $20 and several days.
I agree with you on the waiting in line issue.

OL
 
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