It seems to me that shipping time is the subject of more cheers and jeers than all other aspects combined, yet for many of us shipping time is almost entirely up to the post office (or other carrier). My own case:
I can schedule carrier pickup at my home
The pickup will usually occur between 12 and 2 pm so orders arriving as late as noon might make it out the same day. I have had items picked up one day and delivered the next.
Once the item is picked up - delivery is entirely in the hands of the post office and I have no control or influence the rest of the way to you.
Mail leave our post office going to the sort facility twice daily. Around 12 - 1pm and about 5pm. Home pickups usually leave our PO at 5 the same day picked up - not always though.
If I take packages to the post office and get there before the mid-day truck leaves I can have about a 4 hour impact on shipping time---but that's it.
Depending on where they live, how large their business is and how large the post office serving them is some vendors can have more options but there is no post offices within reasonable driving distance from my house where I can get any better service.
Given the size of the city UPS and FedEx pickup service is generally no better than the post office.
My point is that the vendor's only control is over how quickly they can get the order in the hands of the carrier. Except for orders received from mid-day Saturday through mid-day Sunday for most of us using USPS that will be less than 1 working day. The rest of that "great" shipping service we have no control over.
I can schedule carrier pickup at my home
The pickup will usually occur between 12 and 2 pm so orders arriving as late as noon might make it out the same day. I have had items picked up one day and delivered the next.
Once the item is picked up - delivery is entirely in the hands of the post office and I have no control or influence the rest of the way to you.
Mail leave our post office going to the sort facility twice daily. Around 12 - 1pm and about 5pm. Home pickups usually leave our PO at 5 the same day picked up - not always though.
If I take packages to the post office and get there before the mid-day truck leaves I can have about a 4 hour impact on shipping time---but that's it.
Depending on where they live, how large their business is and how large the post office serving them is some vendors can have more options but there is no post offices within reasonable driving distance from my house where I can get any better service.
Given the size of the city UPS and FedEx pickup service is generally no better than the post office.
My point is that the vendor's only control is over how quickly they can get the order in the hands of the carrier. Except for orders received from mid-day Saturday through mid-day Sunday for most of us using USPS that will be less than 1 working day. The rest of that "great" shipping service we have no control over.