UPS Shipping oops

[stolicky]

I know there have been many threads about shipping issues, but I had to share this one...

I ordered a product on Friday 4/13, and it was supposed to be shipped UPS 2-day. I figured it might not ship until Monday, but that was fine. Well, on both Monday and Tuesday the estimated delivery was 4/17/12 (Tuesday) by the end of the day. Now, keep in mind that this is being shipped to upstate NY from NJ. Well, the package never arrived. I emailed UPS yesterday and got this response:

"Thank you for your response. Unfortunately, our tracking system does not indicate the reason for the delay. Our records show your shipment is currently in transit to its destination, and has been rescheduled for delivery on 04/26/12 by the end of the day."

Pretty much a 'whatever' kind of 'I'm sorry' response. Well, take a look at the snap shot below and you'll see that the package manged to detour California on it way to NY from NJ. Ahhh, "2-day", "10-day", its all relative, right? Maybe it wanted to get a tan? Who knows...

Good thing that 1) I'm not really in a hurry and the shipping was free, and 2) it does not involve any IAP members/vendors.

 

[76winger]

Every good delivery needs a vacation... Right?

I've had two goodies over the years. One was a delivery that ended up in Lebanon, Ohio instead of Lebanon, IN. And the other was one where my orders shipping tag got put on someone else's box. I got the delivery and the shipping company thought everything was fine by what the computer told them. It took a couple times explaining to them before it finally sunk in that yes, I got a shipment, but no: It was someone else's order!

 

[gimpy]

That's why the price of shipping keeps going up

 

[shadetree_1]

I went throught that 2 weeks ago but it was USPS on a package I sent to Texas from Arizona, almost right next door so I figure 3-4 days max, I could drive it in a long day, Well after it went west instead of east, it went to Bell Garden Calif. before it could go to Texas and finally 10 days later he got, don't you just love our post office sometimes?

 

[leehljp]

If I were you I would call and get a response verbally from a person at UPS. Online tracking doesn't always say what is really going on. When a "live person" gets on it, more attention is given to it. And often you will get a follow up phone call or direct emails.

I get paranoid about delays and don't hesitate to call immediately when something is not right. I haven't been disappointed with the followup from UPS on delays - so far.

 

[ed4copies]

When you handle millions of packages each day, once in a while one is going to "see the world", before it gets where it is directed.

I thought I had great stories about Racine's Post Office, years ago when it was really terrible. In relating one such tale to a "city of Racine" office, the city employee opened his desk drawer and pulled out an envelope. It was clearly sent FROM a Racine business to the "city of Racine, assessor's office". He told me it took over a month to receive, then directed me to look at the back of the envelope. There it bore a very clear postmark, "Paris, France". Made a one mile trip take a month.

Stuff happens---

 

[GoatRider]

I can hear the package now: "I knew I should have taken that left turn at Albuquerque".

 

[Fred]

I find it interesting to have a package from Timberbits :biggrin: in NEW SOUTH WALES - the OTHER side of the world from my home - can be in my hands in 4 days. Junk mail always is delivered on time ... always.

And the USPS cries and complains ... but, I guess we are blessed to have many other options than to have nothing at all.

 

[JamesB]

Like Ed said once in awhile one will get misdirected. I live in Beaufort, SC and there is also a Beaufort, NC and on occasion my mail will take the trip to NC before coming home.
On UPS, I got my aquarium filter that wasn't supposed to be delivered until the 25th today!

 

[TellicoTurning]

After 40 years in the shipping industry, I agree with Ed... once in a while one goes astray... but if you look at the number of packages in motion on a daily basis, the percentage is actually pretty low... 'course when it's your package or my package, the percentage gets really high....

On this subject, back when I was with TWA, we had a soldier's trunk on board out of SF to Germany... the trunk didn't arrive in Germany on the scheduled flight and an all station trace was started... we searched for the trunk for 2 weeks and never found it... I was load master on the cargo jets out of SF and made it a practice to always inspect my planes before starting to load... if the flight didn't originate in SF, there was usually cargo already on board and I checked to see how it was loaded, where and what was on board to I could plan my load... 2 weeks into the trace the plane that it originally left Sf on rotated back into my schedule... guess what I found on board when I checked the plane... the turnk had ridden on board for 2 weeks.. SF to NY to Germany, to Bangkok, to LA, back to NY and back around the world.... finally getting back to SF... We did a special delivery on that one when it got back to Germany...

 

[Smitty37]

Drop Ship

That almost looks like it was a drop ship.....shipped from Edison NJ but really shipped from CA. I occasiionally do or get a drop ship and the label says in the fine print that it was not posted from the post office shown in the return address....that might happen with UPS Also.

 

[nava1uni]

Well, it is true that mistakes do happen. But as Ed pointed out there is sure a lot of mail being shipped by many companies. We are spoiled here in the US. Try living in a foreign country and ever getting your mail. My daughter shipped a package to Bangladesh and it got there, at least this time, in 2 months. That was a relatively short time and it did arrive. Her friend says that they don't use mail much because you can never be sure that it will arrive.

 

[Haynie]

Better record than airlines.

 

[Smitty37]

Better record than airlines.

For being on time - everybody has a better record than airlines.