USPS

[ed4copies]

'Tis the season to WAIT for packages!!!

We have received numerous questions about where is a customer's package!!

I have seen tracking reports that show a package going from Wisconsin to Texas is being sorted (in ALASKA)!!

The Postal Service appears to be swamped----UPS is two days longer than usual.

I have also read that "on-line" business is up this year (anywhere from 20-50 percent, depending on what you read).

So, in this age of "instant everything", it would be good to add a couple days for delivery of the things you want to "play with".

I sincerely wish everyone a "Very Happy Christmas".

Ed

 

[gmcnut]

Ed,

Yes. Things do take a little longer. It amazes me however how quickly items I order from Amazon get here. Earlier this week UPS had their busiest day of the year delivering nine million parcels in one day.

My daughter works at the one remaining center that deals with mail that the addresses cannont be read by the sorting technology they use. They also handle all of the "To Santa" letters that have to be coded before they go to nice folks who do what they can to respond to these "Dear Santa" letters. My daughter says that they've had some ten and twelve hour shifts to keep up with the volume. Next they'll deal with all of the tax information that gets mailed out. She says the number on problem she sees is the stuff inside the envelope not showing the way it should in the window envelopes that seem to be so popular. Sometimes after her shift she'll text me about a piece of mail that she routed that was so poorly addressed by the sender that she just shakes her head that someone would be so careless about how they prepare their parcel. We got one here at the house this week from a relative in Vermont that was well prepared but when it reached us a large part of the brown paper wrapping was gone alltogether including most of our house number and street address. Yet the post office tracked us down and got us the parcel.

More and more each year we do our shopping from the comfort and safety of our wing back chairs in the living room. Absolutely no desire to go out on Thanksgiving afternoon or "Black Friday" to rub shoulders with the other bargain hunters. We have what we buy drop shipped to our relatives in the other parts of the country. We used to go out and buy it and then spend as much or more on packing and sending. Viva Amazon Prime!

Merry ChristmasHaunikahQuanzaFestivus to you all.

 

[Smitty37]

'Tis the season to WAIT for packages!!!

We have received numerous questions about where is a customer's package!!

I have seen tracking reports that show a package going from Wisconsin to Texas is being sorted (in ALASKA)!!

The Postal Service appears to be swamped----UPS is two days longer than usual.

I have also read that "on-line" business is up this year (anywhere from 20-50 percent, depending on what you read).

So, in this age of "instant everything", it would be good to add a couple days for delivery of the things you want to "play with".

I sincerely wish everyone a "Very Happy Christmas".

Ed

You're spot on with that Ed...More and more each year we are buying gifts on line and sending direct to the recipient often this means we send several packages to the same address where a few years ago we'd have done all the buying in big box stores and sent one package through the mail. So while overall business at USPS is down, I think this seasonal business is way up.

 

[edstreet]

Quite common this time of the year. Check this one out. This is a package that I ordered about 2 weeks ago. Initial default delivery date was 12/16. Seems there is some major problems going on at some of the sorting hubs. Also with the bad weather that causes major problems with the airports, also the mail system uses airplanes so they do suffer as a result. Couple major storms/snow with holiday season heavy shipping and you have a recipe for epic delays. Fortunately for me this shipment is not mission critical or I would have ordered it much earlier than I did.

 

[ashaw]

Ed

Thank you for your update. Receiving goods from your company is great. This time of year is a love/hate relationship. Love to have the sales hate when customers expect to have products out of the shop an hour after they order. Even if you tell them and remind them of your usual lead time.

Alan

 

[brownsfn2]

Does anyone know if there is a number to call? I just found out that a 28 pen order that I had shipped on Saturday is still in transit and it should have been there 2 days ago. I can't find a number to call and I am biting my nails off here that the customer doesn't return it.

 

[ed4copies]

1-800-ask-usps

They will read you the tracking information.

IF the package is over 30 days old (this may only apply to international) you can declare it "lost" and they will search for it. So far, they have always FOUND it, much to my amazement!!!

 

[ed4copies]

IF a package is very time sensitive, at least OFFER to send it Express. Worst case is supposed to be 2 day.

(Although John sent me an express from central Illinois and we received it (40 miles north of Illinois) in 2 weeks.

 

[brownsfn2]

In three years I have never had a USPS priority package not be delivered within 4 days. Now I have the biggest order I have ever had and it only shows as in transit. I did insure it but it won't help the guy who bought a gift for each of his employees.

I am going to have to see if fedex or UPS is just as convenient for me. So frustrating.

I called their number and if you say "agent" or "customer service" into the phone it will say they are not available and if you say it enough times the automated computer will hang up on you.

 

[maxwell_smart007]

While the weather up here has been fine - just bloody cold - the major storm in Southern ONtario has caused a huge backlog - to the point that all Canadian UPS shipments in this part of the country appear to be stuck in hubs while they sort through the backlog.

 

[jsolie]

Funny, I just got my order from y'all yesterday. USPS was guessing I'd get it on Friday, so I was extremely surprised given the time of the year.

 

[Smitty37]

Does anyone know if there is a number to call? I just found out that a 28 pen order that I had shipped on Saturday is still in transit and it should have been there 2 days ago. I can't find a number to call and I am biting my nails off here that the customer doesn't return it.

Did you look at the tracking info --- depending on where it was going the storms and snow in various parts of the USA will have an adverse impact on deliveries. BTW that will also affect FedEx and UPS deliveries.

 

[mywoodshopca]

I had an item coming from Missouri to Kansas and it ended up going for a vacation to Colorado..

 

[edstreet]

Few things of note.

This is 'ground' service only and ONLY for Fedex and Ups. Fedex projection: 275 million. UPS projection 132 million (peak shopping season). note the UPS projection is only for the peak and not the same time period as that of fedex projection.

Grant total of 407 MILLION packages by ground service for Fedex and UPS, this does NOT include USPS, DHL, freight, other shipping companies or any of the 2nd day, 3rd day, over night, letter, and various other shipping services available.

Throw in ice storms and other bad weather that causes airport problems, i.e. Dallas.

Also consider US population at start of 2013 is 315,091,138

Now lets throw in an increase of 9% online shopping over last year ($37.8 billion)

 

[monophoto]

Few things of note.

This is 'ground' service only and ONLY for Fedex and Ups. Fedex projection: 275 million. UPS projection 132 million (peak shopping season). note the UPS projection is only for the peak and not the same time period as that of fedex projection.

Grant total of 407 MILLION packages by ground service for Fedex and UPS, this does NOT include USPS, DHL, freight, other shipping companies or any of the 2nd day, 3rd day, over night, letter, and various other shipping services available.

Throw in ice storms and other bad weather that causes airport problems, i.e. Dallas.

Also consider US population at start of 2013 is 315,091,138

Now lets throw in an increase of 9% online shopping over last year ($37.8 billion)

And the other factor here is people who wait until the very last moment, assume that a miracle will happen, and the whine when their stuff arrives late.

 

[ed4copies]

In three years I have never had a USPS priority package not be delivered within 4 days. Now I have the biggest order I have ever had and it only shows as in transit. I did insure it but it won't help the guy who bought a gift for each of his employees.

I am going to have to see if fedex or UPS is just as convenient for me. So frustrating.

I called their number and if you say "agent" or "customer service" into the phone it will say they are not available and if you say it enough times the automated computer will hang up on you.

I've recently learned that UPS does not "handle" packages on the weekend, EXCEPT AIR. The USPS moves things on Saturday--not sure about Sunday.
This could explain why USPS is usually a day faster than UPS.

 

[Smitty37]

In three years I have never had a USPS priority package not be delivered within 4 days. Now I have the biggest order I have ever had and it only shows as in transit. I did insure it but it won't help the guy who bought a gift for each of his employees.

I am going to have to see if fedex or UPS is just as convenient for me. So frustrating.

I called their number and if you say "agent" or "customer service" into the phone it will say they are not available and if you say it enough times the automated computer will hang up on you.

I've recently learned that UPS does not "handle" packages on the weekend, EXCEPT AIR. The USPS moves things on Saturday--not sure about Sunday.
This could explain why USPS is usually a day faster than UPS.

I just saw a USPS tracking list that showed a scan into a sort facility on Christmas day.

 

[Tieflyer]

As a long time shipper I made sure to post a cutoff date on my website one week out. Any order after that wouldn't be guaranteed on time. Guess I'd rather miss a late sale than to be on the hook if it isn't delivered. 2 day priority was taking 3-9 days over the last three weeks. I don't have a problem except if I'm paying for two day shipping, it should get there on time. If it can't be on time, should I still be charged for the extra shipping?