In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.

Unhappy with USPS

Ray BRay B Member Posts: 11,822
edited March 2014 in General Discussion
On Tuesday I sent a flat-rate Priority envelope; expected date of delivery Thursday. It was going from Washington State to Arkansas. By Thursday it was in AR but they sent it to the wrong town. The envelope made it clear to the letter-carrier before it was noticed that it was supposed to go to Bono not Bentonville, a few hundred miles away. So then the envelope was back to the post office for resorting. According to the toll-free line "the error has been corrected", however the last update showed the envelope still not in Bono, though I'd hope it would be delivered a mere two days late by delivering on Saturday, but the way it's going it may be Monday or Tuesday. And they wonder why people send stuff UPS or Federal Express??

Comments

  • KEVD18KEVD18 Member Posts: 15,037
    edited November -1
    Yeah, cause the common carriers never screw up...

    If you think about the volume any of these services do and the percentage if the time they do it flawlessly, you'd be impressed. However statistics never matter to the individual. Your package was mishandled, so the entire system is flawed and incompetent. Totally reasonable....
  • nmyersnmyers Member Posts: 16,892 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Well, sure, the common carriers sometimes make mistakes---but, they usually go out of their way to find the problem & make amends.

    OTOH, the employees at my local PO act like they have a job-for-life, & think that they can't be fired. (They are right!)

    Ray's mistake was believing that Priority Mail envelopes expedite delivery; they don't. The size & shape requires manual handling, which often results in mishandling & delays.

    Neal
  • the middlethe middle Member Posts: 3,089
    edited November -1
    I disagree that common carriers go out of their way to make amends....

    UPS completely sucks....they NEVER, EVER have delivered a package to me on the first try....EVER. I either have to go ask the neighbors if they got it, or call UPS with the tracking number and tell them they F#@Ked up again....and Ive had some high dollar stuff just left on strangers steps...which lucky for me, they were honest and called UPS and told them about it. One time, it was a chain saw that was left at a house 3 miles down the road...the homeowner actually brought it to my door...hell of a nice guy too. We are hunting buddies now, so that time wasnt all bad, got a new friend out of it.
    Called UPS numerous times and complained, they dont care, and never even apologized.
    Fed-Ex is little better, at least they have got it right a few times...

    It aint hard....I have a 911 address, not a PO, or RD. I live in the woods, but not the wilderness.

    The only ones who have NEVER F@#KED up?.....the USPS. They get it right every time. I always request USPS for a shipper, when the merchant will do it. Trouble is, a lot dont.... they only use UPS or Fed-ex....
  • JunkballerJunkballer Member Posts: 9,312 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by the middle
    One time, it was a chain saw that was left at a house 3 miles down the road...the homeowner actually brought it to my door...hell of a nice guy too. We are hunting buddies now, so that time wasnt all bad, got a new friend out of it.
    That's what I call making good lemon-aide [;)] [:)]

    "Never do wrong to make a friend----or to keep one".....Robert E. Lee

  • kimikimi Member Posts: 44,719 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Sounds to me like it went to the wrong sectional center, Bentonville instead of Jonesboro. First thought would be that the third letter/digit of the zip code was misread. Good luck on this Ray.
    What's next?
  • FatstratFatstrat Member Posts: 9,147
    edited November -1
    As a trucker/freight handler, I am amazed that people expect exacting standards in freight handling/delivery. Be assured of two things. Screw ups happen. And to these people your package is nothing more than just another piece of freight. Nothing is any more special than the next piece. And will be handled in the same careful or careless manner as all others, depending on person and how they feel that day.
    Just like you would in the same situation. And don't try to tell me I'm wrong.
    Part of my job is also picking up returns. And I am always amazed at the carelessness that a once valued item coming in is regarded once no longer needed.
  • Smitty500magSmitty500mag Member Posts: 13,623 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    What pisses me off is paying FedEx or UPS to deliver a package and it ends up being given to the USPS on the last leg for delivery which takes an extra 2 or 3 days. I have a package right now that was supposed to be delivered yesterday by FedEx but instead it was given to the USPS and now it won't be here until Monday...maybe, and I won't be at home on Monday. It'll be another week before I'm back home so a lot of good it did to make plans to be here to receive the package yesterday. I hate'em all!!! [:(!] If I did my job like they do theirs I'd have been fired long ago!

    I also sent a watch to my Granddaughter for Christmas which was lost by UPS and they've never reimbursed me for the watch. They figure you'll get tired of calling and eventually give up which is working because I'm sick of talking to the idiots! I'll never use UPS ever again!!!!!
  • machine gun moranmachine gun moran Member Posts: 5,198
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Smitty500mag
    What pisses me off is paying FedEx or UPS to deliver a package and it ends up being given to the USPS on the last leg for delivery which takes an extra 2 or 3 days. I have a package right now that was supposed to be delivered yesterday by FedEx but instead it was given to the USPS and now it won't be here until Monday...maybe, and I won't be at home on Monday. It'll be another week before I'm back home so a lot of good it did to make plans to be here to receive the package yesterday. I hate'em all!!! [:(!] If I did my job like they do theirs I'd have been fired long ago!






    +1

    I ordered something which was carried by UPS. It arrived at a large hub in city A, and then went to a smaller hub in city B, from where it should have gone out for delivery. But the hub in city B gave it to the Post Office, who then sent it back to their own major hub in city A, where the process repeated itself. After being sorted again and sent to the post office in city C, it at last went out for delivery.
  • Ray BRay B Member Posts: 11,822
    edited November -1
    The reason for my lack of happiness regarding the USPS is not that the envelope was misdirected, although had that mistake not occurred, the following would not have happened. Somewhere along the line the zip code 72416 Bono was misread 72412 Bentonville. This is understandable and is an acceptable mixup. The problem is that each USPS that handled the envelope after the error would have 1. not noticed that it was going to the wrong town or 2. noticed it, but figured it wasn't "their job" and so passed it on to the next person; until it got to the letter carrier who said wait- this is in the wrong town; and returned it to the sorting station to be sent on to the correct town. That was on Thursday; it is now Saturday and according to the USPS the envelope is still at the sorting station waiting to be sent on to the correct town. It is my hope that at least by Monday someone will pick the envelope up, note that it is to go to Bono and put it in the bag headed for that town.

    It isn't that there was a mistake made- there will always be mistakes- what is not acceptable is that when there are mistakes there is apparently no mechanism in place to correct it.
  • joker5656joker5656 Member Posts: 5,598 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Computers do the sorting not humans
  • Ray BRay B Member Posts: 11,822
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by joker5656
    Computers do the sorting not humans


    That's fine that they use computers, but when can I expect the computer to correct it's error and get the envelope to the addressee??
  • danielgagedanielgage Member Posts: 10,591 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    it will work out [;)][^]
  • 1911a1-fan1911a1-fan Member Posts: 51,193 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    priority mail has a expected delivery of 2-5 business days, not a guarantee of 2 days, so as of this day it is still within guidelines









    http://www.ump-attire.com/service/usps-chart.html
  • tapwatertapwater Member Posts: 10,336 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    ..They all mess up sometimes. I've had two rifles delivered with the barrel sticking out the end of a very well packed box. The UPS guy stayed both times to make sure there was no damage.
    ..Every year, we order 300 onion plants from Burpee. Every year USPS drops off a box that looks like a truck backed over it. Other than picking up an order in person, I don't see a solution, though yes, 99% of the time, everything works out fine.
  • BLKSRT8BLKSRT8 Member Posts: 631 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Like said before, they all screw up. But I have to say 98% of the stuff USPS or UPS has been spot on. I buy 20+ MRR items a month and it was never delivered late. Do you think someone like McDonalds who has 1/1000 of the orders USPS has gets every burger right? No complaints here for UPS, USPS, or FEDEX. If it's such a big deal to cry about it here then leave home a few days early and deliver it yourself. McDonalds sells frenchcries.

    MIKE
  • kimikimi Member Posts: 44,719 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Ray B
    The reason for my lack of happiness regarding the USPS is not that the envelope was misdirected, although had that mistake not occurred, the following would not have happened. Somewhere along the line the zip code 72416 Bono was misread 72412 Bentonville. This is understandable and is an acceptable mixup. The problem is that each USPS that handled the envelope after the error would have 1. not noticed that it was going to the wrong town or 2. noticed it, but figured it wasn't "their job" and so passed it on to the next person; until it got to the letter carrier who said wait- this is in the wrong town; and returned it to the sorting station to be sent on to the correct town. That was on Thursday; it is now Saturday and according to the USPS the envelope is still at the sorting station waiting to be sent on to the correct town. It is my hope that at least by Monday someone will pick the envelope up, note that it is to go to Bono and put it in the bag headed for that town.

    It isn't that there was a mistake made- there will always be mistakes- what is not acceptable is that when there are mistakes there is apparently no mechanism in place to correct it.


    Bentonville is 72716, Ray. Good luck on the delivery!
    What's next?
  • danielgagedanielgage Member Posts: 10,591 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
Sign In or Register to comment.