RANT COMING

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ctwxlvr

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Hartford, CT, USA.
Ok so I ordered some wood from xyz in WI and he sends me a USPS tracking number for Priority Mail, well according to the tracking of the package it has been sitting at the post office since Friday the 23rd, some one has been at the house 24/7 for the past two weeks and no attempt to deliver has been made, why do we pay for priority delivery when it sits at the destination for three business days?

here is the USPS INFO minus the personal information:

Status: Arrival at Unit

Your item arrived at 8:18 AM on March 23, 2007 in HARTFORD, CT 06106. Information, if available, is updated every evening. Please check again later.
 
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Somebody is obviously being lazy. There is a place on the USPS web site to forward complaints. I would use it under these circumstances. From experience, I can tell you they respond and get action. And that action can be embarrasing to the local postmaster.
 
Talk to a manager.

They did that to us once (I had to pick up the package at their office) and when I complained...the poor postal guy hand delivered most of our stuff by our door. Lasted only a week but sure nice to know that they listened.

BTW, I am very happy with USPS especially when I have items sent to my PO Box. Items get delivered much aster and safer than others (private co) I tried.
 
I called the national number, and after 45 min or so fighting voice system, I finally got a live person and filed the complaint with him, locally our post office is a joke, the "postmaster" is in two days a week from noon to 2pm. PO boxes are about 65 dollars for three months here huge demand and a waiting list.
 
At least you got yours Tracy! l didn't get mine at all' makes me wounder why/how/and where are they. Curtis a member here that invented prickly pear cactus pens sent me four blanks and they vanished into thin air. Curtis was also very annoyed and l don't blame him but wait' there was good news!! that came out of this. Curtis being a top guy that he is sent me out a new set which made me very happy PS Thanks again Curtis. [;)][:D]
 
I'd like to join in on your rant, CTWxLvr. The big brown truck and similar don't have any reason to see you unless they have a package for you. And if they should miss you, well, they well try again the next day. Three times in a row if necessary. Now then, the USPS must come by every single day to pickup and deliver your mail. So if for whatever reason you miss them, why can't they try again the next day like the other guys? They *have to* come back the next day (and the next day, and the next day...) anyway, so why do they make us go and pick it up ourselves???? Or make us lose valuable time trying to schedule a redelivery - Hello, the package says PRIORITY on it! That's my rant. [:(!]
 
I have to pick all of my orders up at the postal outlet which is a variety store in town and I am used to this and don't mind. They will try to deliver it once and if you aren't home they leave a slip with the barcode and everything saying it is available the next day after 1:00pm. The part that sucks is that I have come to find out that they sometimes fill out this slip and just put it in the mail bag for regular delivery without trying to deliver because I have been home when I get a slip in the mail which tells me they didn't try to deliver. This is after my usual 2 week waiting time because of the cross border shipping. Some orders take up to 3 weeks plus whatever time it sits at the postal outlet.
 
I recently repaired a pen and mailed it back to customer 60 miles away. Gone, but, fortunately, I used del. confirmation, it sat in the Baltimore regional center for 1 week, then the system showed returned to sender because of bad address. Got it back a week later.

Took it to my little "one lady" PO, she remailed it (no expense) with lots of marker notes on it to verify address...it got there in 2 days........

My regular carrier is a dear and brings packages up the 1000 ft drive and leaves them on the porch...but she then puts the flat mail in the box....oh well!!!!!!!!!
 
Originally posted by mdburn_em
<br />You guys get your mail delivered? To your house???...
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That's what I'm wondering? What's home delivery?
Those folks who visit will see what I'm talking about when they arrive here.

Cheers,
Gary
 
Originally posted by mdburn_em
<br />You guys get your mail delivered? To your house???
[:(!]
Sigh, if only....[V]
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I live in the semi-sticks and get rural mail delivery. My packages come promptly and are left on the porch if I'm not home. For sending, I use the USPS Click 'n Ship to print labels. Packages are picked up promptly. Great service. I am unhappy with UPS, almost everything they deliver has been crushed and contents broken. I avoid when I can. FedEx is better and is what I use for large packages.
 
I am unhappy with UPS, almost everything they deliver has been crushed and contents broken. I avoid when I can. FedEx is better and is what I use for large packages.
Click to expand...

I've seen the pictures and videos of the UPS guys throwing boxes at Christmas time.

Regarding FedEx - Here is a relevant story:

In October of 2003, I shipped my very expensive musical instrument (retail $14,500 now) to another state for use with a well known Chamber Orchestra where a Compact Disc recording was being made of a well known composer's music. Despite the rarity of this instrument, I owned a very nice one that was available for rent for these kinds of events.

I shipped the horn with $10,500 valuation/coverage (essentially insurance) via FedEx and it arrived without a problem. When the orchestra was done with the instrument, they shipped it back via FedEx. It made it as far as Chicago and then disappeared off of their tracking system. I contacted FedEx and reported not receiving the instrument, and they began their pointless and hopeless search for the box - including the location in Utah that accepts boxes that have "lost their labels" and must research the contents to find the owners of the packages.

All attempts to locate the instrument failed, and FedEx decided to send me $4200 to cover the cost of a mint condition, customized, top of the line rare instrument that could not be replaced for under $10,000 (including all accessories and case). Their explanation for not honoring the valuation/coverage was that, despite a letter from the manufacturer of the instrument (which gave me the horn to use as one of their Performing Artists) stating the value of the instrument, a copy of the receipt for the custom work done on the horn, a copy of all receipts for accessories (over $900), FedEx refused to honor any of the letters or receipts and made a unilateral decision to devalue the horn by 10% per year of ownership (age of instrument) - because, as they claimed, no book value for this instrument could be located anywhere. According to them, because it was six years old, they knocked $6000 off of the previously paid for valuation/coverage. They claim it isn't insurance - but my attorney tells me that it really is.

I won't go into any additional details about what happened directly following the problem - but I thought everything was concluded. Until this this past fall when a friend coincidentally purchased the instrument from eBay - from a company that sells items that were never claimed via shipping companies. This company (which will remain unidentified), put me in touch with their supplier, and the supplier turned out to be the very company that allegedly receives boxes that have "lost their labels" and they research the contents to find out who the owners are. Despite my name being in the case, on the accessories, and despite my claim to FedEx, this company held the instrument for two years and then sold it to the eBay company.

End result? I was lucky. I contacted this company and told them that I would be pursuing a claim against them within two weeks if the problem could not be resolved. At first, they wanted me to return the $4200 to FedEx - but I told them that not only had FedEx screwed me with the reduced amount, I was without income for a long period of time because of loss of rental and inability to accept performance opportunities with the instrument. We eventually came to a nice resolution, and I am satisfied that my friend and I came out happy.

I now only use FedEx when a dealer of my products asks me to. However, based on this experience, I don't trust the company. There isn't anything you can do if they singularly decide not to honor the coverage you paid for! You are left with no choice but to file a legal complaint. Because of their size and wealth - the lawsuit could take years and drain your bank account. I prevailed only because the friend contacted me to tell me about her new instrument - and we figured out it was mine!

I hope this little story serves to alert anyone out there to consider all possibilities prior to using any particular company for shipping!

Best wishes,
Roger Garrett

However
 
Wow, I find that UPS is even worse and they balk at paying a $200 claim for something that their machines shredded. I have never had a problem with FedEx, but I suppose that may be because the value isn't as high. I think for something as expensive as what you are dealing with, I would probably just hire an independent company to ship and make sure the insurance is for full replacement value.
 
I think you will hear horror stories about every large shipping company. I simply will not use FedEx or DHL.
In thinking about the situation that Roger went through, I wonder what would have happened if the item would have shipped "registered" with the Post Office. It's my understanding that registered pieces are signed for by each person who touches them. There is a trail of personal accountability, so the last signature is the person "on the hook". It's trustworthy enough that (last I knew) the military authorized items up to "Secret" to travel through the mail. That might have changed. I do know that if you make a claim, you need to have your ducks in a row, as Roger did, to receive the amount you insured. I've never worked for the Post Office, this is just what was told to me while I was in the Navy.
 
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