USPS why not

  • IceAsylum
    Wisconsin Dells WI
    Posts: 956
    #1283804

    Am I the only one that notices that our United States Postal Service is as fast or allot of times faster than the other shipping services. You can not beat there price either. So why do most of the places we order from use these other more expensive services. I know allot of companies add on there handling charge to increase there profit but come on when I order somthing over $10.00 it shouldn’t cost $12-15 in shipping and handling.

    meestro
    Posts: 136
    #1200110

    What you see are consumer prices… Not big business contract prices. For instance I am sure Amazon gets a much better price than average Joe for a delivery

    whiskeysour
    4 miles from Pool 9
    Posts: 693
    #1200113

    My FW sent our daughter a birthday card. She mailed it Sept. 18th and our daughter got on Oct. 7th. Her birthday was Sept. 21st. Had to go less than 125 miles. That is why most ship with anybody but USPS.

    sinister-fishing
    Omaha, Ne for now
    Posts: 293
    #1200121

    I cringe every time I order something when I see it usps that’s delivering what I order. Usps always takes longer and there tracking ability doesn’t work half the time online

    gordonk
    mpls
    Posts: 145
    #1200122

    We use the post office at work almost exclusively. We get tons of mail, mostly checks arriving daily and the number of lost or very late mail is very small. You remember the lost and late stuff and not the hundreds of others you get on time. The cost is very cheap. Don’t forget, when they founded the Post Office, it wasn’t supposed to turn a profit. It was there for citizens and businesses to use and available to all. Only Ronald Reagan had a different vision and turned it into a semi governmental agency. If it was fully funded, it would be working even better.

    ekruger01
    Posts: 594
    #1200130

    I ship stuff daily USPS 90 percent of the time my customers see stuff in 3 days the other 10 percent within 5 days…Ive been using USPS for 4 years now and have never had something get lost. What gets me is when I see something like i did the other day, I wanted to order a decal from somewhere and it was 4 dollars, they wanted 15 for S&H….so a 4 dollar sticker was 19 bucks after all is said and done….Mind you this was a 2×3″ sticker that would fit in a regular envelope and ship for under a buck.

    Randy Wieland
    Lebanon. WI
    Posts: 13651
    #1200134

    I agree on outrageous shipping prices. But I’m fed up with receiving boxes like this! How many Jigging raps or cranks would fall through a hole this size??
    Delivered pics and all the info to the post office and still haven’t heard back.

    Had a broken rod delivered through FedX. Sticker on the tube acknowledging it was damaged in shipping – Delivered damaged. Driver had me open it and inspect. He took care of starting the process while still in my driveway. Compensation was sent before the new rod arrived.

    drifter295
    Hastings MN
    Posts: 413
    #1200135

    What some of you may know or not know on USPS packages is they are the final delivery to your door. They contract out to FedEx and UPS for the trucking, and flying on over 60% of their packages. Yes, packages come torn, ripped, smashed even bent and the reason the USPS takes all the heat is because they are the final people to deliver to your door.

    I’m not saying they are perfect we all know that’s not true, but if things were shipped and sealed in boxes that were packaged properly to begin with many of these issues wouldn’t be issues in all. I’ve been using usps for many years, can’t beat the prices and seldom have I been disappointed in the final outcome.

    ptc
    Apple Valley/Isle, MN
    Posts: 614
    #1200136

    I got an email the other day from UPS.

    “We’ve received a package(s) for delivery to you shipped using a UPS service that is not eligible for UPS My Choice features because final delivery is being provided by the U.S. Postal Service.

    For immediate access to your UPS My Choice features, select the Upgrade Now button to request delivery by UPS ($3.50 fee applies).

    Upgraded packages will typically be delivered one day earlier.”

    I paid the shipper to send the package UPS, and then UPS subcontracts it out to USPS. But before they ship it to me, they put it on hold and ask if I want to pay extra to have them actually deliver it

    The lesson is, why pay a premium to ship UPS when they might just send it USPS anyway….

    mossydan
    Cedar Rapids, Iowa
    Posts: 7727
    #1200137

    Heard on T.V a while back that the USPS in funded entirely by the postage it sells to the public with no government funding. Until it was explained to me I thought government funding had something to do with it. I know the USPS also ships via public airlines that go to the destined post office area to get their packages there sooner instead of by land mail, semi truck shipments which they also use. With all the millions of packages and letters shipped daily its frustrating to see a damaged letter or package but a person is bound to see a mistake in there once in awhile. I’m another for you can’t beat the price considering. Fed. Express and UPS all have damaged packages too, with the billions of packages shipped monthly how can it not happening to all of them.

    fishdale
    Posts: 406
    #1200150

    I think delivery time relates to how close the shipper and receiver are to the main distribution hubs. All my packages seem to get to me within 1-3 bus days but I live in a city with a very large hub.

    Regarding damaged packages. Every damaged package I have ever received was due to the seller packaging.

    haasjj
    Cordova, IL
    Posts: 373
    #1200175

    Quote:


    I agree on outrageous shipping prices. But I’m fed up with receiving boxes like this! How many Jigging raps or cranks would fall through a hole this size??
    Delivered pics and all the info to the post office and still haven’t heard back.

    Had a broken rod delivered through FedX. Sticker on the tube acknowledging it was damaged in shipping – Delivered damaged. Driver had me open it and inspect. He took care of starting the process while still in my driveway. Compensation was sent before the new rod arrived.


    If I was delivering a package of rippin’ raps, it might have accidently opened up a little more!!

    mike ice
    Posts: 101
    #1200207

    For the most part I use USPS exclusively, better rates, gets there faster, in one piece, etc. USPS probably sorts and delivers more mail in day than all the other shippers combined and with the minimal mistakes that’s a pretty high percentage of accuracy. It does take longer now because of rerouting of distribution centers last year.
    UPS lost my business after they lost a expensive package and wouldn’t stand behind the insurance. Customs probably had more to do with but still didn’t get any compensation. Problem seems bigger coming from Europe to US, sure is a lot of packages that disappear or they been opened and half the german candy is gone.
    I’d have to agree that some parts of country shippers are more popular, ex: most everything I get from Florida area comes FedEx and its fast. Now a Fedex package that came from Oregon, 2 weeks! Either got lost in shipping warehouse or they didn’t have a full truck coming this way so it sat, you could see it on the tracking record.
    Anyways USPS for me.

    suzuki
    Woodbury, Mn
    Posts: 18715
    #1200219

    All I notice is the long lines and poor worker attitudes at the Woodbury PO. I refuse to ever go there again. I’ve had enough of their crap. If I need postal service I can use a shipper like Kinkos or go to a smaller Post Office like Newport or Cottage Grove.

    IceAsylum
    Wisconsin Dells WI
    Posts: 956
    #1200226

    Quote:


    All I notice is the long lines and poor worker attitudes at the Woodbury PO. I refuse to ever go there again. I’ve had enough of their crap. If I need postal service I can use a shipper like Kinkos or go to a smaller Post Office like Newport or Cottage Grove.



    Ship from home. If you go online to USPS you can have free shipping boxes and envelopes delivered to your house and then pre pay and schedule a pickup. No need to go to the post office.

    Paulski
    “Ever Wonder Why There Are No Democrats On Mount Rushmore ? "
    Posts: 1198
    #1200231

    Quote:


    All I notice is the long lines and poor worker attitudes at the Woodbury PO. I refuse to ever go there again. I’ve had enough of their crap. If I need postal service I can use a shipper like Kinkos or go to a smaller Post Office like Newport or Cottage Grove.


    Ah, come on Mike, nothing more fun than a little quality time at the Woodbury post office with other citizens of Woodbury …

    suzuki
    Woodbury, Mn
    Posts: 18715
    #1200232

    Quote:


    Quote:


    All I notice is the long lines and poor worker attitudes at the Woodbury PO. I refuse to ever go there again. I’ve had enough of their crap. If I need postal service I can use a shipper like Kinkos or go to a smaller Post Office like Newport or Cottage Grove.


    Ah, come on Mike, nothing more fun than a little quality time at the Woodbury post office with other citizens of Woodbury …


    Even the citizens are owly when they enter that building!!

    TheFamousGrouse
    St. Paul, MN
    Posts: 11832
    #1200239

    I agree, the USPS generally comes up as the cheapest option. Sadly, this will amost certainly be an “enjoy it while it lasts” situation. Big price increases will be coming soon as will post office shutdowns.

    The Post Office is losing about $2-$3 BILLION dollars per QUARTER (12-$15 billion estimated loss for 2013). The USPS has already filed for an increase in first-class stamp prices to .49. They wanted to go to .52, but that was seen as politically unviable. We will almost certainly see a .60 first class stamp within 2 years and parcel rates will go up in lock step.

    Grouse

    swlund
    Cuba City, WI
    Posts: 395
    #1200240

    I am very leary when it comes to USPS. Ordered some small auto parts from ebay. Tracking showed delivered to local pot office who in turn said they delivered to me on a Sat. They could not deliver on Sat. as we are closed. Then they changed their tune and said we delivered on Mon. We didn’t get the package and after several phone calls to the customer service found out no reimbursement unless insured. Shipper did not insure so I was SOL from them. Paypal credited me back on my credit card. USPS has POOR customer service if ou have a problem. Just sayin.

    barebackjack
    New Prague, MN.
    Posts: 1023
    #1200244

    Here is the short of this, USPS was the front runner way back in the day and could have maintained if not for their own lack of “keeping up with the times” The technology that UPS and Fed Ex offers so far surpasses USPS. USPS had the money way back when to keep one foot forward and the ball got dropped, I see no way for them to make an attempt at competing with the 2 big ones. Joint effort with either one of those two is the best outcome I see for USPS.As far as rates are concerned, we ship anywhere from 50-250 packages a day, technology and pricing are set backs for big business, which is where it is at for USPS if they want to survive.

    big_g
    Isle, MN
    Posts: 22538
    #1200273

    actually, the long and short of it is this… the USPS was set up to handle postcards and letters… and the bulk mail we all love getting. Nowadays, most here are talking about “shipping packages”… not what the USPS was originally set up for, there trucks are for mail bags. They are slowly getting in the game, but the wheels of any government agency turns very s l o w l y…….

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