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gcbbug Samba Member
Joined: May 24, 2007 Posts: 274 Location: Boise Idaho
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Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 2:49 pm Post subject: |
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Hello Newwwwwwman. |
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Braukuche Samba Member
Joined: September 03, 2004 Posts: 10965
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Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 3:00 pm Post subject: |
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I've shipped many parts through USPS so far with no problem. They are a heck of a lot cheaper than UPS or FedEx. Do things get lost? I imagine so, given the volume of crap sent through the postal service its inevitable.
--Dan |
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singleporter Samba Member
Joined: September 20, 2006 Posts: 108 Location: Te Henga
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Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 3:14 pm Post subject: |
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They gave me a bit of a fright recently with some snowboarding items i'd purchased. Who'd have thought the best route from Greensboro NC to Auckland New Zealand was via San Juan Puerto Rico, back to Greensboro NC, then onto San Juan Puerto Rico, then shipped to Miami Florida, then onto San Juan Puerto Rico, then to Auckland New Zealand.
I guess they have a lot to do, and more often than not get it right. I got my stuff in the end. I had insurance, but only for a fraction of the items value as I get stung at the border with import taxes.
Live and learn is right. |
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Daniel Samba Member
Joined: June 30, 2003 Posts: 233
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Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 4:27 pm Post subject: |
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Used UPS for the first time, just within Cali. They only had to get the package to the ports where my international shipper was going to take over and get it to me. But it never showed up! I had insurance on it, but now comes the part where I actually have to try getting the money back, should be fun from overseas.
Now I keep getting emails from them, asking me to fill out a survey on how good my experince was |
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busseemscool Samba Member
Joined: May 25, 2006 Posts: 108
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Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 4:52 pm Post subject: |
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I once was waiting for a package sent by USPS with delivery confirmation. Interesting that the delivery was "confirmed" several days before I got the item. Apparently they think that "delivery" meant that it got to the Post office. Since then I don't trust delivery confirmation. You can count on the confirmation by UPS. |
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mynameismud Samba Member
Joined: October 23, 2002 Posts: 5922 Location: Middle of a corn field
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Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 4:53 pm Post subject: |
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Little late to this game- but here is my take on USPS.
Last November I sent a rather large woodblock print from Indy to Boston, for a print exhibit. I boxed it, wrapped it, triple-wrapped it, etc. I also INSURED it for $650.00. It was "scheduled" to be delivered no longer then 5 days after. So, a week after I called the gallery.."no print", I gave it another week.."nope, didn't arrive", so, naturally, I'm pissed, especially since I have to wait 30 days to file a claim.. In the meantime, I pack up another print (so now I have 2 out of my reach) and send the f'r UPS - insured again (hoping against anything they would loose that one- so I could make some $$.. ), but no that one arrived. 30 days pass and I file my claim. The local clerk gave me the "correct form" - come to find out it wasn't; and I was told I should hear in 2 weeks...Nothing, so I called the claims number, go through the story again, and they can't find my claim in their system.. "Which form did you fill out sir?"..."Form XXXX", "No sorry that's the incorrect form, please refill out form XXXX-A and resubmit"... FUCK!!!!!!
so... after 6-freakin' months a claim check arrives..6-freakin' months... _________________ Even YOU can prevent FIRES!
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EdW Samba Member
Joined: January 13, 2005 Posts: 2385 Location: Unemployment Office
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Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 5:16 pm Post subject: |
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mynameismud wrote: |
Little late to this game- but here is my take on USPS.
Last November I sent a rather large woodblock print from Indy to Boston, for a print exhibit. I boxed it, wrapped it, triple-wrapped it, etc. I also INSURED it for $650.00. It was "scheduled" to be delivered no longer then 5 days after. So, a week after I called the gallery.."no print", I gave it another week.."nope, didn't arrive", so, naturally, I'm pissed, especially since I have to wait 30 days to file a claim.. In the meantime, I pack up another print (so now I have 2 out of my reach) and send the f'r UPS - insured again (hoping against anything they would loose that one- so I could make some $$.. ), but no that one arrived. 30 days pass and I file my claim. The local clerk gave me the "correct form" - come to find out it wasn't; and I was told I should hear in 2 weeks...Nothing, so I called the claims number, go through the story again, and they can't find my claim in their system.. "Which form did you fill out sir?"..."Form XXXX", "No sorry that's the incorrect form, please refill out form XXXX-A and resubmit"... FUCK!!!!!!
so... after 6-freakin' months a claim check arrives..6-freakin' months... |
Yeah, but in my experience, I've found that UPS, USPS, FedEx, Airborne, DHL, etc., etc. are just the same as far as length of time. Back in Feb, I had a $40k shipment get burned up in a semi trailer in transit and am still waiting for the insurance check. 6 months is pretty much the norm. _________________ 20‰
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I would call him a dick, but a dick has a head on it |
Last edited by bljones on Today 4:20am; edited 1 time in total |
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vwracerdave Samba Member
Joined: November 11, 2004 Posts: 15278 Location: Deep in the 405
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Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 6:16 pm Post subject: |
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The USPS handles 100,000,000 pieces of mail every day. Yes count the zero's very carefully. That is ONE HUNDRED MILLION. no matter how hard they try a few are gonna get lost or otherwise fucked up. _________________ 2017 Street Comp Champion - Thunder Valley Raceway Park - Noble, OK
2010 Sportsman ET Champion - Mid-America Dragway - Arkansas City, KS
1997 Sportsman ET Champion - Thunder Valley Raceway Park - Noble ,OK
Featured in Dec. 2001 HOT VW's Magazine page 63
Watch my racing video's http://www.youtube.com/user/okvwracer/videos |
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iowegian Samba Curmudgeon
Joined: February 16, 2005 Posts: 9826 Location: Somewhere between Dubuque and Keokuk
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Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 7:07 pm Post subject: |
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vwracerdave wrote: |
The USPS handles 100,000,000 pieces of mail every day. Yes count the zero's very carefully. That is ONE HUNDRED MILLION. no matter how hard they try a few are gonna get lost or otherwise fucked up. |
That's a lot of shit!! |
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Vanhag Samba Mortician
Joined: June 29, 2003 Posts: 2606 Location: Desert Coast
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Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 9:02 pm Post subject: |
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Art, auto parts, letters, etc... that would suck to lose.
But, how about having the post office lose your grandma's ashes. Yeah, CREMATED REMAINS. Lost. All the insurance in the world isn't going to help you get grandma back. I had shipped the ashes with all the safety features, insurance, return receipt, registered, super registered, priority A1Bueno, tracking GPS, and little red ridding hood strapped to the package. I probably made 100 phone calls over the course of the summer as well as several visits to the local place for forms, as well as the regional office. I felt like putting "Missing" posters up at the post offices in the area. Maybe "Wanted - Reward" would have been better... To be fair, our local office was super-duper helpful and helped me through the whole process. It wasn't their fault and they were just as mad as I was.
4 months later, outta the blue, the ashes showed up. By then I had learned the fine art of Mylanta shots. _________________ CU05 w/HBB
HOODRIDANCE |
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Lidpainter Samba Anti-Hero
Joined: January 21, 2004 Posts: 2045 Location: 41.77 | -83.56
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Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 9:08 pm Post subject: |
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Vanhag wrote: |
Art, auto parts, letters, etc... that would suck to lose.
But, how about having the post office lose your grandma's ashes. Yeah, CREMATED REMAINS. Lost. All the insurance in the world isn't going to help you get grandma back. I had shipped the ashes with all the safety features, insurance, return receipt, registered, super registered, priority A1Bueno, tracking GPS, and little red ridding hood strapped to the package. I probably made 100 phone calls over the course of the summer as well as several visits to the local place for forms, as well as the regional office. I felt like putting "Missing" posters up at the post offices in the area. Maybe "Wanted - Reward" would have been better... To be fair, our local office was super-duper helpful and helped me through the whole process. It wasn't their fault and they were just as mad as I was.
4 months later, outta the blue, the ashes showed up. By then I had learned the fine art of Mylanta shots. |
I would have just passed off another jar of crap as Grandma. Ash is ash. Throw in a couple charred cow bone fragments and maybe a tooth for good measure and voila; instant Granny. _________________
EverettB wrote: |
Thanks, time to bulk up on meat! |
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Church Key Samba Member
Joined: October 10, 2004 Posts: 856
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Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 9:52 pm Post subject: |
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Vanhag wrote: |
Art, auto parts, letters, etc... that would suck to lose.
But, how about having the post office lose your grandma's ashes. Yeah, CREMATED REMAINS. Lost. All the insurance in the world isn't going to help you get grandma back. I had shipped the ashes with all the safety features, insurance, return receipt, registered, super registered, priority A1Bueno, tracking GPS, and little red ridding hood strapped to the package. I probably made 100 phone calls over the course of the summer as well as several visits to the local place for forms, as well as the regional office. I felt like putting "Missing" posters up at the post offices in the area. Maybe "Wanted - Reward" would have been better... To be fair, our local office was super-duper helpful and helped me through the whole process. It wasn't their fault and they were just as mad as I was.
4 months later, outta the blue, the ashes showed up. By then I had learned the fine art of Mylanta shots. |
Oh wow.....I cannot IMAGINE some of the stressful shit that happens in you job regularly...
This whole UPS deal reminds me of the time my wife's then roommate had him send her a sack of weed when he was visiting New York.
The weed didn't make it. She had paid DHL like $30 for overnight delivery...No POD. She got her $30 back, and the roomie was assed-out on the herb. Some DHL dipshit was having a good night. |
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nathan@el Samba Member
Joined: April 26, 2007 Posts: 150 Location: Celo, NC
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Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 10:14 pm Post subject: |
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I've shipped many parts through USPS so far with no problem. They are a heck of a lot cheaper than UPS or FedEx. Do things get lost? I imagine so, given the volume of crap sent through the postal service its inevitable. |
I'm not saying that USPS is perfect, but they are far, far better than UPS, FedEx, Airborne/DHL. They are usually the cheapest too. I think we have a very good postal system here. Unfortunately, it is inevitable that a few things are going to get lost, at least for a little while. These things happen. USPS is still the best.
I worked for a few years for Airborne Express and then DHL when they bought out Airborne about four years ago. Believe me, USPS is better than DHL. I will support our (semi) publicly owned delivery system any day, over FedEx, UPS, DHL or whatever. Even when I WORKED for DHL I would still ship my own packages with USPS! Yes, I'm serious. _________________ 1980 Vanagon L Westy (176,200)
1992 Subaru Legacy L (175,500) |
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notchback Insensitive Jerk
Joined: December 16, 2003 Posts: 7024 Location: Behind the Zion Curtain
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Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 10:23 pm Post subject: |
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nathan@el wrote: |
I'm not saying that USPS is perfect, but they are far, far better than UPS, FedEx, Airborne/DHL. They are usually the cheapest too. I think we have a very good postal system here. Unfortunately, it is inevitable that a few things are going to get lost, at least for a little while. These things happen. USPS is still the best.
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You must not have dealt with the post office since the recent rate hikes. I can send a 3 pound package across the country cheaper with FedEx now then I can with the post office. I usually send 15-20 packages per week. Most of the time, if it's under 3 pounds it goes USPS. If it's over 3 pounds, it goes FedEx Ground. In 1500 FedEx shipments I have had exactly one lost package. FedEx settled that claim in less than 30 days. Because I spent the extra $2.00 or so for insurance, my customer got all his money back. Before I started using FedEx, I used UPS quite a bit. I had at least one claim per month with them, usually because of damage. I have never had a damage claim with FedEx. I may be cursing myself by saying that, but it's true.
Oh, and the post office sucks ass on international shipping now. There is no more economy international now. I sent a 2 pound package to South Korea today and it cost me $20. A 1.5 pound package to Greece was $25. I've lost a lot of international business since the post office raised their rates. _________________
zeen wrote: |
Arguing with johnnypan is like mud-wrestling a pig. After a while you realize he just enjoys playing in the mud, winning the contest is not the point. |
FU#3 |
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Behemoth Samba Member
Joined: September 02, 2003 Posts: 389 Location: Lenoir NC
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Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 4:27 am Post subject: |
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RixiesRide wrote: |
We have cluster boxes and what irks me is finding one of those "Sorry we missed you" notices in the box, then I have to drive down to the P.O. to get the stupid letter. The mailman can't walk 50 feet to my house and give me my mail.
A few years ago we were doing some legal stuff for my mother-in-laws estate. I would find the Certified letters with the green return receipts still attached on the back of the letter in the box. The first time I signed the receipt and put it back in the box but after that I just threw them away. |
I worked for 6 years as a rural carrier and this is the way it is. A rural route is evaluated 1-2 times a year according to the growth of the city. Arural carrier is a contractor to the govment and he is only paid by the evaluation contract he has for his route. For 2 weeks every letter, flat(magazine), package, advertisement, to be signed for letter or package be it certified or confirmation, every stop, every box, every dismount including the distance walked, and every authorized route deviation is counted. If the route is too big to be worked in 2080 hrs. a year then enough of it is taken off to achieve this goal. Every regular carrier must work his route in under 2080 hrs.
He is only paid for the authorized dismounts so to deliver a package to your house that isn't an authorized dismount he would be doing this for free and not paid for it.
Rixie in your first paragraph you say you have cluster boxes, are these for apartments that have clearly marked addresses on each? Is it a cluster of boxes on or at the end of a side street where there could be confusion as to which is yours? Do you know if the regular carrier was running that day(he works 5 days a week) or was his substitute running it(he works 1 day a week)? Do you know if this route even has a regular sustitute?
When I started at the PO I subbed for 4 of 7 rural routes and 1 of 2 city routes because of the lack of subs. But if this letter or package was certified or delivery conformation and whatever carrier was carrying knew which house was you at least one attempt at a signature is required.
The second paragraph seems to confirm why the carrier never makes an attept to deliver anything to your door if you threw away a certified receipt since those have to be accounted for by any carrier and turned back into the clerk daily. Since your carrier did something he wasn't supposed to do in an attempt to keep you from having to run to the PO every time one of them came in you turn around and stab him in the back by not signing and leaving the receipt for him to retrieve the next day.
I myself being the people person that I am did the job for my customers. I did pretty much everything that wasn't required of me because I felt I was providing a service to those people and I will always do my best when doing that. I replaced many broken boxes with ones I had gotten from customers when they bought new ones, I gave out many SS checks in the PO parking lot to many of my seniors that would have had to wait until the end of my route to get them, and I bought and installed a house box for a customer that was being changed to a different route that had an authorized dismount but couldn't afford a house box and I knew the new carrier wouldn't open her door and hand it to her like I had done for years. Oh and I fattened up every dog on every route with the dog bones I kept in my truck.
Either a carrier sees the job as a way to make money or he sees it as getting paid to provide a service to his customers so if you do get the latter show him you appreciate it. Don't plant bee attracting flowers around the box, talk to him if you get the chance, and every now and then leave him some homade cookies or that favorite cake you make that everyone would kill for.
But also remember DON'T FUCK WITH THE MAILMAN! Going postal wasn't coined because everyone wants to be one. _________________ 63SunNotch...."Don't qoute me on it but I am pretty good when it comes to tits.
Been sucking on them since I was a baby. "
vdubmax..."I thought we were friends. I will be by to drop off your recently fucked up parts next weekend fool" |
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mynameismud Samba Member
Joined: October 23, 2002 Posts: 5922 Location: Middle of a corn field
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Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 5:04 am Post subject: |
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vwracerdave wrote: |
The USPS handles 100,000,000 pieces of mail every day. Yes count the zero's very carefully. That is ONE HUNDRED MILLION. no matter how hard they try a few are gonna get lost or otherwise fucked up. |
Who handles the mail? Not human hands. Personally, I am not surprised more doesn't get lost, misplace..oh, here's one..the mail carrier decides...FUCK It, I'll just toss all this shit in my garage... For a federal job, they seem to hire a ton of flakes. BTW- I worked for UPS during college..and saw all the "Stress" related leave of absences, so I know it can be difficult...like everyother job. What pisses me off is one hand, doesn't know the correct form to give you when you are standing in front of them, and it wastes MY time having to redo it 40-ballizion times... I'm sure there will be another rate increase soon. _________________ Even YOU can prevent FIRES!
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Rick73Super Samba Member
Joined: June 30, 2004 Posts: 1792 Location: Ocala FL 34481
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Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 5:06 am Post subject: |
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DHL is worse, they waited 6 weeks to inform me they lost a package, and then denied a claim because it wasn't filed within 4 weeks. They asked why I hadn't inquired whether it was delivered, I told them I was under the impression that it's their job to deliver the package. We ship hundreds of packages a week at work, it'd be a full time job if we had to check on every one. DHL has lost 3 out of 3 packages sent to Europe. I will only ship DHL if customers insist and after I have warned them. |
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typesoneandtwo Samba Member
Joined: September 29, 2004 Posts: 659 Location: Cape Cod Mass. Bass River
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Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 5:24 am Post subject: |
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notchback wrote: |
nathan@el wrote: |
I'm not saying that USPS is perfect, but they are far, far better than UPS, FedEx, Airborne/DHL. They are usually the cheapest too. I think we have a very good postal system here. Unfortunately, it is inevitable that a few things are going to get lost, at least for a little while. These things happen. USPS is still the best.
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You must not have dealt with the post office since the recent rate hikes. I can send a 3 pound package across the country cheaper with FedEx now then I can with the post office. I usually send 15-20 packages per week. Most of the time, if it's under 3 pounds it goes USPS. If it's over 3 pounds, it goes FedEx Ground. In 1500 FedEx shipments I have had exactly one lost package. FedEx settled that claim in less than 30 days. Because I spent the extra $2.00 or so for insurance, my customer got all his money back. Before I started using FedEx, I used UPS quite a bit. I had at least one claim per month with them, usually because of damage. I have never had a damage claim with FedEx. I may be cursing myself by saying that, but it's true.
Oh, and the post office sucks ass on international shipping now. There is no more economy international now. I sent a 2 pound package to South Korea today and it cost me $20. A 1.5 pound package to Greece was $25. I've lost a lot of international business since the post office raised their rates. |
True, x2. I sell a small item on E-Bay which used to cost $.63 to send via First Class Mail. After recent changes, the very same item is now $1.31, a 100% increase. The biggest impact has come from calling any item that is not bendable a "parcel", even when it weighs 1/2 oz and is 1cm thick. By definition, I guess photographs can no longer be sent in letter form, since photos are not "bendable." |
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Mark Evans Samba Member
Joined: April 21, 2004 Posts: 1929 Location: Alsea,Oregon
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Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 5:45 am Post subject: |
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I won't use UPS after seeing how they tend to play football with boxes. FedEx takes too long. I have always had good luck with USPS. Delivery also depends on the package label. Always be sure to write the information LARGE and clear with a black Sharpie. Tape it up well, ALWAYS get delivery comfirmation (at least it puts a # on it) Same for letters, don't write with small letters, write large and clear. I have never had a shipping issue. _________________ '63 Ragtop |
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Gary Person of Interest
Joined: November 01, 2002 Posts: 17069 Location: 127.0.0.1
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Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 5:56 am Post subject: |
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nathan@el wrote: |
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I've shipped many parts through USPS so far with no problem. They are a heck of a lot cheaper than UPS or FedEx. Do things get lost? I imagine so, given the volume of crap sent through the postal service its inevitable. |
I'm not saying that USPS is perfect, but they are far, far better than UPS, FedEx, Airborne/DHL. They are usually the cheapest too. I think we have a very good postal system here. Unfortunately, it is inevitable that a few things are going to get lost, at least for a little while. These things happen. USPS is still the best.
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Cheapest for sending a letter; otherwise, FedEx has the best rates on parcels over 5lbs. Barring that, Greyhound Freight is speedy and cheap as well.
With FedEx, I can enter the tracking number online and know exactly where the parcel is, be it a warehouse, sorting center, or the actual truck awaiting delivery. The USPS tracking number only tells you that the item was shipped or delivered. _________________ West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943) |
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