Post Office nightmare, I am the shipper!

musicelectronix · #1 02-27-2009, 04:20 AM

Hey guys, I just need to vent a little and ask what you think.

As the company, we have been working exclusively with USPS for the last 3 years. Only 2 packages were lost until 2 weeks ago, one of which might have been our fault. But this month, 7 pedals didn't make it. SEVEN! All of them were shipped around the same date, if not the same day. I work with 3 different local post office locations to drop off packages, whichever is convenient at that day and is on the route.

So here is my theory and I strongly believe it may be accurate:

I sometimes use their white postal crates to handle packages and simply drop it off on the counter and leave. I think one day the local post office misplaced (stolen? forgotten?) or somehow ruined (fire? water??) the entire postal crate of packages that was dropped off that noon and they are covering it up. They have no idea where the packages are, nor the delivery confirmation numbers show anything.

I pack the pedals and print the labels online. 80% of the time they are shipped immediately, but sometimes they wait one more day (very very rarely 2 days), especially around busy times. So I am not sure which post office I went and what the exact shipping date of the said pedals was. Moreover, I don't have any proof that the packages were dropped off. So I have no way of pursuing the matter any further than calling the customer service.

I am really pissed off and not sure what to do. Of course I have been building new pedals for the customers, but the loss is just too much to ignore. I just hope 7 is the magic number this month...

DigMe · #2 02-27-2009, 05:53 AM

Have you checked prices for shipping through FedEx Ground service. I have found that many items they are often very close to USPS and for certain items they have even been cheaper than USPS a couple of times.

bc

armywalaby · #3 02-27-2009, 06:13 AM

Dude, that probably wasn't the best idea to just set stuff on a counter and walk away and expect someone to take care of it.

DWBass · #4 02-27-2009, 07:19 AM

Fedex Ground is your friend. I have an account, pack my own boxes, print my own labels and hand deliver it at the local depot (right across the street from my job). Not a single issue in 5 years! Pricing is comparable to USPS. Plus you can track it unlike USPS!

musicelectronix · #5 02-27-2009, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DWBass

Fedex Ground is your friend. I have an account, pack my own boxes, print my own labels and hand deliver it at the local depot (right across the street from my job). Not a single issue in 5 years! Pricing is comparable to USPS. Plus you can track it unlike USPS!

Yeah, USPS do not update tracking information as religiously as UPS or Fedex. But then again, they didn't call it "tracking number", they wisely named it "delivery confirmation number"

I will definitely open a Fedex account and see their commercial base pricing. Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by armywalaby

Dude, that probably wasn't the best idea to just set stuff on a counter and walk away and expect someone to take care of it.

Actually, this is how everybody does it.

**embellisher** · #6 02-28-2009, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by musicelectronix

Actually, this is how everybody does it.

The man speaks the truth. I used to do mail pickup/delivery as a courier. I would often drop off tubs with thousands of brand new credit or ATM cards ready to be mailed, and leave them unattended on the dock at the local P.O. I have also many times dropped off parcels at a window that had things in them that were worth several hundred dollars. That is the way people do business with the USPS, and it normally isn't a problem.

Snakeman1066 · #7 02-28-2009, 02:01 AM

Seriously go with Fed-Ex i have an account with them and they will actually come to you to get the packages instead of you having to go to them....i pack the box print the label and the driver comes right to my door and picks it up....

they are priced about the same as USPS until you get into the heavier frieght and they update their tracking everytime the box/pacake changes hands

in the last 5 years i have only had one snafu with them and that was due to a substitute driver.

sucks about your pedals though...

dinghy · #8 02-28-2009, 09:34 AM

This is worrying me. I'm shipping a bass out of state and I just checked the tracking number. It's just been sitting at my local post office for a week. What the heck, USPS?

musicelectronix · #9 02-28-2009, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dinghy

This is worrying me. I'm shipping a bass out of state and I just checked the tracking number. It's just been sitting at my local post office for a week. What the heck, USPS?

Don't worry. They just don't update the tracking information until the actual delivery

I am sure it's on its way.

Valerus · #10 02-28-2009, 10:50 AM

Bummer, Os! I haven't heard of any stories as bad as this one