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I've also had a package disappear that they refused to pay the insurance on.USPS has lost a couple packages, but then they showed up months later. Except one. It never showed up, and they refused to pay off on it. It’s a crap shoot.
that happened to me once in over 30 years of shipping with them. I appealed to the postmaster general in writing (pre-dejoy). they paid.I've also had a package disappear that they refused to pay the insurance on.
yikes! Shipping headaches notwithstanding, tell us about your new bass!!Hey TB, my latest adventure with our fine postal service. Bass purchased 9/27, shipped the next day from NJ. I'm in Birmingham, AL. 9/30 it arrives in Atlanta, a 2 hour drive from my house. No update for TEN DAYS! I file a missing mail claim. 3 days later it resurfaces, back in NJ! The seller calls USPS, they said they were sending it back to him for reasons unknown. He redirected it back to me. 3 days later, 18 days after being shipped it finally arrived.
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Somehow it survived unscathed. I've had nothing but bad experiences with USPS lately. Unfortunately I've had nothing but bad experiences with FedEx lately as well. UPS has been solid, but only recently. At this point I'm considering just going local for gear purchases/sales.
Just made a NBD thread about it.yikes! Shipping headaches notwithstanding, tell us about your new bass!!
A lie is halfway around the world before the truth even puts its pants on.Came here to say this. USPS is 100% self-supported, which is why the mail is still getting delivered during the govt shutdown.
Also of note is that USPS and UPS are the only shippers with union contracts, which means better pay and benefits for the workers, which theoretically means they have more reason to give a hoot about the packages they're handling.
Damage happens during shipping; it's inevitable. That's what shipping insurance is for.![]()
I agree, UPS for large stuff (thru Pirate Ship) and USPS for small. USPS is almost always faster than quoted, and UPS almost always longer. But never had a problem with UPS. My son uses FedEx for his business - he ships thousands of large packages every year - and has a pretty low problem rate.For a Bass and other large-box items - not only is UPS the only shipping service I will use - I can't fathom why anyone would USPS for such a thing.
Not just because of cost alone, but their carriers aren't equipped to handle it.
I just received a bass from a member here. I offered to cover shipping by sending him the UPS Label.
Pirateship 50x20x8 35lbs (which doesn't matter)
UPS: $53.00 arrived in 2 days
vs. USPS $88.00 Ground Adv (no way!) $120 Priority
I've never shipped a box that looks like that. (and there's a few members here that will attest to that...)
USPS works fine for the small / relatively light-weight packages - but if it's a valuable or irreplaceable item - I'll use UPS.
I also use Pirate Ship and never an issue. For stuff like basses and guitars where I don't have a box. I take them to the UPS store and have them pack and ship it. It's not cheap but I've never had a problem ever with them.For a Bass and other large-box items - not only is UPS the only shipping service I will use - I can't fathom why anyone would USPS for such a thing.
Not just because of cost alone, but their carriers aren't equipped to handle it.
I just received a bass from a member here. I offered to cover shipping by sending him the UPS Label.
Pirateship 50x20x8 35lbs (which doesn't matter)
UPS: $53.00 arrived in 2 days
vs. USPS $88.00 Ground Adv (no way!) $120 Priority
I've never shipped a box that looks like that. (and there's a few members here that will attest to that...)
USPS works fine for the small / relatively light-weight packages - but if it's a valuable or irreplaceable item - I'll use UPS.
For those on the Canadian (and I assume the rest of the world) side looking to ship anything to the USA, I went to my post office on Thursday to mail a small gift to a hot pepper friend in North Carolina. I came home with the package. Here’s why.Hey TB, my latest adventure with our fine postal service. Bass purchased 9/27, shipped the next day from NJ. I'm in Birmingham, AL. 9/30 it arrives in Atlanta, a 2 hour drive from my house. No update for TEN DAYS! I file a missing mail claim. 3 days later it resurfaces, back in NJ! The seller calls USPS, they said they were sending it back to him for reasons unknown. He redirected it back to me. 3 days later, 18 days after being shipped it finally arrived.
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Somehow it survived unscathed. I've had nothing but bad experiences with USPS lately. Unfortunately I've had nothing but bad experiences with FedEx lately as well. UPS has been solid, but only recently. At this point I'm considering just going local for gear purchases/sales.
This is also slightly disingenuous considering that DeJoy, the previous Postmaster General, cut funding and resources to the USPS in an effort to drive customers to private shipping companies.
Slagging off the USPS is "old man yells at cloud" behavior...I send/receive hundreds of packages/letters every year and very seldom have any issues.
I assume that you’re speaking of the USPS? I prefer UPS usually for something expensive, but your tax dollars do not fund the USPS. The US Postal Service is self-supporting.Your tax dollars at work!
Just like the DMV, IRS, and others, they are honey badgers. They just don't give A/F.
This dosent mean there aren't good,honest, hard working employees among their employ.. there are...but, overall they are immune to accountability. Nobody's gonna lose their job, no matter how bad they goof up.
I've had much better luck with FedEx.
Ok...I misspoke ( <----see: was wrong)I assume that you’re speaking of the USPS? I prefer UPS usually for something expensive, but your tax dollars do not fund the USPS. The US Postal Service is self-supporting.