Shipping

[maxwelhse]

That's a good excuse, as far as excuses go. It's not like they didn't know this in advance. Even before the 'rona, online shopping has been on the increase every year.

Companies have been adapting to accommodate their customer base for years, bringing on additional staffing for the holiday shipping rush. All except for USPS anyway.

For years the USPS has complained that they need more of our tax dollars. They figure that it is in their interest to be less than efficient in some cases to help promote their welfare mentality.

For better or worse, I buy a ridiculous ton of stuff from Amazon (hundreds of orders per year), and as soon as Amazon decided to use UPS for bulk and USPS for final mile, delivery timing and accuracy decreased by at least 30% and this change happened years ago at this point. USPS has had forever to get their stuff together and they simply don't care.

After the first few years of that Amazon seemed to back off of it and now they're using their own delivery service, which is actually quite good most days.

FWIW, the only thing worse than USPS is FedEx. FedEx just absolutely destroys packages and takes forever to get them to me.

 

[88E30M50]

Osagecountyguns.com has said that they won’t ship via USPS right now and has been upgrading to FedEx for free

 

[maxwelhse]

Just remembered I am expecting a shipment from out west... Checked my tracking and they used USPS. It was supposed to be here 2 days ago and has been sitting in Las Vegas since 12/3, doing nothing.

 

[4651feeder]

My parcel from Midway missorted to Muskegon has shown no movement since,
I'd like to think USPS has just stopped tracking the package and it is surreptitiously making it's way back towards Indiana.

Then again who really knows and that statement would include the USPS

 

[finnegan]

I've had a package shipped from a couple of hours away sitting in a distribution center located less than 10 miles from my house for the last 4 days.

 

[BankShot]

I've had a package shipped from a couple of hours away sitting in a distribution center located less than 10 miles from my house for the last 4 days.

Let me guess - It is sitting at the Louisville Distribution Center. I had a package from Midway sent priority mail on Nov. 24th. It was accepted at the Louisville Dist. center on the 27th and just made it to the Henryville post office yesterday. It sat in Louisville for 11 days.

 

[Cameramonkey]

USPS is hit or miss. It seems to depend on which hubs/POs it hits.

Fedex is even getting wonky. Dell said my part was delivered to my office yesterday. I looked around and couldnt find it. So i hit the tracking info. Its just now leaving TN on the first hop. I should have it in 2 days.

 

[TheGrumpyGuy]

If the employees at USPS wanted to deliver packages and not mail, then they would've applied for a position at UPS or FedEx...

 

[marvin02]

If the employees at USPS wanted to deliver packages and not mail, then they would've applied for a position at UPS or FedEx...

The US Postal Service has always delivered packages. Remember parcel post? I have sent many packages book rate. Package delivery is nothing new to USPS.

Find some other way to send a letter anywhere in the country for 55 cents. I am still amazed by the Postal Service, even when I complain about them.

 

[bwframe]

All the companies I've ordered holiday sale stuff from are throwing in HUGE disclaimers about shipping timing. The 'rona looks to be a pretty decent "get out of jail" card for them and the shipping companies.

On another note, I see Amazon delivery vans in multiples every day (including Sundays) going up and down my road. And I live fairly far off of the beaten path.

If Amazon keeps the efficiency they are developing, I wonder if they won't go into the shipping biz and start competing with UPS/FedEx for other companies deliveries? Wouldn't shock me at all if Amazon doesn't via for the mail delivery biz in a few years also? Especially rural mail delivery.

 

[flyingsquirrel]

I sent a holster to Yuma AZ 14 days ago on 3 Day Priority mail. Still on it's way. A package to Houston sat in Indy 4 days. I wonder how long it takes before a person can collect the $50.00 insurance?

 

[4651feeder]

One has to wonder if all this missing/delayed mail is setting in trailers across the country or if the Postal workers are climbing over mountains of mailbags on their way to the breakroom?

 

[firecadet613]

If Amazon keeps the efficiency they are developing, I wonder if they won't go into the shipping biz and start competing with UPS/FedEx for other companies deliveries? Wouldn't shock me at all if Amazon doesn't via for the mail delivery biz in a few years also? Especially rural mail delivery.

I've seen it stated (before 'rona hit), that this was their plan - take on 3rd party shipping. One has to believe it, with the ground and air fleet they are building out...

 

[Brian's Surplus]

The US Postal Service has always delivered packages. Remember parcel post? I have sent many packages book rate. Package delivery is nothing new to USPS.

Find some other way to send a letter anywhere in the country for 55 cents. I am still amazed by the Postal Service, even when I complain about them.

They don't really send a letter anywhere for 55 cents, that's just the cost of the stamp. Taxpayers subsidize the balance. Just like sending a box of lead to Hawaii for under $10. UPS would probably charge $50 for the same package because they are not getting billions in subsidies from taxpayers.

 

[Joniki]

I am nearly 100% positive that the postal service receives zero tax dollars.

They don't really send a letter anywhere for 55 cents, that's just the cost of the stamp. Taxpayers subsidize the balance. Just like sending a box of lead to Hawaii for under $10. UPS would probably charge $50 for the same package because they are not getting billions in subsidies from taxpayers.

 

[marvin02]

They don't really send a letter anywhere for 55 cents, that's just the cost of the stamp. Taxpayers subsidize the balance. Just like sending a box of lead to Hawaii for under $10. UPS would probably charge $50 for the same package because they are not getting billions in subsidies from taxpayers.

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-f...s-the-u-s-postal-service-governed-and-funded/

From that link:

How is the Postal Service financed?

The Postal Service receives no direct taxpayer funds. It relies on revenues from stamps and other service fees. Although COVID-19 has choked off the USPS revenue in recent months, factors that arose well before coronavirus have contributed to the unsustainability of the Postal Service’s financial situation for years.

 

[JettaKnight]

I've always been in favor of stopping Saturday delivery as a cost cutting measure, but as of late I've noticed that the USPS has done the opposite and added Sunday delivery.

 

[Brian's Surplus]

I am nearly 100% positive that the postal service receives zero tax dollars.

[h=1]American taxpayers give an $18 billion gift to the post office every year[/h]https://fortune.com/2015/03/27/us-postal-service/

 

[Brian's Surplus]

[h=1]USPS has lost $78 billion since 2007 despite receiving billions from taxpayers every year. Democrats still want a bailout.[/h]https://keller.house.gov/media/in-the-news/usps-has-lost-78-billion-2007-despite-receiving-billions-taxpayers-every-year

 

[maxwelhse]

If the employees at USPS wanted to deliver packages and not mail, then they would've applied for a position at UPS or FedEx...

Fine with me if they exit the market since they clearly suck at it. I'm not begging McDonald's to grill me up a steak either...

I have another package coming from out west via USPS, it has been sitting right where it was deposited for the last 3 days. The package I mentioned upstream is still just hanging out in LV still too... Now 3 days late and hasn't moved in 6 days. Mr. LV package is a box of silver eagles... It will get pretty exciting when I file a claim on it in the not too distant future.