We live in a subdivision at the edge of a small town about 25 minutes from big metro area.
Our packages say they are shipped UPS, but then UPS has stopped bringing them to our house. UPS takes the packages to the post office. So there I am today schlepping my 8 boxes out to the car and then bringing them home. Is this normal?
Before I have a meltdown about this, I am just curious if this happens to other people. WTF ship things UPS and then not bring them to our house?
Oh and one of the gifts for H was in the original box, not inside another box as someone else was bitching about this week. I understand your displeasure that the gift receiver can totally see the item. Glad it was me that went to the post office.
That would drive me insane. I shop amazon a lot and every package shipped UPS comes to our house. Mine are all prime so they are shipped 2day air. I know fedex has smartpost where they hand it off to USPS, but I don't know if UPS does that. Oh and even the smartpost given to USPS comes to our house (delivered by our mail carrier). The only time I have to go to the post office is if they need me to sign or we are OOT.
That's really annoying. For me, the whole benefit to Amazon is getting stuff dropped on my doorstep. If I wanted to drive somewhere, I would just do normal shopping.
I'm about to lose it on Amazon. I pay for Prime and they are allowing UPS to do this with my packages. So shipping is taking 3 days instead of 2; at least the USPS delivers I guess? If it continues, I'm going to raise some ruckus. I pay for TWO day shipping dammit.
I'm suprised USPS doesn't deliver them to your house. The Postal Service does the last mile delivery on a lot of packages that receive free/slower delivery, with both UPS and FedEx. The shipper gets a cheaper rate because the Postal Service is already delivering mail to that house anyway.
Are they being shipped UPS Surepost? If so, that's what's supposed to happen. I've noticed many retailers I've ordered from in recent months are using UPS Surepost or FedEx Smartpost. It saves them money, but takes a lot longer. I'm fine with it if it's free shipping, but it would piss me off if I were paying for such slow service.
I'm about to lose it on Amazon. I pay for Prime and they are allowing UPS to do this with my packages. So shipping is taking 3 days instead of 2; at least the USPS delivers I guess? If it continues, I'm going to raise some ruckus. I pay for TWO day shipping dammit.
I've noticed that Amazon has moved the cut off time for two day delivery up earlier in the day which allows them to use some combination of UPS/FedEx/USPS for the delivery if I order a package after the cutoff.
When I bitched about this to UPS (I had tracking info for a package) they told me that I could upgrade each package for $3.50 and they would bring it to the house. It shipped 11/17 and I got it today when I drove to the Post Office. It seems like a pretty random fucked up system. I am guessing Prime won't help me either, based on this post.
Post by emilyinchile on Dec 4, 2013 14:59:12 GMT -5
I got a Target shipment that had UPS tracking and then got handed off to USPS recently. But USPS brought it to our place along with the regular mail. Does your other mail not get delivered either? I feel like the weird part is that is just got stuck at the Post Office, not so much the UPS/USPS hand-off since that seems to be a thing now.
UPS packages always come to my house on a UPS truck. FedEx is 50/50. If they use that smartpost thing, it comes to my house via USPS. If they don't, it comes to my house on the FedEx truck.
I only go to the post office if I have to send something or if I wasn't home and they have to confirm delivery.
Andplusalso, I live about 1 mile as the crow flies from an Amazon distribution center. My 2-day shipping usually comes next day, and if I get the order in early enough in the morning, same day. I love when that happens.
We receive our mail from a mail center type box with 20+ mail slots. There are 3 or 4 mail centers and probably 80 houses in our subdivision. I guess our postal carrier doesn't do boxes unless he can put them in the little mail box for packages and leave the key for that in our personal box.
Post by emilyinchile on Dec 4, 2013 15:05:55 GMT -5
Ohhh, now I understand the mail situation. And it sounds like unfortunately, there may not be a way to make the package actually come to your house. That sucks, I'm sorry.
Post by lasagnasshole on Dec 4, 2013 15:09:32 GMT -5
It really seems to vary. I have had some items ship the UPS -> USPS route, but you never know when it will happen. Amazon also sometimes uses Laser Ship around here, which is like a cut rate DHL. It's the WORST!
I wish Amazon would offer a Prime option where you could actually choose your carrier. Because you would obviously want to choose UPS due to your mailbox set-up, but I would MUCH rather have USPS ship everything. We can't have packages left on our doorstep, so it's much easier to retrieve them from our neighborhood post office than the freaking UPS distribution center.
We receive our mail from a mail center type box with 20+ mail slots. There are 3 or 4 mail centers and probably 80 houses in our subdivision. I guess our postal carrier doesn't do boxes unless he can put them in the little mail box for packages and leave the key for that in our personal box.
Ohhh. I get it now.
I live in a 500-house townhouse development, so we have the same mailbox situation. Each mail unit has 16 slots, but we also have 3 big package boxes plus 2 smaller package boxes. They can put packages in there and then put the key in the box. Plus, our mail slots are actually pretty big. I could easily fit a Monopoly box in there. Gigantic boxes go on front porches.
Sounds like it's more of an issue with the mail box/USPS than the UPS/FedEx handoff to the USPS.
Post by hbomdiggity on Dec 4, 2013 15:53:21 GMT -5
I haven't noticed the ups to usps thing - everything just seems to be coming usps now. Now that I know, I don't have things shipped to my office. We are even getting Sunday delivery by usps.
FedEx has something called smart post where they drop off to usps. Gap/banana republic use it and its a good 7-10 days for me.
Post by Stingyshark on Dec 4, 2013 16:05:34 GMT -5
The only time I've noticed this is GAP/Old Navy; otherwise UPS makes deliveries to my house. Most recently UPS is driving around my neighborhood in a golf cart with a trailer attached to it.. I have no idea why they are doing this, I saw them today unloading the truck onto the golf cart.
We receive our mail from a mail center type box with 20+ mail slots. There are 3 or 4 mail centers and probably 80 houses in our subdivision. I guess our postal carrier doesn't do boxes unless he can put them in the little mail box for packages and leave the key for that in our personal box.
I'd contact your local postmaster and complain, or at least ask for an explanation about the delivery expectations if the parcel lockers are full, your carrier may just be lazy and is taking the packages back to the post office rather than delivering them to your house.
We receive our mail from a mail center type box with 20+ mail slots. There are 3 or 4 mail centers and probably 80 houses in our subdivision. I guess our postal carrier doesn't do boxes unless he can put them in the little mail box for packages and leave the key for that in our personal box.
I'd contact your local postmaster and complain, or at least ask for an explanation about the delivery expectations if the parcel lockers are full, your carrier may just be lazy and is taking the packages back to the post office rather than delivering them to your house.
Well I started to pitch a fit when I was up there this morning. I said to the counter person, "Do I have to complain to the shipper to get this stuff delivered to my house. This is ridiculous with my pile of 8 boxes here." The lobby was of course full, so I didn't escalate.
She said back to me, "Well we'd hate to lose your business." WTF? By my observation, UPS is getting paid to take it to USPS, and I have to drag the shit home. How much are they making to hold it up there? They don't deliver it. Last time I called the head postmaster about a situation it did finally get resolved, so I guess I will try that before giving up.
I'd contact your local postmaster and complain, or at least ask for an explanation about the delivery expectations if the parcel lockers are full, your carrier may just be lazy and is taking the packages back to the post office rather than delivering them to your house.
Well I started to pitch a fit when I was up there this morning. I said to the counter person, "Do I have to complain to the shipper to get this stuff delivered to my house. This is ridiculous with my pile of 8 boxes here." The lobby was of course full, so I didn't escalate.
She said back to me, "Well we'd hate to lose your business." WTF? By my observation, UPS is getting paid to take it to USPS, and I have to drag the shit home. How much are they making to hold it up there? They don't deliver it. Last time I called the head postmaster about a situation it did finally get resolved, so I guess I will try that before giving up.
Carriers actually have a fair amount of discretion as to what packages they deliver and which ones they don't. It is easier for the carrier to bring the package back to the office, but the postmaster wants people buying stamps and shipping packages not picking them up.