USPS tracking is fun

[CaptainTom]

I get all my mail at the post office. I don't like UPS or Fedex, or DHL because they usually leave big packages of expensive stuff on my doorstep in the rain and with a car full of thieves sitting in the driveway, or they take the $15 item back to the distribution center and hold it for me to come and pick up during the 10 minutes they are open.
So, I get the pleasure of having things sent via USPS. No problem. Unless of course, the shipper sends it UPS, FEDEX, etc. to the PoBox.
Then, the package goes into hiding somewhere and can't be found.

Yesterday I ordered something from Amazon.com. No problem. Last night (a sunday) I got the email that the package had shipped. Tracking info was attached. I checked the info and the package shipped from Dallas, Tx. and was coming via USPS (yeah) to Fort Worth, a distance of 28 miles. Should get it right away ! No way ! I check today and the package went to a distribution point in Indiana. The estimated delivery time is in 8 days.

I'm not worried about how long it takes because I made my bed...........yadda, yadda, yadda.

[toverman]

Anything you order from B&H or Adorama you can send to my house. :-)

[rcgsavage]

Originally Posted by CaptainTom

Tracking info was attached. I checked the info and the package shipped from Dallas, Tx. and was coming via USPS (yeah) to Fort Worth, a distance of 28 miles. Should get it right away ! No way ! I check today and the package went to a distribution point in Indiana. The estimated delivery time is in 8 days.

Have to love how things that ship from your city have to end up going half across the US and back just to get to you.

[CaptainTom]

Originally Posted by rcgsavage

Have to love how things that ship from your city have to end up going half across the US and back just to get to you.

I've sent something to someone else in town via FEDEX and know that it goes to a central distribution point and then is flown back to be delivered. I've seen video of the distribution and it is very efficient and very awesome. But, somehow the USPS is neither efficient or awesome.

[C!LLY]

my friend was checking her uncles mail for his meds from the VA while he was in the hospital, and when she checked online it was in dallas, 3 days later it said it had been shipped, but not been delivered yet. It's only a 3 hour drive.

[JohnT]

It's goofy. I once ordered something from Buy.com, they shipped it from their Dallas DC, and it took five days to get here (Euless). I still scratch my head about that one.

[dsjsws]

Originally Posted by C!LLY

my friend was checking her uncles mail for his meds from the VA while he was in the hospital, and when she checked online it was in dallas, 3 days later it said it had been shipped, but not been delivered yet. It's only a 3 hour drive.

It is our wonderful government in action. I ordered a pair of shoes on a Tuesday afternoon. They arrived in the Dallas Post office on a Thursday. I received them on the following Wednesday.
Apparently a package can travel across country in hours, but it takes a week to go from Dallas to Ft. Worth.

I could have walked it to my house faster.

Donna

[Jeff_Green]

Thank you for posting this. I ordered a TV from Dell.com on the 30th of last month. It was supposed to arrive between 12/3 and 12/5. They shipped it through CEVA... That's right... CEVA. Never heard of them until I ordered the TV. Well, CEVA's delivery time was between like 12/4 and 12/8. They call me at about 3pm today (the 8th) asking me when they could schedule a delivery. I told them they can deliver it at the address I gave anytime before 5pm today. Well, obviously there was no way they could do that.

They had it scanned into their dock on 12/4 and then apparently had to rescan it yesterday so it would look like they were actually doing something with their packages. I've said it before on here and I'll say it again... I HATE DELL!

Sell CHEAP, poor made computers and use CHEAP nobody shipping companies who apparently aren't very efficient.

[Cope]

Eighteen months ago, I sold a lens on eBay. I always use USPS Priority Mail. A month after I sold the lens, no feedback, and USPS showed I had notified them to expect a pick-up. I emailed the buyer and found out he gotr the lens 2 days after it shipped, but was on his way out of town and forgot to leave feedback. If I request a check of USPS archives, the shipment will still show that I notified them to expect a shipment.

[ngoduyviet]

When I was in school, we did a mock up project to write algorithms for carriers like UPS & USPS...pretty crazy, and ya sometime to archive optimum efficiency if you sent a letter to your next door neighbor it would take a few days

[tahcoboy]

http://xkcd.com/281/

and this

[photonewb]

I refuse to use DHL

I ordered a package and the vendor shipped via DHL. DHL tracking said "Attempted delivery" I'm thinking "how is it possible that you attempted but did not succeed when I was HOME!!!" I called and complained, got promised "we'll get it right back out, it'll be there by 8" it never showed. I finally ended up getting promised it would be delivered by noon on Saturday (this is a package that was supposed to have been delivered on Thursday). It didn't show, so I called and got the Distribution center...apparently their computers had been down, but they had my package, had all my contact info and knew I'd filed complaints...but didn't do anything about it...I said "I'll be right there", I got there and they couldn't find the damned package so I had to wait for an hour in their lobby while they searched for it! Then it looked like they had played soccer with it in the warehouse.

Never will I use DHL again.

[JohnT]

Originally Posted by photonewb

I ordered a package and the vendor shipped via DHL. DHL tracking said "Attempted delivery" I'm thinking "how is it possible that you attempted but did not succeed when I was HOME!!!"

They tried that same deception on me two years ago with a Dell monitor. They heard about it from me, that's for sure.

[ito4u]

All you wanna know a secret? DHL doesn't deliver to homes anymore. They route everything through the USPS now. So does Fedex. These contractual agreements went into place because, the cost of fuel was killing package delivery companies so they charge the same and hand off to the Postal Service. The agreements are so good that USPS still makes money and so does the initial shipping company because, mail is delivered every day and the cost of fuel is more predictable.

UPS is still doing most of it's own but, will have USPS deliver to customers who are out in rural areas.

[Truckman]

Originally Posted by ito4u

UPS is still doing most of it's own but, will have USPS deliver to customers who are out in rural areas.

The last two UPS deliveries to my home were made by a lady on a golf cart...The next time I see her, I'll ask who she works for...Ben