hogan873 Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 The FedEx guy throwing the monitor over a fence as a way of "delivery" has taken center-stage of late, but I would imagine many have had more issues with the post office and the USPS in general. I read a thread on Facebook yesterday about experiences with the USPS, and I can see why they're in financial trouble. The USPS has always had a bad reputation for customer service, and although some of it is exaggerated I've had my share of bad experiences with them. Most recently, I had ordered an iPod Touch from eBay, and the delivery person couldn't leave the package at my door without a signature. Which is fine, that's what the sender wanted. The carrier left a note saying to go to the web site and arrange to pick up the package from the post office. I did that the next day, and I was given a number which the website stated I MUST have in order to pick up the package. At the post office, however, when I gave the less than friendly person behind the counter the number, she huffed and said that the number doesn't mean anything to them. I explained that I was given the number by their website, but she said it doesn't mean anything to them at the post office. Luckily I had my phone with me and was able to get the tracking number. It's experiences like this that are pushing people to use other carriers or to use stores like Mailboxes, Etc. to send stuff. Anybody have any good stories about the USPS or any other carrier for that matter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeSox Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I tossed a priority mail envelope in the package slot at my local post office. Problem is I forgot to address the envelope. No return address, no ''to'' address, nothing. And nothing on the inside either. I called the next day and an employee waded through all priority mail envelopes until he found it. He correctly addressed the envelope for me and sent it on it's way. I have way more positive stories of the USPS than negative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hogan873 Posted December 22, 2011 Author Share Posted December 22, 2011 QUOTE (Tex @ Dec 22, 2011 -> 08:38 AM) I tossed a priority mail envelope in the package slot at my local post office. Problem is I forgot to address the envelope. No return address, no ''to'' address, nothing. And nothing on the inside either. I called the next day and an employee waded through all priority mail envelopes until he found it. He correctly addressed the envelope for me and sent it on it's way. I have way more positive stories of the USPS than negative. That's encouraging. I've heard very few positive stories. I know there are good people who work for the USPS, but I think it's the bad ones that everyone remembers and thereby associates with the USPS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrimsonWeltall Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I can only think of one bad delivery story in my life and it was UPS. I ordered a computer case and they had obviously dropped the box badly because there was a HUGE gash in the side, resulting in a large dent to the case inside. I called them and they repeatedly gave me the run-around and started to claim that Newegg gave it to them like that (yeah f'in right). Luckily, Newegg bought me a new case door. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 So, funny this came up... just this week, for the first time I can remember, I received a mutilated package from USPS. It had in it a spray bottle of chalkboard cleaner (we have a chalkboard wall in our basement for our kid). What arrived was a plastic bag, containing the remnants of the original brown, padded package, and some of its contents. It appears that it was run over a few times, then lit on fire. I kid you not. It isn't just torn up, it was clearly burned by something. And the bottle inside was busted, and all the stuff leaked out. Fortunately, it was like a $4 item, and I can just contact Amazon about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Middle Buffalo Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Dec 22, 2011 -> 07:22 AM) The FedEx guy throwing the monitor over a fence as a way of "delivery" has taken center-stage of late, but I would imagine many have had more issues with the post office and the USPS in general. I read a thread on Facebook yesterday about experiences with the USPS, and I can see why they're in financial trouble. Well, considering that most people deal with the USPS every single day, the chances of bad experiences vs. bad experiences with other carriers (FedEx, UPS, et al) is greatly increased. Oh, and the financial troubles are greatly exagerrated. http://leftlaborreporter.wordpress.com/201...orker-benefits/ "The manufactured insolvency crisis is the result of the Postal Accountability Enhancement Act (PAEA) passed in 2006, which requires that USPS pre-fund 75 years of retiree health benefits within a ten-year period beginning in 2007. PAEA’s mandate makes USPS unique. No other business or government pre-funds retiree health care over this length of time. In fact, most businesses and governments fund this benefit on a pay-as-you-go basis. As a result of the pre-funding mandate, USPS lost $20 billion between 2007 and 2010. Before the mandate, USPS was debt free; now it is $13 billion in debt all of which was taken on to meet the pre-funding mandate. Without the pre-funding payments, USPS operations would have made profits of nearly $700 million over the last four years." Yep, profit despite the economic meltdown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmags Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 QUOTE (Middle Buffalo @ Dec 22, 2011 -> 05:24 PM) Well, considering that most people deal with the USPS every single day, the chances of bad experiences vs. bad experiences with other carriers (FedEx, UPS, et al) is greatly increased. Oh, and the financial troubles are greatly exagerrated. http://leftlaborreporter.wordpress.com/201...orker-benefits/ "The manufactured insolvency crisis is the result of the Postal Accountability Enhancement Act (PAEA) passed in 2006, which requires that USPS pre-fund 75 years of retiree health benefits within a ten-year period beginning in 2007. PAEA’s mandate makes USPS unique. No other business or government pre-funds retiree health care over this length of time. In fact, most businesses and governments fund this benefit on a pay-as-you-go basis. As a result of the pre-funding mandate, USPS lost $20 billion between 2007 and 2010. Before the mandate, USPS was debt free; now it is $13 billion in debt all of which was taken on to meet the pre-funding mandate. Without the pre-funding payments, USPS operations would have made profits of nearly $700 million over the last four years." Yep, profit despite the economic meltdown. PEople keep posting this, but it's quite obvious that the postal service is in the decline and will eventually be insolvent. And ask UPS how that makes them feel. They quite often push local deliveries onto USPS. For all the "private companies are awesome!" ideas that are thrown around mail delivery, I think they underestimate how the USPS takes on the most expensive deliveries, rural and local. But i am excited for junk mail to die. I can't keep up with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hogan873 Posted December 22, 2011 Author Share Posted December 22, 2011 QUOTE (bmags @ Dec 22, 2011 -> 10:26 AM) PEople keep posting this, but it's quite obvious that the postal service is in the decline and will eventually be insolvent. And ask UPS how that makes them feel. They quite often push local deliveries onto USPS. For all the "private companies are awesome!" ideas that are thrown around mail delivery, I think they underestimate how the USPS takes on the most expensive deliveries, rural and local. But i am excited for junk mail to die. I can't keep up with it. Interesting that you bring this up. I sent a few packages from Amazon to my parents for Christmas, and they were sent UPS. However, when I checked the tracking, it said the packages were transferred to USPS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iwritecode Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 QUOTE (Middle Buffalo @ Dec 22, 2011 -> 10:24 AM) "The manufactured insolvency crisis is the result of the Postal Accountability Enhancement Act (PAEA) passed in 2006, which requires that USPS pre-fund 75 years of retiree health benefits within a ten-year period beginning in 2007. Is there really any sane reason for funding retirement benefits for people that haven't even been born yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Dec 22, 2011 -> 12:51 PM) Interesting that you bring this up. I sent a few packages from Amazon to my parents for Christmas, and they were sent UPS. However, when I checked the tracking, it said the packages were transferred to USPS. It's completely financially irresponsible for any delivery company to be able to maintain regular, daily service to areas that aren't highly populated. The Postal Service is required to do so by law. So, if they have to go to remote places away from everything 6 times a week, and those people occasionally also get a package, the other companies will contract with the postal service to avoid having to spend the money to develop the capacity for those far-flung deliveries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmags Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 And guess what, the USPS gives them a sweetheart deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvilMonkey Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I have been doing several EDDM mailing with the PO the last few months. The first one we did, it turns out the piece the customer provided us with was 1/4" too short per the specs on one side. They took it anyway, and were nice about it. Saved me the hassle of explaining to my customer that they didn't read the size requirements before sending me the items to mail, and having to load 10,000 pcs back into my car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 For less than half a buck they will deliver a letter from Gran Jeno, Texas (pop 372) to Pakala Village, Hawaii (pop 514). They will do it correctly about a million times before making an error. As Americans we should be damn proud of our postal system, it is the envy of most of the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 QUOTE (bmags @ Dec 22, 2011 -> 10:26 AM) But i am excited for junk mail to die. I can't keep up with it. Bulk mail feeds the pig. Those four or five pieces of mail pay the bills to deliver the one piece you want. Help the post office, sign up for lots and lots of junk mail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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