Chose the Wrong Delivery Option with Midway

[Petrol & Powder]

I recently ordered a book that was shipped by USPS. I followed the tracking on-line and it was a bit amusing to see the journey. That book got a very extensive tour of the east coast before it made its way to me but I did eventually get it.
I have to say that the USPS chain (or any other carrier) is only as strong as it's weakest link. Every time the package is sorted it must be correctly routed or the entire process is compromised. I'm not sure any carrier really shines so price is the important factor to me.

[dragon813gt]

Total B.S.

No, it's not. I've told my stories plenty of times on this forum. How many times have I had to call and file a formal complaint w/ UPS or Fed-Ex to have a large heavy parcel delivered to my door? The answer is never. How many times have I had to do this w/ the USPS? Every time but the last. Why not the last? Because I had to go to the post office to pick them up myself. I do not pay for delivery part way. I pay to have them delivered to my door. If the USPS employees can't lift the boxes, that they set the weight limits on, then they shouldn't be working there. And I won't even get started on insurance claims and the black hole of nothingness that the USPS is. Companies are using USPS flat rate to appease their customers. They aren't doing it in their best interest. No real time tracking and a higher lost package ratio. Oh yeah, number one reason the USPS is not set up for parcels. Look at their delivery vehicles compared to the other two. The USPS has to make special trips to pick up and deliver orders if you are shipping a lot. I live in a more urban area so it's not like I have these issues because I don't live near anything.

[Sagebrush7]

I have a long driveway. The Fed-X contract drivers will not come to my house. They left a rifle at one of my mentally off neihbors. I had to go looking for it when they said they delievered it! He said he would have brought it over after he woke from his drug induced sleep , two days later!

[Buck Neck It]

Where I live, USPS is the only reasonable option. If something accidentally gets shipped UPS, you will be doing some serious squealing.

[blackthorn]

I will not use ups. The last time I dealt with a ups employee I had a very difficult time restraining myself. I will not ever again use or accept anything from ups, and hope they fall off the earth.

+1!!! UPS tacks on a ridiculous surcharge on parcels coming into Canada! The one time the US company I was dealing with shipped a small package to me here in BC UPS tacked on an extra shipping charge that was almost as much as the item I ordered! Now when I order from the US I make sure to tell the company I am dealing with if they can't ship USPS, I don't' want their product!

[KCSO]

Had something similar happen a month or so ago. Seems the package was delivered to the USPS b UPS and when it came the container was contaminaed from another leaking pakage. They had to send the whole works back to eah individual shipper for repackaging and then to be reshipped. BTW USPS gets most of it's packages deliveredby Fed Ex and UPS so you are just cutting out one more step when you go UPS in the firs place.

[mold maker]

I had a UPS driver make 2 extra delivery trips with lost pieces from a very poorly packed item.
It does depend on the area being served.
I've had the experience, of having to hunt down deliveries to me and for others with the USPS. It's just a part of life here to have to finish the mailmans job.

[popper]

No problem here with any of them. I did make a mistake and got free shipping from Amazon, for only $107.17/year. Finally got them to call me back and they cancelled the charge.

[Lee]

I pretty much gave up on Midway when they quit the monthly catalogs. You know bathroom reading material, spur of the moment purchases?
Now I find 2-3 daily Midway speshuls clutter emailed to me. Guess what happens? They might get the hint. I don't care. Larry can go pound Kenyan salt.
The ole lady runnin the Co now is too stupid to listen. And I'm not gonna explain to her how to do business.
Anyone wonder why the MIDWAY Emails have ramped up the last couple months?
God bless 'em all if thats how they want to do business. It ain't workin for me, and I suspect it aint gonna work for them either.
CAN YOU SAY "UNSUBSCRIBE" ?????????????????????????????
P.S. Search around. Midway ain't the only show in town.....................

[Lee]

And well, if y'all talking about shipping jerks, Name your poison. They all are only as good as the weakest link. And evolution don't always weed out the slowest........................

[Akheloce]

Living 30 miles from the post office, and only a letter drop mail box, I only order packages non-usps. Amazon has become my new best friend. I haven't ordered from Midway in over a year due to their shipping costs.

[MaLar]

My other weakness is old sewing machines. UPS FedX and others would destroy nine out of ten machines we'd ship. USPS would lose a machine once in a while but they where always found.

[MaryB]

I have NEVER had a USPS package delivered by fedex or UPS, the other way around yes with that stupid smart post garbage UPS uses. Local mail carrier will put the packages in my porch, or if I am not home and door is locked he puts them in the unlocked shed.

[Mustangpalmer1911]

USPS is about worthless around here. The local small office in town is great the the main hub everything goes through and after them that sucks here. Just about any pacakge sending or reciving I chooses UPS if I can.

[Cmm_3940]

I have NEVER had a USPS package delivered by fedex or UPS, the other way around yes with that stupid smart post garbage UPS uses. Local mail carrier will put the packages in my porch, or if I am not home and door is locked he puts them in the unlocked shed.

USPS final delivery is always done by USPS, so you never see that they contract out the long haul routes to other carriers.

[Bulldogger]

I get my packages delivered to work to reduce theft off my porch. UPS is the most common carrier and they are pretty god here on the business route. The residential route varies. I have seen some of my Amazon and eBay orders end up being set up as UPS to USPS, and the only drawback is that my two-day free Amazon shipping tends to be three or four days. It's free so I shouldn't complain, but I do pay attention so that when USPS takes over locally and updates the online tracking status as delivered the day it is due, but I don't actually get it for another 24-48 hours, I mention it to Amazon...

From all the comments it seems to be a very haphazard thing, based largely on local human factors. I will agree with those folks who say they'll never go to a UPS facility again in person if they can help it. Count me in, my experiences there have been very frustrating and maddening. I gather they must have a very strong union, to the point of individual performance not being a factor in evaluations, raises or retention...

Bulldogger

[Rick Hodges]

There is a place I order from in Ohio that uses the Fed ex "smart delivery" program...it takes two days to get to a city next to mine, sits there for a day then is delivered to the USPS then the next day the post office delivers it to my door. Five days....if I return the package via USPS they get it the next day if I mail it before 10 am.
I have had horrible luck with UPS with busted packages and deliveries to the wrong place.
The post office has been pretty good as has Fed Ex. It just takes much longer for delivery with Fed Ex.

[Cactus Farmer]

At least they state what the option is. I thought I ordered UPS from Brownell's but it's that UPS to USPS garbage. So instead of receiving the parts on Friday I hope to receive them tomorrow. Of course the tracking number stops working when the package was dropped off at the post office. I know it depends on where you live. But I can't stand the USPS and understand why companies don't offer their service. They are good for envelopes, not parcels.

They did this to me also. NOT happy. I told my customers that I would have their stuff fixed on Friday. Then got the news that it was dropped off at the PO. What? Why? I went to the PO Monday AM and got it from my letter carrier or it would have been that afternoon before I received it. This will not be an option for me again.

[Mausermeister]

I'm sure it depends on the area you are in. Around here UPS is most reliable, followed by pretty closely USPS, and FedEx ground way behind both.

I do hate the new UPS smart post. Not because it is unreliable, but because it takes so long. Apparently whenever UPS drops something off at the post office to be delivered, it is mandatory for it to sit there for at least three business days before being delivered.

If given the option, my first choice for packages is always UPS. My next choice would be USPS priority mail.

I will never voluntarily have a package shipped to me via FedEx ground.

[tygar]

OK I'm going to jump in here.

I was a gun dealer in the 80s-early 90s & did a lot of gun shows & mail order business. I shipped a lot of guns & a lot of high dollar guns.

Between UPS & FEDEX they would get there relatively fast & most of the time in good condition.

But....they lost or damaged, what I would call, a lot. They would leave guns on peoples porches that cost a bundle or they would just disappear. Now the insurance was great & they paid off, but it took a while & it was inconvenient to be out the $ for a month or 2.

A example of real stupidity. They "lost" a expensive rifle & sent me a check. About a week or 2 later, the rifle shows up on "my" porch, just left there by a driver. The stock had been busted (looked like fork lift tire marks on the box). I called them & they had no idea about anything related to the rifle, except that they lost it & paid me. Should have kept my mouth shut & kept $ & rifle.

On another occasion I shipped a double rifle worth 6k or so & it arrived with the stock also broken. They totaled the rifle but I bought it back for maybe $1200(or maybe 1800??) Called the factory to get a new stock, found out the stock was warranted & sent it to them & got back the gun with great new wood. Ended up selling it again for even more than the first time.

Have more stories but to get to the point.

The Post Office was slower, cost a little more (always sent registered, insured), but it never lost or damaged a single firearm.

FWIW