USPS Package Delays

[Bonz]

I have several "heavy" USPS medium flat rate boxes on the way to my house, all of them are late to arrive. In fact they seem to be a few days behind.

Does anyone know why ?

[sdcitizen]

Dunno about that but I recently had a package sit at a NJ sorting facility for 2 weeks and a day before being shipped to the wrong side of the country...only to be deemed undeliverable and returned to sender.

[dragon813gt]

Because it's the USPS and they suck at parcel delivery. They are great for normal mail. But w/ parcels they are poor at best.

[starnbar]

Yeah very easy you actually might have to do some effort to load em in the truck its kinda like their priority mail I used that one time it was 2 day delivery the package ended up getting there 9 days later.

[lancem]

Holidays maybe??? I read somewhere that online holiday shopping was at the highest it's ever been. I buy a lot of things online with town being 60 miles away and I've noticed even UPS and FedEx have been slower the last week or so and will probably get worse towards the end of the month.

[w5pv]

I just used USPS to recieve a flat rate box it arrived as quoted and sent one right back to the person that sent the package to me they said that he should recieve his package today.We will see.

[GLL]

A couple months ago a 2-day Priority Mail Package took 18 days to travel from Oregon to here in southern California ! :(

A similar package from South Carolina took just 3 days ! :)
Another from Indiana took 9 days !

Some good...some not-so-good !

Jerry

[Beagle333]

Maybe reeloading noob really did mail my lead... and it just hasn't gotten here yet? :kidding:

[gwpercle]

Christmas shopping via the net. And it's just going to get worse.

[Four-Sixty]

The Postman at my Post Office said they had a 300% increase, year over year, in package volume. I wonder if they'll have another giant increase this year.

[lawdog941]

I'm tracking a package that ended up "MISSENT" to the wrong PO today. I could drive to the PO and get it faster than wait for the return redistribution.

[Down South]

USPS ain't never been the greatest but the Holidays will cause it to be worse.

[Bonz]

the small flat rate boxes are making it to my house on time. its the heavy medium flat rate boxes that disappeared.

[BrassMagnet]

I've got a MFRB with 2700 jacketed 7mm bullets that disappeared on Nov 10th. Insured, but still just dropped off the face of the earth.

[John Allen]

We ship 30 packages a day usps. It is the holiday slow up it adds a day or two to the package.

[wlc]

That's funny, Up here it seems that the delivery times get better the closer to the holidays we get.
I once did have an order that got from KY to the Hub P.O. in Anchorage in two days, it then took them 6 more to get it delivered the 60 miles from Anchorage to my P.O.

[Garyshome]

Tis the season..........

[cbrick]

USPS beat UPS this week for me, usually the other way around. USPS package from Midway shipped yesterday & tracking says I'll have it tomorrow, 3 days. UPS tracking says they held the package in Indianapolis for two days, didn't say why but it was shipped from Indianapolis on Monday and tracking says I should have it tomorrow, 6 Days.

Rick

[Bonz]

and the 2 that I am most worrried about are 1 box is a 45 pound chunk-o-Lino and the other is the DukeInFlorida Mystery Box #2...

[Down South]

I shipped out a heavy box to a member today. Trying to beat the Holiday rush.

[shoot-n-lead]

I received a 35lb box of bullets mailed from member 4given in Idaho on 12/2...delivered in Ga this morning. This is the service that I consistently get with the flatrate boxes.

[Elkins45]

My mold from NOE is two days late according to USPS' own quoted delivery date.

[Stonecrusher]

I just did a mold trade with a member here. We both mailed using SFRB on Tuesday, both said they would be delivered Friday. I received mine yesterday, the package I sent to Texas showed up at the origin facility in Jax Florida at 1:37 am on Wednesday. No further info and he hasn't received yet.

Why it takes longer to get to Texas from Georgia that from Georgia to Texas I don't know.

Sometimes tracking works great, sometimes it arrives and never shows delivery.

[jcwit]

For the number of packages they handle if any of you could do better on a nation wide basis, let them know.

Frankly I think they do a heck of a job.

If they didn't E-Bay would not be so successful.

My normal delivery is 3 days from anywhere in the U.S., once in a while it runs 4 days, overseas shipments usually 2 weeks, depends how long customs holds onto it.


Have yet to have a package lost.

[MaryB]

My mailman told me that he had to go back mid route to get the rest of the packages for today. He could not get them all in the car he uses for delivery(rural contract carrier).

[starmac]

Two weeks our postman was telling people mailing packages (not flat rate) to expect 3 weeks delivery time. I get some astonishlingly quick at times, other times it takes a little longer, but if it wasn't for flat rate, I couldn't afford to have anything shipped up.

[Freightman]

Had a Herters press part i ordered in June, never arrived got a refund, sold the press and lo and behold showed up on 12/2 14. No I have to ship it back to the man. The label and tracking number was all but gone only the name and address survived.

[GRUMPA]

This time of year EXPECT delays across the board. Everything from snail mail to the parcels can and will take longer to get to there destination because of the shear volume increase.

[David2011]

About 4 months ago I bought a model airplane kit from an individual, shipped USPS. It was the old style box full of balsa and other materials; not a big bulky ready to fly mostly assembled airplane. It was about 3"x8"x37" and weighed around 6 pounds. They charge extra for what they consider large, light packages. Following the tracking number, it sat in at one location for almost a week without movement. While it finally arrived undamaged, I would not call that good service.

David

[6bg6ga]

I haven't had any better luck with UPS. They are in their Christmas Rush right now so don't expect anything on time for 2 months.

[oldsagerat]

I take pity on our mailman when it comes to packages. He actually has to get out of his truck and come up to your front door. It is sad that he is underpaid and overworked.

[dragon813gt]

I don't pity them. It's part of their job. They don't seem underpaid around here. They all have nice houses and nice pensions. They decided to start delivering parcels so it is what it is.

[OBIII]

I am not defending the USPS, however other factors can come into play. We noticed a severe slow down in mail service for a while, it turns out one of the main processing facilities in Baltimore was without power. Demonstrations happening in various parts of the major cities, and just general Murphy at work. I'm not saying that is all of it, but it is a possible explanation for some of it.

OB

[Elkins45]

For the number of packages they handle if any of you could do better on a nation wide basis, let them know.

Frankly I think they do a heck of a job.

If they didn't E-Bay would not be so successful.

My normal delivery is 3 days from anywhere in the U.S., once in a while it runs 4 days, overseas shipments usually 2 weeks, depends how long customs holds onto it.


Have yet to have a package lost.

Its better now than it used to be. I used to use the PO to do a bit of supply delivery for my first business in the mid-80's and it was more common than I would have liked for packages to arrive damaged or simply disappear. Since the advent of computerized tracking packages simply don't get lost, though I have seen a few where someone along the way poked a hole in them in the hope of having something "fall" out.

My Dad used to gripe every time the cost of a stamp went up, but I always thought that letters were the real bargain in the system. I certainly wouldn't carry a sheet of paper from Florida to Alaska for $0.49. I notice that FedEx and UPS aren't rushing to compete in handling regular mail.

By the way, the NOE mold I referenced above did finally arrive but it took twice as long as Priority Mail is supposed to take. I guess that's the price you pay for ordering something on cyber weekend.

[dragon813gt]

I've actually been receiving packages quicker since Thanksgiving. Two from NOE arrived in three days. Had a package from Washington state get to PA in three days as well. Any UPS delivery has gotten here a day early as well. Amazon is pretty much next day even though it's shipped two day. I know location plays into this but my service has been better.

[Airman Basic]

Have a 41 cylinder from Doug Guy in the USPS ozone somewhere for several days now, but I'm feeling a little better listening to you guys. Fingers crossed.

[waltherboy4040]

Had one with no updates for 3 days, guess it was just sitting in the truck till it got unloaded.

[jcwit]

Just received a watch I ordered on E-Bay on 12-9, today is 12-12, not to bad from California to Indiana, 3 days.
Also received a package from China shipped 11-28, 14 days, not bad either.

[XxWoodsHunterxX]

I've had three different deliveries in one day from usps lately. They are running good for once imo and packages making it from IL to CA in 1 day with standard flat rate packaging is unthinkable with them.

It shipped evening of 12-10 delivered 12-11

[schutzen]

I'm sure the USPS, UPS, & FeEX all have sufficient faults to cover a multitude of mailing errors. However, some of us also have faults. I have received packages with address labels that I could barely read. How the Postal System deciphered the hieroglyphic phonetic jumble that was called an address I do not know.


Give the carriers a break. Use computer generated labels and tape over them with clear sealing tape so they do not smudge. An extra nickel and a few extra minutes addressing a package can really make a difference in how it is handled. I use 18 point bold face type for my labels and I do not seem to have any trouble with deliveries to some very remote locations in what I consider a timely manner.

[cbrick]

I've come to realize that the service from USPS can depend a lot on what part of the country your in. I've been in north central Arkansas for 3 years now and still can't get used to the profound difference in service at the PO. In California I spent months trying to get the letter carrier to simply close the mail box door after putting mail in it, even filing formal complaints I never succeeded and that's just one example of typical service. Same postal service here but the difference in employee attitudes and service is night & day.

The delivery service with USPS is much better than their tracking, on the 10th I ordered from Brownell's and tracking says it was accepted by the Des Moines, IA PO at 6:30 PM on the 10th. According to tracking it's still at the Des Moines PO. I'll probably get it today or Monday even though it's still in Des Moines. Had the same happen a couple of weeks ago with a NOE mold, don't know if anyone ever told the tracking that the package was delivered. They think it's still in Utah. :veryconfu

Overall I think the PO service today is far better than it used to be, ya don't have to think back very many years to remember how bad it used to be. Lost packages, smashed packages, weeks to get something. Much improved these days.

Rick

[mold maker]

I don't pity them. It's part of their job. They don't seem underpaid around here. They all have nice houses and nice pensions. They decided to start delivering parcels so it is what it is.

They didn't just decide to deliver packages. They were the only way anything got sent for many years.
OUPS and FedUp thought they had a better way.

[dragon813gt]

If UPS and FedEx didn't do a better job they wouldn't be in business. It depends on where you live as to what type of service you get. Any heavy package shipped by USPS means I have to file a formal complaint to get it delivered to my door. Others have the same problems w/ them. The beauty is we have options when it comes to package delivery companies.

[Airman Basic]

............ The beauty is we have options when it comes to package delivery companies.
And IMHO, that's why the PO is doing better with their deliveries, competition. If not for UPS and Fedex, service would be like the old days.

[Rick Hodges]

I much prefer the post office to UPS or Fed-ex...quicker service and cheaper rates to boot. The worst is the Fed-ex "smart post" plan where they ship to the local post office to do the final delivery...what a joke...it always adds 2-3 days to the shipment and cost more than straight parcel post.
UPS tracking is horrible...I don't understand how UPS stays in business. My experience mirrors the horror stories you read about on the web. Expensive, unreliable, inconvenient service. Ugh.

[SSGOldfart]

I've got a MFRB with 2700 jacketed 7mm bullets that disappeared on Nov 10th. Insured, but still just dropped off the face of the earth.

Does your mailman shoot 7mm ?

[mold maker]

I've seen my mailman eating lunch while dogearing my gun magazines. I don't mind since they automatically open to the good pages.
I've had another FedUp package delivered to the wrong address. They're doing 3 for 3 in the last couple months.

[fred2892]

I have several "heavy" USPS medium flat rate boxes on the way to my house, all of them are late to arrive. In fact they seem to be a few days behind.

Does anyone know why ?

I have been tracking my NOE mold on the USPS tracking service. It sat stationary in Utah for seven days before reaching LA on day eight. It landed in London last Friday day nine. God knows where it is now as the USPS tracking page has been down all weekend. Never have had much luck with USPS. OTOH I have purchased a few guns from the Nepal cache from IMA in new jersey. These average out at 4 days from from order to delivery by UPS from NJ to the UK.

[Bonz]

All my "heavy" MFR Boxes finally showed up, each exactly 3 business days late. At this point, just happy to have received them.

[DCP]

Just Wow

The USPS just made a Sunday delivery

[dragon813gt]

USPS delivered a package from Amazon to my door today. Happened to be outside when she rang the bell. Told her to jus leave it on the porch. She made a comment about how heavy it was. It's a wall mount for a TV. It might weigh five pounds at best. It's no wonder I have issues w/ parcel delivery from them.

[Nueces]

My rural contract carrier just delivered an Amazon book here, too. Probably a holiday push for packages only.

This was to my door also. The community mailboxes are over a mile away.

[TXGunNut]

I'm sure the USPS, UPS, & FeEX all have sufficient faults to cover a multitude of mailing errors. However, some of us also have faults. I have received packages with address labels that I could barely read. How the Postal System deciphered the hieroglyphic phonetic jumble that was called an address I do not know.


Give the carriers a break. Use computer generated labels and tape over them with clear sealing tape so they do not smudge. An extra nickel and a few extra minutes addressing a package can really make a difference in how it is handled. I use 18 point bold face type for my labels and I do not seem to have any trouble with deliveries to some very remote locations in what I consider a timely manner.


Agreed. I'd also like to add that packing material and tape is cheap and only takes a few extra minutes to use; can make a huge difference in the arrival condition of the package, if it arrives at all. I file claims for shipping damage to expensive OEM auto parts on a regular basis, pretty sad to see how little care is taken to package many of them.
That said my out of town packages will be delivered on the first leg by my trusty old pickup, relayed from hunting camp by a nice late-model Tahoe.

[cbrick]

As I said in post #41 tracking leaves a little to desired but the USPS seems to be doing rather well.

According to tracking my Brownells box sat in Des Moines, IA for better than two days but then in less than 1 day tracking said it arrived at my PO at 8:30 this morning, great I'll get it tomorrow. Another tracking email then said it arrived at my PO at 10:30 this morning, then yet another tracking email said it arrived at my PO at 1:00 this afternoon. :veryconfu How many boxes did Brownells ship?

At 3:30 this afternoon (Sunday) the mail lady parks in my driveway & walks up on the porch and hands me the Brownells box without a ding or smash or rub mark. SShhh, don't tell tracking. :veryconfu

Rick

[JWFilips]

I'm not speaking for the others here: but from the East coast all my priority packages have been reaching destination before scheduled date!
I see no better way to ship for the price ( & I ship a lot... average 10 packages a week. Haven't lost one in 3 years ...Now fingers are crossed!!!)

[DCP]

Lots of Sundays delivery's.

[joesig]

Currently waiting on a bow from Midway ordered 12/6. It got to MD 12/10 and is off the radar. I wouldn't mind too much but 14 (fourteen!) orders I have ordered since then have already arrived, one from as as far as CA and yes, a Sunday delivery today from Amazon. (Doubly odd because I have a PO box and the driver came to the door. I thought it was Monday and I was missing work!)

Now the bow was shipped UPS-Sure Post. I think we can all agree that is shipping Double Jeopardy!


Anyway, "thanks" for the other tales of woe. At least my misery has some company.

[MaryB]

I told Amazon I was canceling my account if they ever shipped another package to me using sure post... so far they have been using priority mail like I prefer.

[TreeKiller]

As I said in post #41 tracking leaves a little to desired but the USPS seems to be doing rather well.

According to tracking my Brownells box sat in Des Moines, IA for better than two days but then in less than 1 day tracking said it arrived at my PO at 8:30 this morning, great I'll get it tomorrow. Another tracking email then said it arrived at my PO at 10:30 this morning, then yet another tracking email said it arrived at my PO at 1:00 this afternoon. :veryconfu How many boxes did Brownells ship?

At 3:30 this afternoon (Sunday) the mail lady parks in my driveway & walks up on the porch and hands me the Brownells box without a ding or smash or rub mark. SShhh, don't tell tracking. :veryconfu

Rick
It will only be tracked when it is scanned. Got a pkg from NOE. They said it was shipped but was never scanned untill it got to Sac. CA and then tracking from there. There is almost never any tracking once it leaves the hub closest to the shipper.

[bullet maker 57]

I filed a claim for a box that I mailed to a memeber above. The box has been in NJ for a month. Emails from my local Post Master and a claim. Hopefully all of this will shake the box loose. My local PO says the NJ distribution facility is one of the worse for sitting on boxes. It is a waiting game now.

[DCP]

I told Amazon I was canceling my account if they ever shipped another package to me using sure post... so far they have been using priority mail like I prefer.

Shipping by Sure Post is slower than shipping by Covered Wagon

[BrassMagnet]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/images/misc/quote_icon.png Originally Posted by BrassMagnet http://castboolits.gunloads.com/images/buttons/viewpost-right.png (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?p=3034213#post3034213) I've got a MFRB with 2700 jacketed 7mm bullets that disappeared on Nov 10th. Insured, but still just dropped off the face of the earth.

Does your mailman shoot 7mm ?

I think someone in New Jersey does!
I now have another package with questionable tracking status. Shipped to me from Florida. Shipped to Denver and latest update shows received back in Florida!
Both packages were well insured.
Could that be the connection?

[dragon813gt]

Usually the insured packages make it to their destination quicker and in better shape. That's one of the tricks to getting good service from the USPS.

[oldred]

I have had three USPS packages in the last two weeks and all have been delayed, the first was an Ebay purchase of a cord for my Millwaukee drill that arrived 6 days past the last expected delivery date. That one was just regular delivery I suppose but the other two were both two day "priority shipping" neither of which encompassed a weekend or holiday but both were late. One was a Midway order that, according to the Email I got from them, was shipped less than two hours from placing the order but the "two day" shipping took 5 days! The other one was also two day priority shipping and that one is 4 days (not even counting the weekend!) overdue and still not here!

[cbrick]

One was a Midway order that, according to the Email I got from them, was shipped less than two hours from placing the order but the "two day" shipping took 5 days!

With Midway they send you an email as soon as they put it in a box (makes Midway sound good) and that has nothing to do with it actually being shipped. It's not "shipped" until it leaves their shipping dock and that is rarely the same day. Neither does getting an email from USPS that they have received "notification" of a shipment, that simply means Midway's computer told USPS there is a box to pick up but they haven't picked it up yet and it's still sitting at Midway, still not shipped. That's all nothing but a game Midway plays.

Rick

[Bonz]

Word to the wise: after the ordeal with USPS over the lost package with 1000 pieces of new Starline .357 brass went missing, USPS refusal to honor the $200 of insurance, several denials from them to honor my claim... I print an extra shipping label and place it inside every package. According to USPS, if a label is missing or damaged, they will open the package looking for any shipping information. If there is nothing inside, the package is destroyed.

So now, you members that buy items from me know why I place an extra shipping label inside.

On the brighter side, a month after the package of .357 went missing, no trace, it magically appeared on my doorstep with a funky USPS shipping label on it. Case closed

[white eagle]

because with all the postal cut backs all mail goes through a central hub in the state of origin
it gets sorted there and sent off to its destination
even if its across town it may have to go to the other side of the state to the hub to get sorted

[cbrick]

because with all the postal cut backs all mail goes through a central hub in the state of origin
it gets sorted there and sent off to its destination
even if its across town it may have to go to the other side of the state to the hub to get sorted

Not here. If I mail something to an address in this area in the morning it's delivered the next day.

Rick

[white eagle]

not sure what states are involved all I know is here that is the way they roll

[leadman]

I had a letter I mailed on 11-19 took 16 days to get from Phoenix to Buckshot in Redlands Calif. He sent me a 2 day USPS Priority Flat Rate small box that took 5 days to get to me. It took 2 days to get out of the phoenix distribution center to me.

[KCSO]

I don't know how it is where you live but here USPS package delivery is by UPS and FED Ex as a side line. The boxes come in on the UPS or Fed Ex trucks and are dropped off at the post office and the next day they are put out for delivery.

[William Yanda]

I made a purchase on Ebay Saturday, Dec 13. Projected delivery was Dec 23. It arrived today. Hard to beat that. Long Island to the Finger Lakes in NY.

[JWFilips]

Shipped a priority package this Friday to Maine from PA It got there on "Sunday" no BS.
As for "Sure Post" from Midway ...I order; it ships most times it is in NJ by the 2nd day then gets switched to the USPS
2 days later it is at my mail box at the latest 5 day total......... so I guess it has a lot to do where you are located.124564:kidding:

[TreeKiller]

Talked to the Post Master today. Today is supposed to be the busiest package day look for all the packages to be about twice as long to get there.:shock:

[Down South]

Went to the doc today to get a few scripts renewed. I had owed them a few dollars and had sent it a couple weeks ago by mail. When I went today, they say they never got it. Got home this afternoon and the Doc's office called and says they just got it in the mail today. Go figure....

[gtgeorge]

All Priority seems to be going as normal and I send and or receive almost daily. Regular airmail is SLOOOOWWWW. Got one envelope package that took 30 days <groan> and my mihec molds took 15 days instead of 9.

[jcwit]

Went to the doc today to get a few scripts renewed. I had owed them a few dollars and had sent it a couple weeks ago by mail. When I went today, they say they never got it. Got home this afternoon and the Doc's office called and says they just got it in the mail today. Go figure....

Go figure? We got a bundle of Christmas Cards where we normally never get any letters, and we're just 2 folks among all the other millions getting/doing that.

[30Carbine]

Ok got a good one still in the process as of now. started the 5th of this month and still not over, ok I live in the blackhills ok I ordered from PA on the 5th almost a straight shot down I90. well here it goes and I just ran the tracking 5 minutes ago, oh yea fedex.

9th Middletown,PA
12th Lewisberry,PA
16th Martinsville,IL
18th ellsworth,KS
19th Henderson,CO
22nd Minneapolis,MN
23rd today siouxfalls,SD clean on the other side of the state still, anyone with a map can see it went by me 2 times. I should have just drove and picked it up my self it still would have been faster its almost straight down I90 .

[leftiye]

I just got a package of coffee in two days. Ordered on Saturday, received on Monday. 20 - 22 Dec. 14.

[dakotashooter2]

Keep in mind that over the past several years the USPS has eliminated any sorting in their small offices, which now send EVERYTHING to a central hub. While it may be more efficient labor wise I'm not convinced it is more efficient in time. In small towns even the local mail is sent to the hub then returned back to the small town for delivery. Generally this means at least an extra day for delivery time. You can see what probably happens around Christmas. I've had stuff get here from China faster than some domestic USPS packages.

[Down South]

Just ordered some stuff, three orders on Amazon Prime with two day shipping. Let's see how it goes....

[alleyoop]

Postal carrier here said they were told Amazon had signed a contract with USPS as primary carrier.

[gbrown]

I bought something off Ebay the second week of Dec. It went to Des Moines, Ia the 16th and was shipped out the same day. Then, nothing on the tracking scope. The 23rd, I checked with my route carrier, and they said there were so many packages, just wait, it'll show up. It was sent Parcel Post. I checked on the 24th and the tracking said, "Delivered to Doorstep." Checked, and there it was. Santa has reindeer, USPS has snails!!

[tunnug]

I ordered a couple of items from Amazon on Dec 1st, one item came from them directly and arrived in 2 days, the second item was shipping from a dealer in TN (bubble package,small item), got an e-mail with shipping info, said it went out 12/5 and to expect arrival 12/9, 12/19 showed still in transit, I called to see what was the problem, they told me they would open an investigation and get back to me that everything was running on time, it suddenly showed up on the 20th.
I'm sure there was a computer glitch because it never showed arriving on the state main hub before shipping to my town like it has before.
While waiting for this I placed an order from Wideners on Sun. the 14th (they're also in TN) I had it in my mail on the 17th, that's fast......