The USPS is really bad lately

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Posted By: warshawlaw

My mail is arriving late all across the country, two packages have been turned into the Post Office and lost (one here and 1 in NYC that was being sent to me). Anyone else noticed anything amiss lately?

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Posted By: David Vargha

It's actually been pretty efficient both ways for me, with the exception of one package that took 3 weeks to get to me with a shattered slab. As much as I bag on the U.S. Snail, they are much better than they were just 5 years ago IMO.

DavidVargha@hotmail.com

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Posted By: jay behrens

Ever since New Orleans got wipeout I've had problems with packages arriving ina timely manner. I've had 4 packages that should normally take 5 days to get to me, take 3-4 weeks. I haven't sold anything lately, so I can't say if it is also happening shipping things out of here.

Jay

I'm incompetent at being incontenent.

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Posted By: Richard

I had a priority mail package arrive about a week ago after almost 20 days of travel.

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Posted By: Scott Forrest

This is nothing compared to the performance of UPS and Fedex. My address is 1639, Apartment I (that's the letter "I"). UPS will sometimes take it as a numeric "1" and abandon the effort when they notice there are no apartment "numbers". No, not only are the UPS drivers so lazy that they do not check the "I" apartment to see if that was what is intended, but they don't even go by the leasing office where they would certainly get the answer. The result is that I drive 30 miles to the UPS center to pick up the package. The same happens with Fedex, but not nearly so often. I really appreciate Tom's help with several recent UPS problems, but the bottom line is that UPS simply can't get the job done.

When I complain, UPS then has the nerve to blame it on the individual drivers being lazy, but who is hiring the drivers? ...UPS. They should change it to OOPS.

You can complain about the USPS all you want, but their track record is so much better than UPS and Fedex that it isn't even funny.

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Posted By: barry arnold

i think you're on target Adam.
i've bought around 150 or so cards on ebay over the years and have had several come late, lately
and one never came (my first loss).

Barry

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Posted By: jay behrens

Long time regulars here are well aware of my absolute disdain for UPS. After having almost $150k worth of memorabilia (1980s prices) "disappear" from their boxes, all UPS would tell me was "just be happy you are getting the insurance money". This is little consolation when 2 of the irems were one of a kind. They wouldn't even investigate whether drivers or loaders were responsible for the empty, open boxes that were delivered.

Jay

I'm incompetent at being incontenent.

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Posted By: David McDonald

"You can complain about the USPS all you want, but their track record is so much better than UPS and Fedex that it isn't even funny."
Couldn't agree more. I won a very big ticket item (for me, anyway) from MastroNet this summer (an auto'd '34 Goudey Gehrig). They sent it via UPS in a box that said "Signature Required." It was left sitting on my front doorstep! I thought that was humbug and I let MastroNet know what they are paying for. Their shipping guy was majorly pissed off to hear my account but he said that sort of thing happens all the time with the courier services. On the other hand the USPS has batted a thousand with me. Never had a thing lost and stuff gets here in reasonable time even though I live in Hawaii. On a related note, these eBay sellers with lots of negative feedback that always claim the item was lost in the mail and the buyer should have bought insurance I believe are lying scum.

(Apologies to the Net54 Grammar Police. Don't attempt to parse that last sentence. You might hurt yourself).

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Posted By: Cat

This same thing happened to me (three MastroNet sports auctions ago). I luckily was home and retrieved it from the porch, as they drove away. BTW, it had a Ruth M101-5 in it (if someone from Mastro Net is on the Board it was the PSA 5, so you can probably narrow it down to me). I was shocked. Two auctions ago, again UPS comes to my door and was about ready to leave, when she (UPS driver) notices that the top label had been filled out a bit incorrectly, I think there was a box that had NOT been checked that they use to monitor that a signiture should be obtained, BUT in the notes section, it did say that "signature required." This time she noticed the NOTES section and retrieved the signiture and then mentions to me that the mistake had been made. I am just telling UPS's side of the story. I was actually glad to hear the story because MastroNet charged me $90 for shipping for that Ruth auction prize (if my memory is correct), which I thought was a lot to have UPS throw it on my doorstep.

Again, USPS has always been far and away the best for my shipping and receiving experience.

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Posted By: John S

I have also been having difficulties with the USPS. I will usually send a friendly reminder after a week if I haven't received payment from a buyer. Those reminders have increased dramatically over the last couple of months. For the most part, when payment does arrive, the canceled stamp is usually dated 5 to 7 days ago. No idea what is slowing things down. I am actually waiting to complete a transaction with a board member...held up because a payment that I sent over a week ago has yet to arrive.

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Posted By: john/z28jd

The USPS in the town my dad lives in is so bad i stopped getting anything of significant value sent there,basically anything that required insurance or a signature.From his house you cant see the mailbox so instead of coming to the house they will leave those pretty "sorry we missed you" notices.Twice ive chased down the mailman only to find out he didnt even bring the package with him! That happened about 5 times total despite me complaining after the 2nd time,so i finally said enough is enough.

Thats not even the worst part of that particular office,the people inside work like zombies and get mad at the slightest complaint and then work slower.

Since UPS and Fedex actually come to the house when theres packages they automatically win over the USPS.Where i live on the other side of the state i havent had any problems with any service except the one post office in the next town over is so small they close for lunch breaks,but theres 3 other P.O.'s within a 2 mile radius of it so going there and finding out theyre closed isnt that big of a deal

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Posted By: warshawlaw

with so much disruption in part of the country, perhaps we are seeing a spillover effect as other areas have to pick up the slack.

So should I have hope that some day my mail will come (I sense a song here ) or should I assume my stuff has gone to the same post box as the letters to Santa?

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Posted By: joe brennan

I know that none of the services mentioned is perfect. But,do you know anyone that would carry a letter for you from New York to California for $.33. It's probably the best bargain in the world today. And no, I do not work for any of the delivery services.

A scared man can't gamble and a jealous man can't work.

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Posted By: joe maples

I send everything USPS unless weight is a factor and then I send UPS. I have a PO Box I use for the hobby and have had more than 1200 transactions on ebay. Mail always received at both ends. One tip, don't use UPS stores, you will pay double or triple to send anything. I complained to UPS store information desk and got only 1 answer, UPS store can charge whatever they want. I asked the people at the store if this would be the same cost if I used a UPS hub and they said it would, that was a lie. I sent some items to an auction house in 1 box,weight was about 30 lbs and cost was $75.00 with insurance for $5000.00. I sent some other items to Mastro, 3 boxes and UPS picked up at house and the cost for about $15,000 worth of items was about $90.00 with the insurance, the weights were 30-50 lbs. Of course UPS won't send or pickup at PO Box.

Joe

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

I attribute my success with the US Mail, for 30 years
sending and receiving BB card pkgs., to the fact I have
always have a PO Box in a small branch Post Office. You
get personalized service which means a lot if problems
do arise.

On the other hand, UPS has caused me many problems.
Lately they just drop packages anywhere near a front door;
and, if your house doesn't have a roof overhanging your
door then the pkg. is subject to rain, snow, wind, etc. My
house does have has a large overhang over the front porch.

Judging from many of the posts here, I have been very, very
"LUCKY" all these years using the US Mail system.

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Posted By: cmoking

I use a UPS Store as my mailbox. They sign for everything, UPS, Fedex, USPS, nothing ever gets lost, everything always fine. But I do not use them for mailing stuff, they charge almost double what it would cost. Nice people, good service for the mailbox, but don't use them to ship stuff out.

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Posted By: leon

As usual I am opposite of the going sentiment. I dislike the USPS but still need to use it. The tracking is horrible at best (unless you pay for registered blah blah...or catastrophically high insurance), whenever I go to ANY of the 5 USPS stations I have gone to, it's never too pleasant. They are friendly folks but I always leave with the feeling "did I do the right thing in shipping services?". Also, I think the people working at the counters are on commission or something? Seems like you can ask them the same question about shipping 3 times and get 3 different answers and varying charges. I am going to try a UPS store on Monday so we'll see about high prices. I know if I set up my own account and then drop off my packages, at a very convenient UPS store, the prices will be much less. The UPS store still gets a stipend (better than nothing) for providing the service so they don't mind too much, I would imagine. My best luck has been with UPS and Fedex..One last thing...the USPS mailman that delivers the cards at my work is so slow it drives everyone crazy. We call him "speedy"...regards

edited for grammar

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Posted By: joe maples

Leon, I would suggest going online and set up a UPS account, and have UPS pick your packages up if you can. The UPS store will be probably double the price. UPS will pick up packages for a couple of dollars per package.

Joe

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Posted By: Chris Mc

This past week I had some school pictures of my kids that I was sending to my moms and the envelope was sent back by usps in a clear window envelope that was water logged and looked like someone had stepped on it a few hundred times. I have more pictures, thank god I wasn't sending vintage cards.

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Posted By: Darren J. Duet

Extremely slow.

It takes a long time to travel a mile at a dead stop.

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Posted By: tbob

I will never send another item out without a delivery confirmation. I have had a handful of buyers say that didn't receive an item and the item was traced right to their local post office. Luckily all were found there.
I had USPS lose an "almost" one of a kind card about 9 months ago which was coming to me with both insurance and a delivery confirmation. The problem was I was reimbursed for insurance but I would have paid 3 times the ebay purchase price for the steal I got on this card. The USPS website showed the package was mailed and insured and then dropped off the map.
I will never use UPS again after the GAI/UPS fiasco which resulted in the loss of nearly 20 E98 cards. I was reimbursed but lost a "2 of a kind" Old Put HOF card in vgex. (leon owns the only other one I am aware of, of this particular HOFer). I keep waiting for it to show up in an auction or on ebay, but...

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Posted By: warshawlaw

it is called "email". A package or goods is another matter.

The only package service I have been 100% happy with has been Fed Ex but it is simply impossible to use them to send out anything but the most expensive items.

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Posted By: joe brennan

When you figure out how to send a Birthday card to my 80 year old Mother, that doesn't own a computer, via e-mail, you let me know. Till then 33 cents is still a bargain.

A scared man can't gamble and a jealous man can't work.

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Posted By: Cat

33 cents!!! They charge me 37. I'm always getting screwed!!!

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Posted By: RP60

Cards in padded envelopes or small packages(boxed) are called 'spurs' or 'slugs' and are seperated by clerks at the PO and then are literally dumped into hampers or buckets, from about shoulder to mid-thigh height..Frequently with the collective force of multiple items behind it..These items are always handled with no regard to what might possibly be inside. Under these circumstances cards in graded holders can easily be disloged or the holder can be cracked or even smashed. The carriers also have a tendancy to dump items in mail buckets..Hey, you pays your money and you takes your chances..Dispite all this the USPS in the best game in town..The people in PO's through the country are generally hard working and deal with thousands upon thousands of individual pieces weekly. Its tough work..I know what I speak of. I'm a letter carrier myself...

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Posted By: Richard Dwyer

I have had 4 packages lost by the USPS. Funny thing is, they end up being delivered 6 weeks later. Ended up getting mutually withdrawn feedback from one seller, who said I wasn't patient.

One package was sent 5 miles from my house. It took them 6 weeks to finally deliver that. I could have walked to the guy's house and picked it up personally.

Seems like everytime I wait in line at the P.O., someone is sure to take a break everytime I'm next in line. I don't expect much from Civil servants.

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Posted By: Scott Forrest

Richard - you are having phenomenally bad luck that isn't consistent with the experiences of others here.

Ted - you just jinxed yourself!

I always use USPS to ship, but I don't always have the ability to convince others to ship to me that way. I also realize that UPS and Fedex performance is somewhat of a regional thing - must be, or none of you would use either one of them.

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Posted By: Anonymous

What bad luck? I only described what usually happens with certain packaged items at the PO..I've had generally good luck