is there a reason why people use UPS/Fedex over USPS for small/medium

[Captante]

For the most part I've had good luck with USPS although they certainly took their sweet time with my Secret Santa's gift ... went from CT to Long Island via South Carolina lol!

Of course I only send one or two packages at a time & bring them to the PO myself.

 

[Markbnj]

yes they do. if package doesnt fit mailbox...

Well, what the means in our neighborhood is that she backs her truck up the driveway to the garage, which is next to my office, and starts honking her horn. I have about 30 seconds to disengage from whatever I'm doing or she tosses the package into the garage.

 

[dbk]

never had issues with USPS in my 15 yrs trading

 

[1stezekiel]

Well, what the means in our neighborhood is that she backs her truck up the driveway to the garage, which is next to my office, and starts honking her horn. I have about 30 seconds to disengage from whatever I'm doing or she tosses the package into the garage.

lol

 

[natto fire]

Well, what the means in our neighborhood is that she backs her truck up the driveway to the garage, which is next to my office, and starts honking her horn. I have about 30 seconds to disengage from whatever I'm doing or she tosses the package into the garage.

Unfortunately I think the mail volume/delivery person ratio is very high and most offices simply don't have the manpower to offer great service. USPS lady that comes here does the same thing. There used to be a UPS account here so the UPS driver offered great service, ringing the doorbell and asking if anything needed to go out.

Have had two different FedEx drivers drop off and they do the ring 'n run too.

 

[natto fire]

dp

 

[nisryus]

Never had problem with USPS. Our postman actually walked up and place the packages by the door if they don't fit in the mail box, each and every time to make delivery on my neighborhood.

 

[bradley]

I live in Brooklyn and sometimes they don't attempt delivery at all. Literally. They'll leave a slip at the door even if you're at home and waiting for the package to be delivered.

There's a form over at USPS.com to submit anonymous complaints. It works. 🙂

 

[Fire&Blood]

Just when I thought nothing could be worse than Smartpost, I get a UPS "Innovations" shipment. What's innovative about UPS delegating to USPS?

I bought a Chromecast as a gift for a friend on Saturday. BTW, transit is ~320 miles:

 

[TwiceOver]

Because I can walk out of my office 10 feet hand whatever I'm shipping out our shipping clerk and go back to my office.

 

[natto fire]

Reading this thread, I cant help but wonder if judging an entire company by a few deliveries might be a mistake.

 

[Elixer]

Well, what the means in our neighborhood is that she backs her truck up the driveway to the garage, which is next to my office, and starts honking her horn. I have about 30 seconds to disengage from whatever I'm doing or she tosses the package into the garage.

That must be in their union contract, since they do the exact same thing here...

 

[alkemyst]

Flat rate USPS is the best deal out there.

I have never had a shipment of mine lost and at any company I have worked for (which for the last 20 years have been $2B or more).

FedEx and UPS are both good, however; they both have their bad depots. Certain routes with heavy stuff resulted in damage from both almost EVERYTIME.

Sure there is insurance, but when you are trying to get something limited (like when I finally had to give up ordering a 24" trinitron CRT long ago because every time they came damaged beyond usability even double boxed and foam-packed!)...it's not worth it.

The thing with USPS Priority is it's not a guaranteed service nor is there real tracking with delivery confirmation. It's very cheap though and 2-3 days almost anywhere lower CONUS.

For things beyond that I have had the best luck with DHL, but they aren't doing what they used to here.

 

[alkemyst]

Never had problem with USPS. Our postman actually walked up and place the packages by the door if they don't fit in the mail box, each and every time to make delivery on my neighborhood.

QFT. In my neighborhood we still have door side mail boxes (most of us including myself have moved to mailboxes on the swale, they are bigger and it just saves time and money for everyone).

I am not going to call out FedEx vs UPS, but one of them was actually not even walking the package to the door, they'd blow their horn on the street and if I didn't answer leave the notice on the door.

With UPS, I can't get my package that night here...with FedEx; all packages are off the truck by 6pm each night and I have until 9pm to go locally to pick it up. If I don't it goes out the next day/rinse and repeat for 3 days/then I have to pick it up.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Varies by location. I get shipments that are supposed to take upwards of a week, in one or two days via FedEx or UPS.

I try to never have anything shipped to me via USPS. 50% of the time it doesn't get to me for weeks, I have to hunt it down b/c it's sitting at the Post Office or the mailman's truck, etc...

 

[readymix]

usps priority is sometimes a couple $ cheaper. delivery times are comparable, fedex seems to lag a bit. more important, usps delivers 11 am, ups doesn't show up till 6 pm or later.

 

[xanis]

USPS has been fine for me in recent years. I even shipped my ATOT SS package through them from Philly to Northern Ireland. Took about a week and the tracking was accurate, even internationally.

Hasn't always been like that, though... I remember ordering stuff years ago and it was either UPS or FedEx if you wanted your package to come in a reasonable amount of time and track it accurately.

 

[Blintok]

If i am getting something from outside Canada i always try to use post instead of courier. One big reason, brokerage fees (big ripoff) on UPS and Fedex. Other reason is since i work and am not home it is hard to get delivery. With Canada Post after 1 attempt to deliver they leave item at nearby postal outlet and i can pick it up after work.

The one annoying thing Canada post does tho, they "leave" a card...but no they dont. They actually mail it. Which is just stupid, the postie is there at building, why not leave card at same time? Last parcel i got, attempt delivery on a Thursday. No card. Tracking shows delivery attempt and it now being held at postal outlet. Pick up parcel on Saturday. The following Thursday (1 week after delivery attempt) i get card in my mail box.

But for things that you need fast. I would never use post again. A letter sent guaranteed next business day..(costs about 40bux to send) Took 5 business days.
Also post seems to be confused by where you put the street direction on the item.

Example. If you put ..123 East Streetname they cant figure out if it East or West
but if you put 123 Streetname EAST they are ok.

 

[poofyhairguy]

The only thing USPS is good for is if you need to mail some lead the flat rate boxes are cheap.

 

[Fire&Blood]

Are you fucking kidding me?

Like I said in the previous post, it's a ~320 miles transit, La Vergne, TN to STL, MO. I ordered the gift on Saturday and it will get here on Friday if not later, missing the b-day party by a day.

The kicker is the package will overshoot the destination by 250 miles or if it's not going that route it's a 1050 mile trip for the package, direct transit would have been just 320 miles to begin with. Using USPS without the smart post/innovations crap would have gotten the package here in time.

WOW:

 

[K1052]

FedEx for important stuff, USPS for unimportant stuff, UPS if I never want to see it in one piece again.

 

[Krazy4Real]

I've never had an issue with shipping or receiving packages from any of the carriers. I tend to use USPS if it can fit in a flat rate box. Otherwise, I'll use FedEx or UPS (whichever is cheaper).

 

[xanis]

I've never had an issue with shipping or receiving packages from any of the carriers. I tend to use USPS if it can fit in a flat rate box. Otherwise, I'll use FedEx or UPS (whichever is cheaper).

USPS International Flat Rate owns. Like I said, I used them to ship my ATOT SS gift this year. UPS and FedEx were going to charge roughly 3x what USPS did. I paid ~$40 to ship from Philly to Northern Ireland and both UPS and FedEx wanted something like $100-120.

 

[BurnItDwn]

USPS delivers to the mailbox at the end of the block. Fedex/UPS delivers to my door.

I hate whenever anything is delivered via USPS.

 

[Mixolydian]

The only time I use USPS is when I'm mailing a letter or something similar in size. Even then I have this feeling in the back of my mind that it's never going to arrive at the destination. USPS is a trainwreck these days.

I think the real reason most people on ATOT distrust USPS is because they don't like unions.

FWIW UPS is union. FedEx is not. And they recently had someone shoot up their facility. So.....