UPS slowing down delivery on purpose?

[slackerinabox]

Noticed a weird trend lately - I like to order gear from my local shops (b and h photo in particular) and "standard" shipping usually meant a day or 2 since the shipping center is so close. Now I've been noticing packages take up to 4/5 business days. I called ups about this once (I need a package asap and my b&h rep assured me that ground would be fine, but the package was in limbo for 3 days), and was told that ground means ground - they'll make their estimate but I should order next day if I expect as much.

I also had to send my CEO a package overnight when he was in Seattle. I ordered it from Amazon with prime next day but the same exact thing happened - Amazon actually sent the package ground (the rep said the shipping center was close enough to be within the 1 day window), and UPS bluntly said "ground packages are delivered under a lower priority, meaning it can just sit in the depot for a few days."

Is this a new policy?

 

[SunnyD]

The power of logistics. It's what makes shareholders happy.

 

[Hugo Drax]

That usually happens to people who don't tip the UPS guy. they put you on the list.

 

[alkemyst]

You and your CEO should write a letter.

 

[bearxor]

This is not a new policy, they do it every once in a while just to remind people not to do what you and Amazon are doing.

They sell different services for a reason. If you need it in 3-5 days, use ground. If you need it there tomorrow, use next day.

 

[rsbennett00]

I see this with ups all the time, never with fedex but I assume they do it too. I stick with fedex for daily shipments.

 

[Hugo Drax]

You and your CEO should write a letter.

His CEO cannot afford fedex priority overnight.

 

[slackerinabox]

His CEO cannot afford fedex priority overnight.

We did use amazon prime next day, amazon sent the package ground anyways

 

[KentState]

We did use amazon prime next day, amazon sent the package ground anyways

Amazon always upgrades the service whenever packages are not scheduled to arrive on time. Don't have to call or anything, just automatic. The delivery "delay" has always been there, maybe your area is now just getting more priority packages.

 

[Sonikku]

UPS sucks. I miss when newegg had fedex super saver shipping.

 

[Vapid Cabal]

I don't see why UPS would purposely delay shipments...that would take up space, and in the shipping world, time AND space is money.

 

[rsbennett00]

I don't see why UPS would purposely delay shipments...that would take up space, and in the shipping world, time AND space is money.

So is gas.

Sometimes they just like to be jerks.

 

[KentState]

I don't see why UPS would purposely delay shipments...that would take up space, and in the shipping world, time AND space is money.

Well define on purpose. They purposely do it for financial reasons like priority capacity on delivery vehicles, planning delivery routes and stops in advance, creating value in express services and so on. You don't become the largest non-government owned parcel company by doing things just to piss off customers.

 

[Cerb]

This has been going on basically forever, by both UPS and Fedex. A package might arrive early at the local place, and sit there for one or two days, so as to arrive on time. I always assumed they prioritized space available and number of delivery runs/trucks out per day.

 

[brianmanahan]

His CEO cannot afford fedex priority overnight.

his mom cannot afford fedex priority overnight

 

[Phoenix86]

Next day > 2-3 day > ground.

Everything almost always is delivered on time for the selected service and is often faster. I often get 2-3 day packages next day, ground within 3.

It's simply not their fault you (or your vendor) selected an option that allowed the packaged to be delivered later than you wanted.

Basically it works like this: They will always get you the package as fast as possible, regardless of the service selected. Everything generally takes the same path, ground is still put on a plane and sent with the next day packages.

However if at any time in the route at a given link isn't running "faster than normal" they will delay packages based on the due date to ensure nothing is late. This means at any given time of the year, any given area might see an abnormal bump in packages. Maybe this is seasonal things, it could be a large convention in the area, who the fuck knows.

 

[MongGrel]

Must be something locally.

I never express things these days.

I almost always get things on time and a lot arrive a day early.

 

[Brainonska511]

Don't you live in NYC? It could be due to the high volume that needs to be delivered on a daily basis by UPS. Stuff you had ordered that was shipped with 3-5 day ground just gets stuck at the bottom of the delivery list, hence sitting in a warehouse for a day or two until it is time for it to go out and/or excess capacity for the day.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I find shipping companies in general seem to be way more efficient than before. Possibly with the trend of way more people ordering stuff online thus the need to have more drivers/trucks and overall more organization.

I sometimes get stuff here in like 2 days. Before it used to take AT LEAST a week. I find now I tend to wait longer for the store/seller to actually send the package, than for the package to actually get here.

 

[alkemyst]

his mom cannot afford fedex priority overnight

I get shipped overnight daily!

 

[Zodiark1593]

Next day > 2-3 day > ground.

Everything almost always is delivered on time for the selected service and is often faster. I often get 2-3 day packages next day, ground within 3.

It's simply not their fault you (or your vendor) selected an option that allowed the packaged to be delivered later than you wanted.

Basically it works like this: They will always get you the package as fast as possible, regardless of the service selected. Everything generally takes the same path, ground is still put on a plane and sent with the next day packages.

However if at any time in the route at a given link isn't running "faster than normal" they will delay packages based on the due date to ensure nothing is late. This means at any given time of the year, any given area might see an abnormal bump in packages. Maybe this is seasonal things, it could be a large convention in the area, who the fuck knows.

I know USPS just bumped my package delivery date from Aug 7th to the 11th. I was a little irritated (2 expletives were muttered), but, if this particular item is popular (which it most likely is), it would probably explain it. :\

 

[Ronstang]

This is not a new policy, they do it every once in a while just to remind people not to do what you and Amazon are doing.

They sell different services for a reason. If you need it in 3-5 days, use ground. If you need it there tomorrow, use next day.

If the shipping center is so close it shouldn't matter. There is no excuse to charge 10X for overnight or 2nd day if you incur nothing to make that happen. Everything I mail USPS inside the state gets there next day without any extra charge.