Love USPS, not so UPS

November 20th, 2011, 3:18 am

I wish that more online retailers used the good ole USPS, or at least offered it as an option over UPS or FedEx. I ordered parts from Stefano's Espresso Care on Wednesday, November 16, via USPS and I received them on Friday. I ordered parts from a big New York coffee company, and USPS was not an option - delivery date: November 29! Yes, I know Oregon is a lot closer than NY, and UPS is being stalled by Thanksgiving, but come on - 13 days! And, UPS is more expensive than USPS. Two of the companies I order from on a fairly regular basis both use USPS and I've never had any issues with delivery: Orphan Espresso and Sweet Maria's. Ugh.

-phillip

#2: Post by **Jeff** » November 20th, 2011, 11:26 am

I think it is phase of the moon as to which serves you best. I've had USPS lose close to $200 of knife sharpening equipment, claiming that I signed for them, never was paid out on the insurance. Just this month, close to $100 of premium coffee was shipped USPS to me in San Francisco from Washington (state) literally sat in transit for over a week, effectively killing it by the time it arrived. UPS used to have a habit of tossing things on the front door and forging my name on the delivery receipt. FedEx was great until they came up with FedEx Home, which doesn't seem to have anywhere near the same level of service. Can't win, I am afraid.

One option that I have used with willing vendors is to have them ship with the carrier of my choice, and bill to my account with that carrier.

#3: Post by **JohnB.** » November 20th, 2011, 11:40 am

I like USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate service for coast to coast shipments as my order gets loaded onto an (UPS?)airplane on the west coast & is at my door in Ct. 2 days later. It's like getting UPS Blue Label service for a fraction of the cost. Of course this may be one of the reasons the Post Office is losing a fortune annually.
Unfortunately their service falls apart once you move inland or anywhere on the East Coast as too many USPS hands get involved. It can take 3 days to get a P/M package from Boston which is only 85 miles away whereas UPS will have it here overnight.

November 21st, 2011, 1:19 am

In the last few years I have had one problem with USPS, one problem with FedEx, and uncountable problems with UPS. I couldn't fix the USPS problem, a roasted coffee order went from San Francisco to Nashville to Los Angeles, don't know why. It only delayed it two days though putting it in my hands 5 days post roast.

FedEx once delivered a package to some random person a couple of miles away. Since FedEx requires phone numbers the recipient called me and I picked my package up from him.

My employer has stopped shipping computers and other fragile equipment interoffice via UPS because more often than not they arrived broken, this was with the manufacturer's packaging. No problems since switching to FedEx.

UPS once delivered a book for me to a gated condo complex across the street from me. I called to ask where my package was since they showed it as being delivered, I was actually home and waiting for it. Customer service said "it was left on the doorstep of 4347 Landale", I said "but I'm at 4340 Landale and I can't get in across the street to look for it, send your driver back". They said "no, it's been delivered, it's up to you to get it". Ugh.