I buy a bunch of AR small/large parts from several vendors every week and keep track of my orders.
Here lately these vendors ship by Fed-EX or UPS, but some where along the line they deliver the package to USPS to deliver.
At first it wasn't such a problem, now there is a small problem.
I get a tracking # from the vendor and a delivery date.
Now, I have had almost all my packages that were switched over to USPS get lost in the system and it adds 3 to 6+ days for delivery (no USPS tracking #).
I try to make sure someone is here when the packages are delivered. ( there have been some packages taken from the front of houses in our area)
Now I don't know when a package will be delivered. Who is going to be responsible for the loss? The Vendor I bought the parts from or USPS?
I have stopped buying from a couple of the vendors that I have been using for several years because of this.
Some of the vendors ship direct to me one time and the next time the package get redirected thru USPS.
Is this what is going to happen for all the vendors in the future?

How are some of you dealing with this?

Ron

To meet the demand for cheap shipping a bunch of vendors have swapped to programs that do this. It is a pain in the rear and is sloooooow. I have an ordinary size package in the system now shipped on the 7th and the estimate on delivery was changed today to the 18th. Eleven days. Like I woke up back in time in the 60's.

The only way to deal with it is choose a higher priced shipping method if the site has shipping choices.

Usually, the tracking numbers for Smart Post or other USPS final delivery services work on the USPS site. You just need to wait for the Fedex/UPS tracking number to show delivery to USPS and it will usually then be actively updated with USPS.

These USPS final delivery services are a pain in the ass... not necessarily because of any shortcoming on the part of USPS (although they do get very sloppy during the holidays - I blame the extra, inexperienced workers they hire), but more because UPS and Fedex refuse to implement labeling standards with their 3rd party "Smart Post" providers that work outside of their own systems. In other words, they only work sporadically with USPS scanners. At least, that's the explanation I've heard.

As for who would be responsible if a package is stolen... if the tracking shows delivered, that's going to be your loss most likely. Unless the vendor is nice enough to make you whole, there isn't much the shipping company will do. The shipping company is responsible for getting the package to the address and that's about it.

It is my understanding the same number transfers to USPS from FedEx.

Really hate it when it is shipped by UPS/FedEx and then handed off to UPSP. Always shows up 2-3 days later for me even though it was transferred and out for delivery. Each time I email the head of USPS and bitch if not delivered and it shows up the next day. It has happened so much for USPS saying out for delivery and doesn't show up for two days I got the head's email. Past six months I haven't had any issues due to this.

Re: the part in bold -

USPS will stop right in front of your location and do one of two things:

- Scan the package and claim delivery and then drive off, actually delivering the package a day or two later
- Claim delivery was attempted but no one was there (most common with signature required deliveries).   They may even put a delivery attempt notice - usually a "final attempt" one - on a door that is not yours.  This will of course be the closest door to their vehicle, they don't really care which one.

It used to be that this was common to make time for lunch breaks or to head home early for their day(s) off; now the practice has exploded in order to fudge delivery time numbers for the packages they get from UPS and Fedex.

...

As for packages getting lost for longer periods of time - some mail handling centers are black holes.   Sometimes it's theft, but more commonly it's postal workers with a half-pallet or so of leftover packages at the end of the shift.  Rather than send them all out on the proper trucks, it's easier to just wrap them all together and throw them on some random truck.   This is a several-times-a-day thing at some facilities.

Whenever I have a package being delivered through UPS Smartpost or the FedEx equivalent, the USPS tracking number is posted on the UPS and FedEx tracking system. I merely copy that number and check the USPS tracking once the package is transferred over to the Post Office. Most of the problems are happening within the postal service and their lack of tracking packages properly. Additionally, depending on where you live, weather plays a huge role in delays.

These smartpost shipping methods are awful... UPS and Fedex typically do their part, but somewhere in the handoff USPS drops the ball. I have never had anything shipped to me by this method make it in the expected amount of time. Always at least 3 days late, sometimes a lot more.

It makes me sad how much my local USPS has declined. Ten years ago I had a fantastic carrier... he would bring all of the mail to the door when he brought a package so I didn't have to go out to the mailbox to get it and would sometimes make a second trip to my house at the end of his route to try to deliver something that required a signature. I knew his route so if I missed him I would drive down the side streets and find him, he would have my package waiting for me to find him on those days and we would talk for a few minutes. I always left him a nice Christmas "thank you" in the mailbox.

Then he got a promotion. His replacement delivered stuff to the wrong house frequently, would force packages into my mailbox to the point of damaging the boxes or even shoving stuff out of the back of the mailbox and onto the ground just so he didn't have to get his lazy ass out of his truck. Once he even forged my signature on a package so he didn't have to get out to put a tag on the door, then gave me attitude the next time he came to my house for a signature after finding out I had talked to the local postmaster about it and got him in trouble.

I have had someone new the last couple of weeks, and I am optimistic... he brought the letters to my door yesterday when he was coming to get a signature.

I must be in the minority. I am relatively happy with all the delivery services including FedEx, USPS and even UPS. Occasionally, something might go wrong, but, for the most part, stuff shows up on time and as expected. As far as the USPS claiming they tried to deliver it, my observation is that it usually (not always) happens during the holidays or summer vacations when they are overburdened with mail and a replacement driver is at the wheel. Am I happy about that? Well, no. But, is it worth an indictment for services that year round routinely go off without a hitch? I don't think it is.

Not in the mood to bitch today. maybe next week.

I live so far out, I am just happy if anything gets delivered at all

Union run outfits, what can u expect?

FedEX and UPS can suck fat ones.

USPS is the only reliable delivery method in my area. UPS and FedEx, literally throw packages to the door from 10+ feet away. Hardly ever mark as delivered when it was delivered, NEVER knock or ring the door bell, sometimes drop shit off without alerting my dogs that bark at fucking everything. I hate those guys, and they charge more. Ive had more damaged goods from UPS and FedEx, and have never gotten anything damaged from USPS. But USPS has lost a few things over the 15+ years ive been ordering shit online.

UPS and FedEx constantly lose shit. I did get a free pair of 200$ boots because UPS fucked up royally.

But, the switching thing, thats been going on for awhile now. Mostly during this time of year, when everyone is ordering so much online. They sub out to USPS to help. Which doesnt really help, but gets it off their trucks so they can say they delivered it and get paid.

I try to go USPS whenever possible. Even if it takes a couple days longer.

Does no one remember how bad it was getting shit shipped during the 90s and early 00s? Everything was a minimum 2 weeks, Amazon was always like a month at the fastest. With how quick everything gets shipped nowadays, how can we bitch with how bad it was just 12 years ago?

Welcome to the world of shitty fucking SurePost. Pay extra to get regular shipping.

I’m waiting on a package from New Egg for a couple of hard drives sent that way from California to Arizona. They shipped on the 2nd. It isn’t going to arrive until the 12th. 10 fucking days to go on state over.

Same with Optics Planet. They have a NightForce 7-35x56 in limbo for two weeks. Two weeks.

Pay for better shipping. Free shipping usually means worse than pony express delivery times.

For all those reasons I usually have the packages delivered at work.. I work for a small company and there’s always somebody receiving the packages.

Ron, you don't get the parts contest a refund from your CC company. Delivered = in your hands.

End of story!!

Sign up for USPS informed delivery.  I get a daily email with pictures of my mail that's going to be delivered that day and a list of packages as well.

There's an option to get an email every time a package is shipped to you and you can see a list online of any incoming packages as well as a list of the last 30 days.

This is patently false. No postal employee will
take a package all the way to your front door, scan it and not leave it. Not going to happen. They would have ti explain to their boss why they brought it back.

It is a federal felony for a postal employee or their supervisor to intentionally delay first class or priority mail. The only mail that can be bumped to the next day's delivery is "bulk rate".

Currently 12+ hour days, 7 days a week are being covered in most medium to large size cities to meet Christmas volume. If you want the fastest service, pay the higher rate.

Economy shipping is always the slowest. I have never had one single delivery problem when using it. More times than not the package still arrives one day ahead of "schedule".

I have twice in the last year had packages that they scanned delivered that did not get delivered until the next day. I have no idea how or who caused it to happened but it does happen. I guessed it was just something to do with their contract with the original shipper. Could have just been the carrier. Could have been left at the wrong address and a neighbor put it on the porch being nice. But something happens to causes packages to show delivered when they have not.

There at one time was a mail rate with no guaranteed delivery date. I used to get Shotgun news and it was shipped that way. I would get all three at one time sometimes each month instead of one about every 10 days. Once even got a copy with a coffee cup ring on it. I complained all the way up the ladder and followed it back down until it reached the local person who was the problem. I was told by the head of a sorting facility that there was no way for them to keep anything two days as it would not fit in the building.

Get a box at a local UPS store and have the packages delivered there.

We have USPS Informed Delivery and if it is a transfer from FED-EX or UPS it doesn't show up.

Historically, UPS SurePost and FedEx SmartPost were nightmares. I've noticed in the last 18 months or so they've greatly improved for me.  be that as it may, if you see your pkg is going that route, ahead of time, you can request they ship direct UPS or FedEx. Most of the time, you only find out after purchase. They should make it law that if it ships SurePost / SmartPost, it clearly states that.

UPS has a paid member system(UPS MyChoice) that will track your pkg and if Surepost will allow you to force it back into UPS ground system at no cost, usually indicates 1 day earlier delivery over Surepost.  Also has some other features cost $40/year.

You can join for free and pay three dollar for upgrade on some but some of the stuff gets sent UPS innovations which can not be upgraded.

I've asked my mail lady about this.

Fedex and UPS drag their asses and deliver crap to the post office for final delivery later and later. As in all the mailmen/women have already left to deliver their routes.They make damn sure to get their "Yep, we delivered it, where's our money?" delivered to local post office scans though.

Turns out, a lot of the packages they give the post office are screwed up in some way. Multiple labels on one package, missing labels, damaged stuff, stuff that was already late to begin with but they sure as hell scanned delivered to local post office and the one that pisses her off the most, they cover up the USPS tracking bar code and numbers or even delivery address with their extra stickers to screw over the post office.

So yeah, screw FedEx and UPS.

If it wasn't for ammo, I'd never use them.

I have noticed the same thing.

They don't take it to your door.   They sit in the vehicle and scan it, and don't even bother to get out.

You can't tell me they don't; I watched one driver in particular do it twice in a single week with two different packages.    Then - later that very same week - he pulled up to his usual spot again, walked out and slapped a delivery attempt notice on someone else's door without knocking or ringing the bell, then hopped back in the vehicle and took off, damn near running over several children just for good measure.

I had several rather expensive items showing up that week so I'd taken a day off to wait for them.  When the bullshit started, I took a couple more days off - the entire day, parked in front of a window facing the street, where I got to watch the whole show.

Some of these people give no fucks.   Their postmaster gives no fucks either.  In the case of consistently non-delivered packages, I would not be shocked if the postmaster was in on it.

Sometimes you get awesome USPS carriers and horrible UPS/Fedex drivers, and vice versa.

One of the previous places I lived, Fedex did a hit and run on my truck and the USPS lady consistently left the mailbox open in the rain so our mail got soaked.    Neither organization did fuckall about it.

What do you expect in Somalia? Geez, some people are just never happy.

But yeah, there is truth to this statement. you got shitty people in every industry, in every avenue. We will all find one at sometime. Ive been lucky enough to not have them employed at my local USPS. But the FedEx and UPS certainly have no shortage of them in this area.

On the other side of Houston, its a completely different story for a buddy of mine. USPS cant be trusted up there. UPS and FedEx have consistently fucked up. Rarely have I ever had a decent experience with either of them. Amazon replaced the boots UPS lost, but about 2 months later, UPS delivered them.