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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    Dallas, TX
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    Question Ever had an Express Mail take a few extra days?

    Someone shipped me a package via U.S. Postal Service Express Mail (overnight service), sent on April 4, and it was last scanned by USPS in the morning on April 5. At this point, April 7, there has been no activity for two days -- on an overnight package.

    The clerk at my local post office tells me that they will do a "trace" on the package, and it is likely to be found at a USPS depot sometime soon. She advised that some Express Mail packages are lost lost internally but later located.

    Has anyone else ever experienced this with U.S. Postal Service Express Mail packages, or experienced anything similar with UPS or Fedex?

    It seems really odd to me. :p

    -mike
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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Canada
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    748
    I have had the pleasure of having a parcel sent to a processing center in my city only to be sent 3 hours north the next morning.. and this too was priority next AM shipping.

    They have yet to lose mail of mine though.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    New York, NY
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    10,710
    Overall I've had the least luck with USPS - fedex or UPS seem to be do much better.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Posts
    1,290
    1. I sent a book via USPS, not express, but media mail with tracking. A month or two later, I got the torn envelope back, minus the book, with an invitation to file a form describing the contents so that, if they find it somewhere, they can return it to me.

    2. I sent an express envelope by USPS that was guaranteed to arrive the next day by noon. It got there several hours late. They gave me a full refund.

    My conclusion? If it's really important, use FedEx. The post office is still the post office - inexpensive, but not something you can count on for really important stuff.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    NJ, USA
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    6,645
    USPS has never let me down.
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  6. #6
    Having shipped thousands of packages over the past 10 years I can say that I personally don't see a difference most of the time between Parcel, Priority and Express.

    The following factors which may make one faster than the other from what ive noticed is:
    1) Size
    2) Weight
    3) Distance

    of course if your new to shipping and don't know the proper way to pack / seal it will take longer.

    There is more of a difference between Parcel and Express however from Parcel to Priority and Priority to Express there is not much of a difference. "Maybe 1 day". Priority takes an average of 2-3 days to get to someone from the east coast to the west coast in my experience.

    If you need to ship something heavy or valuable DO NOT USE USPS. USPS is not only expensive however you are likely to see issues arise. UPS is far more equipped to handle this. UPS rates on crate shipping is also reasonable and reliable IMO. If you do a lot in crates a transportation company like Road Runner might suit you better though.

    I would also say that an average for 1 out of 100 packages would get lost in the mail. Of course im sure some of these were fraud too.
    Last edited by indifferent; 04-08-2011 at 07:07 AM.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
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    /roof/ledge
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    28,088
    We sent an overnight when we moved to this area, which had a check in it to pay for heating oil in our new home. It never arrived, until 53 weeks later...yup, one year and one week it was returned to us, at our new address. For important things, we stopped using USPS.
    Fedex has tracking, and I've yet to have it fail to arrive when it was supposed to.
    Your one stop shop for decentralization

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    NJ, USA
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    USPS also has tracking, mr bear.
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  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    NYC
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    111
    Usually happens when it's reallllly important that you have the package on time =)

    uyy!
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  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
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    Jax, FL
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dougy View Post
    USPS also has tracking, mr bear.
    You call what they offer 'tracking'?

    It doesn't even work half the time

  11. #11
    I will agree, every package ive shipped out after the first thousand or so had delivery confirmation. If you order shipping through the internet like through PayPal it actually requires Delivery Confirmation and comes included in the packing slip. The rates are like $0.18 vs standard USPS rates of like $0.80ea.

    All though if you need to ship something valuable / important don't use USPS.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    Quote Originally Posted by Zoom Active View Post
    All though if you need to ship something valuable / important don't use USPS.
    That seems to be generally good advice. In my own case here, only USPS would insure what I was receiving...

    -mike
    Mike G. - Limestone Networks - Account Specialist
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  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    467
    You know whats kinda funny? Those boxes you ship via USPS usually depending upon delivery time they actually get put in bag bundles, and shipped via UPS/Fedex in bundled bags to the recieving town post office!

  14. #14
    What's better? UPS or Fed Ex?

  15. #15
    M Bacon, ive outlined what each one is good at from my own expirence.

    USPS: cheap stuff like you sell on ebay or send gifts, un-critical letters, things that are not really valuable or heavy.

    UPS: heavy shipping or really valuable items

    FedEx: Need to send a tax return or a letter that is more affordable than UPS however more safe than USPS. Not recommended for shipping packages that are over 1lb due to costs.

    All three are good companies and I do business with all three however rarely FedEx. Sad to say this since I have friends who work at FedEx however im honest. lol

  16. #16
    Sounds quite good. I'll try your recommendations from now on.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Dallas, TX
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    UPDATE -- My Express Mail package has arrived!

    It was 7 days late. The post office employees were surprised that it arrived. Perhaps my "trace" on it (done via USPS Customer Service) helped.

    Surprisingly, or not, the package is in perfect condition. The "guaranteed overnight" service simply took a lot longer.

    The overnight fee is being refunded to the shipper... Lol.

    -mike
    Mike G. - Limestone Networks - Account Specialist
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