UPS vs USPS

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adamsgt

Jerry Adams
I've had four shipments this last week with some interesting results.
1. Dept Ashville NC 11/20 Delivered Fort Worth 11/23
2. Dept Mesa AZ 11/19 Delivered Fort Worth 11/21
3. Dept Benicia CA 11/20 Delivered Fort Worth 11/23
4. Dept Oskaloosa IA 11/20 Delivered Fort Worth ????????

Items 1,2 and 3 were shipped USPS Priority mail.
Items 1 and 3 traveled over the Thanksgiving holiday.
Item 4 was shipped by UPS and has been sitting in Wichita KS since 11/21. It will not move until 11/26.
Called UPS customer service to comment on this and the response was basically "that's the way it is".

UPS is making USPS look good.

Thought a little more about this. I think we've all seen the TV commercials by UPS that keep touting "Logistics". They seem to focus on the shipper. Now think about this:who pays? It's the recipient/buyer who pays. You either pay the shipping costs directly or have them incorporated into the product cost. Either way the buyer pays for the shipping. Yet UPS doesn't seem to consider whether the recipient is being well served. I'm supposed to get a call-back from UPS on Monday, be interesting to see if anything happens.
 
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USPS is not only faster, but much less expensive. If given a choice, I'll always select USPS. Those flat rate boxes are a boon/something to be thankful for. :)

Also, the UPS drivers fly through neighborhoods scaring the heck out of kids and parents alike.
 
abintx said:
USPS is not only faster, but much less expensive. If given a choice, I'll always select USPS. Those flat rate boxes are a boon/something to be thankful for. :)

Also, the UPS drivers fly through neighborhoods scaring the heck out of kids and parents alike.
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I quit UPS years ago. And the flat rate boxes? You can ship up to 70# for the same price, $14.00

But......the boxes are not really sturdy. I re-enforce mine.
 
For International shipping USPS and those flat rate boxes are absolutely fantastic...........just seems a lot of companies don't/won't use them for International shipping.
Best service I ever got was when Bald Eagle sent me a rear bag ordered on Monday (US time) recieved in NZ on Thursday (which is Wednesday US time).........I can't even get a letter to Auckland (South Island to North Island) in less than 10 - 20 days sometimes by NZ post..........Kiwi
 
jerry in my place of work we have UPS , but when i shipp anything that is not 2 big i shipp USPS. i shipp them in the USPS priority mail boxes that they give you free at the post office. I have shipped those priority boxes to hawai and they got ther in 3 days, if it wher ups it would be more like 10 days. plus i can shipp anything in that priority box that i want no matter how heavy it is, as long as it is not powder or haz matereal, thats another $27.50 for haz matt. Also the shipping is alote less than UPS, free shipping boxes + less shipping cost and faster shipping, you do the math. Gabe
 
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well.....Flying Fish Fundamentals ships all over the world. In the US, I use USPS and FedEx ground. Internationally, I use USPS. The only time I have used UPS (OOPS) has been at the customers request, and both times there were damage claims. UPS has gotten way too big for their britches and WAY too expensive. I realize that a lot of businesses have them (UPS) on a computer labelling system, but the same is available for USPS and for FedEx ground. Next time you order something, insist on one of those and maybe UPS will get the picture in a century or 2. Vote with your feet.
 
99% of the time I use USPS. The one time that I sent merchandise by UPS, I had them pack and box it and also insured it. When it arrived it was destroyed. They said it was not packed sufficiently, even though they packed it, and refused to cover it. I was just a little livid. My lawyer straightened it out, but why should it have gone this far?
 
I have quit using UPS unless it's absolutely necessary. When I get stuff from Oregon, I get it with in 3 days by USPS. I had an order from California that took over 10 days by UPS.
 
I ship/mail 25-30 packages per week, mostly business. For years I used FedEx primarily as for the sizes and weights I have, theirs was the best pricing. Several months ago I discovered USPS Regional Rate Boxes. They are similar to the flat rate boxes, but are a little different in size. If I ship in the southeast I can do for $6-7, what would cost me $10-11 using either FedEx or UPS. I use a commercial program called Endicia and print all my postage online. The combination saves me and my customers quite a bit of time and money. BTW- Regional Rate boxes must be purchased online. They don't have them at the PO.

Rick
 
When ordering something, I always request USPS.

Not only are they cheaper, faster but they deliver regular packages on Saturday.
 
I sold an Olympus Pen F camera to Japan 10 years ago. Shipped it USPS priority international. It took 4 days to go half way round the world. That sold me on USPS!!!!! Lots of other shipments since then. Fast and never damaged. Maybe ive been lucky, but maybe not. Greg
 
Me too for USPS. I have heard more than a few horror stories about UPS. I have shipped a lot of rifles I have sold over the past dozen years and never once a problem; same for receiving rifles I have purchased, never a problem.
 
Over the last 10 years I've bought and sold a fair amount of gold and silver. When a shipment gets into the real value range, the use of USPS Registered is nearly universal.
 
UPS just lost a rail bun base and this morning sent it ot claims, (cnc only 4 were made ) now what do I do ?? how do you replace it you cannot

Merry Christmas

Jeff
 
Go USPS every chance you get.

The last time I used UPS, I was charged a rural residential fee (because the recipient lived in the sticks), a fuel surcharge fee (whatever the #ell that is???), and a handling fee in addition to a regular rate charge. By the time I payed for insurance, it was just about triple the cost of the USPS to ship the same package! Excuse me, but it seems like UPS doesn't want to do their job anymore unless they can get payed extra for some frivilous thing. When you go to Burger King, they don't charge you extra if you want them to cook your burger before slapping it on a bun!
 
I usually ship USPS flat rate boxes because of lower cost, prompt service and routine Saturday delivery (for now). Tracking is also free if you pay & print the label online. However, I am told (but with no personal experience, thank goodness) that IF you have an insurance claim, it is difficult, if not impossible to settle in a satisfactory manner.

If I am shipping a gun or other high value goods, I use FedEx ground. I pack very well and take documentary pics of my packing process, just in the event of a claim. I also email the packing pics to the customer. I have had 1 claim with FedEx. It was settled quickly and fairly by FedEx. I have heard horror stories with UPS and USPS on claims.

Both FedEx & UPS charge a residential delivery surcharge.
 
I have used USPS with good success both price and service. It should be a better deal than UPS since China loans us money to operate it at a substantial loss. UPS has to make a profit to stay in business and shares in our tax burden.
 
usps has been a stand alone agency for a bunch of years...get your facts straight if you want to make political statements...

mike in co
GoGator said:
I have used USPS with good success both price and service. It should be a better deal than UPS since China loans us money to operate it at a substantial loss. UPS has to make a profit to stay in business and shares in our tax burden.
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Needed some parts that I could only find in Belgium. Between the Belgian post office and the USPS, the parts I ordered on Monday were here on Friday. Quit UPS 15 years ago for shipping my gun work. USPS registered takes a couple extra days but everyone that touches the package signs for it.

UPS opened a package I was sending because I insured it for, what they considered, an extraordinary amount. When I asked them why, they said to see if the item being shipped wasn't over insured. Asked them how a $15.00 an hour UPS employee would know the value of a 1921 Thompson sub-machine gun or for that matter whether they would know if the jeweler in town was sending diamonds or cubic zirconia.

And then what's up with Haz-Mat. What is it and where does that money go?
 
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