I ordered something that shipped from Illinois on 12/23. It arrived in Houston on 12/26. With Christmas in the middle I'm not faulting them any for 3 days from IL to TX. However, the package is not scheduled to get to my door until 12/31. 5 days to make it that last 20 miles or so is pretty pathetic.
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Hard to believe that UPS is still a thing.
- Thread starter hlee
- Start date
I’m just gonna pit this out there, you have no idea how many packages fedex ups and usps move during this season. The numbers would blow your mind. I doubt You paid for weekend or Saturday delivery so Monday or Tuesday is to be expected.
Yeah, that sounds like SurePost...Ground products can get just about anywhere in CONUS in 4-5 days and UPS was definitely full operations starting the 26th.
I feel your pain. I purchased a Christmas gift for My Lady back in October. It was completed in November, and was shipped on December 6th. It then traveled to eleventy different locations in its originating State before going to "The Border". It is now December 27th and no idea yet as to when it will arrive. There's still Chinese New Years coming, and Ukrainian Christmas, so that only follows that there will be a Chinese Christmas coming, and a Ukrainian New Years.... so it's not too late yet.
- Nov 3, 2010
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I’ve lost 2 shipments from a vendor in Missouri that transferred to surepost. Both times the tracking info stopped as soon as it was handed to that post office. Luck the vendor has made it right both times.
When I was in college, I worked as a sorter in Mpls. and we were sorting a 1000 packages an hour and that's been many moons ago. So with Christmas and all, think about the #'s now
stats 3 days before Christmas, FedEx 14,000,000 a day, UPS 19,000,000 a day
To the OP, cheap and fast are exclusive. The Most expensive part of shipping is what they call "the last mile". That is the truck driving all around town dropping a package at every tenth house. For the cheapest shipping, the shipper, my opt for "sure post". That is when UPS ships the item across the country but then when it arrives to the zip code area hands it over to USPS. USPS drives past 95% of every home in the USA 6 days a week (so horribly inefficient).
UPS as no idea when USPS will deliver so they normal WAY under promise on the delivery. Normally for me my Sure Post packages arrive 2 days before UPS says they will. YMMV.
You may also not remember the shipping fiasco of I believe 2011. That is when online shopping for Christmas really took off and no one was prepared. as a good 30% of the items ordered with in 14 days of Christmas did not arrive on time.
UPS and FedEx are a minor problem compared to USPS. USPS is essentially an extension of the Welfare Department but with their own drivers. I am going to avoid ever using "Surepost" ever again.
Don’t get me wrong, I chose the cheapest option. Unfortunately, that is (Un)SurePost. I don’t need the package quickly, but the package sitting 20 minutes from my house for 5 days seems asinine. And, since when does UPS, FedEx, and/or USPS not deliver on Saturday? Parcel services all emit a giant sucking sound, and the only reason you can’t hear how hard one sucks is because there is another that is sucking harder- right next to it. They’re all the least bad option in a game of 1911 Russian roulette where mag is fully loaded.
FedEx and ups charge extra for Saturday delivery, especially to a residence. Their air fleets don’t even fly on saturdays.
Only recently have UPS and FDX offered residential delivery on Saturday.
UPS isn't to blame for SurePost delays, USPS is. If you want your stuff faster, spend a couple more bucks on Ground.
?? poor cargo guys. Gotta work 7 days a week like the rest of us heathens.Not true anymore - ask me how I know
Unfortunately, not every vendor specifies that surepost is their cheap option. If we had a bit more truth in advertising, I’m not sure that UnSurePost would be an option anymore...
Oh well, it’s a firearm accessory, not baby formula. Shipping’s delays are the pinnacle of 1st world problems.
Merry Christmas, ya’ filthy animals.
I have started assuming that the cheapest UPS and FedEx options are always surepost.
Every vendor I've seen that specifically mentions UPS uses specific product names...Ground, 2nd Day Air, Next Day Air.
Any Economy shipping, Free shipping, or Cheapest/Lowest Cost shipping option is almost certainly SurePost/SmartPost.
Any Economy shipping, Free shipping, or Cheapest/Lowest Cost shipping option is almost certainly SurePost/SmartPost.
It sounds like smart post... Which is the free shipping opticsplanet uses...
The way it works is they pack it in a shipping container and it won't move until it's full. Which is exactly why if I need something in a hurry, I don't go to OP.com
The way it works is they pack it in a shipping container and it won't move until it's full. Which is exactly why if I need something in a hurry, I don't go to OP.com
On average Both UPS and FedEx charge their customers $5 to $8 more per package (Sometimes even up to $20) to use their own services to deliver to a residential ground location rather than the post office.
But everybody seems to think shipping should be free or cost way less than it actually does..... So... well... that's how it goes.
But everybody seems to think shipping should be free or cost way less than it actually does..... So... well... that's how it goes.
If you choose the free or almost free shipping, be prepared to wait it out for surepost. Sure post is literally an agreement between UPS, USPS, and shippers that says "ehhh just give us a few bucks and we'll get it there at some point". Literally.
I ordered an item on Sunday, Dec. 22, paid for next day delivery, expected it at least by Tuesday...........It showed up about an hour ago.............I will be calling AMEX to dispute payment, or at least part of the payment............
I got my package from optics planet 4 days earlier than expected, so I’m pretty pumped ?
That's got nothing to do with the shipping company.
That phenomena you experienced is optics planet actually having something in stock.
Surepost. Yeah. I had something shipped by that once. Free shipping. Never again. I’d never even heard of surepost until that.
But seriously folks. This time of year don’t get impatient about stuff not arriving on time. Be glad it arrives period. Think of the failure rate over say that one week before Christmas in terms of 6-sigma and I think most folks would be amazed.
But seriously folks. This time of year don’t get impatient about stuff not arriving on time. Be glad it arrives period. Think of the failure rate over say that one week before Christmas in terms of 6-sigma and I think most folks would be amazed.
SurePost sucks balls. Optics Planet and Midway will use that shit for their "free" shipping. You can basically forget about your package for 2 weeks, then start asking about it. I don't think the Pony Express took that long 125 years ago.
UPS sucks monkey balls. I've had so many problems with them that it boggles the mind.
Just one example:
A couple years ago, I had a set of expensive binos coming as a christmas gift.
The first day it was "out for delivery", it had a estimated delivery time from 10:30AM to 6PM. Someone waited all day to sign. At 6.15, a UPS truck blasted down our rural road without slowing. I called CS, and after a half hour wait, somebody in Pakistan said that the truck would be back by midnight. WHAT?!? no, they guaranteed me, it would be there tonight. By Midnight. We stayed home and waited.
Of course it wasn't.
The second day, I took up the issue with CS first thing. This time a different rep in Pakistan personally guaranteed me with their manager ID # that the package would arrive by 6, and that they had discussed my situation with the local HQ. Around 6.10, a UPS truck blasted down our rural road without slowing. Standing at the end of our drive, I tried to wave them down, but they swerved around me and kept going. THis time CS had a 45 minute wait, and nobody spoke engrish well enough to understand the problem. The operator tried to say something to the effect that the truck would come back later before midnight.....
Day 3, After some animated conversations with the CS gang in Islamabad, Someone again had to wait all day on the odd chance that the binos were actually delivered. At 6:20, the brown truck rocketed down the road. I was ready. 2 miles later, after a high speed chase, I caught up to them. When I asked the barely-english-speaking Guatemalan driver WTF he was doing, he handed me my package and tried to explain that he had no idea where he even was, and all week long had just been driving out all day delivering a small number of packages to addresses he accidentally found. He asked me to please call customer service and complain so that he didnt have to come back out in the countryside again.
UPS. nobody gives a shit if they don't do their job, and nobody tries to make the issue right.
Just one example:
A couple years ago, I had a set of expensive binos coming as a christmas gift.
The first day it was "out for delivery", it had a estimated delivery time from 10:30AM to 6PM. Someone waited all day to sign. At 6.15, a UPS truck blasted down our rural road without slowing. I called CS, and after a half hour wait, somebody in Pakistan said that the truck would be back by midnight. WHAT?!? no, they guaranteed me, it would be there tonight. By Midnight. We stayed home and waited.
Of course it wasn't.
The second day, I took up the issue with CS first thing. This time a different rep in Pakistan personally guaranteed me with their manager ID # that the package would arrive by 6, and that they had discussed my situation with the local HQ. Around 6.10, a UPS truck blasted down our rural road without slowing. Standing at the end of our drive, I tried to wave them down, but they swerved around me and kept going. THis time CS had a 45 minute wait, and nobody spoke engrish well enough to understand the problem. The operator tried to say something to the effect that the truck would come back later before midnight.....
Day 3, After some animated conversations with the CS gang in Islamabad, Someone again had to wait all day on the odd chance that the binos were actually delivered. At 6:20, the brown truck rocketed down the road. I was ready. 2 miles later, after a high speed chase, I caught up to them. When I asked the barely-english-speaking Guatemalan driver WTF he was doing, he handed me my package and tried to explain that he had no idea where he even was, and all week long had just been driving out all day delivering a small number of packages to addresses he accidentally found. He asked me to please call customer service and complain so that he didnt have to come back out in the countryside again.
UPS. nobody gives a shit if they don't do their job, and nobody tries to make the issue right.
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I cede to your wisdom on that one.
.Funny though as Fed Ex Ground is usually my nemesis. My UPS experiences have been good (knocking on wood). They all suck if shipping a firearm back for warranty work.
I do!!
The amount of Amazon IS mind blowing!!! They will own their own airline soon.
Mail is staggering they are contracting all airlines to get it moved and still cant get it all.
The amount of Amazon IS mind blowing!!! They will own their own airline soon.
Mail is staggering they are contracting all airlines to get it moved and still cant get it all.
There are currently about 50 Prime Air-branded aircraft, going to 70 aircraft by the end of 2021, but they are all wet leased to Amazon by no fewer than five different subcontractors.
Amazon has shown zero intention of purchasing any aircraft, let alone an airline.
Amazon has shown zero intention of purchasing any aircraft, let alone an airline.
They suck.
We were gone a couple days over thanksgiving
Fully covered area thats basically an extended porch 5 steps away. 5 more steps must have been too many.
View media item 1978
We were gone a couple days over thanksgiving
Fully covered area thats basically an extended porch 5 steps away. 5 more steps must have been too many.
View media item 1978
Yep. Much easier to whip labor against each other by forcing contract negotiations every couple years
@Dewey7271 - that's you delivery guy. I've been fortunate in that even with late deliveries (pretty rare for me though), I've yet to have stupidity like that!! Call your local "customer care" and explain this is the regular service. I'd be pissed too; granted, the coffee is still good . Love their coffee.
. Love their coffee. 
Its an inside joke at work almost everyday, guess it doesn't work here.
You are correct but I think they did approached Boeing for 67s but don't really care.
You are correct but I think they did approached Boeing for 67s but don't really care.
we move a lot of packages. the only month we aren't allowed to take off. Not sure about your area but mine just opened an Amazon warehouse and fedex backed out of the contract which left UPS to pick up the slack. So that's even more work on our hands. I just hope no one loses anything or damage. It amazes me how some items arrive perfectly fine having work there,
What pisses me off is most companies are too ignorant to have multiple shipping options.
They'll have the shurepost at $5 or free, and 2nd day at $30+, sometimes it's 1 day at $50+. I understand why the 1&2 day is so insane, but only 2 options?
Just give me the $10 ground option so I know it'll be 5 days.
I just quit ordering from sites that won't give me all 4 options.
They'll have the shurepost at $5 or free, and 2nd day at $30+, sometimes it's 1 day at $50+. I understand why the 1&2 day is so insane, but only 2 options?
Just give me the $10 ground option so I know it'll be 5 days.
I just quit ordering from sites that won't give me all 4 options.
FedEx is playing the long game. It was either expand and keep up, or drop a company that's trying to be a competitor. They weren't being malicious, just don't business. They're running at capacity without Amazon.
UPS will be hurting when Amazon finally gets drone deliveries and their own services running and decide to cut out UPS as a cost savings.
Interesting, as this was, in my understanding, the same scenario back in the late 80’s that led to the FAA going to UPS and accusing them of running their own defacto airline which resulted in UPS buying the certificate from one of their contractors and starting their own airline. I wonder if the FAA will do the same with Amazon?
I'm not sure what to say, other than to point out to ya'll that living in America have your own laws, and their repercussions. Up here in Canada it don't matter what 'shipping' choices there are, it is expensive to ship. Pretty-much anything we may be interested in ordering starts at 10.00 (local) but MOST LIKELY is going to start at 25.00. And that is for items within Canada. And that will be in about a 2 week time-frame.
I ordered $125.00 worth of glassware for My Lady some years ago. It cost me $175.00 to ship that (UPS was the ONLY option) to my door, to which I still had to pay another $80.00 AT the door, otherwise the packages would be shipped back.
This is NOT a 'fluke' or 'once-happened' type of thing. This is regular/normal/how things are done and the reason WHY I truly avoid using UPS pretty-much always. FedEx ain't much better, but their charges are less.
NO, I'm not in any way saying that 'our way is better'.... what I am saying though is that situations aren't always 'bad' in that they could be worse, and some ARE worse for other people. Whole nations of people, not just individuals. There's obviously a 'control issue' going on, and only time will tell who the winners are, in the end. And 'how' they won.
So prepare yourselves, and buy more ammo. Just watch the shipping.... HA.
I ordered $125.00 worth of glassware for My Lady some years ago. It cost me $175.00 to ship that (UPS was the ONLY option) to my door, to which I still had to pay another $80.00 AT the door, otherwise the packages would be shipped back.
This is NOT a 'fluke' or 'once-happened' type of thing. This is regular/normal/how things are done and the reason WHY I truly avoid using UPS pretty-much always. FedEx ain't much better, but their charges are less.
NO, I'm not in any way saying that 'our way is better'.... what I am saying though is that situations aren't always 'bad' in that they could be worse, and some ARE worse for other people. Whole nations of people, not just individuals. There's obviously a 'control issue' going on, and only time will tell who the winners are, in the end. And 'how' they won.
So prepare yourselves, and buy more ammo. Just watch the shipping.... HA.
Drone deliveries are a gimmick, a PR stunt, and will be for YEARS to come. But UPS currently has an approved drone delivery program in Flight Forward - Amazon does not.
As for the risk to UPS of Amazon pulling its business...lots of people have strong opinions about that, and many of those people know nothing about logistics.
Amazon needs UPS more than UPS needs Amazon. Could that change in the future? Sure, but as Amazon’s shipping expenses approach $40B in 2019 and customers demand more one day shipping, can Amazon accommodate that on their own, across the country? Doubtful, even with hundreds of billions more CapEx to further build out distribution centers and their last mile delivery network.
That is incorrect...FedEx fleet flys Saturday and Sunday. The aircraft sit Modays until evening for the Tuesday morning sort.
so FedEx is bigger? I know the only people that physically work for FedEx are typically those who work FEDEX Express and if you work FedEx ground you are typically contracted. Or at least this is how it works in my area. Glad there's competition out there.
Now my UPS guy that comes to the store is very consistent. Their everyday between 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.. Always come to the back receiving door and shows back up at 2 pm to grab packages that need to go out. FedEx express lady is never on time. She will show up at 9:05 am than the next day 2 minutes before closing the same with Ground. FedEx comes through the front door rather than going through receiving (store owner hates that crap). For us, it's also easier getting UPS on the phone. Going through that automated thing on FedEx is pain along with everyone else who has it.
Thanks for the info. Im interested to see the bots and drones.
