I've spent the last couple of winter months trying to pick up a few wanted accessories for our HTT. The other day I ordered a couple of Bunk Light / Fan Combos from E-Trailer. I was excited when I checked the tracking this morning and saw that the package was in our town so I thought they would be at the door when I got off work. They had shipped via UPS and appeared to be arriving a day early, according to the tracking info. Just before I left work I tracked the package again only to find a notice that the package had been transfered to the local post office and it stated that it may take 1 to 2 more business days for delivery. ????? Why would UPS transfer to the local post office. The USPS seems to be about as inefficient as it gets. No knock on any post office employees intended.
I think this is becoming more common with UPS and Fedex and it may be a cost savings thing for them when delivering to residential addresses. I know it's only a day or two so I'll live with it but it makes no sense to me why they would transfer the packages to a less efficient delivery system.
Patience is a virtue, I guess. It just seems odd.
I like that you asked a question and then answered it in the same post. 🙂
UPS and FedEx have been doing this for a long time. I hate it, but it is money saving. FedEx calls it FedEx SmartPost, and I forget what UPS calls it.
Even worse, FedEx splits their services into FedEx express, FedEx Home, and FedEx Ground (and FedEx Freight, but UPS has a Freight service also). The Ground drivers are like franchise owners, they own their own trucks and routes, and have to pay their own insurance. In my experience the stress makes them more grumpy, and they can't pickup FedEx Express packages.
You just have to know the terminology when tracking a package. If it says "On vehicle for delivery" then you can get excited 😉
This is what is frequently meant when you select "bargain" shipping (or, whatever cute term the company uses). You save money because, instead of delivering your package directly, they reroute it through the Moose Nostril, Idaho post office, who will, eventually, get around to delivering it.
If you really, really need the thingamajig, pay for upgraded shipping.
my question and then my answer was a total guess but today i talked to the UPS driver at work and he confirmed what I was thinking. It's a cost savings thing for them but he did say that he's heard a lot of negative feedback about the plan. My package arrived today so no worries, it just threw me off guard.
I ordered a shirt online for a birthday gift and UPS has it sitting in La Vergne, TN for the last 3 days. 'in transit' -
Joe, you may want to contact UPS (1-800-PICK-UPS). I've tracked an awful lot of packages for work, and don't recall seeing anything sit for more than a day. I did have one package that sat and I called UPS and they checked into it. Tracking had it moving again in a few hours. It may have fallen behind something or been misplaced.
I know the feeling. We ordered something a few weeks ago. It just arrived Friday (Yesterday). The order originated from Utah (Shipped FedEx--or should I say FEDUPS smartpost). Anyway I tracked the package everyday. It went from Utah to Texas, then to Arkansas, then to Mississippi, then to Kentucky, then off to NewYork, down to North Carolina, back to Tennessee, then back to Utah (if you can believe that). (Then I called FedEx). From there it went to a different spot in Utah, then to Colorado, then to Kansas. (there it sat for 2 days). (Then I called FedEx again). Then it went Kansas City, Missouri, off to St Louis, Missouri, over to Illinois, down to Tennessee, back to St Louis, Missouri. (Then I called FEDEX again). Finally it arrived in the mailbox 2 days later. ------ OH did I mention we live in St Loius?
Everytime I called FEDEX, their answer was "this is the route that the shipper sent it". Yes I wrote the tracking path down. I have an official complaint into FEDEX. No answer yet.
Package was ordered on a website on Jan 22, 2013. Package received on Mar 1, 2013. (From Utah to Mo.) A trip that would likely take about 19-20 hours to drive. (according to yahoo maps)
[quote author=qwed94 link=topic=2270.msg21220#msg21220 date=1362273196]
I know the feeling. We ordered something a few weeks ago. It just arrived Friday (Yesterday). The order originated from Utah (Shipped FedEx--or should I say FEDUPS smartpost). Anyway I tracked the package everyday. It went from Utah to Texas, then to Arkansas, then to Mississippi, then to Kentucky, then off to NewYork, down to North Carolina, back to Tennessee, then back to Utah (if you can believe that). (Then I called FedEx). From there it went to a different spot in Utah, then to Colorado, then to Kansas. (there it sat for 2 days). (Then I called FedEx again). Then it went Kansas City, Missouri, off to St Louis, Missouri, over to Illinois, down to Tennessee, back to St Louis, Missouri. (Then I called FEDEX again). Finally it arrived in the mailbox 2 days later. ------ OH did I mention we live in St Loius?
Everytime I called FEDEX, their answer was "this is the route that the shipper sent it". Yes I wrote the tracking path down. I have an official complaint into FEDEX. No answer yet.
Package was ordered on a website on Jan 22, 2013. Package received on Mar 1, 2013. (From Utah to Mo.) A trip that would likely take about 19-20 hours to drive. (according to yahoo maps)
Perfect example of "where are the cost savings in that?" Whatever they say, all I know is I got my package a day later and all was good and I paid less than UPS ground but it really doesn't sound efficient to me so not sure how they consider it a cost savings.
[quote author=qwed94 link=topic=2270.msg21220#msg21220 date=1362273196]
It went from Utah to Texas, then to Arkansas, then to Mississippi, then to Kentucky, then off to NewYork, down to North Carolina, back to Tennessee, then back to Utah (if you can believe that). (Then I called FedEx). From there it went to a different spot in Utah, then to Colorado, then to Kansas. (there it sat for 2 days). (Then I called FedEx again). Then it went Kansas City, Missouri, off to St Louis, Missouri, over to Illinois, down to Tennessee, back to St Louis, Missouri. (Then I called FEDEX again). Finally it arrived in the mailbox 2 days later. ------ OH did I mention we live in St Loius?
Wow. What did you order; a geocaching travel bug?
My personal opinion is this:
with the post office on the brink of total disbanding, these companies are trying to HELP it to some extent, by allowing some services to blend.
we have already lost Saturday mail delivery here, and the actual post office itself where I live is only open 4 days a week. ( except for the mail boxes section)
it has only a postmaster, and assistant clerk, and 3 driver/carriers.
so have you got your package yet?
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