IDM Mailing Archive

I seem to be having a lot of problems receiving packages (CD's, I seem to have had no problems getting 12"s). Somewhere between 10 & 20 packages sent through the United States Postal Service since last November have failed to reach me (only 2 had been returned to sender, though they had the correct address on them). I don't recall having problems with USPS, except for one package I had sent & took about 4 months to arrive. I was just curious if anybody else had similar problems with USPS. I have used 2 addresses, which use 2 different post offices, and have had problems with both, which leads me to believe that it is not simply a matter of the mail carrier or folks @ the post office swiping packages. Also, both packages sent from outside & within the US have been missing, so it's not just an issue of people @ customs stealing them either. I've also received one large mailer w/ a couple CD's that had a nice clean slit in the side as if someone used a package opener or pocket knife to make the opening.....all the contents seemed to be inside (though they all fell out when i pulled the package from my mail box). Has anybody had similar problems? Recommendations? I tried filing a complaint with my post office, but they said that inquiries regarding non-receipt of packages must be dealt with by the sender....however because of the unusually high # of missing packages addressed to me & because some of the packages were sent from overseas, I find it hard to believe there's nothing I can do about this. My mail carrier noted that an unusually high # of my packages (in mailers) do seem damaged/opened etc. I filled out one a USPS suggestion/ complaint form & got a form letter back....Any suggestions?

I've had similar problems, although not quite on your scale of 10-20. Last year I moved to a small town where I got my first "career" job, this town's postal service proceeded to promptly lose my first car insurance payment (i.e. they didn't get it) and one month later, lost records that I was sending PRIORITY. 4 and a half months later, the person received their records!! 2-3 days garateed my ass. That happened the first 2-3 months that I lived here, since then I've had them lose another 2 packages. But, I've learned my lesson: All packages that I send, I insure, period. Unless, of course (isn't this convenient) it is addressed to an oversees addressee. Then I get a proof of postage or sometimes even register it. I wish I had a convenient way of using UPS instead for packages. They really seem to have their act together (being privately owned and all), but they haven't trully expanded their market to the consumer level except in urban areas. Wishing the stereotypes weren't true about U.S. Postal Workers... Kev. ---- FreyGuy <Everyday is FreyDay> Network & Lotus Notes Administrator Hansen Corporation / A Minebea Group Company KevFrey@evansville.net --------- Kfrey@nyx.net WebSite: http://www.evansville.net/~kevfrey/ " 'I need a philly right before I get loose..,'-poor excuse! Money please, I get loose off of Orange Juice!!" - Phifer, TribeCalledQuest

Advice: 1) Are you sure that the packages were even sent? You may be too quick to blame evil jackbooted federal postal thugs and not quick enough to blame seedy capitalists who just plain took your money. 2) Ask yourself what people on the IDM (and ambient, apparently) list would know about the US postal service that a average person on the street wouldn't know, then ask what's the point in posting a question like this on this list? Isn't there some kind of X-files/conspiracy theory list you could post this on that would be more appropriate. Then there's option 3) Buy guns and stock up on food and water now because USPS agents are already strapped in the black helicopters, fueled up and fully armed, and coming to your house because they know all about your freethinking anti-establishment CD collection! ;) Chris Fahey

quoted 43 lines -----Original Message-----

> -----Original Message----- > From: idm-owner@hyperreal.com [SMTP:idm-owner@hyperreal.com] On Behalf > Of Christopher William Niemitz > Sent: Monday, March 24, 1997 11:09 PM > To: idm list; ambient list > Cc: Christopher William Niemitz > Subject: (idm) Problems with USPS? (non-music inquiry) > > > I seem to be having a lot of problems receiving packages > (CD's, I seem to have had no problems getting 12"s). > Somewhere between 10 & 20 packages sent through the United States > Postal > Service since last November have failed to reach me (only 2 had been > returned to sender, though they had the correct address on them). I > don't recall having problems with USPS, except for one package > I had sent & took about 4 months to arrive. I was > just curious if anybody else had similar problems with USPS. > > I have used 2 addresses, which use 2 different post offices, > and have had problems with both, which leads me to believe > that it is not simply a matter of the mail carrier or folks > @ the post office swiping packages. Also, both packages > sent from outside & within the US have been missing, so it's > not just an issue of people @ customs stealing them either. > > I've also received one large mailer w/ a couple CD's that had > a nice clean slit in the side as if someone used a package > opener or pocket knife to make the opening.....all the > contents seemed to be inside (though they all fell out when > i pulled the package from my mail box). > > Has anybody had similar problems? Recommendations? I tried > filing a complaint with my post office, but they said that > inquiries regarding non-receipt of packages must be dealt > with by the sender....however because of the unusually high # > of missing packages addressed to me & because some of the > packages were sent from overseas, I find it hard to believe > there's nothing I can do about this. My mail carrier noted > that an unusually high # of my packages (in mailers) do > seem damaged/opened etc. I filled out one a USPS suggestion/ > complaint form & got a form letter back....Any suggestions? >

About all of this Postal Service nonsense... Here are my thoughts: When sending parcels, packages or anything other than small packages [e.g. cassette tapes, single CDs or letters] I highly suggest that you use Airborne Express, FedEx [Both of which have what is known as SDS (second day service)] or UPS. I don't use the postal service for the reason that they are a tax-exempt quasi-public business and I believe that the private sector businesses do a better job anyways [and the recent rash of complaints of lost packages and mail seem to confirm what I already believe.] Not only that but things like online package tracking, better rates and those really neato clipboards that you get to sign are all added cool bonuses! Has anyone considered this perspective? -peter

Defending the USPO OK - it's a dirty job, but somebody has to do it. We ship exclusively by USPO -- Priority Mail, Global Priority, and International Small Packet. In 8 months of doing business with them, we have never had anyone complain of either a lost or delayed package. Priority ($3-$7 depending on the size of the shipment) almost always makes it in 2 days, and we've not had any take more that 3. Global Priority to the Pacific Rim ($13.50 for up to 3 CDs) generally takes 4-5 days and the cheaper Small Packet Airmail has never taken more than a week. Airmail rates to Canada are almost identical to Priority Mail Rates. In contrast, we've had constant problems with incoming shipments from UPS -- often driving 20 miles to the pickup spot just to be told that they still can't find it even thought the operator told us it was there an hour earlier. They also claimed to have lost a check for $3000 and expected us to just write a new one even though it had been cashed by the distributor 2 weeks earlier. Fedex has been great for incoming, but it's too expensive for small shipments going out. Rick Synaptic Records (Rick and Ben) 608 S. Broadway Denver, CO 80209 (303) 722-9428 (phone) (303) 722-9540 (fax) synaptic@eazy.net www.eazy.net/synaptic-records/

On Tue, 25 Mar 1997, Lazlo Nibble wrote:

quoted 5 lines I wish I had a convenient way of using UPS instead for packages. They

> > I wish I had a convenient way of using UPS instead for packages. They > > really seem to have their act together (being privately owned and all)... > > Spoken like someone who's never had the UPS driver decide it was "okay" to > leave a $100+ package sitting on the front step when no one was at home.

Or had them send a package within the shipping center it came from back to themselves circularly for about 2 weeks, then lying about it coming to me overnight, then telling me the sender would have to pay $11 to have it traced, even though they lost it sitting in their own warehouse for 2 weeks. cya brian (who really hates to admit that he prefers the USPS)