usps

[jimgl3_imp]

well, it's a stretch, but it is a motorcycle jacket being shipped, so here goes:

usps loses billions every year. wonder why? my jacket was coming from Illinois. it made it so far as Jefferson, Ga. then it went to Simpsonville SC?????? why???
it was supposed to get here yesterday. now they say if it doesn't come by Wednesday they (Amazon) will replace or refund...

just plain ridiculous.

 

[Rocky_imp]

This sort of thing happens a lot with orders to the US from Canada.
A close friend tracked a package going south instead of north, then it bounced around from station to station until finally crossing the border which is only about 50 miles north from the shipping point.
But it finally did arrive no worse for wear

 

[LouA_imp]

Do not have any trust in the post office. My buddy sent me a small package from MT. over a year ago,never got it. I recently moved one mile down the road and filled out a mail forwarding form at the p o. I can't begin to tell you the problems I'm having with that.The people I dealt with the p o are just a#& h#@*! as far as I'm concerned. From now on it's Fed-X for packages and I'll be buying stamps at the grocery store. Won't set foot in another p o again. Could tell you more but don't want to rant on.

 

[jimgl3_imp]

LouA, that's how I feel. but I have better luck with UPS than Fed-Ex lately. Apparently Fed-Ex has failed to keep up with technology.
They have lost two of my packages recently and avg. 5 to 8 days to deliver. UPS 2 to 3 days and it's here.

 

[Houtman_imp]

We use a close by Post Office and they are very friendly and helpful , also our mail delivery is the best you can ever have. A few times when I send a parcel and the weight is JUST above the lower cost level the lady behind the desk says" let me weigh it again " and suddenly it is at a lower level/cost ! Perhaps it was my sad face at the higher cost or perhaps it is my good looks .....

 

[Gone in 60]

Everyone has bad experiences with some form of shipping from time to time.

I handle shipping and logistics for my company and use USPS, FedEx, UPS and every manner of truck freight regularly.

We’re a racing organization and host an annual awards ceremony at a racing trade show in December. With the show canceled due to COVID, I had to ship about 200 trophies that we would normally hand out on a stage.

The trophies fit perfectly into USPS flat rate boxes, which was ideal as it kept the mailing cost as manageable as possible.

Thankfully we have a regional commercial post office a few blocks from our office. It took van loads to get all of the packages to them for shipping, and I cringed at how many would get lost or damaged. Especially as we shipped them during the holidays, when the news about mail delays were prevalent.

To my amazement, only one was damaged in shipping, all others safely reached their destinations safely.

The hardest part was getting my hands on 200 flat rate boxes during the holidays!

 

[pdedse]

I hope your jacket arrives soon enough--I'm sure it's frustrating. Your post made me think a bit....I can't recall any instance when a letter or package from usps, ups, fedex, amazon didn't arrive. I mean ever.

 

[decarmine_imp]

I'm 76 years old and have been using USPS all my life. Only once, in about 1973 or '74, did a letter or package fail to reach its destination, either something I sent or received. Not always expeditiosly, but arrived nevertheless...

EDIT: After thinking about this, I'm not sure the Post Office failed to deliver, or the company to which I had sent a payment failed to process...

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

I have never had a shipping issue with USPS to the Canadian border.

I have never had a shipping issue with FedEx to a final destination.

Notice I did not mention other popular national/international carriers.

 

[Jfro5687_imp]

Guess we all have these problems. I have sent two separate parcels from England to China, neither arrived. I have also sent a parcel to Austria that never got there. I did go through the Post Office. The parcels weren’t worth the extra cost of Insurance so I just had to write them off. It is a bit of a bummer though.

 

[LouA_imp]

To those that have had good service I'm truly happy for you. However,as they say,"it takes only one bad apple,etc." There's no reason to be rude or talk down to a customer. And be told how many customers are behind me. P o no longer exists for me.

 

[Blockhead_imp]

I’ve never had any problem whatsoever with the USPS and I use them a lot for business. Those people work hard, I appreciate what they do.

 

[jimgl3_imp]

I'm glad some like usps, but I think this about sums it up...

The U.S. Postal Service reported Thursday a fiscal 2019 net loss that more than doubled $8.81 billion, from $3.91 billion a year ago. The USPS said about $3.4 billion of the increased losses were a result of discount rate changes on actuarial calculations affecting workers' compensation expense.

 

[LongRanger_imp]

Yep, as interest rates fall, the present value of future pension obligations increases. It impacts all business which still offer a defined benefit (pension) plan. As the present value of these future obligations increases, the plans become underfunded and companies must make a provision in their financials to account for the shortfall. If you currently participate in a pension plan at your employer and are offered a lump sum payout, grab it! The value of that payout will likely never be higher than it is now.

USPS is facing a disruption to their business model, first with faxes, then email, and now independent shippers (Amazon, etc.). It’s no wonder they struggle. I think they need to cancel Saturday home delivery as a first step to reducing expenses.

 

[Cormanus]

LR, how do defined benefits' schemes work in the US? Do they all pay lump sums or do some offer an indexed pension?

 

[LongRanger_imp]

They typically don’t begin to pay out until the employee qualifies for retirement, which is usually based on a combination of age and years of service (or if the employer offers early retirement). At that point, the employer typically provides a fixed annuity paid over the employee’s remaining life. Most plans also offer spousal / survivor benefits, though at reduced payouts. A one-time lump sum payout may also be offered upon retirement in lieu of an annuity. Based on actuarial tables, the present value of each alternative is roughly equal.

In the US, pensions are a dying breed because of their cost and risk to the employer. Instead, most employers now offer qualified contribution plans (401k’s), which shift the burden to the employee through the availability of pre-tax and after-tax contribution plans. The employer usually makes a matching contribution to the employee’s plan based on a percentage of the employee’s salary. If an employee fails to fund his plan, it’s on him.

 

[Cormanus]

Thank you.

 

[jimgl3_imp]

Saturday? Why not stop Sunday home delivery? I about fell out the first time a usps truck came up my driveway on a Sunday. Saturday is one thing, but Sunday? Come on!

article I found says Amazon contract requires weekend delivery and usps would sink without Amazon contract...

 

[Houtman_imp]

This is America : I want it and I want it NOW !
You have to pay for that kind of service .

 

[jimgl3_imp]

heck, we're beyond that. I would never ever pay for shipping. Amazon wants you to have it now. And they want you to buy it again. and here's a few more things you need based on your browsing habits. LOL!