[Boatanchors] USPS Info

[Glen Zook]

Obviously, you have never dealt with UPS's Mesquite, Texas (Dallas area), hub.  They routinely damage even wooden crated items.  Those boxes that survive their handling processes are so badly shaken that hardware comes loose and so forth.  It doesn't matter how well the item is packed, if it has to go through Mesquite there is a very high percentage chance that the shipment will be damaged.

I routinely get parts from Mouser (which is located on the south side of Fort Worth and I am on the north side of Dallas) and Mouser uses UPS.  Fortunately, Mouser knows how UPS handles the shipment and they pack very well.  However, at least 50% of the boxes that I receive from Mouser are badly damaged but the parts make it OK.  But, there is also a problem with theft within the UPS system.  On several occasions I have received packages which have had relatively expensive items removed but the "cheap stuff" remains.  Those boxes were resealed with UPS marked tape!  Mouser knows about this situation and replaces the missing items with no problems.  A few weeks ago (I was told this by one of Mouser's representatives) one of their local shipments arrived missing the parts but, instead, there was a roll of Texas Lottery tickets in the Mouser box!  The box had been resealed with UPS marked tape.

I routinely use FedEx Ground for shipments and have never had anything changed from no signature to requiring a signature.  The last "high value" shipment that I sent out was a couple of weeks ago and it arrived with no signature requirement.  By the way, I definitely declare the actual value of the shipment and pay the extra fee.

Now I don't know about regular FedEx because I don't use that service.

I do know that I have received items that were very poorly packed that were shipped by FedEx that arrived without any damage.  Conversely, I have received a significant number of VERY well packed items shipped by UPS that were definitely damaged.

Glen, K9STH

Website:  http://k9sth.com


--- On Thu, 3/25/10, Rob Atkinson <ranchorobbo at gmail.com> wrote:

Wait, it gets better.  I had a couple of radio items to ship out to a guy about a week later, and I started out going to UPS but the office I planned to go to had closed.  So I'm driving around on my  lunch hour and there's a FedEx office so I grudgingly go there and ship out the package.  But, I in no uncertain terms, check the box that says Signature Not Required, and off it goes.  That evening I look at the progress of it with the tracking number.  I find to my amazement that FedEx changed delivery to signature required.  Nothing was said to me, my consent was not asked for, nothing.   I immediately contact the addressee and apologize,  telling him it was not my idea to put him through what I went through with these people the week before.
 
Later I google FedEx Signature Requirement and find a lot of other people are just as annoyed as I with the inconvenience this causes. Apparently, this is a recent FedEx policy change.   They will still leave minor items worth less than around $100 but anything they think is worth more than that they will change to signature receipt required whether you like it or not.  It would be okay if I lived in a high crime area or was getting a $10,000 item, but I don't, and have never had anything stolen that was left at my front door.   I've had it with FedEx; It's UPS for me from now on as I am told they will leave packages if you want them to.   About the "United Parcel Shakers" thing, I have had two packages damaged by UPS and in both cases, it was because the shippers had no idea how to pack them.   Things like that are not UPS's fault.