[TheForge] Postal woes..a lesson learned

[James Binnion]

I have had bad experiences with express mail to Canada. A recent 
client wanted to save money so they specify express mail. Well the 
package never arrived. The first problem is I have to wait 40 days 
before the USPS will consider it lost. Then they have to investigate 
it. Meanwhile the clients wedding has come and gone ring is in never 
never land. I make new one and ship fedex it arrives safe and sound 
but still have not heard from USPS concerning first ring.  I find out 
that the USPS contracts with Purolator to do the actual delivering of 
Express mail to Canadian customs and they basically just leave it on 
the Canadian customs doorstep and assume that it will get through 
customs and into the Canadian postal system. so there is no tracking 
or accountability in reality. Fedex and UPS actually act as the 
freight forwarder and move things through customs without loosing the 
chain of custody. Lesson learned never again will I ship express 
mail. If the customer insists then I will make them sign a waiver of 
insurance liability and if it gets lost tough luck.

Jim
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