<p>I have experienced packages arriving by USPS after being shipped via UPS. For reasons I never understood, the parcel would leave via UPS, and at some point along the way it would be given to USPS for final delivery. In tracking, the tracking would say this. And the package would arrive in the mailbox or on the front porch. </p>
<p>So on Sunday I placed on online order. On Wednesday it shipped via UPS from the SAME LOCATION in three boxes. Each had a different tracking number with UPS. Today, two of the three arrived via UPS. They were left on our front porch. I was home. The bell never rang, but I noticed two emails mentioning that two packages arrived. So I walked out and there they were. But not three packages. So I went to my original email to track the third package. This AM, when it arrived in town, it was transferred to USPS for final delivery?!?!</p>
<p>So 2 of the three packages were loaded on the truck and delivered via UPS, and sure enough, the third package arrived in the mailbox via USPS. </p>
<p>The major private shippers have integrated delivery systems. A good part of the expense of shipping is the last mile or the local piece to the recipients home, workplace or office. So the major shippers now do most of the route and then have the USPS deliver to recipient. This gets the shipping cost down a few bucks.</p>
<p>The advantage is cost. The disadvantage is that tracking is usually poor to non-existent and that you have to deal with the post office.</p>
<p>But TWO PACKAGES were already put on the UPS truck. </p>
<p>All three packages traveled together from origin in Ohio to Mytown, Florida this morning. Two packages went on the UPS truck and were delivered to my door by UPS, and the other was transferred this morning to the post office on arrival and then came to the house via the mail truck. The UPS truck came to my house with 2 boxes, one came on the US mail truck. They all came from the SAME LOCATION and and ARRIVED at the same location on the SAME DAY. UPS kept 2 from start to finish and gave one to USPS this morning to arrive in my mailbox at almost the same time.</p>
<p>You never know with optimization strategies. Maybe they were different sizes and the rates were beneficial with one method. Perhaps the UPS needed a certain amount of weight or volume from one place to another via USPS.</p>
<p>I too have recently noticed this trend by UPS, and I don’t like it. Our postal mail leaves a lot to be desired, and I often specifically shop on line sites that say they deliver UPS for this reason. Kind of negates the entire thing if they then hand off to USPS. USPS tracking is pathetic to non-existent, they ruin things by cramming them in my mailbox instead of coming to the house, etc. I think websites should mention if it’s shipped “by partial UPS”.</p>
<p>You should probably call your vendor and ask them if specific shipping methods mean that they are all handled by one shipping vendor. My guess is that three-day shipping is one-vendor only.</p>
<p>We ship a lot of stuff in our business, since most of our sales are over the internet. The cheapest UPS rates are for small stuff that is delivered in the longest amount of time; for us to get that lowest rate, we have to agree that USPS will handle part or all of the shipment. My guess is that the three packages actually came from three different warehouses (even if they all theoretically came from the same town), so were packed separately, rather than together (or perhaps from two different locations within the same large warehouse). On a different day (closer to Christmas, for example), the third package might have arrived several days later.</p>
<p>Keep in mind as well that many online retailers rely on a warehousing/shipping business to do the warehousing, stocking, and shipping; the retailer just maintains the website and takes the orders.</p>
<p>I recently had 2 items from Dell shipped separately, made sense given the size and shapes. But the portable hard drive sent by UPS was left at the door while FedEx insisted on a signature for the sound bar. Was using up a gift card and the more expensive item was left at my door. Have also tracked a package until it reached the USPS, then unable to- that package ended up being misplaced (got concerned when more than a week passed for less than a day’s drive distance) and had to be reshipped by the company.</p>
<p>I’ve had problems with USPS too - shipped to the wrong address. After a few days, I called, then the driver retraced his steps and found the package. I’m not a big fan of USPS.</p>