That happens to me a lot. UPS will deliver if they are coming down my street and they are always coming down my street.
I live in a small town. I think UPS does it to be nice to the Post Office. They are going to be there, might as well deliver.
Once in a great while, UPS will transfer but more often than not, they deliver if the package comes to my town.
Sometimes UPS will deliver to a hub and that transfer will take a long time.
I ordered a bunch of teriyaki sauce from Walmart, bc it was MUCH cheaper than from Amazon, for example. I kept getting different shipping information, and it arrived in multiple batches.
But, worse than being delayed, there wasn’t enough packaging used, so some of the glass jars opened, and it was a MESS.
I tried a re-order, and it was supposed to be there BEFORE we headed out on vacation. It didn’t arrive, and I HOPE the neighbor kind enough to feed my cat and bring in the mail didn’t have to deal with another mess.
I ordered 6 pairs of socks from Bombas on Nov 29. The package was accepted at USPS origin facility on December 3. It took 11 days to get in Indianapolis and still has to make its way to the DMV area. Good thing the socks are for me–not a gift for anyone. There is no estimated delivery date at this time.
The best story–or worst story-- though, is my estimated tax payment last year. I mailed my payment via first class registered mail w/ signature requested (which is how my accountant recommends). I sent one letter to the state government and one to IRS. The state tax office received and cashed my check within 3 days…three MONTHS later, my check still hadn’t been received by the IRS. I tracked it online. It went from CA to Atlanta and got stuck in some processing facility for over 8 weeks, then it was sent to Indianapolis where its location hadn’t been updated since it arrived 3 weeks earlier. I took my registered mail receipt to the local post office and asked the manager to track my letter. She found even last information than I had online. My letter wasn’t lost–just delayed according to her. I put trace on it (because it had a check for a few thousand dollars inside) and went talk to my bank. The bank recommended that I place a stop order on the check, then CLOSE my bank account (which I had had for a couple of decades and where all my direct deposits went) and open a new account because my check had my full account number printed on it.
The stop check order was $25, plus the inconvenience and hours of my time to took to change all my direct deposits (from my retirement annuity, social security, brokerage firms, insurance companies, etc…) and re-set up all my e-payments to utilities, insurance, credit cards, etc. And I had to order new checks (more $$) with my account number
A few days after the trace was placed, my letter miraculously reappeared on tracking and was delivered to the IRS about 10 days later. (Too late the check had already been voided and the account it was drawn on closed.)
I’m still steamed about the incident. The post office manager credited me the price of registration fee for the latter. Credited, not refunded. I could only use the credit on a future postal purchase.
I’m still very irritated about the whole mess.
Worst “mail” delay for us…we needed to close out a retirement account and the only way to do this was by them sending us a check. No electronic way to do this. This all had to happen by end of the tax year.
Well…the mailing never came despite them saying it had been mailed. USPS finally said they had “lost” the letter. So…there was a stop payment in that check made, and another one reissued…and sent (
) again via USPS…but that one got to us overnight.
Both were signature required and insured letters. But come on…if USPS lost something I sent, I would have used fed ex or something the second time.
I ordered something Dec 2. It arrived at our regional USPS distribution center Dec 4. It sat there for 4 days and has now left and gone back there 3x (per the tracking). It now says it’s headed to our local center (where it’s been sent several times) with an estimated delivery date of Dec 18. I need it for a party on the 19. Hope it makes it!
My box of salsas and green chile enroute from NM to VA, was reported damaged in Oklahoma City on 12/11. according to UPS. Upon investigation UPS reported to me that " All merchandise is missing and the empty carton was discarded. UPS will notify the sender."
Either someone in Oklahoma City really wanted some green Chile or the jars inside got broken and leaked so UPS tossed the whole thing.
I’m waiting to hear what the sending company is going to do about this. It was 24 jars of salsa and green chile sauce. Since I haven’t received my merchandize and the company gave me free shipping, (IOW, if it needed insurance, it was on them to buy it.) I’m going to dispute all charges with my credit card company unless I get my order replaced and it arrives here intact.
And soon!
Yay—was supposed to get allergy meds from Amazon on 12/21 but now it supposed to arrive 2/17!
I sure hope Amazon can resolve issues with its workers and avert a strike.
Well, a strike was authorized of Amazon New York workers. It’s sad that Amazon doesn’t seem interested in working with the union, who claims they wanted safer working conditions and better pay. Amazon supposedly has 1.8 times the injury rate in its warehouses that competitors have.
Just wanted to alert folks counting on Amazon—the strike in 10 warehouses started TODAY—the 10,000 teamsters members went on strike. This is 1% of Amazon’s workforce but may still snarl things up for folks buying/ordering/hoping for Amazon deliveries as promised. Happily, I got my antihistamine that I ordered yesterday instead of later this month, so I won’t run out due to the strike. Awful timing for anxious people waiting for their gifts, but strategic by the union.
Ain’t that the truth! One thing I ordered - not a first world problem if it doesn’t arrive but… - is a “handyman” ornament for my son in law that will be accompanied by a hardware store gift card (he is a math guy and is so proud that he is slowly becoming “handy”) - well the I ordered the ornament from Amazon like 3 weeks ago and at one point it was in town and apparently on the delivery truck…but was never delivered. That was Dec. 12. I’m wondering if it is lost in a truck, fell off a truck shelf, whatever. Amazon seems to have tossed it’s hands up in the air saying I can ask for a refund if I like - well, I really want the ornament! Yesterday I ordered a second one that says it will be here Monday - we will see. I’ll ask for that refund on the first if it never shows up!
When I think of all the things I’ve ordered and I see all the trucks up and down the street ALL. DAY. LONG. delivering stuff to homes I feel I have to cut the delivery process some slack and take 95+% accurate delivery as a win.
I ordered a gift basket for my in laws. It was out for delivery yesterday but seems to not have been delivered so it’s out for delivery again today.
I’m thinking the driver timed out before all of the deliveries could be made so they are back at it today.
Ups not usps.
UPS usually has 2 making deliveries this time of year and they run! Literally run!
OP here.
For a variety of reasons, I had to wait to receive the delayed item and ship everything together.
I am happy to report that, yesterday morning, I dropped off 2 Priority Mail boxes with prepaid labels on them, to my local PO.
Last evening they had made it to the regional distribution center with an expected delivery of Monday 12/23!!
I find the handoff especially annoying as well because I have a box at the local post office. I live in a semi-rural area and the mailbox on the street was constantly being knocked down by the snow plow, which is why I got a box at the local post office. However, it also means that there can be a delay in getting shipped items because the local post office hours are limited (mine closes at 4:30 pm and the lobby where the boxes are located is open until 4:45 pm).
One thing I’ve noticed is that almost all items that are UPS Sure Post go to the local post office for delivery. Fedex does the handoff as well.
If I really want to make sure I get an item when I want it and have it delivered to my door, I will pay extra for 2-day or overnight delivery.
I trust our regular USPS carrier Val a lot more than most delivery services. She once saw a Fed Ex box addressed to me on the front porch of a house up the street. She brought it to our house and knocked on the door to make sure it was mine. I had already been in touch with Fed Ex to ask why they notified me it was delivered when it hadn’t been, so I followed up to tell them the USPS saved the day.
My favorite delayed shipment was a couple of swimsuits I bought online on sale during the pandemic. Tracking started out fine, on the way, tracked to a LA area location after a week, then disappeared. Then it appeared both in LA and Chicago areas a few hours apart. The Chicago location was their main post office. The company couldn’t track it down and issued a refund without my asking. A month later, the box showed up on our doorstep. It had two different shipping labels, one mine.
In researching the two tracking numbers, I deduced that the second label was for an address in Chinatown, Chicago. It appears that my package got the second label added at some point then likely sat in someone’s mail in Chinatown for a couple of weeks (maybe on vacation?). Eventually they must have returned it to the post office and it made its way to me. Where our carrier Val delivered it 
.
My other favorite shipping story is a set of Corelle dishes I ordered son from Kohls, also during the pandemic. I tracked it from the Southeast, up through Chicagoland, then across the north to Seattle. Best I can tell, it was on a freight train that must have gone past chip readers at various points. It was not along a major highway but the tracked towns did have train tracks. Ergo freight train. It looked like a very scenic trip!
UPS has been our pain point this season. Urgent overnight shipments sitting 10 miles from home for 3 days, items traveling a day then sitting for 5, items handed off to USPS and never being delivered.
First world problems, but frustrating all the same.
I don’t remember exactly how old I was but there was a year when white go-go boots were the “thing” all the girls wanted for Christmas. I mentioned this to my mom a bit too late. On Christmas morning my last gift was a small box, but I was so happy when I opened it up to find a picture of the boots (cut out of a catalog) and a note from Santa (who had handwriting just like my mom’s 
) saying the boots were on the way. I had them a few days later.
Our USPS mailman is excellent. Always brings everything up to the front door… can’t say the same thing about UPS and FedEx ground who like to leave stuff by the detached garage under its minimal overhang.
A bit irked about shipping delays - I ordered a bunch of things from a kitchen company on December 8th, and they didn’t ship out until…yesterday! Eleven days later!
They’re apparently going to arrive by 5pm on Xmas eve, but I will have left on the 23rd and these gifts won’t make it.
Now I need to find a neighbor who will be around, as I don’t want this to sit on my porch for a week. Sigh.
