Rant on shipping

[Pixguy]

We've been good with our latest USPS carrier and UPS has always been good. FedEx ground is a crap shoot like y'all.
FeEx is ruining their reputation by the ground crews.

 

[goeduck]

No really "shipping" but this does qualify as "packaging"..... New checker at the grocery store packed my lettuce and tomatoes in one of the bags first, then threw the canned goods and squash on top before I noticed. I supervised the remaining bagging.

 

[hodge]

I suspect that it's a manipulation to appear that the vendor is super fast at processing and shipping. I ship (almost) daily with USPS priority mail. When I notify a customer, I give them the tracking number and inform them of when it will be picked up. Once it's in the hands of the USPS, I can no longer control things. But, until then, I keep my customer informed. That's how it should be.

 

[Oaktree]

Since Covid idiocy, I've had UPS/Fed-Ex/Amazon all stop delivering to the house. Usually drop inside the gate, but occasionally, they'll leave at the mailbox or driveway by the street. UPS will occasionally not even try, says delivery attempted (NOT) then they simply leave at the nearest UPS Store for next day pick-up.

At least you have a UPS store/facility to pick up at. The UPS hub that services my area is open to the public from 5:15-6:30pm M-Th. That's right, a total of 5 hours a week.
Fortunately, I've never had any delivery issues with them.

 

[Jstpssng]

I just sent this letter to a company from which I had ordered some plant material. I believe that it's self explanatory...

Dear sirs
I finally recieved the remainder of my order yesterday (5/20). As you can imagine after spending 10 days in shipment the live plants were dry and dessicated. I have soaked them in promix and water for 24 hours but they don't look very healthy. Cutting into several roots on the grapevine show they are all brown. The horseradish is soft and limp, but may survive; as you know that's almost impossible to kill.

I have all of the plant matter in pots and will try to bring them back to life; yet am very disappointed in FedEx as I really wanted to recive healthy plants. I have been having problems with them for some time and try to discourage vendors from using them. After this experience I plan to tell people that if they use that shipping co I will cancel the order; I don't have time to deal with items damaged because of their incompetence.

Thank you.

 

[Gem99ultra]

Purchases instantly marked "Shipped" as soon as the order is placed is for the purpose of being allowed to instantly bill you for the order. Technically, many sellers ship on FOB (Free On Board) basis, which in short, means as soon as they place the goods with the carrier, the title and responsibility is yours - not theirs. Fortunately, the most retail sellers do not.

My opinion as to how it should be doesn't seem to jive with the real world.

 

[goeduck]

One of my pet peeves is styrofoam in packing. Our county does have an annual styrofoam recycling event but that stuff is a pain to store all year and a pain to haul. I use a net over the bed of the truck.

 

[thepumpguysc]

I’ve been getting styrofoam peanuts packed pumps lately.. BUT.. the peanuts are in a sealed bag..
I LIKE THAT.!!

 

[goeduck]

People can say what they want about Amazon, but I have always had good pricing and delivery. I had a special size V belt order that was processed as "return to sender" by the USPS. Apparently the address label was damaged because Amazon used my address on file and the USPS had the correct address electronically in their system.

I went online with Amazon and went into chat. Within 5 minutes they were sending another one out. Great service.

Why the USPS didn't check their system for my address rather than returning it to the sender, I don't know.

 

[goeduck]

Not a rant, but I sure appreciate Amazon some days. We woke up this morning to find out that the kitchen refrigerator/freezer defrost element had gone out. Parts places had it at around $50 to $60 with delivery sometime early to mid next week. Amazon had it for $14 with delivery tomorrow.

 

[Oaktree]

Not a rant, but I sure appreciate Amazon some days. We woke up this morning to find out that the kitchen refrigerator/freezer defrost element had gone out. Parts places had it at around $50 to $60 with delivery sometime early to mid next week. Amazon had it for $14 with delivery tomorrow.

I've found Walmart.com to be a good alternative to Amazon, often with faster shipping and lower prices. Just bought replacement chains for my chainsaw...they were ~$8 cheaper on WM and I got them in 2 days. 3-5 days shipping is typical for Az.
Their website isn't quite as well designed though...not always a lot of info on products, but in this case not a big deal.

 

[LouNY]

I've found Walmart.com to be a good alternative to Amazon, often with faster shipping and lower prices. Just bought replacement chains for my chainsaw...they were ~$8 cheaper on WM and I got them in 2 days. 3-5 days shipping is typical for Az.
Their website isn't quite as well designed though...not always a lot of info on products, but in this case not a big deal.

It's seems good most of the time for the stuff Walmart.com actually has when they shift you off to other sellers it gets quite flakey some times.

 

[thepumpguysc]

I too like Wally World site..
I was looking for a specific injection pump part and found an inj pump shop that had it..
I made a note of it and kept searching.. to my amazement, Walmart popped up with the same part, FROM THE PREVIOUS SELLER THAT I MADE NOTE OF.. CHEAPER than what they were selling it for on their site.!!! WITH FREE SHIPPING.!!!

 

[jyoutz]

It's seems good most of the time for the stuff Walmart.com actually has when they shift you off to other sellers it gets quite flakey some times.

Agree. I’ve found the Walmart website to be poor and haven’t experienced the quick shipping that oaktree is talking about.

 

[Doofy]

No joy from Wally World or Amazon as of late. Both have apparently forgotten how to properly pack and ship product. Getting more broken or missing items.

 

[thepumpguysc]

Your right about the packing.!!
I ordered a 100 pack of
6”x6” PLASTIC BAGS.. it was about the size of your hand..
It came in a 24x24” box w no packing material.. not that it “needed” any.. but the small packet was rattling around in the box..

 

[jyoutz]

Your right about the packing.!!
I ordered a 100 pack of
6”x6” PLASTIC BAGS.. it was about the size of your hand..
It came in a 24x24” box w no packing material.. not that it “needed” any.. but the small packet was rattling around in the box..

I think it depends on who the actual Amazon seller is. Whenever I order something from the Amazon warehouse, they come packed in those air pillows. Perhaps some of the marketplace sellers ship differently?

 

[goeduck]

I've found Walmart.com to be a good alternative to Amazon, often with faster shipping and lower prices. Just bought replacement chains for my chainsaw...they were ~$8 cheaper on WM and I got them in 2 days. 3-5 days shipping is typical for Az.
Their website isn't quite as well designed though...not always a lot of info on products, but in this case not a big deal.

That could very well be, but my refrigerator is already up and running, cooling my beer as I type. Can't beat cold beer.

I have ordered a few things on Walmart, and I cannot say anything negative, but I just go to Amazon by default due to history with them.

 

[JethroB]

It's seems good most of the time for the stuff Walmart.com actually has when they shift you off to other sellers it gets quite flakey some times.

Similar to what the Sears website did, shifting us to third parties. I didn’t care for that much either.

 

[goeduck]

I can see why the websites shift you to 3rd parties, so that you consider them a one-stop-shopping site. The bigger the site (Amazon) the less I see of it.