an open letter for USPS

[Jules76 (Julian)]

Originally Posted by vanwonky

Whoops - I take back anything that I may have inferred about AstroZap not getting back to me. They have been very responsive in all other cases and now I know why the short delay. Interesting what they say about USPS though.

"Sorry for the delayed response, we were closed since the 24th.

It's not uncommon for USPS to show incorrect tracking info. I see it all the
time. Boy, they sure have fallen apart and some day will be out of business!

Give it a little more time as I'm sure your order is on the way."

Reading this I took it to be a light hearted comment, but it prompted me to do a web search to see if there was any truth to it. I found these articles which just made me realise just how much trouble they are in.

USPS asks Congress to allow it to lay off 120,000 postal workers
http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...,2057357.story

Fund to aid injured postal workers at risk if USPS defaults
http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...,1278274.story

U.S. Post Office closures: Get ready for a battle
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/c...,1969893.story

Holy cow I didn't realise it was that bad. And here's one which is going to already affect slow transit times with First Class and Priority mail.

Study: USPS could save $1.5 billion with slower mail
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politi...uZJ_story.html

It talks about delivery times within the US, but this will have a flow on effect with international parcels before they leave the US.

Fun times ahead waiting for parcels.

[rider]

Actually, I might have to take back all those nasty thoughts about USPS.
The last 3 packages have averaged ONLY a bit over 5 weeks from ordering.

This is pretty fast compared with one package ordered on the 19th of July, which is coming via "Canadian post air" which has NO tracking - and it has not yet arrived!!!!

[troypiggo (Troy)]

My package, according to vendor, was shipped on 10/8/11 via USPS' so-called "1st-class International mail". Still hasn't arrived!

I'd hate to see the delivery times for anything less than first class!!!

[Jules76 (Julian)]

Originally Posted by troypiggo

My package, according to vendor, was shipped on 10/8/11 via USPS' so-called "1st-class International mail". Still hasn't arrived!

I'd hate to see the delivery times for anything less than first class!!!

First Class is the slowest service. Priority is second fastest with Express being the top service.

That's normal for that service with the delivery time depending largely on where in the US it comes from. If it's coming from the West Coast, 1-2 weeks is not unheard of. However if it's coming from central US or the East Coast, 3-4 weeks is what you should expect.

Of course there are always exceptions to the norm, which has been occuring a lot lately, but that's generally it.

[Paul Haese]

Finally got my package on Friday. Making it 13 days for delivery; which seems odd to me. Even the tracking just stopped after Chicago.

[OICURMT]

Originally Posted by Jules76

USPS asks Congress to allow it to lay off 120,000 postal workers
http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...,2057357.story

About time... 'nuff said.

[rider]

Originally Posted by rider

Actually, I might have to take back all those nasty thoughts about USPS.
The last 3 packages have averaged ONLY a bit over 5 weeks from ordering.

This is pretty fast compared with one package ordered on the 19th of July, which is coming via "Canadian post air" which has NO tracking - and it has not yet arrived!!!!

Yay! it got here Friday afternoon 1/9/11. Canada-post must use huskies.

[vanwonky (Dave)]

Would you believe it? It turned up just now.

Service: Priority Mail International Parcels
Status of Your Item: Processed Through Sort Facility
Date & Time: August 17, 2011, 6:36 am
Location: ISC CHICAGO IL (USPS)
Features: Expected Delivery By:August 17, 2011, International Parcels
Location: God knows where
Location: Don't ask me
Location: Who is asking
Location: Gilligans Island: The professor is working on the coconut radio as we speak
Location: 20 days later - in Dave's hands!

Better late than never.. I guess!

[Terry B]

I ordered a music CD from the US that was allegedly posted on 24th July. It still hasn't turned up. I assumed that it was lost. Maybe there is still hope.

[Terry B]

My CD arrived today. Over 6 weeks for a music CD to be posted from the US.

[dreamstation (James)]

Excuse me for bumping an old thread, but it seems USPS haven't changed one bit. Ordered an NPB filter from DGM Optics which was shipped out on July 12 with steady updates to the tracking information until July 15. Then it sat in the same USPS facility until today, a full 10 days later. It's still in the US. Absolutely shocking, almost on par with Australia Post.

[raymo]

Oddly enough, I fairly recently ordered an NPB from DGM, and nearly
passed out from the excitement when it arrived only 6 days later.
Reminds me of the time I posted a letter to England at 11am on a Sunday
at my local newsagent/post office, and it arrived in Norwich at my
daughter in law's front door at 8am on the following Tuesday[45 hours].
raymo

[Don Pensack]

USPS Priority Mail tells me 6-10 days for delivery to Sydney (direct flight from LA) though flights go there several times a day, but longer to other places in Oz.
It's ironic, but I've shipped packages to Australia that took only 3 days to be delivered, and others that took up to 21 days. What's the difference? I don't know.
About once a year I ship a Priority Mail package (1-3 days) in the US that takes up to 4 weeks to get there.
That makes me think the post office should bring back Pony Express!
DHL is very fast, but it's a lot more expensive--a small box costs me US$80 from Australia and is more going the other way.
For now, the fastest affordable shipping seems to be USPS Priority Mail, despite its foibles.

[Ausrock (Chris)]

Recently purchased some test equipment (for work) from a seller in Florida, USPS tracking showed it took 1.5 days before it left Fl for LA but the total time to delivery in Newcastle was 8 days and USPS had tracking updates the whole way.

[Shano592 (Shane)]

Originally Posted by dreamstation

Absolutely shocking, almost on par with Australia Post.

"Ain't no need fo' name calling." - Major Payne

I sent a parcel from work here, to a customer on the Gold Coast last November. At the time (before their great changes - more expensive AND slower), the delivery should have taken 2 business days.

One month later, no delivery, no sign of the stock. One month later again, stock turns up in MY PO Box. What the heck AusPost? I has to re-send stock out via express parcel, because of their stuff-up. I ended up claiming it back, because it was their fault that Christmas was almost ruined...

I did have a book from the US take over 3 months to arrive. Apparently there is a super-snail mail mode that can be used through USPS, and the seller chose that one, to save 80 cents.

On the other side of the coin, I have bought a few things from Agena Astro, and they have all arrived within a week of sending. I think they are in California.

[dreamstation (James)]

Originally Posted by Don Pensack

DHL is very fast, but it's a lot more expensive--a small box costs me US$80 from Australia and is more going the other way.

DHL are fantastic. I recently ordered some Pentax XW eyepieces from Amazon Japan and within 2 1/2 days they went from Japan to Sydney and finally up to their depot in Brisbane. They then changed hands to Australia Post for the short distance remaining of the trip, which ended up taking twice as long as it had for DHL to get it to them in the first place. In fact, they had sat in the Australia Post facility for 3 days before even moving. Shocking!

An update on my DGM filter, it has finally been processed through the USPS facility in San Francisco, which has taken a little over 48 hours. Total time since it was shipped? 16 days. Hopefully soon it will make it to the runway...

[PRejto (Peter)]

I won't ever use USPS again after a recent order from Woodland Hills Camera/Telescope in California. The problem wasn't the speed to arrive in Australia. The problem for me was that the order exceeded the $900 import threshold. Now, if the shipper had been FedEx or DHL, etc the paperwork would have been dealt with by the shipper. Not so with USPS and AUSPost. I found the N10 extremely vexing to fill out properly because not being the shipper means you cannot possibly answer the slew of obscure questions. Then it took several days for Border Protection to process (and charge $90 to read the N10 and issue a payment request), and then another wait of at least several days to get the camera. Also, the threat by AusPost to charge storage if customs wasn't negotiated quickly enough only adds to the stress. Yikes. I will pay a premium when duty or GST is owed and use a premium shipper. You do get what you pay for (sometimes!). I told Woodland Hills Camera about this experience and suggested that they might warn their international clients to consider importing difficulties when using USPS vs FedEx, etc if they know in advance that GST or duty will be collected. I would have been grateful for such a warning.

Peter

Peter

[Don Pensack]

Customs documents must accompany the shipment.
It sounds like the customs documents were not properly filled out.

[Shano592 (Shane)]

When you breach the $900 threshold, Customs (Border Farce) require a 'Nature 10' document to be filled out, as well as the paperwork that should be sent with the goods.

It requests all of the transport details... ship name/number/flight, special markings on the box (if any), cost of goods, exchange rate on the day the goods left the country of origin.

And if you get any of the fields wrong, or omit something that BF deem important, then you get to start over again. As Peter said, it can be a very stressful form to fill out on your own. And Border Force cannot help you - they are not allowed to.

That's why I have a Customs broker now. They even know all of the codes to use for my goods - I don't even have to tell them any more.

[PRejto (Peter)]

So, Shano592 what does your customs broker charge you? Is it worth it compared to just using a full service shipper like DHL or FedEx? I hope to never personally see another N10 in my life. I think it's almost a miracle I somehow filled it out to their satisfaction.

Peter