Re: Question for mail-order suppliers


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Posted by Maureen on November 13, 2001 at 22:35:58:

In reply to: Question for mail-order suppliers posted by Lauren on November 13, 2001 at 16:32:17:

Hi Lauren,

As Kenzi said, there is no business as usual at the post offices
these days. And that is as it should be. I have had packages that
arrived to people with holes poked in them and the powder clearly not
as I shipped. I have had packages come back because of "damage"
obviously caused by inspection. And have had packages not accepted
by our local post office because of the bottle neck at the central
post office caused by changes/decontamination/irradiation. Tracking
helps only when the package is moving and is actually scanned when it
leaves one post office and is received at the next. If that does not
occur then tracking only shows where it was last scanned. I have had
it take up to 4 weeks for a package to arrive that should have
arrived in 4 days. The reality is that this is the "new normal." I
don't have any answers except diligence in contacting the post
office. That seems to get the package unstuck and sometimes on its
way to where you have shipped and at other times on its way back to
its point of origin...that is when delivery confirmation is
requested.

Any packages going to Canada lately seems to be routed through
customs. Unfortunately, that can result in someone in Canada
expecting a package to have to pay and additional $15 for customs
fees. Things are strange and frustrating but hopefully will get
better. It only makes sense for the post office to make the
adjustments and implement whatever procedures necessary to make the
mail safe and sure if not speedy. People expecting packages as well
as people sending packages will soon adjust to this new pace for mail
delivery and to unexpected delays when anything unusual occurs and
new procedures are implemented at the post office.

I would consider offering the option of Fed Ex and UPS to people who
want to pay the additional cost for shipping...but the reality is
that both Fed Ex and UPS often subcontract the transport back to the
regular postal system so there is not guarantee that the additional
charge will get the package there any more quickly. I thought I was
the only one dealing with this since I know the difficulty here with
our system...it being one of the ones getting the new equipment to
decontaminate and irradiate.

I just repacked and resent a number of packages that came back to me
damaged and "probed"...Tossed that powder...yuck! The clerk at the
post office today told me that things were back to normal and there
are no delays....yeah right! We will see. All of this to say that
anything that got mailed in the last few weeks just got caught up in
the most recent "high alert" adjustments. Anyone think things will
ever go back to the way they use to be?

Maureen

 


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