UPS Surepost

[jsburger]

For those that don't know UPS Surepost packages are delivered to your local post office and then delivered to you by the USPS. That adds a day minimum to you getting the package. The delivery date from the UPS tracking number is the day UPS delivers it to the Post Office. Then you will get it the next day from the USPS unless UPS delivers it on Saturday. Then you will not get it until Monday from the USPS. In any case you will get the package 1 to 3 days after the UPS tracking delivery date.

The UPS labels on the package are different for Surepost. They have both a UPS tracking number and a USPS tracking number. See the picture.

I am not sure why shippers choose Surepost over regular UPS ground. Presumably it is cost but who knows. Surepost may make sense for UPS in urban areas but out here in the country where I live I don't get it. My little country Post Office is 2 miles straight down the road from my house. A UPS truck is out here almost daily.

OK, enough. Here is my point. I had a UPS Ground package due today from Peachtree Woodworking. I also had a UPS Surepost package due to the Post Office today from Woodpeckers. Guess what? When the UPS driver delivered the Peachtree package he also left the Woodpeckers Surepost package instead of driving the 2 miles up the road to the Post Office. Thank you UPS.

I always suspected the ground and Surepost packages came out here on the same truck. But, the shipper does not know my situation so they just do what they think is best for them.

[Gene Howe]

It's a mystery. We're also way out in the boonies and we get 2-4 deliveries weekly. There's been the rare pkg delivered to the PO. Then, we get a notice in our rural box and have to drive 15 miles to get it. I asked our regular UPS delivery guy about it. He said it's sorted at the terminal and different guys have the route that goes to the PO. It's no biggie for me. I usually need a screw or washer from Ace, anyway. But, sometimes, I get the grocery list, too. Ratsinfritz.

[jsburger]

It's a mystery. We're also way out in the boonies and we get 2-4 deliveries weekly. There's been the rare pkg delivered to the PO. 1. Then, we get a notice in our rural box and have to drive 15 miles to get it. I asked our regular UPS delivery guy about it. 2. He said it's sorted at the terminal and different guys have the route that goes to the PO. It's no biggie for me. I usually need a screw or washer from Ace, anyway. But, sometimes, I get the grocery list, too. Ratsinfritz.

1. That is strange. The Post Office always delivers the package.

2. That makes very good sense in an urban area. However in a rural area it does not make sense. Different areas must be different since both of my packages were on the same truck.

Again, it is the shippers choice and they do not know where any of actually live.

[thunderbirdbat]

Maybe something in their delivery/tracking software alerts to a delivery in the same area, as I have gotten Surepost packages from UPS when they had a package to deliver to one of my neighbors. The tracking info on their website was updated to say that they would be delivering the package since they would be in the area.

[jsburger]

Maybe something in their delivery/tracking software alerts to a delivery in the same area, as I have gotten Surepost packages from UPS when they had a package to deliver to one of my neighbors. The tracking info on their website was updated to say that they would be delivering the package since they would be in the area.

I have not seen that but that seems reasonable. Then how do UPS and USPS reconcile this financially? I guess we will never know. After all they are so much smarter than us commoners. Both UPS tracking numbers just showed delivered. The USPS tracking number still shows "Awaiting Package".

[Gene Howe]

It's a mystery. We're also way out in the boonies and we get 2-4 deliveries weekly. There's been the rare pkg delivered to the PO. 1. Then, we get a notice in our rural box and have to drive 15 miles to get it. I asked our regular UPS delivery guy about it. 2. He said it's sorted at the terminal and different guys have the route that goes to the PO. It's no biggie for me. I usually need a screw or washer from Ace, anyway. But, sometimes, I get the grocery list, too. Ratsinfritz.

1. That is strange. The Post Office always delivers the package.

2. That makes very good sense in an urban area. However in a rural area it does not make sense. Different areas must be different since both of my packages were on the same truck.

Again, it is the shippers choice and they do not know where any of actually live.

We had a rash of thefts from our mail boxes. Ours is among 18 on the corner, a mile and a half from the house. The mail folks refuse to traverse the road to our homes. But, the thefts prompted several of us to change our boxes to the locking kind. The slot isn't big enough for a pkg of any size. So, the carrier leaves a notice to go pick up a pkg at the PO.

[dusty]

I believe that SurePost is not based on delivery address (Rural vs Urban). I say that because I occasionally receive packages via SurePost and I am not in a Rural area. As are so many other things these days, it is all a function of MONEY.

I believe the sender has a lot to do with determining how the package travels and get delivered.

[fredsheldon]

I hope Amazon takes over all deliveries. I receive my Amazon orders the very next day on most of my orders. Once they begin to start using drones, it will be 1 hour delivery

[heathicus]

I recently sent this note to a vendor when I realized, after making the purchase, that the delievery method was SurePost.

"I placed my first order with your esteemed establishment yesterday and just received my shipping notification email. I am very disappointed that the package is being shipped UPS SurePost. Had I noticed that at checkout, I certainly would have chosen another shipping method or shopped elsewhere. This shipping method, as well as it's equally evil twin FedEx SmartPost, is a scourge upon mankind resulting in delays, lost and damaged packages, dull tools, unbuttered popcorn, and other problems. The point of shipping UPS or FedEx is to avoid the USPS. UPS comes to my house almost every day and they provide an excellent service. USPS also comes to house every day and I avoid using them at all reasonable costs. Delivery by UPS means my package will arrive at my door, undamaged, carefully carried by a friendly young man who will deposit the package directly into our hands then tousle my kid's hair and pet my dogs on the way back to his truck. Delivery by USPS means my package will be left at the nearest processing center, forgotten and neglected for at least 3 days before finally making its way to the mail carrier where it will be forced to endure several more days as a floor matt in the back of a muddy Ford Escape. After several falsified delivery attempts - since the mail carrier has an irrational fear of kids, dogs, and mailboxes - it will eventually be unceremoniously dumped at the end of my driveway somewhere in the vicinity of my mailbox (or perhaps a neighbor's mailbox) regardless of weather conditions. UPS SurePost, where the package is lovingly carried by UPS for the majority of its journey, then turned over to USPS for the final leg, amounts to cruel and unusual punishment. I am unprepared to provide the psychological counseling the contents of my package will need before they can be integrated into its new environment. If you care about your customers, the merchandise you peddle, I would encourage you to use the services of UPS or FedEx as they were originally designed, and not allow the USPS to undermine these fine services by weaseling their way in. The world is depending on you."

[jsburger]

I recently sent this note to a vendor when I realized, after making the purchase, that the delievery method was SurePost.

"I placed my first order with your esteemed establishment yesterday and just received my shipping notification email. I am very disappointed that the package is being shipped UPS SurePost. Had I noticed that at checkout, I certainly would have chosen another shipping method or shopped elsewhere. This shipping method, as well as it's equally evil twin FedEx SmartPost, is a scourge upon mankind resulting in delays, lost and damaged packages, dull tools, unbuttered popcorn, and other problems. The point of shipping UPS or FedEx is to avoid the USPS. UPS comes to my house almost every day and they provide an excellent service. USPS also comes to house every day and I avoid using them at all reasonable costs. Delivery by UPS means my package will arrive at my door, undamaged, carefully carried by a friendly young man who will deposit the package directly into our hands then tousle my kid's hair and pet my dogs on the way back to his truck. Delivery by USPS means my package will be left at the nearest processing center, forgotten and neglected for at least 3 days before finally making its way to the mail carrier where it will be forced to endure several more days as a floor matt in the back of a muddy Ford Escape. After several falsified delivery attempts - since the mail carrier has an irrational fear of kids, dogs, and mailboxes - it will eventually be unceremoniously dumped at the end of my driveway somewhere in the vicinity of my mailbox (or perhaps a neighbor's mailbox) regardless of weather conditions. UPS SurePost, where the package is lovingly carried by UPS for the majority of its journey, then turned over to USPS for the final leg, amounts to cruel and unusual punishment. I am unprepared to provide the psychological counseling the contents of my package will need before they can be integrated into its new environment. If you care about your customers, the merchandise you peddle, I would encourage you to use the services of UPS or FedEx as they were originally designed, and not allow the USPS to undermine these fine services by weaseling their way in. The world is depending on you."