UPS Surepost

[BuckeyeDennis]

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."

Artfully written, Heath! But I’m very happy to report that my recent experiences with the USPS have all been positive. SurePost does add a day to my delivery time, but otherwise my service is just as good. As for friendly, my USPS mailman (whom I had not met before) pulled over yesterday just to say hi to me, while I was out walking my dog in the ‘hood. Turns out that he’s active in a dog-rescue organization, loves them, and was quick to mention that he’d never been bitten in some two decades as a carrier. So I guess it comes down to dumb luck in who you get for your mailperson, and maybe your post office as well.

Here’s another plus for USPS. If I have a package outgoing, I can set up a USPS pickup online, and just leave it on my front porch. It disappears when the mail is delivered, no extra charge. But if shipping via UPS, I have to carry it myself to a drop-off location.

[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."

Artfully written, Heath! But I’m very happy to report that my recent experiences with the USPS have all been positive. SurePost does add a day to my delivery time, but otherwise my service is just as good. As for friendly, my USPS mailman (whom I had not met before) pulled over yesterday just to say hi to me, while I was out walking my dog in the ‘hood. Turns out that he’s active in a dog-rescue organization, loves them, and was quick to mention that he’d never been bitten in some two decades as a carrier. So I guess it comes down to dumb luck in who you get for your mailperson, and maybe your post office as well.

Here’s another plus for USPS. If I have a package outgoing, I can set up a USPS pickup online, and just leave it on my front porch. It disappears when the mail is delivered, no extra charge. But if shipping via UPS, I have to carry it myself to a drop-off location.

I totally agree with you Dennis. I have no problem with the USPS. I just don't like the extra day (or more) that the UPS Surepost adds to the delivery time. There is no advantage to the consumer which is why I would think a company interested in their customers would institute such a thing.

[heathicus]

Yeah, it comes down to the employee. A couple houses ago, we had an amazing USPS mail carrier. He was always happy and friendly and very responsible and attentive. But our current mail carrier (and every previous one at this address) has been horrible. I stopped subscribing to magazines because they were always delivered torn up with muddy bootprints all over them. At one point, when a package was marked "out for deliver" for several days, we stopped the mail carrier and asked. She dug through a huge pile of boxes in the back of her SUV, found ours, handed it over and said, and I quote, "I never know what to do with these!" No lie. Complaining does no good. When we have complained, we just don't get mail for the next week. So, we avoid using the USPS when possible.

Our previous UPS driver was likewise horrible. He never brought packages to our house. He knew my father-in-law and would take our packages to his house, or to where he worked and throw them in the back of his truck. Thankfully he recently retired and our current UPS driver is awesome. Carries treats for the dogs. Very friendly and takes time to chat. He has kids that play baseball and he'll talk sports with my daughter who plays softball. He once noticed she had a new bat being delivered and hung around while she opened it so he could see it. I was out flying my drone one day and we chatted about it for a while. He makes sure to let us know when he'll be on vacation so we can be prepared for the substitutes that just throw the package and run.

[jsburger]

UPS seems to have updated their relationship with the USPS. The original UPS tracking number said delivery on 10 Oct via SurePost. In the past that meant UPS would deliver the package to the Post Office on that day and then it would be another day (or more) to get the package from the USPS.

Yesterday (9th) I got an email from UPS that the package was delivered to the Post office. Today I got the package from the Post Office on the day (10th) that UPS said it would be delivered. I also got an email from UPS that said the package was delivered by the Post Office. It was about 2 hours after the fact but at least UPS was still tracking it.

It still took an extra day but at least UPS is giving you a real delivery date now.