Here we go again. Just when we thought we were getting enough of a screwing from the shippers who advertised one type of shipping and then used another, we now have yet another contender in the ring for slow shipper of the year. DHL Global Mail.
First off it frosts me to see a merchant state they will ship my order by FedEx and have the FedEx logo emblazoned all over their site. Then find out after the order is shipped that it has gone out FedEx SmartPost which in reality should be named StupidPost since it can take ten days for a package to travel a relatively short distance that U.S. Mail alone could handle in a few days. It starts out with FedEx and eventually ends up in the hands of your postal carrier for delivery. You note I said eventually since sometimes it doesn't happen for a long, long time. I've had packages never show up and the services point fingers at each other as to who lost the item. In many cases this is not even "free shipping", so you end up paying for the slowness too.
UPS Mail Innovations is no better. Merchants advertise they will ship by UPS and then use this snail-like service. They have the same modus operandi where the package starts out with UPS and at some point is transferred to the USPS for further handling and then carriage to your home or post box. One of the HUGE glitches in both of these systems is that the package can sit in a postal distribution center for days before it is transferred to the local post office because the paperwork has not been sent electronically to the Post Office to match the package. Or, the electronic paperwork is there and the package has not arrived, so you have no idea where the package actually is, but it is "in transit."
Enter DHL Global Mail, the new kid on the block. Or maybe that should be the new kid on the blockade as merchants find cheaper ways to get our mail to us slower and slower. Frankly, you need to complain and complain loud if you find your order is being shipped this way. Be careful to look at your order and ask how it's being shipped. Tell merchants if they ship this way you won't do business with them.
One example is Amazon's "Super Saver Shipping" which is supposedly "free". A shipment costs $9.49 or about ten percent of the value of the item and that is deducted as "free shipping". However, my FedEx regular shipping would only take 5 days and would cost no more, so why ship via Smart Post and let the customer wait 8 days? Because the merchant let me think I was saving over nine bucks while they were probably paying four or five at best.
Holiday season will be coming, thousands will not receive their gifts on time to give them for the holiday and you can thank the merchants who use these snail trail oozing services for that. And yourself if you don't ask first. The bottom line is to just say no and spend a couple of extra dollars for Priority Mail or some service that gets you what you want when YOU want it! Or get a shipping account and make the merchant charge the shipping to you! That's a novel idea they don't like because they can't pad the shipping costs!
Showing posts with label UPS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label UPS. Show all posts
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
The Downs of UPS Delivery
Take a box. Any box. Drop kick it, smash it, run over it, crush it, tear it, drop something really heavy on it, make it filthy, and throw it anywhere but at the front door where it belongs. Make it late, misdirected, ship it back and forth across the country, and call it a "delivery exception" and you now have an idea of how UPS handles your parcels.
Now if you have fragile items, add that to your concerns. Ever wonder why UPS has certain carton requirements for strength? Because they are not going to handle your package with care! They don't care what condition it's in when it arrives, if it arrives on time or whatever. Hell, in my estimation, I don't think they care if it even arrives! Try and get information on the phone about your shipment and it's proprietary, between them and the shipper. You're out of the loop. You paid, you get no info.
Most shippers have some sort on "on-time guarantee" with UPS and other shipping companies. If the parcel doesn't get there on time, they can get a refund. Ask where your refund is when you don't get your package on time. I think UPS might use weather and other excuses for their "delivery exceptions" but many times they just F-up and put your package on the wrong truck and it goes to the wrong place, and they can't get it back until the driver returns. Seen that happen numerous times. Once, when I was actually able to get to talk to someone at a delivery hub, I was told it was buried too deep in the trailer and they couldn't get to it, so I'd have to wait until the truck was unloaded. Then they misrouted it anyway.
It is for all of the above reasons, and more, that we ship with the U.S. Postal Service using Priority Mail, or, if items need to go by ground service, by FedEx Ground. First, lighter items travel by air with the USPS, and only take two to three days to reach their destination. Secondly, in 8 years of shipping, we've not had a single damaged article incoming or outgoing with the USPS or FedEx, either Express or Ground. Can't say that with UPS. Third, FedEx Ground is much cheaper than UPS in most cases and delivers in 5 days rather than 7 cross country. That makes people happy. Plus, in the same 8 years, there has been one missed delivery date with FedEx, unlike the numerous ones with UPS.
I've received packages with the contents hanging out, the tops torn off, the tape ripped loose, boxes crushed, and these were all shipped by professional shippers. I had an outboard motor shipped to me that was saved from UPS only by the layers of bubble wrap surrounding it...the exterior cardboard was shredded.
My latest was a package shipped on 12/26 from NY which arrived yesterday, January 6, 11 days after. It would have arrived in ten but it had a "delivery exception". Then again, maybe 9 days because one day was a holiday. Great. Then the brilliant driver dumped it about 20 feet from the door and we didn't find it until late in the day, thinking it hadn't been delivered. He left it where anyone could have picked it up and walked off with it, yet the delivery online shows he left it at "front door". I should be lucky to have a front door that big!
A camera I ordered was sent out for delivery in Ontario, CA, the wrong city, although it obviously was addressed here. An overnight air shipment no less. Luckily, somehow they found that one and it arrived later the next day, but another UPS screw up nonetheless.
UPS will tell you how many packages they deliver successfully. Wonderful, but it still sucks if it's NOT your package they delivered successfully, right? Not much different than the automaker who tells you how many good cars travel down the line and you just got a bad one...or the surgeon who tells you how many surgeries were successful...after they botch yours?
Now if you have fragile items, add that to your concerns. Ever wonder why UPS has certain carton requirements for strength? Because they are not going to handle your package with care! They don't care what condition it's in when it arrives, if it arrives on time or whatever. Hell, in my estimation, I don't think they care if it even arrives! Try and get information on the phone about your shipment and it's proprietary, between them and the shipper. You're out of the loop. You paid, you get no info.
Most shippers have some sort on "on-time guarantee" with UPS and other shipping companies. If the parcel doesn't get there on time, they can get a refund. Ask where your refund is when you don't get your package on time. I think UPS might use weather and other excuses for their "delivery exceptions" but many times they just F-up and put your package on the wrong truck and it goes to the wrong place, and they can't get it back until the driver returns. Seen that happen numerous times. Once, when I was actually able to get to talk to someone at a delivery hub, I was told it was buried too deep in the trailer and they couldn't get to it, so I'd have to wait until the truck was unloaded. Then they misrouted it anyway.
It is for all of the above reasons, and more, that we ship with the U.S. Postal Service using Priority Mail, or, if items need to go by ground service, by FedEx Ground. First, lighter items travel by air with the USPS, and only take two to three days to reach their destination. Secondly, in 8 years of shipping, we've not had a single damaged article incoming or outgoing with the USPS or FedEx, either Express or Ground. Can't say that with UPS. Third, FedEx Ground is much cheaper than UPS in most cases and delivers in 5 days rather than 7 cross country. That makes people happy. Plus, in the same 8 years, there has been one missed delivery date with FedEx, unlike the numerous ones with UPS.
I've received packages with the contents hanging out, the tops torn off, the tape ripped loose, boxes crushed, and these were all shipped by professional shippers. I had an outboard motor shipped to me that was saved from UPS only by the layers of bubble wrap surrounding it...the exterior cardboard was shredded.
My latest was a package shipped on 12/26 from NY which arrived yesterday, January 6, 11 days after. It would have arrived in ten but it had a "delivery exception". Then again, maybe 9 days because one day was a holiday. Great. Then the brilliant driver dumped it about 20 feet from the door and we didn't find it until late in the day, thinking it hadn't been delivered. He left it where anyone could have picked it up and walked off with it, yet the delivery online shows he left it at "front door". I should be lucky to have a front door that big!
A camera I ordered was sent out for delivery in Ontario, CA, the wrong city, although it obviously was addressed here. An overnight air shipment no less. Luckily, somehow they found that one and it arrived later the next day, but another UPS screw up nonetheless.
UPS will tell you how many packages they deliver successfully. Wonderful, but it still sucks if it's NOT your package they delivered successfully, right? Not much different than the automaker who tells you how many good cars travel down the line and you just got a bad one...or the surgeon who tells you how many surgeries were successful...after they botch yours?
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Gouging and Then Gouging Again and Again
Remember when fuel prices went sky-high earlier this year? (How could you forget!) The airlines increased their fares dramatically, then started adding baggage charges for the second bag, then added charges for heavier luggage too. Why are the charges still in place?
UPS added a fuel surcharge to their delivery services about a year or more ago because the fuel costs were increasing. I shipped a package Monday..the charge is still there!
Costs for groceries skyrocketed because suppliers were saddled with additional costs for fuel for delivering the goods, and those costs were allegedly reflected in the costs of the products on the shelves and in the freezers, coolers, dairy and meat cases, etc. Why isn't the price lower?
Now that fuel has dropped to a price that is lower than it was 18 months ago, you're still getting charged for all of the items above. In short, you're getting screwed!
The explanation I heard the other day is ludicrous at best. One company stated they pay for their fuel ahead of time so their underground tanks are full of expensive fuel so they have to keep their prices up until they recoup the cost of it. Well, let me say this. bulls**t! I know they have twenty trucks with 100 gallon tanks which equates to 2,000 gallons rolling capacity. They have 10,000 gallons underground capacity which means only 5 complete fill ups or so and the tanks would be empty. Based on their radius of operations, I'd say that would be about two weeks or less of use, so they would be putting less expensive fuel in the tanks in about 7 days or so since they never let the tanks run dry. (If they do, that would be rather moronic as any mechanic would tell you!)
So, they're keeping the rather large profit they're now making until and unless they reduce the price to the stores, and the stores will keep the profit until they reduce the price to you. Strangely enough, it didn't take all that long for the prices to go UP, but it sure will take a long time for them to go down, if they ever do! The stores tell you they don't mark up until current shelf inventory is gone, but we all know that's a crock of bull, since they all use computerized checkouts, and the UPC is the same on new and old stock. They change the price in the computers and the computer can't tell what's old or new. Years ago it was true; your mother likely looked on the shelf for the can or package with the lower stamped price or label, as grocery stores actually priced up or down based on their cost, and profit margin. When computerized checkstands came into use, that went away.
As for fuel, sure, some companies thought they could beat the fuel price increases by buying huge quantities of oil at a fixed price in what is known as "key card" operations. They paid ahead for thousands of gallons of fuel at a set price on the day they paid for it. If the price increases, they still pay the same set price regardless of how high the price goes. Operations like this were featured on television news as innovative ways companies were keeping their costs in check a few months ago, when fuel prices were headed towards $5.00 per gallon. All well and good, except that fuel prices took a precipitous drop! So people who locked in fifty thousand gallons of $4.00 a gallon regular unleaded, were left holding the bag as fuel is now $2.00 or less in some places. But, they still want you to pay the difference in their product price, because they screwed up in their guesstimates!
It's no different than the futures buyers and speculators who caused the fuel prices to skyrocket in the first place. They made a ton of money when fuel went through the roof, and it was the skin off our backsides that made it for them. But hear them cry when the prices dropped and they lost their market accounts. Same with the Middle Eastern oil producing countries and their emergency meetings. My God, (or in their case My Allah, I guess) the price of oil is falling..how can we screw the world a bit more. After all, all we have to sell is sand if they don't buy oil! We need more luxury hotels and Mercedes cars..quick..help us..we're becoming underprivileged. If oil goes below $50 a barrel, can we ask Obama for a bailout too?
Once again, America, quit having such a short damned memory! Remember who screwed you, and quit being quite so forgiving! I believe it is Christian-like to turn the other cheek, to people. But NOT to corporate entities who do not care about people. Humans should have love and compassion for other humans. But not to corporations. Corporations are greedy, self-centered predatory entities that feed off people, and when the bones are picked clean, the person is discarded like trash. Don't believe it? Ask any of the workers being dumped by their long term employers. Downsizing, smart-sizing, right-sizing, or whatever they want to call it, it was caused by corporate greed, and the executives and CEO's at the top are to blame. Corporate executives who get fat paychecks while the others get laid off. One executive bonus that could employ many workers over the year. In my opinion, when a company has a layoff, there should be a law that any executive bonus or perks be distributed to the laid off employees and not to any company employees. And that the State or Federal government audit the company books to be sure it is done! Why should some stuffed shirt company brass profit from the layoff of a worker? If you can't afford to pay the worker you can't afford a damned bonus or deferred compensation, stock options, or phantom stock or anything else.
Of course, this is America. I guess it's okay to lay off a worker while the COO of a company gets a big bonus as he drives a nice car and lives in a big house after he lays off workers who end up living in a cardboard box. Hmm, I did say America, didn't I? This does point out my title for the blog...read it again....What's Really Wrong In America!
UPS added a fuel surcharge to their delivery services about a year or more ago because the fuel costs were increasing. I shipped a package Monday..the charge is still there!
Costs for groceries skyrocketed because suppliers were saddled with additional costs for fuel for delivering the goods, and those costs were allegedly reflected in the costs of the products on the shelves and in the freezers, coolers, dairy and meat cases, etc. Why isn't the price lower?
Now that fuel has dropped to a price that is lower than it was 18 months ago, you're still getting charged for all of the items above. In short, you're getting screwed!
The explanation I heard the other day is ludicrous at best. One company stated they pay for their fuel ahead of time so their underground tanks are full of expensive fuel so they have to keep their prices up until they recoup the cost of it. Well, let me say this. bulls**t! I know they have twenty trucks with 100 gallon tanks which equates to 2,000 gallons rolling capacity. They have 10,000 gallons underground capacity which means only 5 complete fill ups or so and the tanks would be empty. Based on their radius of operations, I'd say that would be about two weeks or less of use, so they would be putting less expensive fuel in the tanks in about 7 days or so since they never let the tanks run dry. (If they do, that would be rather moronic as any mechanic would tell you!)
So, they're keeping the rather large profit they're now making until and unless they reduce the price to the stores, and the stores will keep the profit until they reduce the price to you. Strangely enough, it didn't take all that long for the prices to go UP, but it sure will take a long time for them to go down, if they ever do! The stores tell you they don't mark up until current shelf inventory is gone, but we all know that's a crock of bull, since they all use computerized checkouts, and the UPC is the same on new and old stock. They change the price in the computers and the computer can't tell what's old or new. Years ago it was true; your mother likely looked on the shelf for the can or package with the lower stamped price or label, as grocery stores actually priced up or down based on their cost, and profit margin. When computerized checkstands came into use, that went away.
As for fuel, sure, some companies thought they could beat the fuel price increases by buying huge quantities of oil at a fixed price in what is known as "key card" operations. They paid ahead for thousands of gallons of fuel at a set price on the day they paid for it. If the price increases, they still pay the same set price regardless of how high the price goes. Operations like this were featured on television news as innovative ways companies were keeping their costs in check a few months ago, when fuel prices were headed towards $5.00 per gallon. All well and good, except that fuel prices took a precipitous drop! So people who locked in fifty thousand gallons of $4.00 a gallon regular unleaded, were left holding the bag as fuel is now $2.00 or less in some places. But, they still want you to pay the difference in their product price, because they screwed up in their guesstimates!
It's no different than the futures buyers and speculators who caused the fuel prices to skyrocket in the first place. They made a ton of money when fuel went through the roof, and it was the skin off our backsides that made it for them. But hear them cry when the prices dropped and they lost their market accounts. Same with the Middle Eastern oil producing countries and their emergency meetings. My God, (or in their case My Allah, I guess) the price of oil is falling..how can we screw the world a bit more. After all, all we have to sell is sand if they don't buy oil! We need more luxury hotels and Mercedes cars..quick..help us..we're becoming underprivileged. If oil goes below $50 a barrel, can we ask Obama for a bailout too?
Once again, America, quit having such a short damned memory! Remember who screwed you, and quit being quite so forgiving! I believe it is Christian-like to turn the other cheek, to people. But NOT to corporate entities who do not care about people. Humans should have love and compassion for other humans. But not to corporations. Corporations are greedy, self-centered predatory entities that feed off people, and when the bones are picked clean, the person is discarded like trash. Don't believe it? Ask any of the workers being dumped by their long term employers. Downsizing, smart-sizing, right-sizing, or whatever they want to call it, it was caused by corporate greed, and the executives and CEO's at the top are to blame. Corporate executives who get fat paychecks while the others get laid off. One executive bonus that could employ many workers over the year. In my opinion, when a company has a layoff, there should be a law that any executive bonus or perks be distributed to the laid off employees and not to any company employees. And that the State or Federal government audit the company books to be sure it is done! Why should some stuffed shirt company brass profit from the layoff of a worker? If you can't afford to pay the worker you can't afford a damned bonus or deferred compensation, stock options, or phantom stock or anything else.
Of course, this is America. I guess it's okay to lay off a worker while the COO of a company gets a big bonus as he drives a nice car and lives in a big house after he lays off workers who end up living in a cardboard box. Hmm, I did say America, didn't I? This does point out my title for the blog...read it again....What's Really Wrong In America!
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