Adventures with USPS

[dougolasjr]

So I decided to buy some RCS for my 4 nano tanks. I purchased from two different people. One I decided to get sent to my work so I could see how it would work out. Then nightmare begins. So on the day they were to be delivered regular mail comes but no shrimp. I check the tracking number and it seems the mailman attempted a delivery and left a notice for pickup. Granted there were people in the office all day, and at time they tried to deliver we were eating lunch in the office. So about 4 in the afternoon I call the post office explain everything and get a redelivery on Friday (Probably should have just told them don't lose my package I will pick it up).
I have work again on Friday so picking up is inconvenient, no delivery comes so again a call is placed about 2pm to the post office. They tell me that they aren't sure where it is and that the carrier probably has it. I ask just in case if its not delivered where it will be available to be picked up
. I get two answers about were it will be from two places each saying it will be at the other location.
Saturday morning go to the first place it was supposed to be. They look for it for 15 mins can't find anything. I get all my tracking info for them they still cannot find anything. They give me another number to call (other place that the package may have been. I call the number they put me on hold for 15 mins. They come back saying they can't find it or any information. They say I should wait till Monday so that the Supervisor can call me. I give them my info and now i'm waiting to see what they say. I'm sure after almost a week the RCS will be dead, but It would be nice to at least get my package.

[toddnbecka]

If the shrimp were packed in a breather bag they may still be alive.

[odinthejd]

wow that blows!

[Stargazer53]

Oh God, reading your post just hit me with serious déjà vu. Something very similar happened to me about a month ago. I was expecting a package from one of my most favorite sellers here (MissJinkzd) and had pinpointed when it was to arrive - I stayed home all day to receive the package - regular mail arrives; no package. I'm disappointed but I assume it will arrive the next day and carry on with my other errands for the day. By late evening, I'm still suspicious as to why the package had no arrived earlier in the day so I check our paypal email account (we don't use the email address for actual emails so rarely check) and sure enough, the seller had emailed the tracking number. I track the package and it says, "Attempted to deliver" - O.M.G, no they didn't. I went completely postal because I was home all day for the mail and there was no attempt made. It was 11PM by the time I had tracked the package and the 1800 for USPS's customer service was already closed and it was too late to schedule an re-delivery. I seriously had a very difficult time going to sleep that night because I was so angry and called USPS at 8am exact the next day and filed a complaint. Anyways, to cut this story from getting any longer, I talked to the head superviser at the local P.O. and as I had expected, our usual mailman had taken the previous day off and we had a substitute delivery man who, because he was unfamiliar with the new route, decided to not deliver packages to the door (our neighborhood is slightly complex and difficult to get to).

Nevertheless, I was still POed (which I rarely get) because not attempting to deliver the package was bad enough, but the substitute delivery man didn't even have the professionalism to leave a notice that he had a package for us. Had I not checked our paypal email address, I would have had no clue the package was "attempted to be delivered" (NOT!).

After talking to the post office superviser, he made sure the package went out to us that day (which had we done it online, it would not have been possible) and our usual delivery man delivered the package to our door (to me actually, I planted myself in front of the door). Happy ending for me though, everything in the package arrived safe and sound. :) I have to really credit MissJinkzd though, because her packaging is top notch. :thumbsup:

Good luck with your package. I have my fingers crossed for you that they find the package and deliver it to you with everything alive and swimming. ;)

[petluvr]

Oh God, reading your post just hit me with serious déjà vu. Something very similar happened to me about a month ago. I was expecting a package from one of my most favorite sellers here (MissJinkzd) and had pinpointed when it was to arrive - I stayed home all day to receive the package - regular mail arrives; no package. I'm disappointed but I assume it will arrive the next day and carry on with my other errands for the day. By late evening, I'm still suspicious as to why the package had no arrived earlier in the day so I check our paypal email account (we don't use the email address for actual emails so rarely check) and sure enough, the seller had emailed the tracking number. I track the package and it says, "Attempted to deliver" - O.M.G, no they didn't. I went completely postal because I was home all day for the mail and there was no attempt made. It was 11PM by the time I had tracked the package and the 1800 for USPS's customer service was already closed and it was too late to schedule an re-delivery. I seriously had a very difficult time going to sleep that night because I was so angry and called USPS at 8am exact the next day and filed a complaint. Anyways, to cut this story from getting any longer, I talked to the head superviser at the local P.O. and as I had expected, our usual mailman had taken the previous day off and we had a substitute delivery man who, because he was unfamiliar with the new route, decided to not deliver packages to the door (our neighborhood is slightly complex and difficult to get to).

Nevertheless, I was still POed (which I rarely get) because not attempting to deliver the package was bad enough, but the substitute delivery man didn't even have the professionalism to leave a notice that he had a package for us. Had I not checked our paypal email address, I would have had no clue the package was "attempted to be delivered" (NOT!).

After talking to the post office superviser, he made sure the package went out to us that day (which had we done it online, it would not have been possible) and our usual delivery man delivered the package to our door (to me actually, I planted myself in front of the door). Happy ending for me though, everything in the package arrived safe and sound. :) I have to really credit MissJinkzd though, because her packaging is top notch. :thumbsup:

Good luck with your package. I have my fingers crossed for you that they find the package and deliver it to you with everything alive and swimming. ;)
I have had the "attempted to deliver" scam happen to me a time or twelve with my post office.

[dougolasjr]

Only good news is that the other shipment, that I got sent to my parents house, arrived and all the shrimp are living happily in their new home. Still haven't heard back from the supervisor.

[excuzzzeme]

I am so lucky, so far! Our postal person has been on this route for too many years to not know where I am. She is also very aware of my being disabled and always brings it to the door - usually with a smile and a treat for the dog. Although somewhat nosy and a couple of other less-than-likable traits, I have to give her credit for doing her job everyday and doing it well.

[dougolasjr]

Well USPS finally made a delivery, and the shrimp were okay. They are now all in a pico tank.

[Stargazer53]

I have had the "attempted to deliver" scam happen to me a time or twelve with my post office.

*sigh* Your post office has done it to you too? I just found it so unacceptable that the substitute mail carrier didn't even take the effort to atleast fake that he attempted the package by leaving us a notice that he "attempted to deliver". Just thinking about that ordeal just makes me cringe. As a matter of fact, I haven't ordered anything since that incident because I was slightly traumatized by the lack of professionalism of the mail carrier. Had I not actively pursued the post office to do their job, I could have had serious casualties with my package (the weather was much colder at the time and the heat packs would have run out). USPS is thinking about changing their delivery schedule from Mondays to Fridays (no more Saturdays) because they say less people are using their delivery service and lack of business due to competition (DHL, UPS, etc); I certainly do not want to generalize a entire business based on one isolated incident but I'm not surprised that a lot of people are starting to utilize UPS more than USPS. I don't mind USPS raising their prices every year, but I sure as heck would appreciate it if some of their employees actually did their jobs, which I believe should be delivering mail - all the mail (letters, magazines, bills, and packages!). :thm:

To the O.P. - I'm happy to hear both your packages arrived safe and sound! :dance: I love happy endings.:)

[msjinkzd]

i still use USPS almost exclusively for a few reasons.

1. fedex will not approve my styros because I make them myself
2. UPS loads their trucks up for next day deliveries the night before and will often leave them outside
3. UPS does not have any temperature control in the backs of their trucks...freezing in winter, brutally hot in summer.

All the shipping carriers have their pluses and minuses, but I have had the least problems with usps.