How slow is usps during the holiday season?

M

munkle

[H]F Junkie
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I shipped a ssd to a forum member on monday using the usps 2-3 day mail option. I know that it isn't time guaranteed, but it is now thursday and it still just says billing info received. Doesn't even say I dropped it off at the post office. Should it really take this long to update?
 
someone sent me a package via priority and it arrived yesterday. Where are you shipping from and to where?
 
I was sent two packages this week, both priority. One was sent out from North Carolina on Monday and it was here (Arkansas) Wednesday. The other was sent out from New York last Saturday (the 11th) and got here today. So they're moving pretty quickly.


Their "tracking" site is notoriously slow at updating. I've had only one or two packages in the last two months actually stay updated along it's route to me. All the others stayed at "Billing Info Recieved" until the day I got it.
 
From utah to california, usually it only takes 2 or 3 days max to get there from here. Which is why I am surprised it hasn't even updated at least by now.
 
Transit time may increase a bit, but things like acceptance scans showing up online don't. That strongly indicates that it hasn't been shipped yet.
 
Vertigo Acid said:
Transit time may increase a bit, but things like acceptance scans showing up online don't. That strongly indicates that it hasn't been shipped yet.
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I don't know how strongly. As I said before, I've been having packages arrive and still say "Billing Info Received" for the last two months.. and I've been ordering a lot of stuff for Christmas.
 
munkle said:
I shipped a ssd to a forum member on monday using the usps 2-3 day mail option. I know that it isn't time guaranteed, but it is now thursday and it still just says billing info received. Doesn't even say I dropped it off at the post office. Should it really take this long to update?
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I've had items arrive and the website still said billing info received.
 
Yea Dont take the lack of tracking info on ther sight to mean anything.. it will probably be there before it updates.
 
I agree that I've had stuff arrive years ago where that was the case. But USPS has been stepping up their scanning in the past couple of years. It's now relatively rare for packages that don't have an unreadable barcode, for example, to get through every single point (acceptance, local sort hub, destination hub(s), destination sort, load for delivery, delivery) without a scan. And it has nothing to do with the time of year. Since the OP is the shipper and said he shipped it, obviously this doesn't mean that he did anything wrong. But if my delivery confirmation number wasn't showing acceptance, I'd be concerned.

Yes, yes, DC is only DC. It's my mantra as well. But acceptance scans are the rule, not the exception these days.
 
Vertigo Acid said:
I agree that I've had stuff arrive years ago where that was the case. But USPS has been stepping up their scanning in the past couple of years. It's now relatively rare for packages that don't have an unreadable barcode, for example, to get through every single point (acceptance, local sort hub, destination hub(s), destination sort, load for delivery, delivery) without a scan. And it has nothing to do with the time of year. Since the OP is the shipper and said he shipped it, obviously this doesn't mean that he did anything wrong. But if my delivery confirmation number wasn't showing acceptance, I'd be concerned.

Yes, yes, DC is only DC. It's my mantra as well. But acceptance scans are the rule, not the exception these days.
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Must be a lot of exceptions these days.
 
if you go to the post office and ask them where the package it they will track it and let you know where exactly the package is even without the confirmation number
 
faciest9 said:
if you go to the post office and ask them where the package it they will track it and let you know where exactly the package is even without the confirmation number
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If it still shows billing info received tomorrow, I will have to go there on Saturday to do that.
 
USPS tracking is simply horrible. I've had people receive packages and have it still say BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED.
 
I'm in FL. Bought a CPU from GA which for the geographically challenged is the next state north. He shipped Monday priority mail. It's still not here. They definitely have some slowdowns going. Their tracking has always been and still is McShitty.
 
BBG said:
USPS tracking is simply horrible. I've had people receive packages and have it still say BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED.
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^^this.

Don't rely on USPS tracking for accurate information... its remarkably inconsistent.
 
Detailed Results:

Bullet Arrival at Post Office, December 17, 2010, 1:05 pm, BEVERLY HILLS, CA 90210
Bullet Electronic Shipping Info Received, December 13, 2010

Yay for 4 days from utah to california :(
 
you got to understand that on holidays it longer because volume of mail is high.
 
If you call them as 800-ASK-USPS and keep hitting 0 (no matter what the prompt says), you'll get to a customer representative. Give him/her your tracking number and you'll get an update. I've shipped out about 3-4 packages this week. All say billing info recd., but calling them has worked fine for me.
 
2-3 day (priority) shipping from USPS IS guaranteed

only parcel post/ first class mail isn't

usps priority & express are GUARANTEED 2-3 day and 1 day respectively
 
Are you sure about that? I'm pretty certain they say Priority is 2-9 days, not guaranteed.
 
koven said:
2-3 day (priority) shipping from USPS IS guaranteed

only parcel post/ first class mail isn't

usps priority & express are GUARANTEED 2-3 day and 1 day respectively
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Not during the holidays.

My recent priority took 5 days to arrive.
 
Not even Express is guarantee, that's why you can ask for a refund if it doesn't get there the next day.

I have shipped well over 3,000 packages through USPS using various services from 1st class to Express. IME, 1st class gets there about the same time as Priority (2-3 days). Acts of nature or bad weather changes the whole scenario though.
 
Everything I send out takes
2 days for First Class
3 days for Priority

Everything that comes in to me takes
4 days Priority
5 days First Class

Which i think is pretty messed up o_O that's non holiday season.
My heat can vouche for that they all say i ship fast even though its first class it gets to them fast.
But receiving my packages pretty much takes a whole week for me.

UPS is slow with regular service but atleast they consitently slow hahahaha !!!
It always takes the same amount of time to get here. NOT faster but not slower than their regular slow either LOL
 
Don't choose usps parcel for anything. My customers keep asking me where their packages are and tracking shows nothing till it arrives.
 
USPS have 8 different kind of setting, including overnight, 2 day express, 2-3 day priority (one of them, majority mail, big envelops, magazines and small parcels), 4-5 day priority (second one and media mail and also east->west and north->south and vice verse) and finally 2-9 days which actually the only one that is non gurrented, i have had some get here in two day (most from NY and NJ to florida) and some took whole 9 days (majority from CA and SF, but again 80% came in 4-5 days)
 
scbjmshpv said:
USPS have 8 different kind of setting, including overnight, 2 day express, 2-3 day priority (one of them, majority mail, big envelops, magazines and small parcels), 4-5 day priority (second one and media mail and also east->west and north->south and vice verse) and finally 2-9 days which actually the only one that is non gurrented, i have had some get here in two day (most from NY and NJ to florida) and some took whole 9 days (majority from CA and SF, but again 80% came in 4-5 days)
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This. Pretty much all of this.

Wrong.

Priority Mail is NOT guaranteed.

http://faq.usps.com/eCustomer/iq/us...iew()=c{12adaeb0-57e2-11dc-51b6-000000000000}

"Typically two to three days to most locations in the US (Specific delivery standards may be available when postage is calculated). This is not a guaranteed service. "

If you wish to argue with the postal service about their own policies then feel free.
 
took 9 days to go 2 states on the last package i got with priority, holidays always slow it down to half the speed.
 
Package shipped Monday 12/20 via Priority Mail and arrived at my house today. Took a whole week. My item was bought off ebay and was suppose to be a xmas gift, just going to have to drop it off sometime now. The shipper guaranteed that if he shipped out Monday it would arrive go figure I guess. I will never use USPS again between Thanksgiving and Christmas again after this. I would of ate the extra 10 bucks to buy it off Amazon and get in time. Oh well.
 
i've shipped cost to cost (FL to CA and FL to NY/NJ) and received packages from there, 5 days is what my times are always excluding sunday, so M/Tu shipped package get there on Fri/Sat or it goes next week, but 5 days is what my time is i only had two or three gone on 10/11 day out of about 300 received so far. and might add 1 conformation was lost (the whole package) didn't go for a claim as it was simple mail (product was $2) and cost me $1.58 didn't bother going through the hassle.
 
Ordered RAM from newegg almost a week ago and no sign of it arriving yet. UPS is just as bad.
 
Yeah for the first time ever newegg didn't ship sam e or next day for me.bought ssd sunday just shipped today at 5
 
xbonez said:
Ordered RAM from newegg almost a week ago and no sign of it arriving yet. UPS is just as bad.
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If you used egg-saver, it's bad. Takes 3-4 days for me to get it and I'm in CA.


ScottSwing said:
Nope.

http://www.usps.com/shipping/expressmail.htm

"Express Mail® is our fastest service for time-sensitive letters, documents or merchandise. Guaranteed overnight delivery to most locations or your money back."

And it's their only service that's guaranteed.
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I can tell you from experience that I have had more than 5 packages express that did not make it on time (dropped it off early in morning before cut off time, told it will make it) and I was given a full refund. I can only imagine the consequences if someone's life depended on it. Those said packages were delivered early the following morning.

Call me crazy but if it's guarantee, why offer any compensation?

I guarantee you I have 5 bucks in my wallet. It's either I have it or I don't, right?

Maybe I am crazy. :(
 
On a brighter note...I shipped a 30lb package via usps priority insured on Monday 12/27 at 2:40 pm cdt and it's out for delivery now on Wed 12/29 from Theodore, AL to Columbus, OH. I expected the package to be at least another day before it got to it's destination, thus I'm pleasantly surprised!
However, I did have a usps priority envelope take about 10 days to deliver several years ago. For me, the usps priority deliveries are more consistent than they once were but it really depends on the weather, locale, and holidays.
 
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