"UPS and USPS" Topic

A few days ago one of our member posted a rant about the US Postal Service. I read his complaints and was pleasantly surprised by the number of folks who supported the USPS. I have not had problems with the Post Office but did not add my 2 cents.

I was thinking about that rant as I cut up a box which was delivered by UPS to put it in the recycle bin. It occurred to me that I have never received a box from UPS that did not look like it had not been sat on by an elephant.

I feel remiss in not having defended the post office. I am sure that there are good and bad points about both services but UPS strikes me as being as expensive, possibly more expensive, than USPS. They don't deliver any quicker and my impression is that they do not handle Packages as well the post office.

Al

I forget exactly when but something since I started selling on ebay in 2000, USPS had the best rating for less damaged packages than the other two. I do a lot of post so I get a mangled one now and again or something broken into but its like 1 out of 10,000 or something equally as astronomical.
Prices are definately better even though they raised the rates. I never got anything thru ups for less than $30 USD and fedex forget it, I never even tried.

Also, I have shipped literally 1000s of packages in the last ten years and the USPS has never lost a single one. That is all I need to know.

I prefer fed ex over ups as well.

On a related note.

Are there other good, but cheaper ways to to get stuff from America to the U.K?

When I read the horror stories about the Canadian, Greek or the Italian postal service, I get the impressian we're paying alot less than we think!

I agree with Allen57's comment about receiving damaged boxes from UPS and rarely (if ever)ftom USPS!

In over 400 eBay sales I can't recall EVER having a beef with USPS package delivery. When feasible, I give all my packages to my mail carrier, who runs well after lunch; I am frequently pleasantly surprised on receiving feedback two days later. And that's factoring in buyers who bother to leave FB so promptly!

All their higher-up idiocy aside, the guys in the trenches always do right by me.

It occurred to me that I have never received a box from UPS that did not look like it had not been sat on by an elephant.

Too right. I knew a guy who worked for UPS unloading the big trucks onto the route trucks. He admitted they tossed packages around like basketballs.

Tony58 it depends how much stuff. I buy a lot of stuff wholesale from the USA and have it ship to the UK, and the cheapest method seems to be using the USPS fixed price boxes.

It may help the USPS that they are allowed (like anything autorized by goverment) to bleed billions of $$$$$ annually -- unlike their competitors?
but something we should always remember --- "all bleeding stops one way or another".
Regards
Russ Dunaway

It MAY help the competitors of USPS that they are NOT tasked to service the entire USA! USPS is REQUIRED to deliver even to the less accessible, less "profitable" areas. When the doors finally close on USPS, lets see how many mail-order & e-stores stay afloat with the astronomical rates FedEx & UPS will be able to charge. That'll open up some new bleeding wounds!

When any business is shackled with unprofitable and unreasonable regulations (for whatever reasons)it will begin to bleed. Look at the fuss over the possibility of just eliminating Saturday delivery -- I cannot think of anything I could not wait until Monday to receive?
By the way -- I am a big fan of the USPS and want to see it continue.
Regards
Russ Dunaway

Are there other good, but cheaper ways to to get stuff from America to the U.K?

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As obscene as USPS shipping to the UK is, UPS/FedEx/DHL are double the rate, at least. Some weights were triple.

Shipping the same weigh to Australasia costs 30% of what it costs to the UK. And NOBODY can explain it to me.

I've never had a problem with USPS. Can't say the same re UPS or Fed Ex.

Regards,

J. P. Kelly