Holy cow! USPS shipping rates increase.

#16
Increase for what exactly? So that they can deliver packages with signature confirmation without collecting a signature? So that they can deliver far beyond their guaranteed delivery dates? So that their CS reps can tell you with a straight face that your problem is not their problem? So that they can maintain a tracking system that never updates? So that they can lose packages with zero shame?

Sorry, what exactly are we paying more for? :shrugs:
 
#17
shopaholism said:
^Blah, unfortunately, you're right. They also haven't helped themselves though (closing PO branches and making it even more of a PITA to ship things out, etc). Sellers like us depend on them, so I really hope they don't go under completely, but maybe they need to rebrand themselves as a shipping service rather than as your general snail mail/letter courier...
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IDK. IMO there are many ways for them to save money but of course many people would lose jobs. Its Ok if there is NO saturday delivery. They have been threatening us with this for a long time. Who cares? I think they should close underperforming branches, less hours, less tellers in other branches. Maybe that will force people to use website which is quick and easy and saves us $ and time. and them of course. I ship ALOT, and the only times i actually step my foot inside a post office is when I cant fit my package into drop box. Not even big drop box. And even than I just hand them my package without getting receipt. I read about all the complaints here but knock on wood USPS has been great for me
 
#18
I think we all agree that we hate price increases in all categories of goods and services. And any of us who ship enough have probably or will probably run into problems as a result of negligence, carelessness, apathy or even fraud on the part of USPS. I know I have experienced negligence (unscanned delivery), apathy ("not my problem" as told to me by employees and customer service), and possible theft (though not proven in instances of arrival of package at destination city but no delivery scan and inability to find package).

However, these issues, though aggravating and costly when they happen are the exception, rather than the rule. Understand I'm not defending them and I'm totally pi$$ed that I've paid for services that I don't get.

My shipments get to the buyers, nearly all are scanned on delivery and most deliveries are reasonably quick (based on shipping time estimates).

As much as I dislike paying increased charges, the costs are still less than UPS and Fedex and my ability to use USPS are have carrier pickup convenient.

Unfortunately, the ability of customers to pay bills online and communicate through email rather than snail mail have hit the postal service in its bottom line.

As much as I don't want to see people lose jobs, I don't have an issue if they end Saturday mail and close post offices that aren't financially profitable.
 
#19
mashanyc said:
my buyers are adamant that I only ship USPS. Especially EUR buyers. almost every buyer specifically asks me to only ship USPS
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Speaking as an international buyer, I would rather pay more for shipping USPS than shipping with a courier. The buyer often ends up paying way more in brokerage fees. There was one USP shipment I received from the US (it was only $40ish and I ended up paying almost 100% in fees. :yucky:
 
#20
jenaywins said:
Increase for what exactly? So that they can deliver packages with signature confirmation without collecting a signature? So that they can deliver far beyond their guaranteed delivery dates? So that their CS reps can tell you with a straight face that your problem is not their problem? So that they can maintain a tracking system that never updates? So that they can lose packages with zero shame?

Sorry, what exactly are we paying more for? :shrugs:
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Hummm could be why they are going broke :smile:
 
#22
Maybe they should stop giving away free Priority packaging. I have received many a Priority box turned inside out and wrapped in paper shipped Parcel Post.
 
#23
poopsie2 said:
Maybe they should stop giving away free Priority packaging. I have received many a Priority box turned inside out and wrapped in paper shipped Parcel Post.
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They finally caught on and started stamping the brown side of the box priority but you're right, they can still wrap it in paper. I have the feeling that more and more you will see that the only free packaging available will be for the flat rate boxes. I've seen people come in and ask for a boxes every day and never come back to ship them, it turns out one lady was using them to pack up items for the movers, some people have no shame.

I work for the PO and generally think they are not given enough credit, considering the amount of mail that goes through. It seems almost an American pastime to pick on the post office. However, the last 2 items I have sent requiring signature never got scanned as delivered, only attempted. One was an ebay sale and lucky for me the buyer was honest and another was a bag I had returned to a Saks store. Before this I had never had a problem before, the cut backs are definitely not helping service.
 
#24
LindaP said:
They finally caught on and started stamping the brown side of the box priority but you're right, they can still wrap it in paper. I have the feeling that more and more you will see that the only free packaging available will be for the flat rate boxes. I've seen people come in and ask for a boxes every day and never come back to ship them, it turns out one lady was using them to pack up items for the movers, some people have no shame.

I work for the PO and generally think they are not given enough credit, considering the amount of mail that goes through. It seems almost an American pastime to pick on the post office. However, the last 2 items I have sent requiring signature never got scanned as delivered, only attempted. One was an ebay sale and lucky for me the buyer was honest and another was a bag I had returned to a Saks store. Before this I had never had a problem before, the cut backs are definitely not helping service.
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Linda, you are clearly the exception to the rule because I have never ONCE encountered a pleasant nor knowledgeable USPS employee. Not one. I truly hope that USPS uses a large portion of the proceeds from this unnecessary increase to raise its employees' pay. I have never had to deal with a USPS employee without leaving in a complete fit of rage because of their lack of courtesy and knowledge. It's truly staggering to me... It really is. If I spoke to one of my clients the way I've been spoken to by numerous USPS employees, or if I had such a blatant misunderstanding of the products we offered... I would be fired. No arguments, fired. Jobless.

(I just got off the phone with USPS, can you tell??? :P)
 
#25
jenaywins said:
Linda, you are clearly the exception to the rule because I have never ONCE encountered a pleasant nor knowledgeable USPS employee. Not one. I truly hope that USPS uses a large portion of the proceeds from this unnecessary increase to raise its employees' pay. I have never had to deal with a USPS employee without leaving in a complete fit of rage because of their lack of courtesy and knowledge. It's truly staggering to me... It really is. If I spoke to one of my clients the way I've been spoken to by numerous USPS employees, or if I had such a blatant misunderstanding of the products we offered... I would be fired. No arguments, fired. Jobless.

(I just got off the phone with USPS, can you tell??? :P)
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Haha, we are a small town post office and I think that makes a difference. We know everyone we deliver mail to and between me, the postmaster and the mail carrier, we all care very much about doing the job right! I think in bigger post offices it's different and there are a lot of union folks (we are not) that make it very hard to fire someone that's not doing a good job.

The post office needed the price increase and it still may not save them, but because there has been so many layoffs we are seeing the service decline. It's frustrating to all of us.

ETA: I tried going through USPS help line to contact the post office that did not get one of my signatures, could not get their number in our phone directory. Anyway, I told them..be sure and do not forward this to my own office, I can do nothing about this, this complian needs to go to the DELIVERY office. Well sure enough came into work the next morning and there was a case waiting to be resolved, my package that never got signed for. Grrrrrr!!!!!

So, I understand your frustration! But I have also met up with a lot of employees that care as much as we do and it wasn't until recently that I've ever had problems with getting the required signatures/scans. As they cut back and more and more I think we can expect more of the same. :sad:

Raising pay is funny, I'll be lucky to still have my job in a year!
 
#26
LindaP said:
Haha, we are a small town post office and I think that makes a difference. We know everyone we deliver mail to and between me, the postmaster and the mail carrier, we all care very much about doing the job right! I think in bigger post offices it's different and there are a lot of union folks (we are not) that make it very hard to fire someone that's not doing a good job.

The post office needed the price increase and it still may not save them, but because there has been so many layoffs we are seeing the service decline. It's frustrating to all of us.

ETA: I tried going through USPS help line to contact the post office that did not get one of my signatures, could not get their number in our phone directory. Anyway, I told them..be sure and do not forward this to my own office, I can do nothing about this, this complian needs to go to the DELIVERY office. Well sure enough came into work the next morning and there was a case waiting to be resolved, my package that never got signed for. Grrrrrr!!!!!

So, I understand your frustration! But I have also met up with a lot of employees that care as much as we do and it wasn't until recently that I've ever had problems with getting the required signatures/scans. As they cut back and more and more I think we can expect more of the same. :sad:

Raising pay is funny, I'll be lucky to still have my job in a year!
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I agree that small-town POs seem to have better customer service.

That being said, at what point does USPS need to step up and take responsibility for their blatant negligence? Their employees are not typically reprimanded, mostly due to the union as you mentioned, ongoing issues are not remedied, and the response that most of hear from USPS is, "oh well, not my problem."

I for one refuse to use USPS moving forward. Will my boycott make a difference? Heck no. I know that. But I just refuse to be treated like crap and have my packages go missing or delayed for no good reason.

My Express Mail package that I sent on 1/11/12 still has not surfaced with zero explanation nor apology from USPS. I'm out nearly $1k because of this snafu. My fault for not purchasing insurance, sure, but there has been zero responsibility taken by USPS. So whatevs.



ETA: Linda, have you considered moving to another shipping company? Is it an option?
 
#27
jenaywins said:
I agree that small-town POs seem to have better customer service.

That being said, at what point does USPS need to step up and take responsibility for their blatant negligence? Their employees are not typically reprimanded, mostly due to the union as you mentioned, ongoing issues are not remedied, and the response that most of hear from USPS is, "oh well, not my problem."

I for one refuse to use USPS moving forward. Will my boycott make a difference? Heck no. I know that. But I just refuse to be treated like crap and have my packages go missing or delayed for no good reason.

My Express Mail package that I sent on 1/11/12 still has not surfaced with zero explanation nor apology from USPS. I'm out nearly $1k because of this snafu. My fault for not purchasing insurance, sure, but there has been zero responsibility taken by USPS. So whatevs.



ETA: Linda, have you considered moving to another shipping company? Is it an option?
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Sorry to hear about your package, I hope it shows up! Was it shipped within the US? USPS is usually diligent about Express Mail, man if your office misses one you'll find yourself in a conference call with the higher ups and be raked over the coals publically. It's not something they take lightly, we get hammered about it in emails constantly and my boss lives in fear of missing one! I see that from my end on the inside. But, without insurance, it's true they're not going to reimburse the customer other than the $100 that automatically comes with the service, as well as the cost of mailing.

They reprimand their employees but it's nearly impossible to get rid of someone in the union and they know it. I know of a mail carrier that was given a speeding ticket while on the route, crashed into a customer's mailbox and was fired by her supervisor after both of those ordeals. She promptly complained to the union and got her job back, she's back on the road. So what's the point really?

I almost think they'd be better off to go bankrupt and then completely restructure.

All that said, I talk with many employees not only in our office but others that really do care and will go that extra mile, sorry that hasn't been your encounter!
 
#28
LindaP said:
Sorry to hear about your package, I hope it shows up! Was it shipped within the US? USPS is usually diligent about Express Mail, man if your office misses one you'll find yourself in a conference call with the higher ups and be raked over the coals publically. It's not something they take lightly, we get hammered about it in emails constantly and my boss lives in fear of missing one! I see that from my end on the inside. But, without insurance, it's true they're not going to reimburse the customer other than the $100 that automatically comes with the service, as well as the cost of mailing.

They reprimand their employees but it's nearly impossible to get rid of someone in the union and they know it. I know of a mail carrier that was given a speeding ticket while on the route, crashed into a customer's mailbox and was fired by her supervisor after both of those ordeals. She promptly complained to the union and got her job back, she's back on the road. So what's the point really?

I almost think they'd be better off to go bankrupt and then completely restructure.

All that said, I talk with many employees not only in our office but others that really do care and will go that extra mile, sorry that hasn't been your encounter!
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Thanks... :hugs: It definitely was domestic and I'm still trying to deal with USPS. It's very difficult. :pout:

At any rate, it's very funny that you would mention bankruptcy & a complete restructure. That is verbatim what my friend said over lunch today when we were discussing this. I really think that would be the best option. As it stands, USPS has far too many cracks in their foundation that simply cannot be fixed at this point.

And holy crap @ the woman who mowed down someone's mail box!!!!!!!!!!
 
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