Tuesday, September 17, 2013

The Ridiculous USPS 2-day Priority Mail Ordeal


I have to post this.  Simply because I sent out two more packages via USPS yesterday for one of my daughters, one of which is a replacement package of homemade healthy snacks (gluten free and sugar free) which means ingredients that sound like "Cha Ching" and a Priority envelope with her jeans.  Ingredients such as chia seeds, hemp seeds, almonds, etc., are more on the expensive side and let's not even talk about the cost of a custom, made-to-fit pair of jeans I made for her which earned a Blue Ribbon at our local fair.  

On September 9, I sent out a box of healthy treats via USPS 2-day Priority Mail with a scheduled delivery date of September 11, 2013.  Here it is September 17, and it's still not there!  No, it is NOT being sent across the country.  Its destination is a 2 hour, 45 minute drive from my house or thereabouts.  Less than 150 miles!  It left our local facility, traveled to another facility, traveled backwards to another facility, and now is transferred back to the second facility.

I paid $10.35 for my 2-day Priority package.  After 3 days with no delivery in sight, I went into a different post office to inquire about the package.  The counter clerk was most unsympathetic and commented, "Well, 2-day is not a guarantee."  I went back to the post office from which it was mailed and another unsympathetic clerk told me my package must have missed a scan and said, "...it happens.  Your package is wherever."  What?!?!  My package is "wherever??  So much for tracking.  So much for 2-day Priority.  I'm still tracking the package, and eventually I'll post a pic of the tracking details once it reaches its final destination. 

Yes, I will have to file a claim to get my money back.  All the food has spoiled with the exception of the homemade almond butter.  The food was able to last up to 4-days without refridgeration, and now about 80% of the package is not edible.  Priority mail includes $50 of insurance.  Now as for the two packages I sent yesterday?  Yes, I'm tracking them.  No updates yet, but they left our local post office around 4:30 yesterday. 

Will my Blue ribbon jeans make it to their destination?  We'll see.  What really sucks about this entire situation is there is no one to complain to.  There are no people who can actually check the status and find the package at the facilities.  There is no accounting for the mismanagement of delivery.  And I'm still out the $10+ for postage.  Essentially, I paid for sh**service that still has not  been completed.

The point of this post?  The 2-Day Priority Mail option is bogus.  You are left with praying because USPS simply doesn't give two hoots about when your package gets there even though you have paid for a premium service.  One clerk actually told me I should send it via the Overnight option.  I wanted to yell back at him, "So does that guarantee me delivery in 7 days for more than double the cost?!?!"  No thanks.  The only excuse you will get from the counter postal clerks is, "It isn't guaranteed."

Thanks.  Thanks a lot USPS.  Thanks for NOTHING!!! 

Caveat Emptor.