I don't know if USPS's international shipping choices reflect the domestic situation, but International Priority is just bizarre. For between $5 and $15 (usually) a packet can be shipped to Turkey International 1st Class. It will arrive in 7-10 days, 2 weeks if you;re really unlucky. International Priority costs $35 and up and will arrive in 2-3 weeks, a month if you're unlucky. The only advantage I can see with Priority is that it is fully tracked, so you can see how slowly the package is coming. Both services are signed for when they arrive (in Turkey, may be different in other countries).
Then for $3-4 more than Priority, a package can be sent International Express and will arrive in 5-7 days. I even had one package from ZPacks that arrived in less than 72 hours! And it's insured up to %100.
I'm not really sure what International Priority is for, yet it seems to be the default choice for many producers/retailers. I am currently awaiting a package sent from Ogden UT on 24 November. Arrived Salt Lake City, same day, left the next. Arrived Teterboro NJ on the 28th. Arrived Kearny NJ on 30th. Left Kearny NJ on 1st December. Arrived ISC NY on 3rd. No news since. This is one well travelled parcel. (Admittedly, the postage I paid was considerably less than the usual $35, don't know why.)
Not to knock USPS - the parcels arrive and 1st Class International is fastish and reasonably priced - but Priority is a strange beast.

> The USPS is operating at a huge deficit. This sort of service is why.

Are you sure?
Last I heard, the entire USPS financial problem was due to the US Govt suddenly demanding that USPS fund their forward pension benefits for the next ??20?? years out of current revenue, this year. Otherwise the USPS was running at a slight profit.

I may be wrong of course...

Cheers

I say; Roger is right! General public doesn't have time or will to reaserch the problems USPS is facing. The same is here in Canada and probably everywhere else. Goverments tend to cut services as much as possible. Consumers allow them do those things. (Citizen is forgotten word).
G.

All of my buyers were provided with delivery confirmation numbers as was I when my piece of gear was ordered. I ordered my piece of gear one full day after my last package was shipped out. My other packages were all shipped two full days before.

Two of my packages have made it. One went from Louisiana to Oregon. The last two have to get to Montana and Ohio. Both of these destinations are closer to LA than Oregon.

My piece of gear that I ordered is being shipped to me in LA from Minnesota. According to the same USPS Priority Mail Service Delivery Confirmation info my gear has made it to and departed the New Orleans New Orleans sorting facility.

In my case that usually means that I'll see my gear on my front porch by this afternoon.

Shouldn't the same carrier be able to at least deliver packages at the same pace inside the CONUS?

How does a package from Minnesota ordered 2 days after make it to its destination before a package shipped to Ohio gets to its destination?

Now that seems a bit unfair to my buyer!

Party On,

Newton

They are really the only viable way to do a personal post from the US to Australia.

I received a parcel today, which means it probably arrived at my work yesterday, which was posted from Seattle USPS First Class some time around November 23rd. (Probably on the 22nd, knowing Dale!)

That's $25 very well spent for me for a pretty decent sized box.

Roger is spot on

The Republican's pushed through a "poison pill" that the USPS has to fund pensions ahead of schedule. Now they can say the USPS is bankrupt. It's just a ploy to get rid of another union for political reasons.

oops - we're talking chaff on gear swap

I just ordered something from Quest in Florida Thursday. They shipped it Friday. It got here in Oreogn Monday. Not bad for across country. Just regular mail.

But, I've noticed some USPS employees have an attitude.

Like one threatened my wife when our driveway wasn't shoveled of snow (on the one day per year when there's snow).

And another threatened to not deliver a package because our house numbers were somewhat blocked. But our numbers are on the mailbox on the street and there are houses all over so it doesn't take too much effort to figure it out.

Update

The gear that ordered from Minnesota is on its way to my front door this afternoon / evening. The USPS tracking info says that it is out for delivery.

To me it seems like the USPS is treating my two buyers like Chevy Chase's character in the movie Funny Farm. The tracking info on their packages still shows no further movement towards delivery.

In the movie Chase's character was lucky to get any mail. The "mailman" would just speed by his rural mailbox and throw the mail at the rural style mailbox as he passed by it.

It is two separate packages going to two distinctly different addresses. I will be contacting the USPS Customer service department very soon. ;-?

Party On,

Newton

"But, I've noticed some USPS employees have an attitude."

This is what always "grinds my gears" as Peter Griffin would say. Of course, mistakes are going to happen where things are delivered to the wrong place. Humans make mistakes. Of course, the USPS won't always be the cheapest carrier. I realize this & can live with that. But, at least be friendly when I come to the Post Office. A little courtesy goes a long way in making everyone happy. I've noticed that there isn't much accountability within the USPS, at least at the locations we deal with.

Ryan

Edited by ViolentGreen on 12/11/2012 11:20:51 MST.

Sure enough my gear, ordered 1 -2 days after I shipped those packages to my two buyers, was delivered this evening! My two buyers are still waiting for their packages shipped back on 12/3 and 12/4. ;-(

Earlier this afternoon / evening I entered an inquiry with the USPS regarding each of the "mailings". Each one was assigned a case number. Each buyer was sent an individual email with the appropriate case number.

I requested a response by email from the USPS regarding each of these inquiries. The USPS web page said to expect a response in 2 - 3 days. Ironically that was the estimated delivery time on the receipt for each one of these packages. ;-?

We'll see what transpires.

Party On,

Newton

Finally there is some movement on one of the packages.

USPS Track and Confirm shows one package being processed through the Sort Facility in Billings MT with an Expected Delivery By: December 6, 2012. ;-?

Unfortunately the package headed to Ohio is still motionless with an Expected Delivery By: December 5, 2012. ;-(

Did my inquiries help to move things along or was this just "normal progress"?

This evening will make two full days since I entered both inquiries. It's just possible that one of the packages will make it to its destination before I get any return information from the USPS regarding my inquiry on these packages.

Party On,

Newton

One of my very patient buyers should get his package today. The USPS tracking shows that one of my mailings has arrived at the Post Office in Billings, MT. It also says in the now updated information for the recipient to expect delivery by today 12/13/12.

The last package still shows Depart USPS Sort Facility on 12/4/12 with an expected delivery date of 12/5/12. ;-?

The saga continues.

Party On,

Newton

Pension plans are about to be ransacked worldwide. Although this blog post is from Scotland, it applies to most Western ecomomies. The comments and previous post make good reading too.
Here

Sorting Complete December 13, 2012, 8:41 am BILLINGS, MT 59102 ;-)

My Ohio mailing is still stuck in neutral! ;-(

A little over 1 day left on the wait for the USPS to report back via email on the inquiries.

We'll see.

Party On,

Newton

Update:

Out for Delivery December 13, 2012, 8:51 am BILLINGS, MT 59102 ;-)

Edited to show delivery:

Delivered December 13, 2012, 2:14 pm BILLINGS, MT 59102 :-) Whew!

Finally!

One more still left to be delivered. ;-?

Edited by Newton on 12/13/2012 18:13:53 MST.

Woohoo! Your package arrived today John. Thanks

Btw, my great restraint and nonchalance about the delay in shipping has little to do with strong personal character and everything to do with my wife...and her rules. According to Section 14.24 part (1)b of HER rules "any stuff the husband purchases for himself between Thanksgiving and Christmas shall be withheld from immediate play and wrapped for Christmas".

So naturally, I would not have become worried about the delay until about the 23rd.

I admit that sometimes the self deprivation becomes too much and I must resort to doing a "what??...those old things?..had em for years".

Of course professional courtesy then requires I overlook one such declaration on her part...as per Section 14.24 part 1(c).

Edited by DavidAdair on 12/13/2012 19:42:44 MST.

David,

I literally laughed out loud when I read your post. So much so that my wife asked what was so funny.

I gave her the short version but kept it "accurate".

I feel quite fortunate because my new quilt is in my gear closet hanging in a large mesh storage bag. The only time that baby will see "under tree time" is when I'm out on the trail. ;-)

For whatever reason I appreciate the patience and reserve that both you and Jeremy have shown through this lesson in shipping USPS Priority Mail.

Enjoy your tarp and thanks again.

Party On,

Newton

I should receive some information regarding the last one of the original 4 packages mailed this evening.

To be fair only 2 of the 4 had any real delays.

The USPS said to expect an answer to my inquiry regarding my Ohio mailing in 2 - 3 days. That wait time should coincide with this evening. I suspect that it is quite possible this being Friday that I might not get a reply until tomorrow. Tomorrow is Saturday and because of this there is probably a good chance that I won't see a reply until after the weekend. ;-?

Hang in there Jeremy, Newton is on the case. Very sorry about the shipping delay.

Party On,

Newton

Jeremy,

Here is an update for you on your package from the USPS.

Processed through USPS Sort Facility
December 15, 2012, 9:16 pm
CINCINNATI, OH 45235
Expected Delivery By:
December 5, 2012
Delivery Confirmation™

I know the expected delivery date is 10 days before today. I just copy and paste them, I don't write them. ;-)

It might just get to you by Monday. ;-?

Party On,

Newton

Earlier this week I ordered something from Amazon, to be delivered Parcel Post (not Priority or Express) to the PO Box. The shipment was assigned a USPS tracking number.

USPS immediately handed the package to FedEx, something called FedEx Smartpost, and both Amazon and USPS tracking stalled.

Playing a hunch, I put the USPS tracking number in the FedEx tracking box. Voila! – step by step tracking until the package reached my local Post Office. Then the FedEx tracking stalled.

USPS & Amazon tracking started working again, except for the big void while FedEx had the package. A little while after USPS tracking restarted, FedEx tracking suddenly had all the local USPS tracking details, and Amazon had everything.

Why do I play the PO Box vs street address games? Thefts from my street mailbox by tweakers.

Lessons:

– Just because you ship something USPS, doesn't mean USPS does the shipping.

– FedEx tracking works with USPS tracking numbers sometimes.

– If you want all the details, sometimes you must work three tracking systems.

Edited by Rex on 12/15/2012 22:27:24 MST.

Jeremy,

Thank you so much for your patience regarding this long drawn out delivery.

The final update:

Delivered
December 17, 2012, 2:41 pm
HAMILTON, OH 45011
Expected Delivery By:
December 5, 2012
Delivery Confirmation™

Don't you just love that even though the USPS shows the package delivered on the 17th it still shows the expected delivery as the 5th?

Thanks again

Party On,

Newton

Edited by Newton on 12/18/2012 11:03:23 MST.

Got a Zimmerbuilt coming Priority Mail.

They accepted it 12/19

expected date 12/21

We'll see what happens.



FWIW I have no need to recieve the pack in any time frame, frankly I could care less as long as it comes. I just noticed it was shipped priority and remembered this thread- figured it'd add something to the discussion.

@Donewar- Is that the river walk where that ship ran into it that one time? Interesting to see big construction down there if that's where I think it is. Construction near Canal?

(it'll prob be Sri Lanka or something...)