Rant on shipping

[Oaktree]

I'm another who refuses to pay for Prime. Or Sam's Club, or...
I had Prime for a while and really didn't use it much. I also don't do business with places which require "Autopay".

By "autopay" do you mean things like subscriptions where you need to give them a CC# that they charge monthly? I don't like that either, the only one I have is Sirius for my wife's car. If it was me I'd get rid of it, but she won't let me. :laughing:

The nearest Sam's club is a 2+ hour drive from me, don't even know where there is a Cosco...have never seen one. There is a regional warehouse club in NE called BJ's...even then it's still an hour and a half away. Don't really have much need for gallon jars of ketchup, can't see how I'd ever save the membership fee by buying there.
Likewise Prime. I might make 2 or 3 Amazon purchases a year...easy enough to hold off until I get enough for free shipping. Yeah, their "free" shipping is excruciatingly slow, but if you need something yesterday doesn't make sense to order it online.

Agreed. Amazon bargains are becoming few and far between but usually still cheaper than I can buy locally (if even available).

Yeah, but I go there more for stuff that can't be found locally, which is pretty much everything.

Of all of the stores which have gone under, I miss Sears the most.

Yeah, me too. Or at least the Sears that existed up until the early 90s or so.
You'd have thought that the company that all but invented mail order would have been at the forefront of online merchandising, but they missed that boat big time.

 

[rekees4300]

The nearest Sam's club is a 2+ hour drive from me

Sam(e) for me. We upgraded Sam's membership to Plus which has free shipping. IMO their shipping has become better/faster than Amazon Prime. Couldn't believe it when we started getting Sam's deliveries on Sundays via Fedex.

 

[bigtiller]

Ebay - win some, lose some.

With the recordbreaking fires here, the downwind smoke has been unbearably bad at my home over in the valley. And for a single day out at the ranch. Fearing this might be the new normal, I bought another used Oreck electrostatic air purifier off Ebay. These really work, smoke particles stick to the plates and after running a day you can't smell smoke in the indoor air.

'Guaranteed delivery Wednesday', it arrived Thursday. Ok, whatever. But then I started it up and the fan clanks and clunks, bad bearings or something. The one I already had runs like a clock. The noise in this one isn't right. I asked the vendor for return at his expense, which is Ebay's remedy for 'not as described'. Surprisingly he immediately reversed my payment and told me to dispose of it however I wish. Great service!

(I suspect he paid $5 for it at Goodwill so he isn't out very much).

In summary, just another weird Ebay experience.

Luckily the smoke hasn't gone back up to last week's levels but this is still early fire season, anything is possible. Be Prepared! I ordered another one.

I hope you get some rain out there to quench the fires. Your smoke makes it to Iowa occasionally and makes for some beautiful sunsets but it sure does stink.

 

[California]

I hope you get some rain out there to quench the fires. Your smoke makes it to Iowa occasionally and makes for some beautiful sunsets but it sure does stink.

Unfortunately we're still in the part of the year when it gets increasingly dry and more fire-prone. Everything is tinder by now.

Maybe in another month there will be enough precipitation to quench fires. But presently, it just the opposite - fire potential increasing daily. I hope we don't get another dry lightening storm like last week that started over a thousand fires with several now merged into near-largest in history.

It's going to be a long hot summer for a while yet. This chart shows rainfall doesn't reach an inch in a month, before October.

 

[Diggin It]

This Bay Guy took a neg a while back that knocked him down to 94%. That usually makes people ignore them, but I read further when I see it. Just an unhappy knothead and nothing really bad about the seller. It was a $10 item, so no real risk. Bought it about 3 or 4 AM this morning.

Aug 29, 2020 9:05am Tracking number provided

Aug 29, 2020 11:05am SHIPPING LBL CREATED USPS AWAITS ITEM HAMPSHIRE, IL 60140

Aug 29, 2020 11:25am USPS IN POSSESSION OF ITEM HAMPSHIRE, IL 60140

Aug 29, 2020 12:03pm DEPART POST OFFICE HAMPSHIRE, IL 60140

Less than 8 hours after I paid, on a Saturday, it's already left the PO.

 

[Jstpssng]

^^^^^
On the rare occasion that I buy there I do the same. Somebody with 5 thousand sales is bound to have an unhappy customer once in a while. I actually get more nervous when they have none; too many tales of people getting bribed to change negative reviews.

I've had cause to complain to PayPal about one vendor; I placed an order, they took my money, then I never heard from them. I tried to contact them but no reply. After a couple of weeks I filed a complaint with PayPal which prompted a reply from the vendor and it wasn't long before they shipped. I got the impression they're a small company and probably got backlogged. I can be pretty patient if I know what's going on but if you take my money I want something in return, or at least some idea of when it will ship.

By "autopay" do you mean things like subscriptions where you need to give them a CC# that they charge monthly? I don't like that either, the only one I have is Sirius for my wife's car. If it was me I'd get rid of it, but she won't let me. :laughing:

The nearest Sam's club is a 2+ hour drive from me, don't even know where there is a Cosco...have never seen one. There is a regional warehouse club in NE called BJ's...even then it's still an hour and a half away. Don't really have much need for gallon jars of ketchup, can't see how I'd ever save the membership fee by buying there.
Likewise Prime. I might make 2 or 3 Amazon purchases a year...easy enough to hold off until I get enough for free shipping. Yeah, their "free" shipping is excruciatingly slow, but if you need something yesterday doesn't make sense to order it online.



Yeah, but I go there more for stuff that can't be found locally, which is pretty much everything.



Yeah, me too. Or at least the Sears that existed up until the early 90s or so.
You'd have thought that the company that all but invented mail order would have been at the forefront of online merchandising, but they missed that boat big time.

I have Sirius, but only because up here my only other choices are talk radio, NPR, or listening to my own singing. Even that last gets old after a while. :laughing:

I pay for a year in advance, and they give me plenty of notice before renewal time. It costs about 77 $/yr, but the only other subscription I pay for is my phone/internet... and that's getting so pricy I'm looking at alternatives.

 

[Frankenkubota]

Me too! But when T-Mobile offered free Prime with five MetroPCS lines, total $150/month flat rate, I couldn't pass that up.

I still comparison shop on Ebay and often choose that alternative. But in addition to price the Ebay vendor needs to have excellent feedback and nothing indicating slow drop-shipping.

Amazon has a far better return policy, when that is relevant.

Amazon has been stone walling me for a measly $200 on a legitimate return for 4 months. Made calls, filled out requisite forms, sent photos, begged the 3rd party vendor. I really don稚 think it痴 malicious. I believe that once a situation falls thru the cracks, you are doomed. All their little AI and forms and e mails and bit wienies click click clicking does nothing except send the problem to someone else. All their automated solutions are meaningless once you fall in the between the cracks. Sometimes it actually takes a human being with the right attitude, someone who takes a personal interest in solving your problem. Or the Easter bunny.

I know they don稚 care but, because I知 building a house etc and I知 spending loys of money every day and not 1 cent goes to amazon. Do you suppose Bezos is losing sleep?

This will not MAGA

Gimme a break

 

[Diggin It]

This Bay Guy took a neg a while back that knocked him down to 94%. That usually makes people ignore them, but I read further when I see it. Just an unhappy knothead and nothing really bad about the seller. It was a $10 item, so no real risk. Bought it about 3 or 4 AM this morning.

Aug 29, 2020 9:05am Tracking number provided

Aug 29, 2020 11:05am SHIPPING LBL CREATED USPS AWAITS ITEM HAMPSHIRE, IL 60140

Aug 29, 2020 11:25am USPS IN POSSESSION OF ITEM HAMPSHIRE, IL 60140

Aug 29, 2020 12:03pm DEPART POST OFFICE HAMPSHIRE, IL 60140

Less than 8 hours after I paid, on a Saturday, it's already left the PO.

This showed a scheduled delivery date of Thursday the 3rd. At 7:30 this morning, I got an email (Informed Delivery) that it was due to arrive Wednesday the 2nd. At 10:30 this morning, it was delivered. Traveled 500 miles in about 48 hours, 24 of which was Sunday.

Apparently USPS service is faster than their computer estimates.



Also got a FedEx delivery at 9:30 Sunday morning that was shipped Wednesday. That one traveled roughly the same distance but took two days longer.

 

[Ford850]

Another example of good USPS service... I had an order shipped Monday evening from RI. Estimated delivery was Saturday, then changed almost immediately to Friday. It's now out for delivery today, Thursday morning!

 

[Doofy]

Ordered a new ceiling fan from Amazon for the garage on Monday evening, shipped Tuesday morning and arrived Wednesday morning. Amazon and USPS at its best.

 

[dragoneggs]

I order online constantly now more than ever. Until recently the 'slow downs' haven't affected my expected delivery dates until last and this week. I have had three deliveries slide both UPS and FEDEX for a day or two. And the packages coming across country were already close by.

I was mailing off some stuff yesterday at my local UPS store and happened to be there while the UPS trucks were there loading up. Normally, there is only one truck but this time two and a driver came into the store and told the manager that they were full and couldn't take one very large box. I guess the package traffic must be at all time high or maybe at least like xmas time?

 

[California]

... I guess the package traffic must be at all time high or maybe at least like xmas time?

Back in post #161 I quoted a UPS driver who explained some details of the extreme overload.

Here's more of that driver's rant:

I can tell you from experience that we are currently seeing volume in the hub that has never been seen before. Its worse than any Christmas peak season I've ever worked.

We're lucky anything arrives. Today I received a package mailed yesterday in SF. I'm 60 miles north of there. Excellent service.

 

[dragoneggs]

Back in post #161 I quoted a UPS driver who explained some details of the extreme overload.

Here's more of that driver's rant:





We're lucky anything arrives. Today I received a package mailed yesterday in SF. I'm 60 miles north of there. Excellent service.

I'm not necessarily complaining and I am finally recognizing the strain on the shipping services as people are staying close to home and buying record amounts on line especially for non-essential items.

I'm involved with Amazon Prime Air business wise, and I know they are itching to start drone deliveries and they are closer than most understand.

Apologies for cut and paste here vs. the link but it is lifted from a subscription service. I highlighted in red a couple of facts that should shed light on where things are going:


By Tony Lystra Tech Editor, Puget Sound Business Journal
Sep 1, 2020, 10:36am EDT
Amazon met a major milestone in its drone delivery program Monday as the Federal Aviation Administration granted the company approval to deliver packages using its drones.

The company said it will begin testing the delivery method within U.S. borders but didn稚 say when customers would begin receiving packages by drone, according to media reports.

Amazon has been determined to create efficiencies and cost reductions in what it refers to the 斗ast mile of its delivery system as it works to slash the time it takes to receive a package to one day or less.

Even as Amazon and other e-commerce companies have made years worth of gains in retail market share during the Covid pandemic, offering customers the instant delivery remains a major hurdle.

While Amazon has been able to automate many procedures within its warehouses, side-stepping the expensive and time-consuming process of employing human delivery drivers has remained elusive.

The company has been testing wheeled robots known as Scouts in Snohomish County, Irvine, California, and more recently Atlanta and Franklin, Tennessee. It has also considered establishing fulfillment centers inside malls abandoned by department stores to take advantage of easy access to highways and neighborhoods home to key demographics.

Amazon has invested heavily in automated driving technology, including the acquisition earlier this year of Zoox, which aims to bring an automated ride hailing service to the world痴 roads. Analysts suspect Amazon has other uses for Zoox痴 technology, including automated long-haul trucking and last-mile delivery.

Last year, Amazon unveiled a new drone design for delivering packages by air. At the time, the company said its new electric drones can fly as far as 15 miles to deliver packages under five pounds in less than 30 minutes.

The aircraft can take off vertically like a helicopter, but its rotors turn perpendicular to the ground to propel it along like an airplane.

The drones use artificial intelligence 鍍o react to the unexpected, Amazon said in a blog post. 的f our drone痴 flight environment changes, or the drone痴 mission commands it to come into contact with an object that wasn稚 there previously it will refuse to do so.

At re: MARS 2019, Amazon痴 annual AI event that includes discussions on automation, space, robotics and machine learning, Jeff Wilke, Amazon's CEO Worldwide Consumer, said packages of under five pounds represent 75% to 90% of Amazon痴 deliveries.

Wilke, who has announced he will leave Amazon early next year, said the company痴 latest drones use a complex system to keep a safe distance from other aircraft. The drones, Wilke said, also use visual, thermal and ultrasonic censors to spot objects as small as a clothesline in a backyard. Wilke said the drones can also sense when a customer, who gets and alert that the drone is approaching, is in the landing zone. The drone will hover and wait to land until the customer is clear of the area.

Amazon announced its drone program in 2013 and began testing the devices in England in 2016. Amazon has also conducted test drone flights in Australia, Canada and other locations abroad.

 

[California]

The drones will land? This going to be interesting. I wonder if they have a dbs listing which customers have dogs.

They could dive-bomb the packages, to maintain the 'Amazon experience'. Same as the drivers who toss their delivery the last 20 ft.

I wonder how the drones will stand up to PO'd neighbors with shotguns.

I'm not usually someone to say 'this will never work'. But I do think this is going to get real interesting.

 

[Diggin It]

Looks like we're gonna need more trained Eagles ... https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/429075-eagle-one-splash-drone-splash.html

 

[Alan W.]

Ordered from Northern Tool. Fedex tracking said it would be here Tues. Everyday they would change the due date to one day later. Supposedly its on the truck for delivery today. It was painful watching the slow progress from NC to KY.
UPS and USPS definitely move packages faster, at least in my case.

 

[Frankenkubota]

The drones will land? This going to be interesting. I wonder if they have a dbs listing which customers have dogs.

They could dive-bomb the packages, to maintain the 'Amazon experience'. Same as the drivers who toss their delivery the last 20 ft.

I wonder how the drones will stand up to PO'd neighbors with shotguns.

I'm not usually someone to say 'this will never work'. But I do think this is going to get real interesting.

I read, years ago, some old lady shot down a drone. Apparently some celebrity lived next door and people were flying over her land to spy?

Not sure of details but, who cares. I can稚 think of anything I壇 rather do than shoot drones. Other people痴 drones.

I just tried to upload a marketing video of a drone presentation made to the military. I was in that business and an old buddy sent it to me. It?s fake but done well, and probably 5 years old so old tech. Stone Age.

It?s a marketing presentation typically given to generals, congressman and other muckymucks. They love them, like Hollywood sometimes. Lots and lots and lots of good eatin and drinking too!

I wish I could upload it. Basically huge LAN, facial recognition, micro charge of explosive, swarms, AI so they don?t kill the wrong person...maybe?

here heee. ROBOTS SCARE THE **** OUT OF ME

 

[Diggin It]

Ordered a widget shipped to the local HD store. Planned to go anyways and had a return, so it seemed like a decent idea. Ordered Sunday. Shipping label created Monday morning, delivery scheduled next Tuesday the 8th. Package sat until Tuesday evening. In transit for two days until the next scan Thursday overnight. More Scans Friday and then at the local UPS terminal early this morning. Then nothing. Usually once a package gets there, it shows out for delivery in a few hours, even on Saturday, but this is still showing Tuesday the 8th.

Just happened to have the non-public phone number for the local UPS terminal due to a problem I had a couple of years back. Dropped a dime on 'em to see if they deliver to stores on Saturday like they do homes. Nope. Not this package. It's coded Ground and won't move until Tuesday. So, I ask if I can come and get it. Nope. Package is coded Ground and they can't even scan it out early. It's in a truck trailer that the clerk can see, but they have no access to the trailer until Tuesday. Do trailers really have time locks on them?

 

[Jstpssng]

I started to order a book last night, then balked when they listed the expected delivery next month sometime. It did get me thinking though... not so long ago I was commenting on how our need to get mail orders overnight (preferably free) was putting a lot of pressure on the shipping industry to cut corners so they can deliver on time.

 

[ultrarunner]

Deliveries for the Hospital have never been so screwed up...

Critical medical supplies unless First Out... which is the most expensive... OK... Ground is a crap shoot.

We don't send out a lot but FedEx charges on incoming ,packages 10k +/- month.

UPS had been a bright spot of late but we have a great driver as us out FedEx First Out Express...

You know they are dedicated when they give you their personal cell number...

Often they will call 5 minutes out and I am curbside with a table... less than a minute on then they are on their way... getting cargo off their truck helps them a lot... driving around attempting deliveries does not...