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USPS Shenanigans

Started by Sargeguy, May 14, 2013, 06:42:47 PM

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Fabius

Quote:

Depart USPS Sort Facility:  Sep-05-13, 00:00 AM, GRAND RAPIDS, MI 49512

I love those high power LED flashlights from China. I could of picked them up for you in Grand Rapids.

Tom Vaughn
La Porte, Indiana
ATCA Past President
ATCA #765
C*NET 1+ 821-9905

TelePlay

Another but different experience with the USPS.

Had a choice, buy an item from China for $2.29 with free shipping and a 10 day delivery or buy the same item from a US seller for $5.19 and get it by the following weekend long 4th of July weekend.

Went with the US seller. Placed the order on June 25th, 2015. Seller processed the order on June 27th, a Saturday, put it in the USPS First Class mail with Tracking on Monday June 29th (in Staten Island), made it to the NY sorting center on June 29th and left New York on June 30th, a Tuesday. Okay, 3 days to get it by the weekend, plenty of time, right?

Well, it made it to OPA LOCKA, FLORIDA in one day, arrived there on July 1st, the next day. Okay, got thrown into the wrong bin/truck/airplane but the USPS will turn it around and have it here mhy July 3rd, right?

WRONG!

It took 2 days to leave Opa Locka but it's July 12th and I still haven't received the package, 10 days by what, Pony Express? And the USPS tracking site shows an ominous message . . .

"The package is delayed and will not be delivered by the expected delivery date. An updated delivery date will be provided when available. Your item departed our USPS facility in OPA LOCKA, FL 33054 on July 3, 2015 at 6:42 pm. The item is currently in transit to the destination."

Really, it left Opa Locka on July 3rd and is in transit, but to where?

I'm thinking the truck crashed and burned, the truck was hijacked, the truck didn't pass the drug dog inspection, the driver turned right and is now in sea water, the driver turned left and is now on some California beach enjoying the summer, the driver quit and left his trailer unhooked and abandoned at some truck stop to be determined, the driver drove into a black hole, the driver entered the US version of the Bermuda Triangle, the truck was beamed up by an alien craft or the truck ran out of diesel and the driver is still standing by the side of the road with thumb in air looking for a lift to the nearest gas station? I don't know, what did I miss? 

Anyway, contacted the seller who said check with the Post Office (no help there) and wait until July 13th, Monday, and if it doesn't arrive, they will cancel the order and refund money or ship another package. Well, lost my trust. Ordered the exact same item for the same price on Friday, July 10th from a seller in Plainfield, Illinois, about 100 miles from where I live, who promises in their listing delivery by the end of this coming week . . .   

BTW, bought a pack of resistors from China on June 28th and they arrived on July 9th.

Stay tuned . . .


jsowers

John, I'm going with the Bermuda Triangle version of the story. I have another one to add, and funny you should mention Opa Locka, FL. I had something odd happen to the eBay tracking but not the USPS tracking for some phone parts I won last week. The eBay tracking was marked delivered the day after the package shipped from Ft. Lauderdale. Impossible, especially since I'm in NC and not FL.

The seller had no clue about it and it wasn't his fault. The USPS tracking didn't say it was delivered. It just said it was on its way to NC. The package arrived Saturday on time with no problems, but funny it passed through Opa Locka, FL and that's when the weird things started happening. I attached two pics. One is stitched together from two pages with the eBay tracking that's all messed up, and the second one is the USPS tracking that's perfect. I don't know about you, but I'm not going near Opa Locka for fear of the Oompa Loompa.  :)
Jonathan

TelePlay

Quote from: TelePlay on July 12, 2015, 04:01:06 PM
Stay tuned . . .

Well, this morning's tacking update at the USPS site shows movement. The package which the USPS previously said left Opa Locka on July 3rd, has now once again left Opa Locka this morning, July 14th. So, it left but didn't or left and returned or something and is now on the way? Really? I asked the seller to cancel the order and refund the money last night. Wonder if that made a differenc?

LarryInMichigan

I could understand it wanting to spend two weeks in Florida in the winter, but why in July :)?

andre_janew

The only reason I can think of is that it is cheaper to spend two weeks in Florida in the summer than in the winter!

TelePlay

I signed up for email updates on my shipment. Got this about 4 am on the 14th, about 8 hours after I asked the seller to refund.

This shows the package will probably arrive with a very nice tan, having spent 13 wonderful days in sunny Opa Locka.


jsowers

While in sunny Opa Locka, be sure and visit Amelia Earhart Park. I kid you not--see the attached map. There's probably a statue of Wrong Way Corrigan in the town square. Is it any wonder packages go astray there?
Jonathan

HarrySmith

That park has a nice trail for mountain bikers.
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

DavePEI

Quote from: jsowers on July 12, 2015, 10:00:24 PM
John, I'm going with the Bermuda Triangle version of the story. I have another one to add, and funny you should mention Opa Locka, FL. I had something odd happen to the eBay tracking but not the USPS tracking for some phone parts I won last week. The eBay tracking was marked delivered the day after the package shipped from Ft. Lauderdale. Impossible, especially since I'm in NC and not FL.  :)
Lexington, Ky. is where Ebay's shipping center is, run by Pitney Bowes Logistics. The seller sent the package to them for shipping, and that is the source for the scan reaching its destination. Then, it was put back into the mail stream to you....
The Telephone Museum of Prince Edward Island:
http://www.islandregister.com/phones/museum.html
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19and41

#25
Seeing references to Opa Locka oddities, it brought to mind the theoretical musings of one local writer...

http://www.miamiherald.com/living/liv-columns-blogs/dave-barry/article1927736.html

------------------------

Edit: 

A pdf copy of that great article is attached here for posterity, just in case the Miami Herald link ever dies.

If so, it will always be here for anyone needing a chuckle, or two.
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
— Arthur C. Clarke

andre_janew

That's it!  Its that Giant Weirdness  Magnet buried somewhere in South Florida that caused all the trouble!

TelePlay

Hah!  It's at the local distribution point. Gawwwleee, shazzayam!

Should be delivered tomorrow. I wonder what I will get when it arrives? Think I'll get my Geiger Counter ready, and wear exam gloves when handling it, just in case . . .  ;)

19and41

Maybe just a degaussing coil will do the trick.
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
— Arthur C. Clarke

WEBellSystemChristian

Yeea don't say!

Shazam!!
Christian Petterson

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right" -Henry Ford