[Pumilo]

USPS Express. United States Postal Service. I was their last defender. When I heard people complain about the price of shipping, I would point out that they are the ONLY branch of the government that pays their own way. Every other branch gets their funds from MY taxes. That was a pretty good point in my book. I will never speak in defense of the USPS again.
I have had the big picture shoved down my throat. They are government. They operate with the effiency that big government is famous for. Worse, they simply don't care.
Two days ago, I shipped 4 Vanzolini frogs via USPS Express. Now this service comes with full tracking service. So where are my frogs?? Two days later and they are not in New York. Tracking simply says they were checked into a "General Mills" hub facility. They flat out refuse to tell me where this facility is. I don't know if my frogs are still in Colorado, or if they have made their way to Pakistan!! They are completely and utterly ambivilent. Everyone I talk to says I need to talk to someone else. I have explained that these are live frogs, shipped legally through them, Under their rules 526, 526.1, and 526.6. They absolutely do not care that they will soon die. You can't insure a live animal and therefore it does not affect them, so why bother to call a hub and find out where they are.
Please people, cheap shipping is NOT worth the price you will eventually pay! The USPS loses more shipments, temorarily and permanently, than any other shipping service. These are your frogs! Pay the extra $20 bucks and get it done right.
If I speak any further of my opinion of the USPS, this will get ugly and Kyle will have to ban me!!

 

[chas79]

Been down the same road before. I bought some Cobals from a memeber and the USPS lost the box didn't know where it was it took 2 days to get to me. We both had no hope that they would be alive but they were. Yeah I would never trust them again its worth the little extra on the shipping side.

 

[gary1218]

Well, while there certainly is not much worse than losing a frog shpiment, I don't doubt that any number of people here can come up with the same horror story for ANY shipping company you want to mention.

I have been using USPS Express Mail Overnight shipping for years now with never a loss and never a package that did not get there overnight.

 

[Tony]

Well, while there certainly is not much worse than losing a frog shpiment, I don't doubt that any number of people here can come up with the same horror story for ANY shipping company you want to mention.

I have been using USPS Express Mail Overnight shipping for years now with never a loss and never a package that did not get there overnight.

I have had better luck with USPS than UPS or FedEx as well. Bottom line is that all the shippers suck, every box sent is a roll of the dice.

 

[Woodsman]

Hi Gary,

No, the USPS is different and for one good reason. You bring in you express package and they issue you a tracking number. They'll tell you you can go on-line and track your package. The package doesn't arrive the next day, so you go on-line to the tracking site and find out there is NO tracking! You call the local office and ask where the package is. You give them the tracking number and, surprise (!), they don't know anymore than you do.

I ship with UPS and every person that touches my package scans the package and the tracking number is updated. You actually know in REAL TIME where the package is. Therefore, you can troubleshoot the delivery if there is any problem.

Since I am a party to the current disaster, I won't continue with the thoughts in my head or, like Doug, I'm sure I will be banned!

Take care, Richard.

Well, while there certainly is not much worse than losing a frog shpiment, I don't doubt that any number of people here can come up with the same horror story for ANY shipping company you want to mention.

I have been using USPS Express Mail Overnight shipping for years now with never a loss and never a package that did not get there overnight.

 

[Redhead87xc]

I have had the worst experiences with Fed Ex and UPS. I am convinced that UPS just doesn't care what label of care you put on the outside of the package. The throw them around like it's no big deal. I have not had any bad experiences with USPS yet (fingers crossed). Sorry to the OP that you have had such a bad experience with them.

 

[Pumilo]

I shipped well over 200 shipments of live corals through FedEx before I had my first lost package. My next lost package through Fedex was, again, about 150 or so shipments down the line.
About 3 weeks ago, I sent 19 shipments of live bugs through USPS priority mail. Out of nineteen, 3 did not make it within there promised time and one took 5 days to arrive!
That is way worse service than Fedex ever provided me. Besides the fact, that as Richard said, even with a "lost" package, Fedex could at least tell me what state is was in or what flight is was on. USPS has absolutely NO idea if this is still in Colorado, or if it has somehow made it's way to China!! And they only thing they care about is if they are somehow responsible. They just keep quoting rules and regulations.
You want to know about their Express Mail overnight GUARANTEE?? It states that that they have up to 3 DAYS!! 3 DAYS!! How does 24 equal 72?? What freaky kind of math are they using?
I can't believe that anyone is actually defending them taking 3 days as being good service.

 

[Redhead87xc]

Chill out man, I was just telling you my experience. We have all had different experiences. I am sorry that you have had such a bad one. I undertand your frustration and yes their express mail regulation of 3 days is weird. I wasn't trying to say that you were wrong. I was simply stating that my experience with UPS is similar to your experience has been with USPS. Hope your Vanzos are eventually found and live and well. Fingers crossed for you.

I shipped well over 200 shipments of live corals through FedEx before I had my first lost package. My next lost package through Fedex was, again, about 150 or so shipments down the line.
About 3 weeks ago, I sent 19 shipments of live bugs through USPS priority mail. Out of nineteen, 3 did not make it within there promised time and one took 5 days to arrive!
That is way worse service than Fedex ever provided me. Besides the fact, that as Richard said, even with a "lost" package, Fedex could at least tell me what state is was in or what flight is was on. USPS has absolutely NO idea if this is still in Colorado, or if it has somehow made it's way to China!! And they only thing they care about is if they are somehow responsible. They just keep quoting rules and regulations.
You want to know about their Express Mail overnight GUARANTEE?? It states that that they have up to 3 DAYS!! 3 DAYS!! How does 24 equal 72?? What freaky kind of math are they using?
I can't believe that anyone is actually defending them taking 3 days as being good service.

 

[tim13]

If it makes you feel better doug, I recently had 8 Tricolors overnight shipped to me. I checked online and it said they were delivered. Yet they were not on my porch and I had been waiting all day. Long story short, someone on the next street up got my Tricolors. Fedex was good in that they sent someone out to try and find my package. I ended up getting my frogs late that afternoon on what was a guaranteed arrival by 10am. Frogs are fine though. I think the lesson is to overpackage all frogs. Ship overnight, be prepared for 2 or more days.

 

[Pumilo]

I guess we're going to get to see what 4 phase 22 gel packs will do for us in a real world, worst case scenerio, shipment.

 

[Pumilo]

If it makes you feel better doug, I recently had 8 Tricolors overnight shipped to me. I checked online and it said they were delivered. Yet they were not on my porch and I had been waiting all day. Long story short, someone on the next street up got my Tricolors. Fedex was good in that they sent someone out to try and find my package. I ended up getting my frogs late that afternoon on what was a guaranteed arrival by 10am. Frogs are fine though. I think the lesson is to overpackage all frogs. Ship overnight, be prepared for 2 or more days.

Yeah Tim, I was fully prepared for 2 days. I've never tried for 3. All you can do is pack the best you can. According to post office in New York, they have already missed the window of arrival for today so it is now looking like at least 3 days.

 

[evolvstll]

I have had the worst experiences with Fed Ex and UPS. I am convinced that UPS just doesn't care what label of care you put on the outside of the package. The throw them around like it's no big deal. I have not had any bad experiences with USPS yet (fingers crossed). Sorry to the OP that you have had such a bad experience with them.

Have you every thought about the employees that actually handle our boxes? Has anyone here ever been employed loading trucks for UPS? They are the lowest paid in the company and do the most tedious manual labor. I know people that have done the midnight shift and such. They do not pay any attention to what is on the box. They get put in all sorts of directions up/down etc, and they are not at all gentle. See the movie with Jim Carrey in Ace Ventura at the start of the movie and how he handles the box. That is not far from the truth in many cases to how the boxes get handled when loaded / unloaded. Its a wonder most of us do not have more horror stories.

 

[Redhead87xc]

Have you every thought about the employees that actually handle our boxes? Has anyone here ever been employed loading trucks for UPS? They are the lowest paid in the company and do the most tedious manual labor. I know people that have done the midnight shift and such. They do not pay any attention to what is on the box. They get put in all sorts of directions up/down etc, and they are not at all gentle. See the movie with Jim Carrey in Ace Ventura at the start of the movie and how he handles the box. That is not far from the truth in many cases to how the boxes get handled when loaded / unloaded. Its a wonder most of us do not have more horror stories.

That's a pretty funny scene in Ace Ventura. My girlfriends brother works for UPS and does the graveyard shift. He has worked there for about 6-7 years and has told me that they don't really care about the packages. It kind of pisses me off hearing that. But yes, they are the lowest paid in the company and most of his freinds that also work for the company are low lifes who plain and simply don't care. I guess they aren't held accountable at all. Sucks to know that some frogs are going on a roller coaster ride when they arrive at these docks.

 

[PantMan]

So far all of my transactions have been local but the past few months I've been telling myself that I need to get over the fear of shipping. This post isn't helping guys, thanks.

 

[tim13]

What we need in this hobby is to establish some sort of underground railroad system for moving our frogs around.

 

[MeiKVR6]

X2 with USPS. I've had bad experiences with Fed-Ex, UPS, DHL, and USPS, tho so no matter what we're screwed. The only thing we can do is pack the hell out of the boxes & hope for the best... Or get in the car and start driving.

In my experience, I've had the best luck with Fed-Ex. Maybe "best luck" isn't the right phrase... Maybe "least bad luck" works better.

 

[SMenigoz]

USPS Express. United States Postal Service. I was their last defender.
Worse, they simply don't care.

I feel your pain and have similar stories to tell.
When I ship, I offer two options: FedEx or USPS Overnight. When the customer complains about the excessive charge for FedEx, I simply point out what a dead frog arriving (eventually) is worth? I refuse to offer a live arrival guarantee with USPS for the reasons already stated. At least with FedEx, if the package doesn't arrive as expected, I can tell where it last was scanned. However, that has not yet occurred [knock on wood].
I will say that my Postmaster (USPS) went above and beyond about 15 years ago when a gecko was to be held at the Post Office for my pickup. It didn't. He made a bunch of phone calls, found the package at another PO, went to pick it up and drove it to my house. THAT is good service, despite the fact that the package didn't arrive where it was supposed to.
Peace of mind has value...for some of us.
Scott

 

[earthfrog]

I never ship frogs USPS--not after hearing stories like these.

One perk of FedEx is, if your pkg arrives later than Priority Overnight (that is, Afternoon instead), you get a full refund on shipping...and it is easy to do.

This happens pretty commonly w/FedEx so prepare to have your frogs arrive at 3 or 4 PM at the destination instead of the before noon-time you purchased.

 

[itsott]

I have been down this road three times in the past few months.

 

[dmartin72]

My experience with working (as an employee - driver and a customer) with both UPS and FEDEX is about the same. The tracking system is definitely better compared to USPS. FEDEX doesn't miss their deadlines too ofter, but it happens and when it does, it's usually because of inclement weather and the "Guarantee" is void in those situations. When I worked at UPS, the pay was lower and the volume for a loader was EXTREME. You barely have time to load them, let alone look at arrows and such. I always have my packages held at location so that I can pick them up first thing in the morning.

I'm really hoping to hear some good news about the phase 22's and your packing job saving the day!

David

I never ship frogs USPS--not after hearing stories like these.

One perk of FedEx is, if your pkg arrives later than Priority Overnight (that is, Afternoon instead), you get a full refund on shipping...and it is easy to do.

This happens pretty commonly w/FedEx so prepare to have your frogs arrive at 3 or 4 PM at the destination instead of the before noon-time you purchased.