UPS or USPS

[processhead]

I think either Fedex or UPS refer to this shipping option as “SmartPost”.

[lkrfletcher]

So there is no way to determine if UPS will drop to USPS? I finally got my order, but ridiculously late. If this is a standard practice, then I am not sure I will pay for shipping again. Or order small packages again.

[jonathan324]

lkrfletcher I don’t post much, but I am a customer service representative here at Walton’s (the other Jonathan) and this is a question we get asked often! Selecting Expedited shipping at the time of checkout is the only current way to avoid a hand off to USPS. Expedited does cost a little bit more but provides the assurance that your package will stick with UPS throughout its duration in transit. I know some customers choose this option exclusively as UPS is usually more reliable than the postal service.

[johnsbrewhouse]

jonathan324 I beg to differ with you on the reliability of UPS compared to USPS. I can always rely on UPS being late on the shipment. USPS never has a problem here in the west. UPS is still using old technology in their system, it’s all blackberry based and windows 95. I have talked to a lot of the drivers who end up taking a lot of the flack for poor UPS management decisions. Once the package reaches the local distribution center and is scanned it goes delivery pending no matter who is doing the final mile delivery. Your package could be stuck on a belt or fall off one and still be pending delivery. USPS scans its packages on every move and knows where the are, just like the airports scan luggage. FedEx and UPS use USPS because they deliver packages to home more effectively.

[bocephus]

johnsbrewhouse Maybe to your location but not to mine, I have had USPS packages that either sit for days (per tracking) or are sent from my city to another city then come back. UPS and Fed Ex here is a lot more reliable.

[johnsbrewhouse]

bocephus We have that problem with FedEx and UPS, only had that once with USPS and that was because the zip code scanned wrong

[jonathan324]

johnsbrewhouse I didn’t mean to suggest one option is better than the other but can see how that may have been interpreted at the end of my last post. Based on what I’ve heard through other customers, I think UPS is typically the preferred method of shipment but I’m glad to hear you haven’t experienced many problems with USPS!

[johnsbrewhouse]

jonathan324 No offense taken, opinions are appreciated in the community. UPS hates Walton’s here, my boxes are either late, have holes in them or look like they served time on the front line in Ukraine by the time the get to my door. FedEx is slightly better on the damage front but their on time deliver rate sucks, especially air packages. We just get really good service from USPS on our route, she is even a rural contract carrier and has been for 25 years.

[mrobisr]

Folks it does depend on location to which carrier can be more relied upon and how the package will be handled. In my location my UPS package is not handed off to USPS, but is straight UPS, so there is a difference due to location. Drivers and offices make a huge difference too, our local PO tries very hard to get packages in and out, other offices well not so much. We had our 40 year UPS driver retire and our package service went from stellar to horrible, but has since went back to acceptable, so comparing locations is not really fair nor does it provide any real solutions to the good or bad, it is all local.

[calldoctoday]

Jonathon Austin Margaret just found our order here today. We are extremely satisfied with the order & timing from you, much better than I would ever expect from a back ordered product. Thank YOU guys & your team. FEDEX (they have all been doing it for about 10 years now, except the USPS, they are still a bit better here), well, they did another stop & drop (new driver again) at the front door that is never used instead of using the back delivery door where they can just drive around straight through without backing or anything. So, when she found it the box & everything inside was soaking wet, just short of falling apart (had she not discovered it would have), as they had done the ol stop & drop, no knock, no ring, just stop & drop. I think everything will be fine though & we truly appreciate what you guys do!