United States Postal Service ripoff Beware of Problems with Express Mail El Cajon California
In the past, I have had confidence in the United States Postal service because their Express Mail and Priority Mail services seemed reliable and were much cheaper that competing services like FedEx or UPS. However, I've had problems recently with timely delivery of 3 different Express Mail packages.
The last 3 times that I have sent Express Mail letters, they didn't arrive overnight. They arrived in 2-5 days instead. In some cases, the carriers did not pay attention to instructions such as no weekend delivery or signature waiver. In all 3 cases, I either handed the items to a postal carrier or delivered them to an Express Mail box before the last pickup.
Here is the Express Mail "guarantee" from the USPS web site:
"Express Mail items need to be mailed by scheduled acceptance time. Postage fully refunded upon application if delivery is not made or attempted by the specified time period, depending on the destination. Some restrictions apply, please check with your Post Office for details."
The main post office in my area (El Cajon, California) apparently has a 4:00 p.m. deadline to receive Express Mail shipments so they can process the items for a 6:00 p.m. flight from the San Diego airport. Items received after 4:00 p.m. might be process as if they were received for mail the next day.
The problem is that they do not make information clear on their web site or at the colletion locations. If I put something in a USPS mail box before a last pickup, I would expect it to be handled the way the other carriers work. But handing something to the postal carrier or putting in the mail box likely means that it the package will NOT make it to the main office for their 4:00 p.m. deadline.
I haven't applied for a refund, but I will do so soon and see what happens.
Carl
El Cajon, California
U.S.A.
7 Updates & Rebuttals
Carl
El Cajon,California,
U.S.A.
It pays to shop & compare
#8Author of original report
Fri, March 18, 2005
I decided to to a little comparison. About half a block from my office, there are a number of colletion boxes for overnight delivery services: USPS Express Mail, FedEx, UPS, California Overnight and DHL. In order to compare apples to apples, I use the example of sending an 8 ounce envelope from my law office in El Cajon, California (San Diego County) to a business address in Sacramento. This is something I commonly do to file documents in Sacramento for corporate client. I also tried to select the most economical overnight service available from each carrier. With the exception of California Overnight, each carrier offered a "supersaver" package (i.e. next business day by 3:00 p.m.) Here are the results:
FedEx: $17.27 - last pick up time of the day is 4:45 p.m.
UPS: $17.79 - last pick up time of the day is 5:15 p.m.
DHL: $16.42 - last pick up time of the day is 4:45 p.m.
California Overnight: $10.27 - last pick up time is 5:30 p.m.
Where does express mail fit in this? You can send an Express Mail flat rate envelope for $13.65 and the last pickup time is 5:00 p.m. But the catch is that your letter won't arrive overnight. Why? Because you would had to take your package to the El Cajon post office 4 miles away by 4:00 p.m.
So the winner is California Overnight for two reasons: (1) price; and (2) their price is for service by 10:30 a.m. It pays to shop and compare.
Cory
San Antonio,Texas,
U.S.A.
USPS has to hire FedEx to get their packages there on time.
#8Consumer Suggestion
Fri, March 11, 2005
If you want your package to arrive at your customer's address with the item inside, without the post office slicing it open, stealing the item out of it and then resealing it. Use FedEx or UPS or some other regional carrier. Interesting that the USPS has to hire FedEx to get their packages there on time. Doesn't surprise me. Good luck on the refund. I've been fighting with them over the insured package since November 04. To avoid this type of ripoff in the future, use someone else.
Carl
El Cajon,California,
U.S.A.
The problems continue
#8Author of original report
Thu, March 10, 2005
I have learned that you simply cannot rely on your postal carrier or leaving an Express Mail package in a drop box to get your "overnight" package or letter to its destination on time.
In the most recent incident, I dropped off a package at an Express Mail box at 9:15 a.m., before the 9:30 a.m. morning pickup. It wasn't scanned in until 9:30 p.m., which means it didn't make it on the plain and will not arrive on time.
If you want your overnight package to arrive overnight, don't use Express Mail unless you have the time to physically take it to the post office. Otherwise, use FedEx, UPS or a regional carrier.
Carl
El Cajon,California,
U.S.A.
The problems continue
#8Author of original report
Thu, March 10, 2005
I have learned that you simply cannot rely on your postal carrier or leaving an Express Mail package in a drop box to get your "overnight" package or letter to its destination on time.
In the most recent incident, I dropped off a package at an Express Mail box at 9:15 a.m., before the 9:30 a.m. morning pickup. It wasn't scanned in until 9:30 p.m., which means it didn't make it on the plain and will not arrive on time.
If you want your overnight package to arrive overnight, don't use Express Mail unless you have the time to physically take it to the post office. Otherwise, use FedEx, UPS or a regional carrier.
Carl
El Cajon,California,
U.S.A.
The problems continue
#8Author of original report
Thu, March 10, 2005
I have learned that you simply cannot rely on your postal carrier or leaving an Express Mail package in a drop box to get your "overnight" package or letter to its destination on time.
In the most recent incident, I dropped off a package at an Express Mail box at 9:15 a.m., before the 9:30 a.m. morning pickup. It wasn't scanned in until 9:30 p.m., which means it didn't make it on the plain and will not arrive on time.
If you want your overnight package to arrive overnight, don't use Express Mail unless you have the time to physically take it to the post office. Otherwise, use FedEx, UPS or a regional carrier.
Carl
El Cajon,California,
U.S.A.
The problems continue
#8Author of original report
Thu, March 10, 2005
I have learned that you simply cannot rely on your postal carrier or leaving an Express Mail package in a drop box to get your "overnight" package or letter to its destination on time.
In the most recent incident, I dropped off a package at an Express Mail box at 9:15 a.m., before the 9:30 a.m. morning pickup. It wasn't scanned in until 9:30 p.m., which means it didn't make it on the plain and will not arrive on time.
If you want your overnight package to arrive overnight, don't use Express Mail unless you have the time to physically take it to the post office. Otherwise, use FedEx, UPS or a regional carrier.
Carl
El Cajon,California,
U.S.A.
I got a partial refund
#8Author of original report
Wed, September 15, 2004
I was able to get a partial refund on my 3 Express Mail packages. The problem stems the partnership the US Postal Service has with FedEx. In the past, USPS had it's own air fleet for Express Mail. Now their stuff is transported by FedEx and FedEx puts some requirements on Express Mail that make it more like a two-day service.
If I put something in a FedEx or UPS box by 5:00 p.m., I know will likely get decent service. With USPS, the package needs to be at the Post Office by 4:00 p.m. to make the 6:00 p.m. FedEx deadline. The further the post office is away from the airport, the earlier you need to get your package in and you cannot rely on the fact that you may have gotten your package in before the last pickup.
Express Mail is cheaper, but you cannot rely on giving the package to your postal carrier to get timely service.