UPS Basic????

Last month, I ordered several items from Paul Frederick and they were shipped via UPS. What was odd was that some of the packages were delivered by the UPS driver, and then the other items, which were in the d^&* truck, were then delivered to the local post office who then delivered the items the next day.

I was confused as to how multiple packages from the same company were shipped via UPS and that some of them appeared from UPS while others went to the post office. I called UPS to ask what, "tendered to my local post office" meant and why the driver would drive to my house, drop off one of the five packages, and then drove to the post office and dropped the other four off for the USPS to deliver. The rep on the phone said, "oh that is our UPS basic program." :blink: I was like, "what? That makes no sense?" I figured it was just some odd exception to the norm.

Well, maybe not. I ordered a new PFD last Friday from LL Bean. LL Bean has always done UPS standard for me, and they have been great. LL Bean's service is A-1. Bean was running a big sale last weekend and as I figured they were really slow to get the item shipped. They got it out Tuesday night via UPS and I was when I saw that it was in Rutland yesterday morning I figured it was Bean's, "underpromise, overdeliver" mentality because they said it would be at my house, not far from Rutland, today. Well....I was wrong. Got home last night and it was not there. Checked this morning and got the same UPS message on the tracking report, "tendered to local post office." So someone drove it to my post office, two miles from the house, and left it there yesterday at noon rather than dropping it off at my house. I'm sorry, but is this assinine?

I did some research. Looks like this is a controversial service: http://www.mindfully.org/Industry/2003/UPS-Through-USPS6nov03.htm

Controversial because UPS is using a loophole in the USPS pricing to get them to do the legwork and it is pissing various unions off. It is controversial because retailers are getting a deal on shipping and not passing the savings on by charging less for shipping.

Anyone else experienced problems? I wrote to LL Bean saying that I did not think this was up to their usual standards. I understand that times are tough and it saves money, but really, this seems dumb.

When I think about the logistics to move as many packages as they do around the country I'm not at all surprised when they do some silly things. I'm sometimes amazed that they get it right as often as they do. As far as retailers taking advantage of cheaper shipping methods goes I don't blame them at all. I'd rather they did that instead of raising prices. If it takes an extra day to get something then so be it, it's not usually any skin off of my back. When it's something that I need by a certain date then I either pay for a service that will guarantee I get it by then, or buy locally.

If they don't deliver on time after I paid for expedited service then I start to get upset, otherwise it's just amusing to me to watch the package get routed right by my house and then sit in a facility for a day or so before delivering.

DHL does the same thing, but for a much larger proprtion of their packages. It makes a certain amount of sense in some circumstances.

Hmmm... I've gone with UPS Basic for numerous shipments from Tramdock/SAC because it actually gets here faster than UPS Ground, ironically. Never had USPS do the delivery--always came from UPS. Weird.

Sorry you're having all these problems!

Kudos to LL Bean for getting back to me. They said that they were sorry to hear the concerns, but that they had been using UPS basic for me for quite some time :blink: which is odd considering that this is the only time that the package went to the post office for delivery. They were nice enough to tell me, "hey, if you order online I cannot indicate that you want UPS standard, but if you call and order, let the salesperson know and they will do it for you." That's why I like LL Bean.

As to the other comments, yes it makes some sense from a system perspective and yes it saves cost. But if I am paying a lot for the shipping I'd expect them not to cut corners on their end. All in all, meh.... :wink:

The shipping thing is interesting- several studies were done on eBay and Amazon shoppers, and it shows that people generally don't factor the cost of shipping into the purchase price. That's why so many thing sell for what seems realyl cheap, with $40 in shipping charges. Sneaky, that.

Interesting, when I worked at Bean at the OFC(Order Fullfilment Center), 2001-2005, 90% of the orders were shipped out via FedX.

thetrailboss said:

They said that they were sorry to hear the concerns, but that they had been using UPS basic for me for quite some time :blink: which is odd considering that this is the only time that the package went to the post office for delivery.

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It might be that UPS has changed the way they handle the shipping. I don't think that has happened to me yet, but I do think it's weird that when a package gets to the distribution facility and then just sits there for a couple days before going out for delivery.

wa-loaf said:

It might be that UPS has changed the way they handle the shipping. I don't think that has happened to me yet, but I do think it's weird that when a package gets to the distribution facility and then just sits there for a couple days before going out for delivery.

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I think that may be what is happening.

I once had a tracking report indicating that the delay was due to a "train derailment." I never thought I would see it that specific :lol:

Sitting in the warehouse: I understand that. But putting five boxes for me from the same shipper on one truck, driving to my house and leaving one, and then driving to the post office and leaving the other four for them to deliver makes no sense at all! Nor does driving it to my town, leaving it at the post office, and driving back to the distribution plant. But whatever.......

thetrailboss said:

... leaving the other four for them to deliver makes no sense at all!

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Whoever said that the world proceeded along rational lines? If it did, there would be no inefficiencies and, therefore, no opportunity to turn a buck.

thetrailboss said:

I once had a tracking report indicating that the delay was due to a "train derailment." I never thought I would see it that specific :lol:

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I've gotten that. I think it might be more common than we think.

bvibert said:

When I think about the logistics to move as many packages as they do around the country I'm not at all surprised when they do some silly things. I'm sometimes amazed that they get it right as often as they do. As far as retailers taking advantage of cheaper shipping methods goes I don't blame them at all. I'd rather they did that instead of raising prices. If it takes an extra day to get something then so be it, it's not usually any skin off of my back. When it's something that I need by a certain date then I either pay for a service that will guarantee I get it by then, or buy locally.

If they don't deliver on time after I paid for expedited service then I start to get upset, otherwise it's just amusing to me to watch the package get routed right by my house and then sit in a facility for a day or so before delivering.

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THIS.

As a consumer, I have noticed this program and I have no problems with this program. It may not look like it makes sense on the micro level but I am sure it makes sense on the macro level.

As a retail manager, I fully support any program that reduces cost of shipping. Prices went up a few years back due to fuel increases and it was a big hit. Businesses might not be directly passing the savings onto consumers but at least businesses have not been forced to increase S&H prices to compensate for more expensive shipping.

If this is due to a USPS loop hole then someone should close it if it hurts USPS. If USPS makes additional revenue, so much the better for everyone. With the internet taking over, I think we should just get rid of USPS altogether and rely on companies like UPS and FedEx. That would solve this whole issue!

It is a strange loop hole if it saves UPS money because I find USPS to be more expensive than UPS. I still can not get my mind around that issue.

ctenidae said:

The shipping thing is interesting- several studies were done on eBay and Amazon shoppers, and it shows that people generally don't factor the cost of shipping into the purchase price. That's why so many thing sell for what seems realyl cheap, with $40 in shipping charges. Sneaky, that.

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I don't know how Amazon works but I know a lot of sellers jack up the S&H on Ebay to circumvent the listing fees.

I've seen it as an option for a few years now here and there. Sometimes it goes all the way UPS, sometimes partially USPS, at different points in the route. But any time I've used that option it's specifically stated a longer time than UPS ground.

I'm guessing the specifics of what packages get routed which ways is the result of an extremely complex automated system, one that may appear random but is anything but. Stuff like optimizing truck routes, truck capacity, cost of storing it in a warehouse vs. offloading, etc. could all factor in. If your stop means the delivery truck has to drive an extra couple miles, it goes to USPS. If someone on your street has a ground delivery for the same day, stays on the truck. Your delivery truck is packed, some of the basic packages go to USPS so as to avoid a second truck (but only enough so that the cheaper UPS truck is filled completely to capacity, chosen based on lowest total cost of delivery.) They spend a ton of money every year trying to make their operation more efficient. I doubt anything actually happens randomly.

FWIW I ordered some new boots from EMS yesterday online. Placed the order at 1:30pm. They shipped it via UPS Ground. Those shoes were at my house at lunch time today Amazing how fast EMS gets stuff out...

thetrailboss said:

FWIW I ordered some new boots from EMS yesterday online. Placed the order at 1:30pm. They shipped it via UPS Ground. Those shoes were at my house at lunch time today Amazing how fast EMS gets stuff out...

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Don't they ship right out of NH? Proximity makes a difference.

wa-loaf said:

Don't they ship right out of NH? Proximity makes a difference.

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Yep. Peterborough -->Chelmsford --> Rutvegas --> My home.

LL Bean was:

Freeport --> Chelmsford --> Rutvegas --> My PO --> My home.

thetrailboss said:

Yep. Peterborough -->Chelmsford --> Rutvegas --> My home.

LL Bean was:

Freeport --> Chelmsford --> Rutvegas --> My PO --> My home.

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I noticed the Backcountry.com sites seem to have dropped UPS basic.

wa-loaf said:

I noticed the Backcountry.com sites seem to have dropped UPS basic.

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I think as someone else pointed out the local UPS distribution offices might be making the decision on delivery to home vs. post office.

wa-loaf said:

I noticed the Backcountry.com sites seem to have dropped UPS basic.

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Damn. That usually saved me $1 or $2 and got here faster or the same as UPS Ground.