The USPS is a National Disgrace.

JasonPG · Jan 14, 2013

I wanted to believe in the United States Postal Service.

As a student of Economics, I liked the idea of removing the profit motive from what I consider to be an essential social service. I liked that the USPS would deliver to any address and not choose to ignore certain customers based on their profitability. I liked that the USPS employs so many of our ex-military. I liked that they appeared to have become more stream-lined and efficient through their massively expensive marketing campaign. "If it fits, it ships!"

Notice how their slogan doesn't mention anything about being delivered?

The United States Postal Service failed to deliver 5 of my customers' last 22 shipments via Express Mail service. That is a disgraceful 22.7% failure rate and absolute proof that their current infrastructure is broken.

For this absolutely horrendous service the postage bill alone came to $799.88. That is an average of $36.36 postage per shipment. I charged my customers $35 (if I charged them anything at all) and this doesn't reflect the cost of the shipping materials and irreplaceable livestock.

The missent shipments weren't specific to one geographic distribution center. There were errors shipping to 28804 (Asheville NC), 20850(Rockville MD), 95128 (San Jose CA), 30093(Norcross GA) and 37027(Brentwood TN).

Want to put a claim in with Express Mail? Try dialing 1.856.933.4459 (my regional Consumer Affairs Office). What you will get is a phone that rings off the hook and is never answered during business hours. After an insane amount of rings, you will get a voicemail that instructs you to leave your name and number to receive a return phone call in the order in which it was received. I once left a voicemail every day for 2 weeks and didn't receive a single return phone call.

I have legible hand writing but I went so far as to preprint my shipping labels just to eliminate the possibility of that being a contributing factor.

I'm done with the USPS. I will immediately discontinue shipping via the USPS and begin shipping with UPS Next Day Air.

The flat shipping rate I offer will be increased from $35 to $39 but that is subject to change based on the postage numbers I see coming from UPS. UPS has previous charged me over $138 to ship from Delaware to California so it remains to be seen if a flat shipping rate will even be feasible.

A sincere apology to any of my customers that were inconvenienced by the utter incompetence of the United States Postal Service. And a strong warning to anyone that dares to gamble by shipping livestock with the USPS.

The USPS is a National Disgrace. It's just not worth it. More than 1 in 5 shipments will not arrive on time, if they arrive at all.

reefpeeper · Jan 14, 2013

agree with u. i had a shipment sent to me in CT from IL. for some reason it went to puerto rico. tey had to turn shipment around and i got it a day later. the package only had zoas and they did survive, but its the point...

Mstansbery · Jan 16, 2013

I was interested to read this the other day as I began using USPS about two months ago in conjunction with fedex and ups. I've shipped pprox ~20-30 times with usps over a 2 month period with success each time. However, the one time I choose not to include insurance my package is delayed an entire day. Seems a bit fishy to me. I contacted usps and got the SAME run-a-round you did. I cannot file claims over the phone and have to do so with TWO claim forms supposedly available at my local office. Oh and wait the 30 day period for processing of course. I refuse to use them again and would also like to publicly apologize to my customer who was impacted by this lack of consistency with using USPS.

GHill762 · Jan 16, 2013

I had a box sit at the same shipping/sorting facility for 3 business days with usps.. hate usps..

danka-cedium · Jan 16, 2013

I too had an issue, i ordered a bandsaw blade directly from inland, 3 weeks later no blade. called inland they were kind enough to send me an additional blade. Ive had numerous packages not delivered but a notice left in its place. I guess a new issue of the walking dead is too heavy for our postlady.

always reefin · Jan 16, 2013

Couldn't agree more!

xcorallusx · Jan 16, 2013

What is your business name?

Reef Breeders · Jan 16, 2013

I'm right there with you, just not feasible for large packages, or overnight. UPS has been treating us well so far, and we can actually insure our packages, $500 max is rediculous, not to mention how expensive it is to ship priority non-flat rate, they do have a cheaper service, but it takes 2 weeks or MORE to arrive, and tracking does not update for 7-10 days, at the same price as UPS ground. Just venting a little

1Der9_3hy · Jan 16, 2013

Not just express or overnight packages either. I handle the books for a small business. Ive had 5 checks take 2+ months to get to where they need to be....they have all showed up, but literally its taken over 2 months on 5 occasions. The suppliers call up wondering whats going on, i tell them its in the mail (sure...). I have to cancel that check, make up another and then get receipt of delivery in order to make sure my checks get there.

They only thing they seem to do pretty well is the priority flat rate service. I ship a lot of stuff for the business in those boxes, and in 12 months i have not had a single box not make it somewhere. I have had stuff get sent to the wrong state a few times....but it did get there in a reasonable time after the screw up.

NanaReefer · Jan 17, 2013

You know this is all so very sad. I remember when USPS actually meant something! When it was the only way to send something! What's more sad is I can actually count on 1 hand how many times I've used them in the last 10 or more years.
We've got many PO closing here in Upper Michigan. It's just a shame that such an iconic industry has come to ruin >sigh<

nitrox36 · Jan 30, 2013

lol, sadly i agree

Greg@LionfishLair · Jan 30, 2013

+ a bazillion! Lack of delivery, no delivery, late delivery, and the worst customer service I've ever seen.

Here's a good one:

We live in a gated tract, and the mailboxes are in front of the houses by the curb. After not receiving mail for a week, USPS was contacted, and after several long days of discussion with them, they finally come out with "You live in a gated community, and if there is no room for the carrier to drive up to the mailboxes, he doesn't have to deliver the mail. For insurance reasons, they aren't allowed to get out of their truck." what the heck??!! The guy had been delivering our mail since we moved in a couple of years ago!

SOOOO...we and the neighbors made sure the space in front of the mailboxes was clear, and I see the carrier at the mailbox. I went to the box a couple of minutes later, and there were two pieces of junk mail. I chased the carrier down, and asked him where the rest of my mail was, and he had it in his bag!!! He didn't deliver it!!! He just said "OH...here it is..." and wouldn't give me an explanation as to shy he didn't put it in the box (we suspect it was cuz we complained).

They whine about how USPS isn't getting used, but it seems like they need to be listening to all of the complaints they get these days...