USPS Shipping Frustrations

[tlvaughn]

This past week has not been a good one for me and two dealings with the USPS. I recently made two internet purchases, first was a cut-off for my SMLE MkV and the second was a 1941 Faz on a MkVI action. Both sellers shipped the items via USPS. The first package to arrive this week was the cut-off. I knew right away something was wrong when I grabbed the Priority Mail Envelope from the mailbox and it felt empty. First thing I noticed was a rip in the envelope and a sticker on it stating that it was "Received Damaged" and "Received Without Contents". I was not happy about it, but I realize these things can happen. The rifle was handed over to the USPS on November 30 with an ETA of December 05. I went to the local Post Office on December 06 and asked them to track it and I was told it was still in MS and that with the holidays it is not that unusual and could take 10 to 14 days. I notified the Seller and he told me he would check into it for me. As of this morning, the rifle was still showing in MS and I rec'd an e-mail from the Seller this afternoon stating that the USPS does not know were it is and has opened an investigation to find the rifle.

I hope this post does not offend any USPS employees, but as you can imagine, this has been a very frustrating week for me!!

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[Amsdorf]

Two words: Fed Ex

Or one word: UPS

Sorry to hear this bad news, infuriating!!

Hang in there.

[jrhead75]

I feel your pain although I've had just the opposite experience. I've never had any problem at all with USPS, whereas both UPS and FedEx make a regular habit of delivering my stuff to random neighbors when they aren't losing it altogether or driving their trucks over it. Don't get me started on DHL...

Best of luck, I hope that you're able to get it all squared away. This can be a bad time of year shipping-wise.

[gbalke]

Unless the rifle was shipped insured, and I hope it would have been, USPS traking is relatively useless. Everytime I have sent an item USPS, tracking was not able to provide any information at all. The only word I received was an e-mail from the buyer stating that he received the package. Onn the othr hand, FedEx tracking is usually spot on.

[conec]

Shipping woes can be extraordinarily frustrating. To USPS's credit, I just received a beautiful NZ accepted '43 Long Branch that came thru perfectly in 3 days sent Priority Insured from IL to NY... (Happy Christmas to me)

P.S. I signed on for email shipping updates and while they didn't rise to FedEx quality, they were helpful and pretty close to spot on...

[Brian Dick]

I use Fed Ex, UPS and USPS. I use USPS and Air Freight for overseas shipping because Fed Ex and UPS won't do firearms. If a part is lost from the package I'm sorry but it's usually the fault of whoever packed it because it need not happen. I lost four No.7Mk.1 bolt heads once because i didn't tape a small flat rate box properly, ( yes, you have to overdo it). It was insured and USPS paid the invoice value quickly. The bolt heads were probably binned which sucks because they are difficult to replace. The moral of the story is "s--te happens". Unfortunately, you don't have control over the shipping/packing.

[tlvaughn]

Believe it or not, everything ended up working out in the end. The Seller of the cut-off is sending me a refund (I did not even ask, he offered it as a resolution) and the rifle actually showed up at the house today. I have no idea how considering the USPS in MS has no record of it after it was dropped off.

This is the first time I had to deal with a missing rifle, so for me, it was frustrating. As my brother-in-law told me, I had a good run and was due!!

[newcastle]

I have always used UPS ground for rifles. Never had a problem with either damage or going AWOL. Fragile stickers all over seem to do the trick, and iIalways OVERseal and OVERtape by a factor of about 3.