When did Amazon prime resort to UPS SurePost? {Necropost}
15Short rant, so Amazon now uses UPS SurePost (UPS hand off to USPS) to deliver prime packages. I expect this from Meh, cheap stuff, slow shipping. But I pay $100 year for fast shipping. So now the package I ordered got to the mail hub in 2 days but will have to wait another couple days for a delivery attempt. Then take off from work early to race to the post office since they won’t deliver anything that won’t fit in the mailbox. All support says is sorry we’ll let shipping know that you were not satisfied. Am I blowing this out of proportion or an I right to feel ripped off?
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I have been having amazon prime drop off to USPS for some time depending on the size of the item. Smaller items usually. They almost always come within the 2 days specified if they are fulfilled by Amazon. I can't speak to the mailbox piece as my USPS driver will always leave the item at the front door if it doesn't fit in the box. If I had to go to the PO to pick up one of their packages I would have a big problem with that - especially for the money we pay for the service.
Both the premise of your question and the answer depend on some locational factors, based on things I've read. Apparently, if you're close enough to their warehouse where they think SurePost or SmartPost (Fedex equivalent — we get stuck with this one around my parts) should get it there within the window, that's what they do. If you're out in the sticks or whatever, they still use UPS 2-day. Supposedly. I think 'when they started this' depends on warehouses being built/populated, and attempts to determine how close is (probably, maybe, sort of) close enough.
Coworker of mine has been very successful in getting additional Prime membership time prorated in response to failures to get deliveries in the promised time.
Amazon neologiated a deal with the USPS in 2013, I think, to deliver Amazon packages on Sunday. This opened up their ability to is SmartPost and SurePost as delivery options.
If you do some googling, seems it may not be going as well as planned.
I bet if you contact Amazon CS, they'll make it right.
@Del They always have for me. Everytime something has come late they have given me month if free prime when I email them about it. Also if they ship me the wrong item or I opt for 1 day shipping they have so far told me to keep the wrong item and imediately shipped the correct item, and or refunded the fee I paid to bump the item to 1 day shipping
I have seen it off and on (UPS handoff to USPS) for over a year now. Some items do come UPS directly sometimes... and sometimes they go fully USPS... it depends on the item and the warehouse location.
I have not had any issues with it, but the USPS is pretty good here.
Here Amazon dropships to some of the post offices. Those packages are promised same day delivery that the post office receives them if it is before 9 am. A couple places get delivery on Sunday but not most. Additional Amazon stuff comes both Surepost and Smartpost.
I've yet to have UPS SurePost or FedEx Smartpost on a 2 day Prime shipping item, though I have had SurePost on a couple (1 or 2) of the new "Prime: 3-5 day" items. Almost all of my Amazon packages in 2015 have come via USPS however, which I suspect is largely due to UPS and FedEx switching to dimensional pricing. If it's in the Amazon Warehouse in SoCal (there are two near me) it gets delivered next day by the USPS. If it's not nearby, it typically comes via UPS..... but I can't remember the last time that happened, honestly. Almost everything I order now comes via USPS. I'm not complaining - I would prefer packages be put in my mailbox.
Now.... if Amazon fails to meet a guaranteed delivery date, you've got a right to feel ripped off and complain. If the order page said "You'll get it Thursday" and you do indeed get it Thursday, then you're just getting what they promised. Who cares how it got there? No harm no foul.
@StrangerDanger Amazon did that to me for subscribe and save. I explained to them that my post office won't deliver unless I'm present but fedex/ups have keys to get to my front door (apartment complex) and deliver when I'm not home. And that the amount I save on subscribe and save if I have to take time off work to get it doesn't equal out. I'd be better off shopping at walmart for the items. They offered to put a note on the account to not use handoffs to usps (from fedex or ups.) This was about a year ago and they have honored their word.
Are you sure all support is saying is, sorry we'll let shipping know that you were not satisfied. 99% of the time I complain about shipping speed the tend to hand out small credits like candy. Just yesterday they gave me 15 dollars in credit for late shipping.
At the end of the day thanks to credit's/prime extensions I think amazon has paid me to be a prime member.
@Tom223 Yea that's what they said. I got an e-mail too about Amazon policies and crap like 3rd party vendors may no be eligable for prime although my order was from Amazon LLC so I voted it unhelpfull.
@StrangerDanger I've noticed I have to watch the time/date that it says when I add it to the cart and make sure I select FASTEST to get it in the 2 days... Sometimes I pick slow shipping to get whatever credit they offer.. they tend to hold it to the last possible date then send overnight. How that saves them money I don't know...
@StrangerDanger you have 2 options as I see it then. Contact them again and probably get a credit or re-order it until they get it in the right delivery window. In the case of the former the email option takes the least amount of your time. In the case of the later amazon offers free shipping on returns for delivers that fail to meet the date they should have.
I've been dealing with that mess for a while. That coupled with our mailman being one of the laziest I've ever seen. Half the time he doesn't attempt to deliver and we get a missed delivery notice the next day saying to pick up at the post office, conveniently delivered after post office hours are over. Had to wait until Monday for a package that was supposed to be delivered on Thursday morning as a result once.
My favorite was the Marvel Collector Corps package I recently received. Heard a loud thunk on the front steps followed by quiet trailing knocking on our siding (his signature move, don't knock on the door or ring the doorbell...slide package through or under handrail if it fits or just toss over the side and then walk away and tap on our siding). Resulted in a nice dent to the box and kinking to the comic book inside as a result of the contents being jostled around.
@wilstev To be fair to the mailman, the drop over the handrail is probably only one of many drops the package experiences in its trip to get to your front door.
@ninkumpoop True, this one though sounded more like he tossed it from quite a distance. Typically I'll hear it hit the steps, but this one came in hot and ended up ricocheting into the rail and resting at a 45 degree angle
@wilstev My carrier does the same 'don't attempt to deliver but leave a note that says you did' garbage. Hate it. Also shoves packages in the (now very deformed) mailbox that don't actually fit.
@brhfl @wilstev If they're really that bad, you could file a complaint with your local office. Not that this justifies it, but carriers are timed on how quickly they do their route and can be penalized if they're behind schedule. It's kind of a cut throat, horrible place to work in most areas.
@Alien88
This can work. Try calling the local post office and ask for a manager to call back. Next, try calling p o consumer affairs # again insist on speaking to a local person and demand a Meg callback. Last, call the 800 # (outsourced), file complaint, insist on mgr callback.
They track complaint stats, and mgrs don't like callbacks cause they have other things to do. But they have to do them, if you wind up calling to complain that a mgr was spozed to call and didn't, that's bad for them.
Keep doing this and your service will improve somewhat. I get around it by using a mail drop.
@wilstev You should set-up a camera.
I've had items arrive via Prime shipping via Surepost and Smartpost for a couple years now, but they've never been later than the 2 days. Usually they're coming from the Kent warehouse in WA (I'm in Seattle), but sometimes California. I always assume Amazon has some powerful leverage with shipping contracts to make sure things arrive in two days. I also get things shipped via ground from the midwest warehouses that somehow arrive in 2 days or less.
I have also had Amazon give shitty responses to shipping complaints tho. They use a local carrier here in the PNW called OnTrac to do their nighttime, weekend, and overnight deliveries. They used to, like clockwork, skip a day in delivering - just not attempt delivery and say you weren't home. Amazon was worthless when I complained, but instead assumed that OnTrac lost my package and twice just sent me new ones (result of their outsourced CS staff). Unfortunately they were never anything I wanted two of. Thankfully, OnTrac has got much better.
@meh OnTrac is the worst. One time they opted to mark my address as non-existent, instead of just making the delivery. That error took several days to flow into amazons system. Resulting in at least $300-400 dollar lose to Amazon. As it created both double shipments and miss shipments.
@meh I think the key for 2 day ground shipping is that you probably live fairly close to a major UPS hub. I live close to Hodgkins, IL so I know if it hits Hodgkins then it will be delivered the next day like clockwork. I'm sure Amazon likes to build warehouses where they are sure they can get it to anywhere in the country with 2 day ground.
@meh And I wanted to make a note about the non UPS/FedEx/USPS shipper too. I can't remember if my experience was OnTrac or Enscenda but they are both equally horrible. I had a package I was expecting for Christmas deliver a couple years ago that was supposedly delivered around December 15th. It didn't show up at all so I contacted Amazon and they promptly overnighted a new package to me and problem solved, I thought. Somewhere around the end of January about 9pm some one banged on my front door so hard to where I was grabbing my phone to call 911 to report a break in. The banging stopped quickly so I didn't make the call but I stayed extremely alert and nervous for a while after that. After I was pretty sure they were gone I went to check for damage to my door only to find the package that was supposedly delivered over a month before. Emailed Amazon and they let me keep it.
@strangerDanger It varies by package and company but our postal carrier treats a note as written consent to leave on porch. So we write name, address, that it's OK to leave at front and sign. Stick on mailbox. It's worked every time for prime I think? or you can use the USPS Web app/page to request specific drop time (although for me that's just been a hassle & doesn't always work). Ymmv!
@flouise Every Amazon shipment I've ever paid attention to already has a 'Carrier - Leave if no response' instruction on the package.
@brhfl Carriers don't always follow instructions :P .....also, Carrier Leave if no response allows them to leave a package exposed to the elements which has only happened to me once but made me super irritated. Didn't even make an effort to put it fully under my porch.
@Collin1000 Oh, I know they don't, but if they're not going to follow the one written in big letters on the package, they're probably going to ignore your sticky note too…
They have to pay for the 80 pound packages sent FedEx overnight* somehow.
*Not a joke. I ordered a desk with Prime shipping and it came FedEx overnight. Probably cost them the $89 I paid for the desk and the $99 I paid for Amazon Prime to ship this one item.
This one didn't happen to be Amazon:
Rest of the mail was squashed in behind the box.
@walarney Ya, I have had the same and left a note for the mailperson to please leave packages like this at the front door. They are definately easier going in than coming out. The other thing that bugs me is large envelopes that say do not fold folded around the rest of the mail.
@walarney Should have razored the box open and disgorged the contents; the message would have been clear when your carrier opened it the next time.
@PocketBrain That...or he just wouldn't of put the new mail in.
If you don't get your stuff in 2-days just email Amazon support and they'll give you something for free. I actually like it when my stuff doesn't arrive in two days.
This Surepost (a misnomer if ever there was) is a huge problem for me - because my condo does not allow mail deliveries to my door. However UPS and FedEx are ok to deliver to my door. Since Amazon Prime doesn't say whether USPS is involved in the delivery of a particular order, now I can't have ANYTHING from Amazon shipped to my home. The post office marks the item as undeliverable, and ships it back to the Amazon shipper without even notifying me. It's ludicrous because all deliverable addresses are in a USPS database - so Amazon should know that Surepost can't work here.
@grantdoug you may be able to talk to Amazon support and get them to mark that USPS cannot be used for your deliveries. There are tales of other people who've successfully made this change.
@grantdoug @Thumperchick I did that with a FedEx shipment once. Apparently they had a new driver or something that claimed he couldn't find my address for big cabinet I had ordered. AMZN sent out another one via USPS and I got an apology (of sorts, not really) phone call from FedEx. I know it's possible for at least that shipment. I figure that it might be worth it to ask AMZN.
@Thumperchick Thanks. I called Amazon and they are 'investigating' and will call back within 7 business days. I will post the result. They did say that they don't control how UPS chooses to fulfill UPS ground shipments, so not sure how it all will turn out.
AMZN Prime now delivers on Sundays via USPS where I live. I don't know if that is all over or I'm just in a test market or something. Apparently I like to shop on Thursday and Fridays because I've had three packages scheduled for Sunday delivery. Two came as promised on Sunday and one was obviously misrouted for a day and came in Monday. I say obviously because first it said "undeliverable" which is complete BS lol. It was just a small padded envelope that could have gone in my mailbox no problem but amazingly on Monday my regular carrier figured out how to get it to me. I don't really care about the Sunday delivery thing and can wait a day but I find it interesting that the USPS is working people on a Sunday to make deliveries. My carrier said that the USPS has a special contract with AMZN.
I've never seen seen AMZN Prime use Surepost for any of my Prime purchases. Some of the AMZN stuff is not Prime eligible so I guess they can use whatever the seller or Amazon wants to use for those.
@therealjrn What area are you in? I've never heard about Amazon delivering on Sundays, pretty cool!
@Baybay11 I live in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Yehaw :) One time I read an article that said we were a target test marketing community because we mirrored the U.S. All I know is if that is true I need to learn some Spanish rápido. heh
@therealjrn I'm right down the dirt road from ya, in Pryor! lol
@Baybay11 Alright! How 'bout them Sooners? They really got waxed by Villanova amiright?
I went to the Sears outlet store in Pyor once--you know--that one that was in that hardware store? I think it has been closed now but i picked up a screaming deal on on some metric wrenches. It was a real nice trip. I liked your town. Has that big server farm changed things?
@Baybay11 I have Sunday Amazon Prime deliveries here in the Eastern Panhandle of WV. It's a pretty neat perk, but I feel bad for the carriers. I hope they are at least getting paid well for it.
@PurplePawprints I hope so too. I mean it's nice and all, but I really didn't expect it.
That's just through USPS right? Or are they using other carriers for you?
@therealjrn
They do Sunday deliveries in DFW.
@therealjrn Just USPS. The one thing I do really like about it is that when they deliver on Sundays, it's pretty early in the day. During the week, Fedex is the only carrier that gets to me in the morning. USPS is usually sometime between two and five, and UPS doesn't usually show up until after four.
@PurplePawprints They do Sunday deliveries here in northwest Louisiana too. I asked the postal worker who brought my package one Sunday about it and he seemed happy about it. Overtime and an easy load - at the time there were 40 to 80 packages on his route for a Sunday here, and a package run is all driving and no walking as opposed to many of the normal walking routes. So I'd imagine many don't mind it.
@therealjrn Hell yeah, Boomer Sooner!
My daughter is a senior at OU, was in the Pride for two years! I've only lived in Pryor about three years, was really excited about the Google thing, but apparently it only affects a couple blocks downtown, big letdown! I lived in Norman for several years before coming here. My entire family is in this area.
I order from Amazon at least a couple times a week... I pay for my daughter's Prime account, get the student rate that way! :P But all this time, I had no idea they delivered on Sundays! Probably not out here in the middle of nowhere though...
@PurplePawprints I don't know why they would get paid more for Sunday than for Saturday, unless the religion clause in the first amendment was repealed.
@RedMartian Who said anything about religion? Their hours are crappy and the contracted employees don't get paid shit for what they do, so I was hoping they get paid well for having to work an extra day. Take the stick out of your ass. (Also, learn to read. In the original comment, all I said was that I hope they get paid well for Sunday deliveries. I didn't say anything then about extra pay.)
Amz is doing something. Last few weeks a few prime orders have taken 4-5 days to get to my mail drop, and I live near several warehouses. Gotta call them.
@f00l Yep, you should. They can keep on trying to add new stuff to Prime like video but they need to stay on top of their core promise of two-day shipping. Prime isn't getting any cheaper each year.
Amazon sends me things using every carrier... haven't figured out the algorithm but I think it has to do with where its warehoused along with other things.
The majority of mine come USPS direct these days however... so far they are batting 100% no lates and no losts.
edit: I guess some that I think are USPS direct could be smartpost, but not all, the only way I can discern the difference is in the upper right corner some say Smartpost and others don't....
@thismyusername It has to do with so much insanity it would probably blow the mind of us laypeople trying to understand it. I am sure there are millions of different variables taken into perspective for each item, it's location, it's travel time, it's size, it's weight, it's cost.....
FWIW, I actually get quite a bit of Surepost and Smartpost by me. Amazon has a warehouse about 20 miles away, and if it's coming from that warehouse, it's either coming by Amazon's own carrier of AMZN_US (Uber for Amazon) or it's coming by Smartpost/Surepost/DHL.
I could not agree more. I don’t know why Amazon Prime uses USPS at all. USPS sold it’s soul as a junk mail service only decades ago. Such a joke.
I’m a longtime customer (21+ years) of Amazon’s, and it used to be my “go-to” place for selection, prompt shipping, and great customer service. Now - not so much. USPS deliveries in my very rural area are done by people using their own vehicles who have a contract with the Post Office. After Amazon’s switch to using USPS for final delivery, it was a problem. Some carriers would just leave a note in the mailbox for any packages too large to fit, rather than drive the extra 200 feet up my drive to leave it on the porch. I’m more than 15 miles from the PO, which is open only about 3 hours per day for package pickup. After a serious discussion with the Postmaster, it got better, but it still sometimes took days to get from the PO to my house. And “2-day shipping” means 2 days from whenever they decide to ship, not 2 days from purchase, so I’ve had items covered by Prime that took 3-5 days to ship, then more days for the PO to deliver. And when one small item (a $10 tablet cover) arrived broken, and I sent Customer Service a photo, they required me to package it up and send it back to them before they would give me a refund.
So Amazon is no longer my “go-to” place to buy stuff. Most staple items now come from either Brandless or Jet. Both companies still use UPS or FedEx except for small/light packages, and they are processed, shipped, and delivered fast. Both also have stellar customer service.
When there was an item missing from a Jet order, I opened an online chat box to CS (in Utah) and they shipped out the missing item with 1-day delivery. When one of their suppliers missed a “ship-by” date, I got an immediate refund. The supplier shipped the following day, and I contacted CS to say that the shipment had actually arrived, but they still didn’t charge me for it.
I still watch a lot of stuff on Prime Video, but I don’t know that it is worth paying the increasing rate for Prime. The next time it’s up for renewal, I will likely cancel. I still buy things at Amazon that I simply can’t find elsewhere, but it would be cheaper to simply pay the shipping cost than to renew Prime.
@rockblossom I still use Amazon a lot. Used to use Jet more but lately, their prices do not come in the best. I always use Amazon thru Smile Amazon so every purchase I make a percentage goes to the SE regional Salvation Army. I do like the fact that IF you’re gonna shop there anyway, you can choose a charity that will benefit from your purchasing. Although, I only get thru Amazon if that’s where I find the best price.
@rockblossom I’m with you. Eff Prime. It nets me free shipping on eligible items, but more often than not, it’s NOT 2 day shipping as advertised. And I’m not even in a rural locale.
I seldom watch Prime Video, don’t read from the Prime Kindle books, music, online storage… none of the other “benefits” matter to me. So if shipping is broken, I’m paying $130/yr for a broken shipping system? Nah.
Besides, there are usually Marketplace sellers who match Amz price and ship for free. So screw Prime and their hoopty busted shipping system and crappy customer service!
Yeah… I’d be ticked.
I don’t have Prime I use the other free shipping on the rare times I order from Amacrap.
One one order I had it split where every item, literally, was delivered separately. They have two large operations less than 10 miles from me.
The stuff that comes from there is usually delivered either by Amacrap itself, or some various courier services, some of which the management office won’t even let in (so I have to pick up there). But others come from UPS, USPS, FedEx and who the heck knows.
I just laugh and let it come how it comes. My I figure I’ve spent 25 dollars, and they’ve divided it into 4 packages that cost most of that to deliver (since some of it was quite heavy).
Ah well, their loss, my gain (the only time it’s worth buying from them imho)
I don’t know who @zippyskippy is but I nominate him for necrothread of the year. And
/giphy Welcome!
Is why I stop using Amazon I had numerous reports on ups and usps I reported it to amazon yet amazon already knew from others and just aint care they were ripping folks off to use 2day prime paying for it and not getting it and do not care cuz they still doing it and still working with a company that has lazy irresponsible workers to a tee and do not care so I shut amazon down do not look at it nor think about it they aint care i stop caring that was a bad move on them to use them but they dont care no way. More people complaining about thefts due to ups and usps and not getting they orders that they pay using prime n all they can try to do is slop u up to feel better knowing they dont care and it’s about to be 2021 n they still working with unproffesionalism when more people drop they a wake up
@KaYa111
/giphy ain’t care
/giphy crypt keeper