UPS "Mail Innovations" ????????

Hidalgo

Hidalgo

Well-known member
Just placed a small order with Midway, and they shipped by "UPS Mail Innovations". Apparently UPS picks up the package and passes it off to USPS for transit and delivery. While I have no problems with that (cost me $3 for shipping) you gotta wonder what is coming next? A while back there was "FedEx Smart Post" (which stinks, BTW) and now this. I'm all for cutting costs especially when I reap the savings, but this just causes the package to be handled more and by different carriers. Sounds to me like a train wreck in the making .......
 
I've had a number of things make that transition. the only thing that really sucks about it is that you lose tracking ability.

I had a package from midway do this last december. It didn't get delivered & there was no way to track it past the hand off to USPS. Since we had had a recent mixup where a box ended up on a porch around the corner on another street, I sent my daughter to look. They must not have been home for a few days as there was a stack of boxes on the porch, including one addressed to me.
 
When I get something shipped that way it takes a couple days longer to get. And lots of times the shipper don't say thats the method being used. I like USPS better.
 
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Originally Posted By: Stu FarishI've had a number of things make that transition. the only thing that really sucks about it is that you lose tracking ability.


I usually click the "UPS Upgrade" box with Midway and spend the additional $3 just to be able to track the stuff. I'll know better next time ......
 
Yes I've experienced it. Very odd. And the FedEx version sucks.
It feels good knowing I am paying for shipping out of 3 different pockets and my package may get here.
 
Originally Posted By: tnshootistWhen I get something shipped that way it takes a couple days longer to get.


Originally Posted By: Stu Farishthe only thing that really sucks about it is that you lose tracking ability.



Been there!!

Had an E-Bay purchase package shipped out of Fargo, you'd have thought someone was hand carrying it. Took nearly two weeks!! You can drive that in 26 hours, in a loaded truck. USPS tracking was good Fargo to Minneapolis, handed it off to UPS, got lost for 12 days, tracking picked it back up in Jacksonville, FL when it arrived and was turned back over to USPS.
 
I was also very surprised when Amazon struck a deal with USPS to deliver packages 7 days a week. Can only imagine how much extra taxpayers got billed for that.
 
UPS and Fed Ex Ground drop a large amount of their packages at the local post office where you get your mail from. They are delivered the next day. The USPS tracking numbers can be found when you use UPS website to track their number, Fed Ex may be the same way. It adds a day of delivery time but allows both companies to keep their costs much lower. I allow customers to come pick the packages up if they are in the building, larger offices this most likely isn't possible.
 
Originally Posted By: tripod3I was also very surprised when Amazon struck a deal with USPS to deliver packages 7 days a week. Can only imagine how much extra taxpayers got billed for that.


Taxpayers don't pay for any USPS operating expenses, this has been the case since the late '70's.
 
That smart post does take longer to get, by at least a day or two in my location. I don't like it and use other options if available.

I recently wanted to order some Kroil and JB bore cleaner. Midway didn't have JB so they were out of the picture. Sinclair had both products but wanted 15 bucks shipping. Amazon sold me both products, (with a slightly higher product price but..) one shipped free the other cost me 4.95 and my total price overall was 10 bucks cheaper than Sinclairs total. With the rising cost of shipping, I'm no longer loyal to any one company for anything I need to buy online and have sent to the house.
 
I haven't found either UPS or FedEx smartpost to be a problem, although I always prefer UPS over Fedex when I have a choice.

Sometimes smartpost is better than UPS ground if I'm in a hurry for something because it could come on Saturday, rather than the following monday. Most of my midway packages come this way.

You can track them via UPS website up until they drop them to my local PO, then I usually receive them the next day with my mail, have had dozens shipped this way with no issue.
 
Originally Posted By: CatfishSlayerOriginally Posted By: tripod3I was also very surprised when Amazon struck a deal with USPS to deliver packages 7 days a week. Can only imagine how much extra taxpayers got billed for that.


Taxpayers don't pay for any USPS operating expenses, this has been the case since the late '70's.

Where does USPS get their operating expenses from?
 
Actually Gary ..... he's correct. The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
 
Originally Posted By: HidalgoActually Gary ..... he's correct. The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.


Absolutely correct, the US Post Office is owned by the Federal Government, Congress oversees the operating budget to an extent, but the post office is a self-sufficient government agency, receiving no tax dollars to operate...

http://www.ceol.com/vvpo/history.html#REFORM
 
Originally Posted By: Rocky1Had an E-Bay purchase package shipped out of Fargo, you'd have thought someone was hand carrying it. Took nearly two weeks!! You can drive that in 26 hours, in a loaded truck. USPS tracking was good Fargo to Minneapolis, handed it off to UPS, got lost for 12 days, tracking picked it back up in Jacksonville, FL when it arrived and was turned back over to USPS.



The aforementioned case on my part was 2 - 3 years ago; in fact, the first case I had heard or seen of it. USPS tracking number did not work through UPS tracking website at that time; I did try that. I'm sure they have refined their joint operations since, out of necessity, because I was not even a little bit impressed with their joint service, on that delivery.
 
Thanks for the info. It was an honest question, I really didn't know and assumed at least part of their budget came from the government.
 
I can't complain about the USPS, I've used them a lot & had very few problems.

But I don't entirely understand the reasoning behind this latest mixture of services.
 

Stu it's kind of like this: UPS and FED EX basically only deliver packages. Every stop they make cost them time and money. The more stops they make the more they have to pay their drivers. The USPS already goes by or stops at every address in America 6 days/week. It costs the USPS hardly nothing to drop off these packages since they are already there. UPS and Fed EX pay the USPS a portion of the shipping costs to deliver to the final destination. I have no idea and it has never been released as to how much those companies pay the USPS, but I have always been very curious. But it boils down to keeping the shipping costs low for both of those companies by taking advantage of what the USPS already offers.

Anyone who is expecting a Fed EX Smartpost or UPS innovations package should be able to get the USPS tracking number off their respective websites if you track their number. The USPS tracking only kicks in when they are dropped at the Post Office and delivered the next day.

Hopefully this kind of answers the how and why of these packages, that's about all the info I can give.
 
Originally Posted By: GCOriginally Posted By: CatfishSlayerOriginally Posted By: tripod3I was also very surprised when Amazon struck a deal with USPS to deliver packages 7 days a week. Can only imagine how much extra taxpayers got billed for that.


Taxpayers don't pay for any USPS operating expenses, this has been the case since the late '70's.

Where does USPS get their operating expenses from?

Well I dont know that the dust has settled on USPS funding yet as it continues to lose billions. I believe it has recently borrowed about 15 billion and talk of a bailout has lingered heavily for the last couple years
 
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