UPS Sucks - just a rant

[CL65 Captain]

I had two separate packages that were scheduled to be delivered via UPS tomorrow - one from the East Coast and one from the West. I just checked and now they are both rescheduled to be delivered Mon. I am off tomorrow and work (gone) all next week.

UPS Sucks!

 

[yojack1]

I had two separate packages that were scheduled to be delivered via UPS tomorrow - one from the East Coast and one from the West. I just checked and now they are both rescheduled to be delivered Mon. I am off tomorrow and work (gone) all next week.

UPS Sucks!

What does brown do for you?:wink:

 

[Malibu Rapper]

They do suck. I had 2 international packages that came from KW suspension in Germany. They f'd up both times so bad. The first package came after 3 failed delivery attempts because they couldn't follow instructions to leave the box on my porch and the box had a hole in it that made my perch fall out. So I couldn't properly photoshoot a car for the KW ad and had to wait for another package a week later which went through the same 3 failed delivery attempt mistakes that happened on the first package. They just couldn't get it right. They had no excuses. All they could say was sorry. Every time I have a choice in shipping, I pick someone else now even if it costs me a few bucks extra.

Brown is the perfect color for those numbskulls...

 

[Miner]

They suck. I go out of my way to use FedEx or USPS because they suck so much.

Miner

 

[ss_md]

I had a package being shipped to me. The delivery address was incorrect, so the package was held at UPS and returned. A week after I expected the package UPS sends me a postcard stating the delivery address was incorrect and to call them to verify the address. Now here's a question - if the delivery address was incorrect how did they get my correct address from the wrong address to send the postcard to the correct address?

It doesn't end there. The vendor reships the package to the "correct address" and UPS delivers it to a completely different address in a different zip code. UPS told the vendor my address didn't exist.

After another reshipment, I finally received the package 6 weeks later.

 

[SilverStone05]

only usps is worse.

 

[makav3li]

i like fedex better than ups, since i found that fedex had better rates when i shipped out large purchases. i had to send out a 19 inch crt monitor and ups wanted like 30 something while fedex only charged me 17 bucks with insurance. fedex also pays the package handlers better so i would like to think that packages arent kicked around as much

 

[Ski_Banker]

UPS shipped a bunch of boxes in my move to London. Total cost was about $400 each eek and they were completely destroyed when they showed up. They looked like they had traveled from Miami to London, but with pitstops in Afghanistan and Iraq. Oh, and two of the boxes required extra customs duties of another $400 each just to be delivered (although the contents weren't even worth it) and after 2 weeks of runarounds with their CS reps I finally gave up. And they completely lost another box that was shipped elsewhere.

I hope those fuckers enjoy riding my 10 year old mountain bike and sitting in my office chair.

 

[CDX_NSX]

No doubt about it. I've lost count of the number of times that they faked delivery attempts to avoid walking or driving up my driveway. I've actually seen them come and go only to find minutes later that they logged into the tracking system that I was not home to receive the shipment. A couple of shipments ago, I had to wait 3 days for delivery; first day, faked delivery; second day, faked delivery; it wasn't until the end of the third day that the package was delivered. Add to that the fact that they basically tell me that the package will be delivered sometime between morning and night.

I've also had times when the package was delivered to the wrong house (well, delivered, but certainly not to my house), and when I call them to find out where the package is, they ask me if I've searched my neighborhood for it. Gots to be kidding!

 

[Briank]

Most weeks I have 4 - 5 UPS packages going to customers and just as many coming in and really have not had any problems. The only annoyance is if I miss a delivery that requires a signature and I don't call early enough it's on the truck for the next day’s delivery attempt. UPS moves a huge # of packages so there will always be stories.

I don't blindly use UPS for all my shipping, for under 3 lbs USPS is much better on price and time. And for overseas UPS and FedEx are expensive but they are fast. I do FedEx by request but FedEx is getting too fragmented; Regular, Ground and Home delivery. If I need to pick up a package it 12 miles RT for regular, 25 miles RT for ground and 68 miles RT for Home Delivery.

 

[Blackend]

You guys should use freight forwarders instead of DHL/UPS/FedEx. Most times, the forwarders have cheaper rates than you'll get directly and they actually manage shipments for you instead of putting them into their "system" and letting the drivers make arbitrary decisions on your behalf.

I've worked at one of the biggest, and now work at a medium-sized forwarder and I cannot tell you the number of customers we've taken away from the DHL's of the world simply because they're tired of being forced to fit inside a box.

EDIT: I will say it can be more difficult using a forwarder since you cannot just walk in off the street and start shipping, but if you're sending and receiving freight often, a forwarder is the way to go.

 

[KazO]

I quit using UPS over a decade ago back when I was still selling stuff on Usenet (pre-eBay), from destroying too many of my shipments. I've also received plenty of war-damaged packages at work from them. USPS for anything that'll fit in their Priority Mail prepaid box (best speed/reliability for the money), FedEx for anything bigger.

I once had an incoming UPS 3day orange show up in tracking as going to BRAZIL for a day just so it wouldn't get delivered early or something.

 

[nsx2tall]

You guys should use freight forwarders instead of DHL/UPS/FedEx. Most times, the forwarders have cheaper rates than you'll get directly and they actually manage shipments for you instead of putting them into their "system" and letting the drivers make arbitrary decisions on your behalf.

I've worked at one of the biggest, and now work at a medium-sized forwarder and I cannot tell you the number of customers we've taken away from the DHL's of the world simply because they're tired of being forced to fit inside a box.

EDIT: I will say it can be more difficult using a forwarder since you cannot just walk in off the street and start shipping, but if you're sending and receiving freight often, a forwarder is the way to go.

UPS Supply Chain Solutions crushes any freight forwarders. They aren't really UPS, they're Menlo/Emory. I ship skids of material to the west coast next day for about half to a third the price of any other freight company. There is NO CHARGE on items delivered late. I recommend UPSSCS to anyone shipping heavy valuable items across country. They've lost one of my skids in 7 years of shipping.

Regular UPS however-- forget it. We use FedEx ground.

 

[KooLaid]

Oh I'm loving UPS, they shipped exactly to the day and on time. Actually a bit earlier than usual. Oh and this was yesterday when my new longboard came in :biggrin:

Santa Claus wears brown :tongue:

 

[GreyHoundSteve]

Oh I'm loving UPS, they shipped exactly to the day and on time. Actually a bit earlier than usual. Oh and this was yesterday when my new longboard came in :biggrin:

Santa Claus wears brown :tongue:

I'm with you. I ALWAYS ship UPS when i can't use USPS. When people ship me packages i beg them to use UPS over Fedex. My UPS guy is here EVERY DAY ON TIME and knows me by name. Fedex sends a different idiot out every time with only GPS to find addresses and since the GPS is wrong for my address they ALWAYS get lost ( i guess using common sense in street numbering isn't part of the fedex job description) and i have to go to the distribution center to pick up my packages.
In the past year alone UPS is 36 for 36 with packages delivered on time and fedex is 1 for 16 even though i have repeatedly told them EXACTLY where i live.

UPS over Fedex anyday.

 

[chado]

You guys should use freight forwarders instead of DHL/UPS/FedEx. Most times, the forwarders have cheaper rates than you'll get directly and they actually manage shipments for you instead of putting them into their "system" and letting the drivers make arbitrary decisions on your behalf.

I've worked at one of the biggest, and now work at a medium-sized forwarder and I cannot tell you the number of customers we've taken away from the DHL's of the world simply because they're tired of being forced to fit inside a box.

EDIT: I will say it can be more difficult using a forwarder since you cannot just walk in off the street and start shipping, but if you're sending and receiving freight often, a forwarder is the way to go.

I'm in the industry and have helped a few fellow prime members ship things all over the world.

What company did you work for? and where do you work now?

 

[chado]

UPS Supply Chain Solutions crushes any freight forwarders. They aren't really UPS, they're Menlo/Emory. I ship skids of material to the west coast next day for about half to a third the price of any other freight company. There is NO CHARGE on items delivered late. I recommend UPSSCS to anyone shipping heavy valuable items across country. They've lost one of my skids in 7 years of shipping.

Regular UPS however-- forget it. We use FedEx ground.

Depends on what your shipping and where its going.. I'd be curious to see one example of a "shipment" you're currently giving Menlo (SCS) and the price for comparitive purposes... If you want to PM feel free. You never know as I've taken my fair share...:wink:

 

[Blackend]

I'm in the industry and have helped a few fellow prime members ship things all over the world.

What company did you work for? and where do you work now?

I was at Skyking which was bought by MSAS Global who merged with Exel and was then bought by DHL! :tongue: I was part of several integration teams through that process...all of which failed miserably! I left them for a company based in SoCal named Aeronet. Much smaller and a far better working environment. What company are you with?

Depends on what your shipping and where its going.. I'd be curious to see one example of a "shipment" you're currently giving Menlo (SCS) and the price for comparitive purposes... If you want to PM feel free. You never know as I've taken my fair share...:wink:

I've had friends from Menlo and some who went to Menlo prior to the UPS purchase and all reported that Menlo was a fantastic company to work for, until UPS came in! I would imagine if you can still speak with seasoned Menlo peeps who have hung around, the service is fantastic. Anyone trying to get that kind of service now going through the standard SCS people will end up frustrated.

 

[sahtt]

I use a commercial address like work if possible. They are extremely reliable to commercial addresses in my experience. If you live somewhere that might not be on their normal route so to speak, it's a gamble.

 

[White92]

I use a commercial address like work if possible. They are extremely reliable to commercial addresses in my experience. If you live somewhere that might not be on their normal route so to speak, it's a gamble.

Me too. I always have anything shipped to my work.

Someone else mentioned USPS being 2nd worst. What timing! My wife is at home yesterday and an 8 year old kid who lives one street over rings the doorbell and hands my wife the bill for our house payment. It was ripped and run over multiple times. He found it in the street in front of his house. We don't even know this kid or his family, but he was smart enough to read our address and bring it to us, something our mailman apparently couldn't do. I've seen the mailman, he drives around ignoring everything around him and has headphones on, which I'm pretty sure isn't legal. In the 6 years we've lived there, we are constantly getting the neighbors mail.

 

[jozer]

chado is the best and has the worlds best rates on the planet!!!! trust me!!!!

ive tried others and their rates were crap compared to chado.
shipLUI rocks!!!!

chado for president!!!!

 

[Blackend]

chado is the best and has the worlds best rates on the planet!!!! trust me!!!!

ive tried others and their rates were crap compared to chado.
shipLUI rocks!!!!

chado for president!!!!

I'll take the Pepsi challenge on rates. Nothing like a little open market competition to keep NSX parts moving as cheaply as possible! :biggrin:

 

[spider2k]

a couple years ago fedex lost the diff to my s2k. it magically showed up around 2 months later...

 

[KooLaid]

Well I change my point of view even though this isn't necessarily UPS's fault..... I had a package coming from the mid west set to be delivered on the 10th....... On the 9th while the train was coming through kern county, california, it derailed...... damn. Now I gotta wait till monday. Fun. Atleast they found my box in the rubble.

http://mendingshift.wordpress.com/2008/10/09/train-derailment-or-ups-covering-for-ineptness/

http://calfire.blogspot.com/2008/10/train-derailment-tehachapi-kern-county.html

 

[spider2k]

is that the same train microsoft is suing them over 21,000 lost/damaged 360's?