[jswilson64]

This rant isn't directed toward B&H, but I've had it with UPS. I ordered a Pentax K-X 2-lens kit, and it was due for delivery Feb. 1, the day the ice storm hit Dallas. UPS has not been able to deliver it yet, due to the weather. Yet somehow the Post Office managed to make it to my house every day during the "adverse weather." I think we had 3 packages delivered by USPS during the time my camera sat in the UPS distribution center in Mesquite TX (Dallas suburb). To add frustration, the weather on Saturday wasn't that bad, and the streets were pretty much cleared, but UPS doesn't deliver on Saturdays. Even when they have a 4-day backlog to clear.

As of today, Monday 2/7, my package's status still says "Adverse weather conditions. / The movement of the package will resume as soon as the weather conditions allow." I'm not exactly sure what is so "adverse" about sunny and 52 degrees, with no snow or ice on the roads. A call to UPS didn't help, as there is apparently nobody that I can talk to who can tell me any more than what the computer says. And "the distribution center isn't set up to handle customer calls." And I can't go pick it up until they make an actual delivery attempt, but they can't tell me when that might be. At this point I guess they're waiting until the morning low temps are in the 70s. Come to think of it, have you ever seen a UPS driver that wasn't wearing shorts? Maybe that explains it - it's just too cold for their bare legs... I'm fed up with UPS and won't be using them for anything that I have a choice in.

So, I'm asking B&H - if you want to offer free shipping, how about giving a free option that can actually get out in bad weather, and can deliver on Saturdays? My experience with USPS and shipping eBay sales has been that USPS is no more expensive than UPS. And Priority Mail usually gets there in 2 business days, eve coast-to-coast in my and my family's experience.

So please? Free USPS shipping?

[Parallax]

The irony here is that USPS Parcel Post is almost always cheaper than UPS.
I don't know what route your UPS packages take, but the Commerce City, CO hub seems to be the Bermuda Triangle of the system. I have, more than once, had to call UPS and ask them to contact the hub and request that they, if it isn't too terribly much trouble, put my packages on a truck so they may continue on.

[jswilson64]

I wonder if I can google up a phone number for the Mesquite TX "black hole." To the cloud!

[SlickYamaha]

Yes I agree. Ups is horrible. Usps is the way to go. Ups wouldn't deliver a $3 package to my house unless I was there to sign for it. Not only that but a general delivery for usps takes about 3 days. You can guarantee ups is double that if not more. My k20 took over a week to ship. It took 3 days to say it had even shipped. Then it said it was in route to baltimore for another 4 days. Its a great tracking system they got there.

[v5planet]

I agree that USPS runs a tight and reliable ship.

[henryp]

As of today, Monday 2/7, my package's status still says "Adverse weather conditions. / The movement of the package will resume as soon as the weather conditions allow."

Thank you for your order. We're sorry any aspect was less than ideal and appreciate your understanding that once we hand a package to UPS our ability to get it to you is entirely dependent on them.

The UPS web site says they delivered your package Monday, Feb 7th, at 8:21pm. Frankly all I know about the weather in Texas is what I saw and heard on the news about the SuperBowl and how hundreds if not thousands of flights had been canceled, how thousands of SuperBowl ticket holders were left stranded and how several people were injured by ice falling from the stadium roof. I admit it's been years since I was in that part of Texas (and even longer since I dated a young woman from Dallas whose home I visited periodically during the 1970s), but I do recall the kind of snow and ice that's routine in NYC is a serious matter there, just as the kind of weather Buffalo or Chicago gets is a lot for NYC.

(My Dallas lady visited my home one Spring and was so fascinated by snow tires and my dad's snow blower we had to fire it up, noisy and smoke-belching as it was, because she'd never seen one before).

My experience, confirmed by many many reports from customers is that UPS beats USPS on several counts. Among them are that UPS's online package tracking is wildly superior to what the USPS offers. UPS is almost always faster, and usually less expensive. UPS is considerably more customer-friendly if a package is lost or damaged en route. The wait time to file a lost parcel claim with UPS is a lot shorter than what the USPS requires.

Finally, our contractual relationship with UPS gives us very favorable terms which allow us to pass on to you inexpensive or (often) free shipping, an option we do not enjoy with USPS.

[jswilson64]

I checked the tracking about 9:00 last night and was shocked to see that it had been delivered. It was never marked "out for delivery" - it went from an "adverse weather" delay status on 2/4, to "delivered" on 2/7. It was out on my porch - no knock, no doorbell ring, nothing. I know this because I was sitting on the couch watching "The Cape" with my kid and we didn't hear it, and my dogs would have gone ape-s*** if the UPS guy had rang or knocked.

I'm just happy it got here before the NEXT round of bad weather tomorrow! And again, I'm not faulting B&H, I'm just not going to be choosing UPS next time I order something.

[ajoe]

My experience, confirmed by many many reports from customers is that UPS beats USPS on several counts. Among them are that UPS's online package tracking is wildly superior to what the USPS offers. UPS is almost always faster, and usually less expensive. UPS is considerably more customer-friendly if a package is lost or damaged en route. The wait time to file a lost parcel claim with UPS is a lot shorter than what the USPS requires.

Absolutely agree, but I do know that UPS service can vary by location. Here is it top notch.

And yes the USPS tracking is next to useless.

Having said that, it never hurts to allow the customer to have options.

[SlickYamaha]

... And ups newest issue I have is that i checked my tracking status this morning, it said "at distribution center - sparks- maryland" (which is where packages get picked up by the driver for delivery) the information says its scheduled to be delivered today. I check it at lunch and it now says "transfered to local post office" and the shipping date is changed to tomorrow. Wtf ups. This is the second time this month my package has been changed to "local post office"

[henryp]

This is the second time this month my package has been changed to "local post office"

If your shipping method was UPS Mail-Innovations, that's exactly how your package should progress.

[noblepa]

My experience, confirmed by many many reports from customers is that UPS beats USPS on several counts. Among them are that UPS's online package tracking is wildly superior to what the USPS offers. UPS is almost always faster, and usually less expensive. UPS is considerably more customer-friendly if a package is lost or damaged en route. The wait time to file a lost parcel claim with UPS is a lot shorter than what the USPS requires.

Finally, our contractual relationship with UPS gives us very favorable terms which allow us to pass on to you inexpensive or (often) free shipping, an option we do not enjoy with USPS.

Henry, I have to disagree with your evaluation of UPS vs. USPS. Perhaps your corporate account gives B & H a hefty discount, but for individuals, UPS is always a lot more than USPS. UPS's tracking my be better, but I would not rate it "wildly better". And, in my experience, its no faster.

I've never had any problems with missing or damaged packages with USPS. The one time I had such a problem with UPS, it was murder trying to get it resolved. The item in question was a family heirloom that my mother had sent me. They wanted to return it to the sender. That might be okay if I ordered a camera from B & H, since you could simply send me another one, but not for this item. They ended up sending the reimbursement for the repair to the "Mail Boxes, Etc." store in Orlando, since, to them, that was the shipper, not my mother. They wouldn't even consider sending it to me.

Give me USPS, every time. IMHO, UPS can't hold a candle to the Post Office. FedEx Ground isn't any better.

[henryp]

Henry, I have to disagree with your evaluation of UPS vs. USPS. Perhaps your corporate account gives B & H a hefty discount, but for individuals, UPS is always a lot more than USPS. UPS's tracking my be better, but I would not rate it "wildly better". And, in my experience, its no faster.

My comments presumed we were talking about shipping from B&H or another retailer to a customer. I know for individuals prices differ. B&H does get favorable rates from UPS and passes them on to customers which is why we can offer the shipping (sometimes free) we do. As far as package tracking, IMO USPS's online package tracking is just dismal and they'd be better off with none rather than what they now offer. UPS OTOH has very useful, almost real-time results. YMMV.

[dvest]

It is my understanding USPS service is more useful for delivery confirmation - not for tracking. It is better than it used to be and sometimes works pretty well, depending on the post office it passes through. Given the choice of being able to track it every step of the way and getting it a day sooner, I'll take sooner. Depending on where the package is coming from I usually get it quicker from Priority Mail. From New York it takes me 3 days to get a package via UPS Ground. Via Priority Mail I get it in 2-3 days plus the chance it can be delivered on Saturday.