UPS SurePost and FedEx SmartPost or WHERE IS MY SHIPMENT?

[Vladimir]

We have had a nightmare getting parcels delivered while traveling. The issue is rural post offices that do not deliver to street addresses and the UPS SurePost and FedEx SmartPost that shippers use sending the parcel to a street address via the USPS.

 

They both function in a similar manner. A sender that sends more than 50 parcels a week can sign up for the program. The parcel goes to UPS or FedEx and if they only have to deliver to a post office instead of a home the sender gets a 20-30% discount on the shipping rate. USPS is suppose to complete the delivery from the post office. Which if they do not deliver to a street address is NEVER completed.

UPS and I assume FedEx charge extra for delivery in rural areas. If your zip code is in this spreadsheet it is highly likely that you will experience the joys of SurePost and SmartPost. Here is the link to the UPS page:

http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/shipping/time/service/eas_download.html

My guess is that these are the areas that generally go SurePost or SmartPost.

This is a great explanation of these services: http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/67899-Pros-and-Cons-of-UPS-SurePost-FedEx-SmartPost

Read the comment section from business owners. It pretty much covers the issues. Lots of good information in that section from both the shippers and customers point of view.

 

My take is that if your in one of the extra charge zip codes it is highly likely you will enjoy the joys of having a parcel shipped via SurePost or FedEx SmartPost. We spent almost a week two winters ago running down parcels that were shipped to us. We even had to extend a stay for four days waiting for a parcel to finally find us. BTW stay away from FedEx Smart Post....see explanation in the comment section of link. Their parcels are NOT sent to the Post Office until there is enough for a full truck. UPS does it on a daily basis.

 

It is hard to find information on this program.....so some of this information could be wrong. Please correct if you have better information.

 

Hope this lets people "keep on trucking" when they are traveling!!

[majolle]

Being a retired FedEx Agent, I would strongly suggest you use neither UPS SurePost or FedEx SmartPost. They are both a logistics nightmare and I have no idea why either company would have ever entertained even the slightestt thought about venturing into a partnership of any kind involving the US Postal Service. You would be better just having them drop ship to a known FedEx store in your area and you can pick them up there.

[pjstough]

Being a retired FedEx Agent, I would strongly suggest you use neither UPS SurePost or FedEx SmartPost. They are both a logistics nightmare and I have no idea why either company would have ever entertained even the slightestt thought about venturing into a partnership of any kind involving the US Postal Service. You would be better just having them drop ship to a known FedEx store in your area and you can pick them up there.

Having the USPS deliver the "last mile" saves UPS and FedEx lots of money, and I dont believe the USPS makes a lot on it. UPS and FedEX would have to raise rates if they didnt use the "last mile" service of the USPS.

 

Paul

[jeanhoyle]

Most businesses do not offer a choice of how packages are shipped, so how do you avoid smart post. We watched a package take three days to get out of CA just to go past us up to Auburn, WA to be handed over to USPS to be delivered to a street address near Corvallis, OR. It defies explanation.

[cpaulsen]

Most businesses do not offer a choice of how packages are shipped, so how do you avoid smart post. We watched a package take three days to get out of CA just to go past us up to Auburn, WA to be handed over to USPS to be delivered to a street address near Corvallis, OR. It defies explanation.

Same for us....left Ca. ...went to a facility in Oregon about 70 miles from us...then went to Wash. ...about 200 miles awayand sat there for over 2 days before coming back to Oregon.....got dropped at a post office then delivered the next day.......took 7 days to get to us.

[Medico]

These parcels are loaded into a tractor trailer to be shipped to a large sorting facility, then loaded onto smaller trucks to be sent to your local facility, then loaded onto a delivery truck, or given to the post office for delivery. The large sorting facility near us is in Orlando, Fl. Since we are north of Orlando, packages always go past us before then being delivered to the post office.

 

For example I'm waiting for a package that was scheduled for delivery yesterday, but instead was handed over to the post office yesterday. I suspect I will actually have the package in hand today. This happens all the time.

[SIBERNUT]

USPS

"through rain & storm & dark of night, even though we can't read or write"

[folivier]

I agree the problem is usually that you have no idea how your package is coming until after it has shipped! We had a big problem with that last winter where we stayed. Depending on whether a package was shipped UPS/Fedex or USPS I needed to use different addresses since the local PO didn't deliver. But the address for USPS delivery was a different town and zip. Had quite a few packages returned.

On the other side the tracking for USPS seems to be a bit better.

Hopefully the senders will realize the problem caused and address it.

[TCW]

I am not sure it is always the case, but all the small packages that I have had shipped to "General Delivery" at a Post Office have been shipped via the US Postal Service the entire way. I have no idea whether UPS or FEDEX will ship a package addressed to "General Delivery" at a Post Office.

[dsimpson]

Some years ago, because of my problems and frustrations when dealing with the Post Office, I vowed never to use the Post Office if possible. I remember telling a Post Office supervisor how thankful I was for FedEx and UPS. Imagine my shock and dismay when I found out that FedEx and UPS were in cahoots with the Post Office.

[champ_49]

In a lot of cases with mail forwarding for us on the road we rely on UPS or Fed EX because the particular park you are in may not accept USPS mail service. As is the case right here In Gulf Shores State Park in Gulf Shores AL. If I wanted the USPS I would have used them in the first place and got a post office box here in Gulf Shores but with the experience I had with that I vowed to never do it again. My mail was screwed up for months because the post office couldn't get it done right.

 

I pay good money to have it shipped and expect it to be shipped to me that way!

 

Dave

[jbh]

We had lots of problems with Smartpost and Surepost especially using the free Amazon Prime shipping. The solution for us has been to use the extra-fee faster shipping; usually it's only a dollar or two more but assures that the entire delivery is made via UPS or FedEx and the USPS isn't involved.

[skp51443]

I try to leave feedback on any purchase delivered by SmartPost, making it very clear that I am unhappy with the service and am willing to pay more to get it delivered by FedEx, UPS or one of the other delivery services.

[majolle]

MY point exactly was don't shoot the messenger. Many don't realize that if you would ship FedEx Ground to the nearest FedEx Store that it absolutely will go FedEx Ground, Never USPS. StupidPost has to be selected at the time and point of shipping. It costs less but the service is terrible after it enters the Postal System for delivery. Last Mile or not, the idiots in New York City blew this when they thought it was going to save a buck. I worked for FedEx for years and in the last couple of years we were consistant coast to coast 4 days, only thing excepting would be severe weather.

[Dave O]

Hi All

 

I ran into another issue with Prime/UPS. I had a (more than 1) package that was under $100 and NO signature required per Amazon.

 

UPS refused to leave it at the coach without a signature causing us a bunch of problems because we were gone most of the days.

 

I beat on Amazon via customer service to no avail. Finally grabbed the driver when I was home and asked him 'WHERE DOES IT SAY ON THIS PACKAGE SIGNATURE REQUIRED"? He showed me his machine and IT not, the package required the signature.

 

Seems the local UPS folks required a signature on ANY package delivered to an RV campground. This was even the case where we were at an upscale RV Resort.

 

After that I had our Prime packages delivered to our daughters house with no problems.

 

Dave O

[docj]

We had lots of problems with Smartpost and Surepost especially using the free Amazon Prime shipping. The solution for us has been to use the extra-fee faster shipping; usually it's only a dollar or two more but assures that the entire delivery is made via UPS or FedEx and the USPS isn't involved.

 

We get several packages a week using Prime and I think only one has come via Smartpost/Surepost. I think it probably depends on where you are relative to an Amazon depot.

 

And as for signatures, all the packages delivered to our winter RV park are signed for at the front desk and then delivered by the park's staff. I sure wouldn't want to be at a park where packages were left at my site. We only experienced that at the Escapees park in Bushnell once and didn't like it. We ended up having packages held for us at the UPS depot.

[bigjim]

I had a problem with Fedex ground picking up a flat at the tax and title office in Livingston but not on the other end where it was sent from and where it was going back to. I found out a lot or maybe all of Fedex ground is done by contractors. I would have been better off in that case using USPS next day delivery. I have had great service and crummy service from varying post office branches. One of the best I have ever used is the Cedar Crest 87008 bar none. Within 6-7miles north and south are 2 more post offices. One is pretty good the the third lightly sucks. It just seems to vary by the abilities and attitudes of the folks at each branch. It has been a long time since I used general delivery at Summerdale but was not excited about that location so I started using Foley.

[Dave O]

 

We get several packages a week using Prime and I think only one has come via Smartpost/Surepost. I think it probably depends on where you are relative to an Amazon depot.

 

And as for signatures, all the packages delivered to our winter RV park are signed for at the front desk and then delivered by the park's staff. I sure wouldn't want to be at a park where packages were left at my site. We only experienced that at the Escapees park in Bushnell once and didn't like it. We ended up having packages held for us at the UPS depot.

 

Hi Joel

 

The park we were at (only decent one within 50 miles) refused to accept any deliveries-USPS, UPS or FEDEX. We have had packages left on the door step at other parks with no problems. UPS store about 15 miles away was an option, but daughter was closer.

 

We just chalked it up to "one of those things" we have to deal with on the road 24/7/365.

 

Dave O

[dmcb]

_{I buy a lot of things on the net.}

_{To my surprise I have noted a much better delivery from the USPS.}

_{I get tracking on most of my stuff and even their tracking info seems better.}

_{I don't have the problem of having things delivered while I am moving around however.}

[Dave O]

_{I buy a lot of things on the net.}

_{To my surprise I have noted a much better delivery from the USPS.}

_{I get tracking on most of my stuff and even their tracking info seems better.}

_{I don't have the problem of having things delivered while I am moving around however.}

 

Hi Doug

 

Do you typically use General Delivery? We have stayed in many parks that require GD use for incoming mail. We have not had good luck with GD and pretty much avoid it in favor of UPS for our SKP mail where needed.

 

Dave O

[Kirk W]

I believe that service from the USPS has pretty much recovered from it's low point but with some reservations. In most cases we have had excellent USPS service, to include a package sent on Dec.20 and received on Dec. 23 of this year. But there was also a major failing last summer in one forwarded small package that took more than a month to reach Livingston from our home base, Lindale, TX post office while another identical one sent from the same shipper and on the same day went through in less than one week. Of course, one must remember the video coverage that FedEx got from the TV news for loosing packages out the back of a truck, so the private companies have problems too.

[richfaa]

We use USPS temp forwarding and have not had a problem in 8 years other than self inflected ones. This Christmas we sent gifts first class and parcel post and they all were delivered before Christmas eve. We mailed then out on the busiest mail day of the year. We also use both UPS and FEDEX when that is the only choice and have also had no problems....Just lucky I guess.

[champ_49]

We use Fed Ex here in this park as they will not accept USPS here. This week I had mail forwarding send package via Fed
Ex overnight standard shipping. Well I didn't get it the next day so I looked up the tracking and it said incorrect address "Delivery Exception" the next day was Christmas, so on Friday I was about to call Fed Ex and see what happened as it was the correct address and lo and behold it was on truck for delivery which we received Friday afternoon. No address change, but today it was the correct address. It was medications that was much needed for my wife. When the fed ex driver pulled up my wife asked him what happened with our delivery and he said he wasn't the guy that day that was suppose to deliver. Then he said, its to bad that some don't have good work ethics. Just shaking my head here!

Dave

[rv-voyager]

Just thinking out loud....will drone delivery be better or worst?

[docj]

We use Fed Ex here in this park as they will not accept USPS here. This week I had mail forwarding send package via Fed

Ex overnight standard shipping. Well I didn't get it the next day so I looked up the tracking and it said incorrect address "Delivery Exception" the next day was Christmas, so on Friday I was about to call Fed Ex and see what happened as it was the correct address and lo and behold it was on truck for delivery which we received Friday afternoon. No address change, but today it was the correct address. It was medications that was much needed for my wife. When the fed ex driver pulled up my wife asked him what happened with our delivery and he said he wasn't the guy that day that was suppose to deliver. Then he said, its to bad that some don't have good work ethics. Just shaking my head here!

 

Dave

 

I've seen that kind of behavior before with FedEx Ground, where many of the drivers are independent contractors, but I've never seen it with "regular" FedEx. That's a shame.

 

FedEx Ground was an acquisition made decades ago when FedEx wanted to get into direct competition with UPS for ground package delivery. They bought RPS which was a second-rate shipper. IMHO the RPS tradition lingers on and FedEx Ground is still not nearly as reliable as UPS. When we ran an online company and counted on both companies for incoming and outgoing shipments, we encountered numerous "falsified" delivery attempts with FedEx Ground; if someone didn't want to deliver that day they "discovered" that you conveniently weren't home, anyway.