USPS Shipping

[iceblue1999]

DON'T USE USPS FOR SHIPPING ANYTHING! They charge a lot to ship now, but do not get your package to its destination on time. Their excuse is "it's in transit"! So you continue to pay more for their service and get less service. My suggestion is to use a different carrier. Prices are about the same, maybe a little higher, but your package will get there when they say it will! ENOUGH is ENOUGH with them...they are old school and there is no news about any corrections to their service...just more money!!!

[deserdog]

USPS is performing just fine for me. I ship all sorts and types of packages. No problems.

What are you shipping and how are you shipping it?

[44012]

On occasion this happens to me. 2-3 times a year.

I would rather use USPS than the other carriers.

Just my preference.

I also ship 99% of the time things that fit 12 x 12 x 12 or smaller.

If larger, I would use UPS or Fed Ex.

Perhaps make sure you get the packaged scanned (not sure if you did that when at USPS).

[deserdog]

I have every one of my packages weighed and scanned when I drop them off at the post office.  My shipping labels are entirely covered with clear tape. Good performance from USPS>

[loose_goose_garage]

I have shipped over 500 items this year via USPS, and had minimal delays (at most a day or two).

In fact, many of my shipments arrive a day earlier than expected, even via Ground Advantage vs. Priority.

Also, they are more cost effective for anything that isn't large/ bulky/ heavy, at least for me.

Sure, no one likes the prices going up, but UPS and FedEx also increase prices as well.

[kensgiftshop]

Shipped a few packages this year and they all reached the buyer before the EDD.

Even packages I've received, received on time.

[gator08041971]

@iceblue1999 

• Exactly how many issues have you had?
• What kind of packages are you sending?
• Do you buy labels here or elsewhere?
• Do you have USPS pick up your packages or do you take them to the local USPS office?
• Do you make sure they get scanned at the counter when taking them to the office?

I sell fairly often (as a small seller) and most of my items are between 8 oz and 2 lbs. I print my own labels with a thermal printer that uses self adhesive 4x6 paper roll, and always make sure my packages are uniform, wrinkle free and clear to read.

I see 1 package out of 5 that might have a 1 day delay, but most packages deliver on or ahead of expected time.  And I have gotten packages earlier than estimated as well that were shipped USPS to me.  I have seen an 1 day increase in my shipping out time, as now the packages take a day and a half to reach the sorting hub, instead of the same day I ship it. (the packages are now transferred to the hub once a day in the morning instead of morning and evening)

In the past 2 years, I have had one package that got "lost" that USPS ended up refunding me for, but they eventually delivered it anyway, a week or so later.  (It was nearly 3.5 weeks in the mail system)  But the buyer was refunded and got their item, and I was reimbursed for shipping and the item's value when sold.  So all in all, that was only a loss to USPS.

Stuff happens.  But if you are consistently having issues with multiple packages, you might have something else causing unintentional delays.  Maybe the local hub is having issues, or something about your packaging is throwing it off.  Hence my questions above.

Good luck though.

[fm2000]

One thing to keep in mind is that a fair number of items on eBay would be unsellable at a profit if sellers had to charge what UPS and FedEx charge, especially for packages going to rural and remote areas where they can tack on all kinds of ridiculous surcharges. Not even accounting for the incorrect UPS/FedEx "gotcha" adjustments that many sellers have been hit with in the last few years.

I ship USPS exclusively, they come and pick my items up from me 6 days a week, and have only had 2 arrive late this year (and one was an ESE the local post office misplaced). 

[iceblue1999]

I ship via a downloaded label from eBay. I personally take the package to the post office to get a receipt. My complaint is what happens afterward when tracking the package to the Buyer. 8 out of 10 arrive with no issues and good tracking, but I in the last two weeks, have received packages from sellers with lousy tracking information. Again, "in transit to the next location" is not from me, it's the post office! Yes, most of my packages arrive on time or within a day or so, but when you make a sale from a small seller, it's essential that you want the item to reach the buyer, and this lousy tracking doesn't help. And, most are right, the USPS) is cheaper, but its prices are going up again so for the difference of a buck or two, FedEX and UPS tracking is better and more assurance, in my mind, that the item will get to the buyer on time!!!

[aproudparent2010]

I haven't had any problems with USPS getting items delivered on time. Most of mine get delivered 3-5 days