USPS got me again!

[Creekside]

Shipped out an oil sample on 6-27, made it to St. Louis by 6-30. Shows arrived to St. Louis again on 7-14 and shows arrived to Memphis, TN on 7-19. Last update was today, 7-21 “Your package is arriving late” This was headed to Blackstone. Looks like I’ll be trying the ship from home thing next go around.

 

[billpace1956]

I NEVER have any problems sending out my oil samples. Last time for example. I sent my oil sample out on 7/8/2020, it was delivered on 7/10/2020. I then had the email for the sample results on 7/18/020. The samples are delivered in 2 days 99% of the time. ONE sample took 3 days. ALL of the rest were 2 days. I just wish my results of the oil sample was as good as the delivery was. Well, you can't have everything!

 

[skyactiv]

That is why you should use UPS. Despite the USPS allowing oil samples to ship through the postal system, there is a percentage of postal employees that treats them suspicious and the samples go to a USPS lab to be evaluated if your a terrorist, they analyze what the oil sample really is and they get any finger prints and put you on record. The "mis-ships" are decoys in an attempt to cover the truth. This is just my opinion.

 

[Davejam]

That is why you should use UPS. Despite the USPS allowing oil samples to ship through the postal system, there is a percentage of postal employees that treats them suspicious and the samples go to a USPS lab to be evaluated if your a terrorist, they analyze what the oil sample really is and they get any finger prints and put you on record. The "mis-ships" are decoys in an attempt to cover the truth. This is just my opinion.

How would they deem it suspicious? My oil shipments seem fairly inconspicuous.

 

[Audios]

Ive had one issue with the postal service (until their change in command recently) and it was the Wix oil sample kit, sent out 6/2016 and never made it to the oil lab. Ive heard putting the oil kit in a small box makes it no issue at all.

 

[gathermewool]

Not the same, but USPS continues to shove too-large packages into my mail box.

UPS loves to leave packages right in front of my garage door. We're lucky we haven't run one over.

 

[chemman]

I always put the sample bottle into a small box, pack it well so it doesn't roll around, and it typically gets to the lab in 3 days or less. I figure if the USPS personnel see a cylindrical object they might think it's a liquid and then goof around with it for who knows how long.

 

[SZR48207]

I always put the sample bottle into a small box, pack it well so it doesn't roll around, and it typically gets to the lab in 3 days or less. I figure if the USPS personnel see a cylindrical object they might think it's a liquid and then goof around with it for who knows how long.

Ditto. The blackstone container raises red flags.

 

[OilReport99]

I still remember ol’ Lysander complaining about the USPS in the 1840’s.

It hasn’t changed a bit. Only gotten worse.

 

[DuckRyder]

Interesting:

I've had many of the blackstone bottles go astray ... most recently I sent the sample from the Acura in the standard bottle out on July 7. It arrived in Indy on the 9th then "in transit to next facility" on the 13th (this is code for "it is lost" IME) wherein it disappeared until resurfacing in Ft Wayne on the 20th and being delivered.

But I sent one on the 13th as well, I happened to have a brake pad box that was very light and almost the perfect size, so I decided to peel the label and stick it on the box with he bottle inside. That one was delivered on the 16th ad never went AWOL.

I've gotten results on neither, and Blackstone hasn't called to yell at me for costing them extra postage....

 

[skyactiv]

Interesting:

I've had many of the blackstone bottles go astray ... most recently I sent the sample from the Acura in the standard bottle out on July 7. It arrived in Indy on the 9th then "in transit to next facility" on the 13th (this is code for "it is lost" IME) wherein it disappeared until resurfacing in Ft Wayne on the 20th and being delivered.

But I sent one on the 13th as well, I happened to have a brake pad box that was very light and almost the perfect size, so I decided to peel the label and stick it on the box with he bottle inside. That one was delivered on the 16th ad never went AWOL.

I've gotten results on neither, and Blackstone hasn't called to yell at me for costing them extra postage....

It got flagged by a postal employee, sent off to the USPS lab to be checked and any finger prints lifted.

 

[DuckRyder]

It got flagged by a postal employee, sent off to the USPS lab to be checked and any finger prints lifted.

I've had them disappear for close to a month... and pop up all over the country...

I think its more likely it got hung in (or on) something and wasn't found until later but who knows...

 

[Creekside]

No update today. Still shows arriving late. I have my doubts that it’ll ever make it.

 

[mrsilv04]

I put my oil samples inside of one of those white and blue Amazon padded mailing bags, and tape it shut with packing tape. It takes $3.25 in postage to mail it. ALS (aka WIX) has it within 2-3 days.

It is amazing how well things go, when it looks like any other of a million packages that the USPS has handled without incident. When they can't see that it is a bottle with some sort of a liquid in it, it is stunning as to how little that they care.

 

[HonorAndHonesty]

I shipped out a oil sample to the laboratory that NAPA uses in Atlanta Georgia. On Wensday the 8th of July and it was supposed to arrive July 13th. It still has not arrived, The tracking never showed it has been delivered, it is just showing its still in transit. Who knows where its at, I shipped it in the NAPA container provided and expected an issue when shipping it, however the lady at the post office didn't blink an eye and when I told her it was an oil sample she said she ships several a month for various people and businesses.

The strange thing is in the case of Blackstone, Its not some persons house its going to, its fairly obvious its going to a lab, but I suppose that's just how it goes.

 

[HonorAndHonesty]

Interesting, I just checked the tracking on mine again and it is saying a label has been created, not yet in system.....

I suppose its another reason to use blackstone over NAPA since with blackstone you only pay if they actually get it and test it.... If they dont get my sample Im out almost 20 dollars total.

 

[Lubener]

I have had more on time deliveries with USPS than FEDEX. Not much experience with UPS.

 

[mrsilv04]

I suppose its another reason to use blackstone over NAPA since with blackstone you only pay if they actually get it and test it.... If they dont get my sample Im out almost 20 dollars total.

Stop mailing it in packaging that the USPS can identify as being a liquid on sight, and the problem will go away.

It doesn't matter which lab you are using, the problem is with the packaging that you are using. Should it be this way? No. But when you're dealing with the Postal Service, you have to deal with their dysfunctions.

 

[HonorAndHonesty]

Stop mailing it in packaging that the USPS can identify as being a liquid on sight, and the problem will go away.

It doesn't matter which lab you are using, the problem is with the packaging that you are using. Should it be this way? No. But when you're dealing with the Postal Service, you have to deal with their dysfunctions.

I have read about the issues here but decided to send it in what they provided, I mean come on, its got NAPA info all over it and im not sending it to some oddball address, Now I know first hand.

I will also say I had the same issue sending a packet of papers to my friend in Kentucky, it took several weeks to get there and took a circuitous route. I dont trust that something will get there regardless of the package its in.

Again, another advantage is if it does get lost in transit you are not out the money for the sample if you use an outfit where you pay once they receive it, This is a valid statement regardless.

Using USPS is sometimes much more convenient for me, plus I like visiting the post office and chit chatting with the postmaster, however UPS is definitely the way to go with something critical, this however was not.

 

[CarbonSteel]

Stop mailing it in packaging that the USPS can identify as being a liquid on sight, and the problem will go away.

It doesn't matter which lab you are using, the problem is with the packaging that you are using. Should it be this way? No. But when you're dealing with the Postal Service, you have to deal with their dysfunctions.

^^ this ^^

Performed nearly 80 UOAs through the years with 3 different labs before selecting one of those 3 as my primary lab and never had a sample lost. I also NEVER use the lab packaging to ship it via USPS.