Shipping from Amazon

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I have been getting most of my orders from Amazon delivered from USPS, after they've been handed off from UPS. These orders usually take a day or two longer to arrive compared to those that are shipped all the way by UPS. I tried contacting Amazon support to find out if there's any way I can request that my orders NOT be handed off to USPS, but the person I chatted with (his name was Saif Nizamuddin) didn't seem to understand English. When I asked him this question, he would reply with something like "your order should be delivered today." So basically, I learned nothing about this from Amazon support. Do any of you know about this?
 
This is called SurePost and it's a "last-mile" offerings that greatly decreases the cost of postage for Amazon. Basically, they ship the package (presumably along with many other packages) to the closest Post Office, and the USPS delivers it to the actual address, since they usually go to every home each day already. It's a win for UPS, since they make only one stop instead of the many they would need to deliver each package individually.

Is your concern that the Amazon estimated delivery date is not being met? If so, Amazon usually issues refunds or reimbursements. The way to not use SurePost is to use the 2-day or next day shipping options.

I can see how the customer service rep was confused - who cares what route the package takes as long as it gets to your door on the promised date?
 
Did the package arrive within the promised delivery window?

I only ever email when I have problems. Clearer comms and it's saved.
 
I'm concerned with the outsourced customer service person that has no clue.
 
I actually prefer the USPS handoff because I have parcel boxes they leave them in and they put the key in my mailbox.


UPS won't always leave the packages if I'm not home and I don't always want them too.

Plus the mail comes around the same time everyday and ups can come at 8 am or 8pm, although
 
Originally Posted By: Kuato
I'm concerned with the outsourced customer service person that has no clue.


Welcome to corporate America. I live this every day.
 
Originally Posted By: grampi
I have been getting most of my orders from Amazon delivered from USPS, after they've been handed off from UPS. These orders usually take a day or two longer to arrive compared to those that are shipped all the way by UPS. I tried contacting Amazon support to find out if there's any way I can request that my orders NOT be handed off to USPS, but the person I chatted with (his name was Saif Nizamuddin) didn't seem to understand English. When I asked him this question, he would reply with something like "your order should be delivered today." So basically, I learned nothing about this from Amazon support. Do any of you know about this?


If that day or two of extra shipping time upsets you that much, just order what you need a day or two sooner. Problem solved.
 
Originally Posted By: spavel6
This is called SurePost and it's a "last-mile" offerings that greatly decreases the cost of postage for Amazon.


This.

The USPS isn't doing anything wrong in this situation, it's just how these systems work. FedEx has a similar system called SmartPost. This service is being used because it's cheap, not because it's fast.

The slowest service costs the least, so Amazon is using it.

If you want faster shipping you'll have to pay Amazon more for shipping when you order or get Prime.
 
Originally Posted By: grampi
I tried contacting Amazon support to find out if there's any way I can request that my orders NOT be handed off to USPS,

Yes, there is. It's called one-day shipping option.
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted By: NateDN10
USPS also delivers Amazon packages on Sunday now.
and it works just fine. I have Amazon Prime and rarely (maybe once per year) have an issue.
 
If you pick the free shipping it works that way.

I have noticed that it takes at minimum 2 weeks for something that is fulfilled by amazon (not a 3rd party) to ship if you do not have prime. Once it ships, it's usually here quick
 
If you pay for Amazon Prime, you are paying for 2 day delivery. Instead of calling, contact them via their website and complain, so there is a paper trail of your complaints. Advise them that if your packages keep coming in 3-4 days, you will cancel prime.

You also could ask for a discount every time the package is late. Every time I had a package late, they would give me a month of prime for free. I got like 6 free months of prime, just for asking, every time the package was late. Since Prime is $99/year, a free month equates to an $8.25 value.

Also, you can review the delivery. Write a review. They used to use some 3rd party operation here and I wrote a very detailed and terrible review every time this 3rd party operation delivered a package. The driver would chain-smoke and hotbox in the delivery vehicle and all my packages would be completely contaminated. So contaminated with smoke I would have to leave them outside and request a refund/return from Amazon. After about 10-15 packages went back to Amazon, they finally stopped using this 3rd party service and fired them. So they are listening to reviews.

And dont forget the Amazon card. It gives you 5% cash back, which in my case is about $100-$150 in free money returned to me every year.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: grampi
I tried contacting Amazon support to find out if there's any way I can request that my orders NOT be handed off to USPS,

Yes, there is. It's called one-day shipping option.
smile.gif





Then some of us have to deal with Lasership which is a circus sometimes
 
This is pretty common. UPS delivers the package to the post office on the day that it would normally be delivered to your home. The next day, it goes out and is delivered to you with your regular mail.

From my experience, if I have UPS package A coming on a Monday, and I have Surepost package B scheduled to be delivered Tuesday, UPS will just deliver both packages to me on Monday, rather than sending package B to the post office to be delivered the next day.

If you're using standard or no rush shipping, I don't think it's a big deal. If you're paying for prime and things are taking longer than 2 days, then that's an issue. I've been a prime member for many years, and never once had an issue with packages taking longer than 2 days to be delivered. One time my mother had a package take longer than 2 days, but she also orders from amazon a lot and has never had any other issues like that before.
 
Here in Canada, I usually find the free delivery arrives as fast as the paid delivery option. I ordered a racing seat on Tuesday with free delivery, and it shipped Thursday and arrived yesterday. No idea how Amazon made money on that when there was about 40% off the retail price of the seat, and they paid for next-day delivery of a box so heavy that I struggled to get it into the house.
 
Originally Posted By: spavel6


I can see how the customer service rep was confused - who cares what route the package takes as long as it gets to your door on the promised date?


But it didn't...
 
Originally Posted By: gathermewool
Did the package arrive within the promised delivery window?



No
 
Originally Posted By: Kuato
I'm concerned with the outsourced customer service person that has no clue.


I seriously don't think he understood English. When I asked him if there was a way I could have my orders shipped without having them transferred to the USPS, he'd reply by saying my package should be delivered today...
 
Originally Posted By: grampi
I have been getting most of my orders from Amazon delivered from USPS, after they've been handed off from UPS. These orders usually take a day or two longer to arrive compared to those that are shipped all the way by UPS. I tried contacting Amazon support to find out if there's any way I can request that my orders NOT be handed off to USPS, but the person I chatted with (his name was Saif Nizamuddin) didn't seem to understand English. When I asked him this question, he would reply with something like "your order should be delivered today." So basically, I learned nothing about this from Amazon support. Do any of you know about this?


Are you using prime? If youre not using prime, not sure why you'd feel entitled to any specific shipping speed or condition. Im sure if it were cheaper to keep all packages to you on UPS all the way through, they would...
 
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