Well, sure. And the one time it doesn't, well then you won't have saved any money. I've seen that a lot, saving money or being frugal is admirable, but so many smashed and ruined collectibles and antiques because someone cheaped out on the postage, the box, packing materials, trying to stuff 10 pounds in a 5 pound bag. Then they try to blame the carrier for denying insurance reimbursement.
The past two days have resulted in wet mail. I had to return a new hardback book (a new release) because the cardboard box was wet on one side, resulting in rippled pages. Today I received an 8 cd boxed set in a sleeve that someone escaped damage from the wet exterior box. The USzPS is still lackadaisical about keeping bins of mail under cover until they are loaded onto trucks for delivery . That’s why I have tried to seal anything I sell in plastic and add insurance as well.
I've had packages now take over a month to arrive from the US. I have made multiple phone calls, and I think I have relevant information. I wonder if something like this is also what's causing excessive delays with Media Mail. The USPS seems to have struck up a deal with Globegistics, which is now part of Asendia. Asendia is a joint venture of the Swiss and French Post Offices. This venture also has an arm that sub-contracts to private industry, and now it appears the USPS. Here's what's happening: 1. Regardless of where you drop off a package in the USA, be it a pharmacy, or an actual post office, International Destination packages are collected by Asendia. 2. Asendia takes these packages and loads them into shipping containers, likely one for Western Europe, Eastern Europe, one for UK, one for Canada, etc. 3. The shipping container doesn't get taken to the USPS until it's full. If it takes a week, two weeks, 30 days, or 75 days to fill up, it doesn't matter. 4. The container/trailer will move back and forth to different cities to collect stuff, sometimes going back and forth to the same places multiple times. 5. Once it gets filled, it finally gets dropped off the to the USPS station. But wait... 6. BTW, it has to get re-scanned by the USPS, and, it's still not officially in the USPS system. 7. Of course, the stuff that was sent the earliest is the furthest away from the opening of the payload, so it will take the longest to get scanned. 7. After it's been scanned, it finally gets sent to its destination country. 8. It goes through customs. 9. It gets sorted then delivered. The front lines of the USPS doesn't have this information. I learned this from multiple call and questions at Asendia. The end result is I have seen multiple orders vanish from the USPS system or appear in limbo for as long as 34 days. It's enough to give the impression that a package has gone missing. I'm curious how many people are filing missing package reports with PayPal as a result. I can see a lot of businesses decide to switch over to FedEx or UPS for international to avoid this. So, is Asendia ALSO handling Media Mail? Call Asendia and ask. Wanna file a complaint? Not sure who at the USPS will listen, let alone do anything. But this crappy, time-wasting process comes across a deliberate ploy to discourage the use of the USPS. it certainly makes the organization looks bad. I wouldn't be surprised if employees are getting extra grief as a result. I am going to complain, but I reaching out to these guys: APWU - The American Postal Workers Union I feel like they might want to know if something is being done that's also limiting their employees ability to do their job.
Finally showed up as damaged 3 weeks after going in there. The kicker is I just ordered its replacement that very day
