I FINALLY received my variegated daturas---8 days after they were mailed! Postmarked 4/16, they arrived here yesterday, via Priority Mail, with a Delivery Confirmation sticker! Which, I learned, means nothing---my postal carrier admitted she'd delivered my box to someone else the day before, in error. That 'someone' had obviously opened and unpacked the box before realizing that it wasn't hers, and it looks like she just crammed everything back inside and sealed it back up. Needless to say, the daturas are little dead sticks. I'm about ready to quit using Priority mail altogether. Last week I received 8 or 9 packages, about half of them via 1st class. None of the Priority packages got here any faster than the 1st class ones did. Has anyone else had similar experiences with the mails?
ARRRGH!!!
I had cactus's sent get delivered to my neighbors house. After much searching and a month or so later after asking my neighbor if he had seen the box he confirmed that he did indeed have a package. He 20 questioned me about its contents before he would hand over the box. Seems funny to me that he wouldn't just walk the box over the day he recieved it and realized it wasn't his address, but what can one do? Crazziness exists the world over.
I got hibiscus priority mail send Monday I got them Wednesday..I had a plant I sent to MS...it took 8 days before they got it. should be a recourse on Priority mail if it takes too long.We are near the largest mail hub in the state and near the major airport..it makes a difference than someone out in the sticks..so to say.
There's a lot wrong with the way the postal service handles parcels. In MHO - the USPS should really concentrate on revamping how the parcels are sorted. It's the way of the future with the Internet shopping and letter volume decreasing. The postmaster general presented a proposal a few weeks ago on plans to cut 5 billion off it's budget. I think much of this proposal will be shot down but I'm sure there will be some major changes coming in the future. Hopefully it will be for the better - but 5 billion is a lot of cutting and price hiking.
MissBatt - in our ditribution office first class parcels are treated just as priority parcels. First Class IS priority. You can only mail first class if the package is under 1 pound but it should arrive in the same time as a 2 pound priorty piece. I can't speak for other offices - and I've found that there usually isn't a big savings mailing first class. Maybe $1 difference. Also when it comes to "delivery confirmation" ... I think it's a big waste of money. IF the package is scanned properly [and most of the time it's not] you will only be able to find out the route your package took. It doesn't insure the contents & It doesn't make the piece travel any faster. It just tells you where it's been and if it was delivered. It doesn't matter if it took 2 months and traveled the country before making it's destination. It may come in handy for an ebay seller that wants to make sure packages arrive at their destination and his customers aren't lying when they say it didn't.
All I can advise anyone to do when packages take to long is complain. Get the comment cards from your post office and mail them in. They should go to the District office in your area. The pencil pushers have to look into the problems going on. Most people think it's pointless to complain - but if you don't they think everything is hunky-dory and mail is flowing smoothly. You may not see instant results but in the long run some good may come from them. You can yell at your postmaster or the clerk behind the counter but that won't do much when it comes to correcting the problems.
I think there is always a risk mailing plants - and there always will be. There's not a lot we can do about it except package them like they'll be in the mail for weeks - cause they just might be. UPS and other services may do a better job with there packages - but they also cost alot more.
Sue UPS doesen't do that much better,and they do cost alot more(Somebody has to pay for my pension!) But if you want it there in 2 days,they will get it there.I compared a box I was sending,post office priority was 3.95,UPS was over 9.00 for 3 day select!
UPS is good for heavy packages - I think they are cheaper too. I mailed stepping stones UPS ground and it was alot cheaper than parcel post. They're much better with the delivery comfirmation too - everything is scanned.
If a package is traveling OVER 300 miles, it goes the SAME way (by plane), and takes the SAME amount of time (3 or more days from your post office to your home), whether mailed priority OR first class. If it is going UNDER 300 miles, it goes by truck, and takes 3-5 days from point A to your home. If it gets mis-handled, it takes longer, no matter HOW you send it.
Hummm...there are some types of plants that I have routinely been sending 1st classs because they can stand a lot of time in the mail (bulbs, etc.) and up to about 1 and a half pounds, it's about half the price of Priority. Between 1&1/2 and 3 pouinds, there are only a fw penniesdifference, so I've been going for priority---not anymore! I'll have to start watching the 300-mile limit, but I seem to get packages within 300 miles in about 2 days---once I got one from about 150 miles away the next day! (1st class, of course.) No more priority for me!
I have a trade going with a gal that I have traded with befoer and she mailed me a package on April 12 and they still aren't here. I got a package from somebody who lives in the same state and it was mailed April 19 and received April 23. Same state. Gotta be lost, that first package. Poor babies. Lani
Germanys Post has become private, its no govermental firm anymore. Since then, they closed more than a half of its offices in the whole country. A walk of 2km must be accepted by the public. Otherwise you have to ask the mail man to take parcels, letters whatsoever.....! Pony Express times are not so far away anymore. Mailing a letter via express, it costs about $30 -40, arrival promised next day. But often, the word next was streeeeetched and the letter was delievered next week. There is no chance of a refund in such cases.
Maybe we should consider hand delivering these packages with plants. Think of the country we'd see, and how much fun it would be to meet those we are giving our "kids" to. :>) I'm sure my spouse would go for that...NOT!!!!
Anna Z.
Have horse, will travel. I could restart the pony express I suppose. But don't know what I would do in the areas that are all freeways the horses wouldn't stand a chance.