Is this right?

[CraigAPS]

While that may still hold true with regards to the mail. If one is able to track a package as in the OP's case utilizing the Fedex or for that matter even UPS tracking system and that package is ultimately delivered by the Post Office; then those carriers are paying the Post Office for final delivery. The Small Parcel Business Model proclaims this as a win/win for small parcel and the Post Office. In reality the actual savings is a numbers game and the consumer experiences at least one more day of transit time in most cases.

Oh, I totally agree. It's annoying as heck to track a package and find out it's sitting in your local post office and there's not a darn thing you can do about it!

 

[bwframe]

I would complain to the original shipper. I got a notable discount and I'm sure my displeasure was recognised and passed along. Maybe this will change things or at worst be cause for clarity.

 

[singlesix]

Why are people upset? What is the issue? Was the package delivered? Did it arrive late? Seriously what is the issue here? Midway has Smartpost and it always arrives on the date promised or a day early, if I don't want Smartpost I pay more and pick UPS delivery.

 

[ckcollins2003]

This is something that really bugs me. you have to pay for FedEx to ship. you also have to pay for USPS to deliver.
I have had USPS deliver a FedEX package as a FedEX truck drives by.
I have also had many packages delivered by FedEx to my house.
I have asked the local postmaster why. she would not give me and explanation. It was just a contract thing.

The "why" is because when USPS was about to go bankrupt and a lot of people were about to lose their jobs, the bigger shipping companies seen an opportunity to make more money while saving USPS and all the jobs that are there, or at least most of them. If you remember correctly, USPS used to not deliver anything that wouldn't fit inside of a mailbox. This was hurting them from making the money needed to stay up and running.

It's annoying... I know... and confusing if you don't work in the shipping industry, but that delivery by a UPS driver or Fedex driver will cost more than a delivery from a Post Office driver. The Post Office saves money from not having to ship the package across the country and UPS or Fedex saves money by not having to deliver the package. A little bit of those costs go to both companies.

If you are sick of having it sit at the post office for an extra day to be delivered, pay for UPS/Fedex ground. Or you can get the mobile apps for both companies, create accounts, and upgrade it to ground for an extra fee. And you aren't paying more for the Smartpost... in fact you are paying much much less than any ground delivery from UPS or Fedex. With that savings comes an extra day of handling... it's another one of those "you get what you pay for" things.

For the record, the "smartpost" thing is annoying for UPS drivers as well, not just the consumers.

 

[71silverbullet]

Why are people upset? What is the issue? Was the package delivered? Did it arrive late? Seriously what is the issue here? Midway has Smartpost and it always arrives on the date promised or a day early, if I don't want Smartpost I pay more and pick UPS delivery.

^^^This...shoot your damn boolits and forget about it.

 

[Vigilant]

This is something that really bugs me. you have to pay for FedEx to ship. you also have to pay for USPS to deliver.
I have had USPS deliver a FedEX package as a FedEX truck drives by.
I have also had many packages delivered by FedEx to my house.
I have asked the local postmaster why. she would not give me and explanation. It was just a contract thing.

Obtain an FFL, obtain an explosives license, and go on about your business, shipping what you want, with the shipper that will take your package? No "contract" things need apply then!

 

[Spike Jones 5 2002]

ckcollins2003 you might be right, "It's annoying... I know... and confusing if you don't work in the shipping industry, but that delivery by a UPS driver or Fedex driver will cost more than a delivery from a Post Office driver. The Post Office saves money from not having to ship the package across the country and UPS or Fedex saves money by not having to deliver the package. A little bit of those costs go to both companies."

It probably saves a lot of money for FedEx to drive an empty truck by my house as USPS delivers the package.
I took a package labeled FedEx delivered by USPS to the post office. it cost exactly the same to ship from my local office to my house as it would from originating location.
so where is the saving?

 

[Vigilant]

ckcollins2003 you might be right, "It's annoying... I know... and confusing if you don't work in the shipping industry, but that delivery by a UPS driver or Fedex driver will cost more than a delivery from a Post Office driver. The Post Office saves money from not having to ship the package across the country and UPS or Fedex saves money by not having to deliver the package. A little bit of those costs go to both companies."

It probably saves a lot of money for FedEx to drive an empty truck by my house as USPS delivers the package.
I took a package labeled FedEx delivered by USPS to the post office. it cost exactly the same to ship from my local office to my house as it would from originating location.
so where is the saving?

In the contract pricing that you are not privy to, compounded with the volume!(USPS is almost obsolete, and they are taking ANYTHING contractually they HOPE will make them relevant again, whether we like it or not!)

 

[JAL]

ckcollins2003 you might be right, "It's annoying... I know... and confusing if you don't work in the shipping industry, but that delivery by a UPS driver or Fedex driver will cost more than a delivery from a Post Office driver. The Post Office saves money from not having to ship the package across the country and UPS or Fedex saves money by not having to deliver the package. A little bit of those costs go to both companies."

It probably saves a lot of money for FedEx to drive an empty truck by my house as USPS delivers the package.
I took a package labeled FedEx delivered by USPS to the post office. it cost exactly the same to ship from my local office to my house as it would from originating location.
so where is the saving?

It depends on how you're shipping it. If it's in a "flat rate" Priority Mail box, you're right. It will be a flat rate for that size box, regardless of distance (by zone) or weight, whether you're sending across the street, or to Nome, Alaska (don't know about Guam though).

When using USPS for sending padded mailer envelopes or parcels, you have to know how to play the system for the lowest rate, which can be substantially less than a Flat Rate Priority Mail container. If you don't pack it in one of those boxes but a different Priority Mail box that isn't flat rate, or your own box with Priority Mail labels on it, postage will be by weight and distance (by zone), provided it's not oversize or overweight. Beyond a certain weight or distance combination, the flat rate box is cheaper. If it's 13oz or less, which is just over 3/4 pounds, you can truly save sending it via First Class mail, and that has tracking now for all but standard letter mail. A First Class parcel which goes by weight only goes from 1oz at $2.67 to 13oz for $4.29. Distance doesn't matter. Instead of a parcel, if you can fit that same object into a large flat envelope (including padded ones) that don't exceed their maximum thickness, it's even less at 1oz for $0.98 to 13oz for $3.50. First Class standard is 3 postal business days (Mon-Sat) from anywhere in CONUS to anywhere in CONUS, a day longer than Priority's 2 day standard. Finally, if it's a book, tape, floppy disk, CD, DVD or Blu-Ray, it doesn't matter if it's audio, video, or data, it can be sent as Media Mail in a box, and that's very inexpensive, albeit it may take a day or two longer than First Class. Max for that is 70 pounds, but for 1 - 11 pounds, beyond which you might want Priority Flat Rate depending on size, it goes from $2.63 - $7.49. If it's not very big and not very heavy, USPS is by far the cheapest mode. You have to ask at the postal window what the cheapest rate is. If you pack it in a Flat Rate Priority Mail box it must be the flat rate they cannot put any other postage on it. Consequently I usually don't use one, but if other means will be more expensive than the Flat Rate Priority I can ship it in, I'll repack it there in the Post Office. In most cases it's not unless it's a heavy item.

I've found it's highly unusual if UPS and Fedex are less expensive than USPS, and it's been extremely reliable for me for the 22 years I've lived in Indiana. If it's both big and heavy, it's likely cheaper to go UPS or Fedex Ground, and Fedex Ground can be cheaper for that than UPS. Shipped two moving boxes packed solid with clothes to someone who moved and left them behind. About 75 pounds per box, and IIRC, Fedex Ground was cheapest.

John

 

[KJQ6945]

I was not aware of the packages being traded off from one shipper to another, until last week.
Last Wednesday, I ordered a battery on line. It shipped via UPS, with a stated delivery date of Tuesday. It arrived in Indy, on Thursday, less than 24 hours, from several states away. It spent the next 5 days bouncing around Indy. UPS, transferred it to USPS, and I had it on my porch Tuesday.

When it got to indy on Thursday, I kind of expected it earlier. I was wrong.

 

[4651feeder]

I was not aware of the packages being traded off from one shipper to another, until last week.
Last Wednesday, I ordered a battery on line. It shipped via UPS, with a stated delivery date of Tuesday. It arrived in Indy, on Thursday, less than 24 hours, from several states away. It spent the next 5 days bouncing around Indy. UPS, transferred it to USPS, and I had it on my porch Tuesday.

When it got to indy on Thursday, I kind of expected it earlier. I was wrong.

That sounds like UPS Mail Innovations. In that option rather than UPS delivering the package to the local Post Office that in turn delivers directly to you (SurePost aka GroundSaver). The parcel is logistically transported on UPS's behalf to a USPS central sorting facility where from what I've witnessed it may sort to another USPS sort facility before being directed to your local Post Office. For an Indianapolis area recipient it may not be as obvious as for those of us nearer to the State's borders. It's possible the one experience I've had with that was an anomaly and the parcel was missorted by the USPS causing the multiple xtra trips and long transit time enroute......

In response to those who believe the consumer is receiving discounted shipping charges by this means, that does not always apply as some merchants utilize the discounted method without full disclosure while still charging S/H rates commensurate with standard ground service in order to obtain additional profit on their product. I will not willingly order a product shipped via Mail Innovations, that is not to say I have not unwittingly done so.

 

[singlesix]

Many online stores use this method of shipping and it is clearly stated on the shipping options page. If the store doesn't than I'd think there are other issues of concern and I wouldn't give them my money.

 

[JAL]

Many online stores use this method of shipping and it is clearly stated on the shipping options page. If the store doesn't than I'd think there are other issues of concern and I wouldn't give them my money.

If this is about UPS Mail Innovations, Amazon has been using it, plus another form of it with an unnamed "shipping partner" that hands it to USPS. With Amazon Prime, I still get it in two days although the tracking becomes a little less than straightforward as Mail Innovations has two numbers, the first for UPS and the second for USPS. The unnamed "shipping partner" shows no tracking until it's handed to USPS. I've got no problem with this. For all the stuff I buy from Amazon, it's extremely rare if Prime breaks the two business day arrival standard, whether it's sent by UPS, Mail Innovations, straight USPS Priority, or by their "shipping partner"+USPS. If there's no promised shipping time, there's no promised shipping time, and you may not have as instant a gratification as you expected by a business day or two.

For those that live in Indianapolis, just because USPS tracking says it got to Indianapolis doesn't mean it's at the local Post Office that send the truck out to deliver your mail. The tracking could show three different steps in Indianapolis as it arrives first on the inbound side of a massive hub there. As I don't have an Indy mailing address, I get to see this. At one point there were different characterizations of what facility in Indy had the parcel. Even the local P.O. that delivers my mail has two sides and the tracking will show those two steps, followed by "Out for delivery".

Instant Gratification:
I'm old enough to remember when it could take weeks to get a parcel from the US to Germany, or vice versa. Parcel Post didn't go by plane, it went by ship. It didn't go by plane unless you paid for Air Mail, and that cost a King's Ransom. Just ordered some movies. In order to save on the shipping . . . because there were several UPS and USPS options . . . I selected Media Mail. It will probably take four USPS business days to get here, maybe five, a day or two longer than 3-day First Class and 2-day Priority. Doesn't matter. They'll get here when they get here and tracking will give progress. If getting it that fast is that important, go to a B&M store that has what you want. You'll get same day delivery via your own vehicle.

Unless you pay a premium for it, UPS doesn't do Saturday delivery. USPS does at no extra cost.

John