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Reliable shipping--Who to choose

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USPS is no longer a good option for shipping valuable stuff. Some years ago there was not a big choice of shippers. I had a small home-based business repairing cornets and trumpets which I would acquire on Ebay and resell on Ebay. I shipped USPS. USPS at that time was fairlyreliable and efficient, and provided recourse and tracking service when packages were lost. More recently I've sold a few horns and shipped USPS. The estimated shiopping time never proved accurate, always taking a day or two longer. AS some readers know from my previous posts I crashed my Typhoon H damaging the motor arms and camera. I decided to have the drone repaired by Carolina Dronz, having had positive interaction with them in the past. Twenty days ago I sent the drone off to Anderson, SC using USPS. I insured it for the price I paid on Ebay.
After a week I called Carolina Dronz and they had not received it. I plugged in the tracking number online and discovered the bird had flown---to Corona del Mar California. I live in Oyster Bay, NY. I asked my local post office about what happened and they were patently disinterested. I pressed them and they said it was stalled at the Laguna Beach postal center because the postal code was incorrect. I suggested that the address in S. Carolina was clearly marked with a sharpy and requested they call Laguna Beach and have them forward it to the correct address marked on the package. I was told this could not be done and that the errant package might have been forwarded to Sourh Carolina. A week later tracking showed "package in transit to destination" What destination? I called the help number and they opened an investigation which to date has revealed no results. I will go down to my local post office Monday and try to light a fire under the Postmaster. I'm informed that these critical tasks are designated to robots that do not think and the package mays "probably" be returned to me so I can resend it for another $30.00.
I've learn my lesson. Pay a little more and use a trusted shipping company not USPS.
 
Fed Ex is the best, UPS is prone to damaging packages. The yellow truck outfit is pretty good. Never use Greyhound. FedEx runs about double USPS rates but they ate not as negative about the batteries as ling as you ship “ground” only.
 
Thanks for input. Fed Ex next time. Maybe Tom Hanks will deliver shipment if he's not stuck on a remote island.
 
I have been using USPS to ship my company's parts all over the US as well as all over the world. In eleven years I have shipped thousands of packages and to date have only had a a couple of parts damaged in shipping and only on three (3) occasions has an item been lost, and in all three cases they were a set of 4 small metal discs that are taped to a set of instructions which is folded and sent in a standards sized envelope and in all three cases they were lost going to - Russia. ?

Bottom line I think is; if you do any shipping you have to make sure your packaging is perfect; new boxes with no other labels or writing anywhere, the contents must be well supported for the trip and finally, it is imperative (much more so today than 20 years ago);) that you use a labeling software that incorporates a bar code system. Whenever humans are in the loop such as having to read a hand written address, this can and will cause problems. When I switched to stamps.com, our shipping woes we had 15 years ago were greatly reduced.

If it weren't for USPS I would lose almost half of my business - all that is outside of the US due to the ridiculous costs charged by UPS and FedEx, not saying they are not good shipper's, they are but; very expensive. As an example, I recently sold one of our big piece's to a customer in South Africa and he specifically requested any shipper besides USPS due to that countries poor postal system. USPS cost was about 75.00 US but FedEx and UPS? Try 450.00 and up! And this was for a 4 pound box that is 20 x 20 x 7 that weighs 4 pounds. Needless to say I told the customer that I would be able to complete the sale due to the lack of shipping options.
 
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Fed Ex is the best, UPS is prone to damaging packages. The yellow truck outfit is pretty good. Never use Greyhound. FedEx runs about double USPS rates but they ate not as negative about the batteries as ling as you ship “ground” only.
My typhoon is lost because UPS took someone's word they knew me. Yes KAV shipped it to my old address even though I had my new address on the package I shipped to them. They (kav) was supposed to verify address before they sent it back, they didn't. All I've gotten since is the runaround. Trying to get the person who signed for it and have the sheriff involved. I think UPS should make sure of who they Let sign for packages if it's not the person addressed to.
 
Ty brought up a very important point. When shipping in a box that’s been used before, be sure to remove every tag and label used in the previous shipping process. Boxes are bar code scanned for routing and having different labels sets the stage for disaster.

Most shipping labels are self stick so use a heat gun or hair dryer to loosen the adhesive for easy peel off. Just don’t burn your fingers on a hot label.
 
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Not drone related but I had the misfortune to become involved with a courier company last week who were tasked to take away an old boiler from my address. My first contact with them was an unexpected 'phone call from the driver to say he was outside so I wen't downstairs to meet him. I opened the door and no-one was in sight! No driver, no van, no nothing. Puzzled, I decided to ring the driver back using the number from his call and I asked him where he was. He said he was outside my door. I said I was also outside my door and he wasn't there...was he sure he was at the right address? He insisted he was, I insisted he wasn't. This went on for a minute or so and the conversation was clearly in danger of becoming toxic. I finally convinced him that he wasn't at the right address since clearly he couldn't see me and I couldn't see him, but even convincing him of that was a difficult task.

Turned out he was almost half a mile away and I guided him to my address using my 'phone. When he arrived I could see he was angry with me! Why me? I was at the right address and he had the intelligence of a snail. He took the boiler and associated stuff but not all of it so I complained about it to British Gas who had arranged for the collection. The driver had the right address but was too stupid to find it or be readily willing to concede he was at the wrong address. Even spelling it out to some of these couriers doesn't work.
 
USPS is no longer a good option for shipping valuable stuff. Some years ago there was not a big choice of shippers. I had a small home-based business repairing cornets and trumpets which I would acquire on Ebay and resell on Ebay. I shipped USPS. USPS at that time was fairlyreliable and efficient, and provided recourse and tracking service when packages were lost. More recently I've sold a few horns and shipped USPS. The estimated shiopping time never proved accurate, always taking a day or two longer. AS some readers know from my previous posts I crashed my Typhoon H damaging the motor arms and camera. I decided to have the drone repaired by Carolina Dronz, having had positive interaction with them in the past. Twenty days ago I sent the drone off to Anderson, SC using USPS. I insured it for the price I paid on Ebay.
After a week I called Carolina Dronz and they had not received it. I plugged in the tracking number online and discovered the bird had flown---to Corona del Mar California. I live in Oyster Bay, NY. I asked my local post office about what happened and they were patently disinterested. I pressed them and they said it was stalled at the Laguna Beach postal center because the postal code was incorrect. I suggested that the address in S. Carolina was clearly marked with a sharpy and requested they call Laguna Beach and have them forward it to the correct address marked on the package. I was told this could not be done and that the errant package might have been forwarded to Sourh Carolina. A week later tracking showed "package in transit to destination" What destination? I called the help number and they opened an investigation which to date has revealed no results. I will go down to my local post office Monday and try to light a fire under the Postmaster. I'm informed that these critical tasks are designated to robots that do not think and the package mays "probably" be returned to me so I can resend it for another $30.00.
I've learn my lesson. Pay a little more and use a trusted shipping company not USPS.
I may be able to assist if it is still at the Laguna Beach center, I work not too far from there. I could probably create a printed label, too, if that might help get it to the right place.
 
Ty brought up a very important point. When shipping in a box that’s been used before, be sure to remove every tag and label used in the previous shipping process. Boxes are bar code scanned for routing and having different labels sets the stage for disaster.

Most shipping labels are self stick so use a heat gun or hair dryer to loosen the adhesive for easy peel off. Just don’t burn your fingers on a hot label.
I made sure the only label had my new address and there wasn't any other labels on the package. I even told KAV that I had a new address. When KAV finally contacted me I was told by the tech person they are supposed to call and verify the return address before they send it out,they didn't. Anyway it looks like I'm done flying as I'm retired and can't afford another typhoon. Still going after the person who signed for it. Just waiting to hear from the sheriff.
Happy flying everyone.
 

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