Timing Meter Rental Bad News

[icanfixall]

Wells guys here is some really bad news about my timing meter rental program. I have three meters out to members. One that went to Kentucky is missing.... It has not arrived at the designated location. The member has contacted me asking when it will arrive. I had a return address on the flat rate box. I felt it would be returned to me if it was mistakenly shipped to the wrong address... Not happening yet. Can something get lost in the US Mail.... All three meters were shipped at the same time from the same post office and paid for at the same time... So from now on meters will be shipped insured and those using them will need to sign for them. This will add a cost too your rental fee too. I know signing for them will cause some delays too. I hate finding a card telling me I need to go to the post office to sign for something because I was not home when the post office decided to drop by. I have given it some thought about just having you guys just shipping the meters on to the next person on my list but... I loose some control doing that... I will be thinking about how this idea may or may not work out. It will be difficult to tell someone they got a working meter that was not damaged in any way if someone just ships it along.There is some trust to bear to also... I trusted the post office to ship what I sent but that is up in the air now. Any and all oppinions are incourged onthis mess....

 

[Jake_IN]

Did ya get any tracking numbers when ya shipped them?

 

[88beast]

id say recomend mini timing meets get a bunch of local guys together to do the timing ya no
also lost in mail happens but something like that is not common but i worked at ups and if some package got damaged some ppl would just toss it in the trash im sure this happens in usps too.
also ship in a heavy duty plastic case with a combination lock and a handle this stuff is one durable and two the guys who handle it think its important therefore if damage occurs they have the right ppl handle it

 

[yARIC008]

You need tracking on it at least so you can see where it's at. You could give the person the option for the signature. If they don't want it required and then they claim the thing went missing after the tracking number says it was delivered, well screw em, they have to buy you a new one.

 

[junk]

I would recommend UPS. USPS always messes stuff up. I wouldn't trust the USPS to ship a stool sample.

 

[Brimmstone]

The USPS is so corrupt these days it's not worth using. They've cost me so much money in the last year I refuse to use them.

 

[Midwest_Mudder]

if you put on delivery confirmation they can typically help a little. although insurance is always nice, then they either find it and get it to ya, or you get however much you declared.

 

[ih8minimumwage]

Seriously, if you're shipping something that valuable, use UPS. The post office is collapsing on itself FAST. Everything I've mailed or been mailed has doubled the time it takes. Still waiting to see if some things even arrive in the next week...

 

[rhkcommander]

I was afraid some things like this would happen...

Use a tracking-capable shipping method. UPS would be the cheapest, I don't think USPS does tracking unless it is 'express' - only delivery confirmation...

Insurance helps but you might have to prove the value of the item. Haven't had to fight them over this yet.

Make sure you pack it to take a beating, good luck

 

[johneich]

If its undeliverable it can take about two weeks for the shipper to get it back with USPS has been my experience.

 

[sassyrel]

if you put on delivery confirmation they can typically help a little. although insurance is always nice, then they either find it and get it to ya, or you get however much you declared.

NOPE..been there,,and the usps screwed me out of 87.51..they just delay you,and delay you..and it was insured...as one said,,forget even a stool sample..

 

[subway]

have had a similer experiance with USPS, they lost the package and i had a hell of a time trying to file a report or get anyone to look into it. meanwhile my tractor was down and the grass was getting much taller.

i finally called the company i ordered the part from and they shipped out another. well about a month an half later my original part shows up all beat up and half taped back shut........nice work guys, never got a call or any more information out of USPS just a beat up boxed part.

 

[6 Nebraska IDIs]

USPS Lost my Springfield custom shop built V-16 longslide 1911 a couple years ago. This incident caused springfield to quit using USPS as a delivery method for firearms that had been returned for service. UPS has also F-ed up some seriously expensive shipments too. Like they destroyed a $2700 Infil in car PC that I had purchased for my turbo eclipse for tuning purposes. Honestly I wouldn't use either of them personally. FedEx is the only way to go if I have time to go down there and ship whatever it is. The only times I use UPS is when I need to get it sent ASAP or if its going to Canada.

 

['94IDITurbo7.3]

the only time i use fed ex is if i don't need the item for the next 2.5-3 weeks. they are slow as mollasis in january.

i always use UPS and have never received a damaged package and they ship fast. my mom even buys her perfume online and it comes ups sometimes and it survives just fine. (it comes in glass bottles)

 

[freebird01]

in the past year ive shipped 50+ packages via usps and have only had an issue with one...and it was late not lost..