USPS

[castaway109]

All the advice I have received from Candle has been excellent. And certainly I understand p**p happens.

 

I mailed the financial papers Yi needs for her interview which is on the 23rd of this month.

 

I had to wait for 1 paper so I didn't get to send it until the 6th. Still..16 or so days...I have read in candle that normal deliver is about 10 days via USPS. I even asked them SEVERAL times how long this would take and each time I was told 6 to 10 days to reach her.

 

Guess what? 14 days and counting and NO PAPERS. I looked online at the USPS tracking...and they did not even send it to China until the 13! They held it for a week!! Even after I specifically asked them how long it would take.

 

I even had my wife write her addres in Chinese and I wrote on the package "Documents Only". I can only assume the large envelope arrived in China on the 14th.

 

Now, as you can guess my wife is panicking and po'ed at me for trusting the post office. I am about ready to go "postal" on somebody here too. If I would have had any idea that 16 days is not enough I would have sent it DHL or UPS. I am very angry and aggravated right now.

 

So beware sending anything via USPS...even if they say 6 to 10 days..

[Cerberus]

All the advice I have received from Candle has been excellent.  And certainly I understand p**p happens. 

 

I mailed the financial papers Yi needs for her interview which is on the 23rd of this month.

 

I had to wait for 1 paper so I didn't get to send it until the 6th.  Still..16 or so days...I have read in candle that normal deliver is about 10 days via USPS.  I even asked them SEVERAL times how long this would take and each time I was told 6 to 10 days to reach her.

 

Guess what?  14 days and counting and NO PAPERS.  I looked online at the USPS tracking...and they did not even send it to China until the 13!  They held it for a week!!  Even after I specifically asked them how long it would take.

 

I even had my wife write her addres in Chinese and I wrote on the package "Documents Only".  I can only assume the large envelope arrived in China on the 14th.

 

Now, as you can guess my wife is panicking and po'ed at me for trusting the post office.  I am about ready to go "postal" on somebody here too.  If I would have had any idea that 16 days is not enough I would have sent it DHL or UPS.  I am very angry and aggravated right now.

 

So beware sending anything via USPS...even if they say 6 to 10 days..

176732[/snapback]

Castaway,

 

From a former postal supervisor, seems that I hear an Echo with your posting!

 

No flame intended. If time is critical, I do NOT send USPS! I don't care if it cheaper or not. For cheapness, I will reserve this for small gifts, etc to send to the wife. For important documents I use FEDEX. Never had a problem in 10 mailings I did. Nothing got FUBARed!

 

IMHO, when critical time sensitive documents need to be sent; DO NOT SCREW AROUND!

[warpedbored]

I hate to point out the obvious but it is Christmas season and the post office is swamped.

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

It's been my experience that it takes from 10-14 days in even the most ideal times let alone Christmas.....

[cosmiclobster]

I used the USPS to send small gifts and often $100 or $200 in cash.

Out of 8 packages, only 6 got there and 2 of them took over 2 months!

 

I did wise up toward the end and put her address in English AND Chinese characters. Those 2 packages did arrive with the fastest times of all - about 2 weeks.

[Randy W]

Castaway,

 

From a former postal supervisor, seems that I hear an Echo with your posting!0„2

 

No flame intended.0„2 If time is critical, I do NOT send USPS!0„2 I don't care if it cheaper or not.0„2 For cheapness, I will reserve this for small gifts, etc to send to the wife.0„2 For important documents I use FEDEX.0„2 Never had a problem in 10 mailings I did.0„2 Nothing got FUBARed!

 

IMHO, when critical time sensitive documents need to be sent;0„2 DO NOT SCREW AROUND!

176736[/snapback]

 

 

Realize, however, that FedEX and DHL have their own delivery system within China that may not reach some of the smaller cities. The USPS will hand off to China Post, which does.

 

There was another thread about problems with FedEX/DHL shipments to smaller cities (I don't remember where).

Edited December 19, 2005 by Randy W (see edit history)

[m-coon]

I agree with what has been said ..............

NEVER send anything important via USPS!!!!

Use the Fedex or the DHL.

Obviously you now have learned a valuable lesson. But this doesn't help you out at this moment.... Sorry! Hope it turns up soon and all works out for you.

Scott

[warpedbored]

Every package I have ever sent USPS arrived within 2 weeks.

[jemmyell]

Hello,

 

I send things all over the world using USPS with almost zero problems. I ALWAYS use EMS to China, and I have mailing labels that were developed in collaboration with my SO. These labels have her address in both English and Chinese. They are 2" x 4" labels and I place one on EVERY side of the EMS box, and I cover the one on the front (placed above the EMS address label) with clear tape so that the address will still be legible even if the package is gotten wet.

 

That said, I do NOT intend to commit critical materials to any one box, being shipped by ANY carrier. I am already shipping EMS packages with 'proof of relationship' materials to my SO. Be sure that your SO keeps the labels from each package as they are also part of the 'proof of relationship'. I am doing this very early so we have a dead minimum of time critical materials at P4 time. THEN, I will probably send TWO identical boxes by different carriers to guarantee one will make it.

 

-James

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

I don't think there any mailing service in the US that ensures that if you ship with it that it also delivers the package. In other words, shipping by FedEx does not necessarily mean that your package with arrive to the addressee via FedEx, DHL, China Post, etc. Some services deliver in certain cities and others do not. I've mailed six packages to China by USPS, all were advertised to arrive within 5-7 days. All took longer, but the longest was 17 days.

Edited December 19, 2005 by ShaQuaNew (see edit history)

[lars]

"From a former postal supervisor, seems that I hear an Echo with your posting! " Where at? My father and uncle are both retired Postal employees.

[jim_julian]

My experience with mailing via USPS to China is limited to letter size envelopes. All were addressed in English and Chinese. All arrived in 6-10 days.

[Cerberus]

"From a former postal supervisor, seems that I hear an Echo with your posting! "  Where at? My father and uncle are both retired Postal employees.

176835[/snapback]

Lars,

 

Portland Processing and Distribution Center, Portland, OR, Gave it up after 6 years, to return to PreMed at UN at Omaha

[lars]

"From a former postal supervisor, seems that I hear an Echo with your posting! "  Where at? My father and uncle are both retired Postal employees.

176835[/snapback]

Lars,

 

Portland Processing and Distribution Center, Portland, OR, Gave it up after 6 years, to return to PreMed at UN at Omaha

176943[/snapback]

That sounds like the better choice. Hope that it was.

[Cerberus]

"From a former postal supervisor, seems that I hear an Echo with your posting! "  Where at? My father and uncle are both retired Postal employees.

176835[/snapback]

Lars,

 

Portland Processing and Distribution Center, Portland, OR, Gave it up after 6 years, to return to PreMed at UN at Omaha

176943[/snapback]

That sounds like the better choice. Hope that it was.

177052[/snapback]

Lars,

 

LOL! Does water roll off a duck's back? The best choice I ever made!