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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Just another outstanding example....
When I was having the Frog shipped to me on Tuesday (due to Labor Day).....and not wanting to see it sit in a warehouse over the weekend....
USP wanted $297.00 for 3-day delivery (Friday).
USPS Priority wanted $86 for 2-3 days and it arrived today (Thursday/2 days).
and it was riding in a mail truck....not a van full of microwaves and refrigerators! |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Thank You Very Much!  |
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Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | Preachin' to the choir, Stephen. |
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Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | Well, this isn't too different from Ovation vs. Taylor, PC vs. Mac, boxers vs. briefs, etc. It's nice to have choices. Everyone picks what works best for their particular situation.
I'm with Stephen, I never ever in a million years ship by UPS. But ironically almost everything I receive ARRIVES by UPS. Oh well.
Dave |
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Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | I use them all, they're all the same, just different flavors of shitty ice cream. |
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Location: South of most, North of few | Well, I just got off the phone with "them" and after questioning the representative, and then a "supervisor" (Lord knows how he got his job) All they could tell me is basically whats on the website. "EMERGENCY CONDITIONS BEYOND UPS' CONTROL" I asked them why I was just able to ship out the same size box via Fedex from here to Austin TX. and it's still in transit due to be delivered Saturday, when they can't seem to move my shipment out of TX. Maybe the road is only cleared on one side? Maybe I should just have them drop it in the mail to get it here. Seems funny that no one you can reach by phone has a clue as to what's happening. Sheesh!! :mad: :mad: |
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Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | TJ, repeat after me.....
I HATE UPS |
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November 2005
Posts: 1126
Location: Omaha, NE | Here's a true story...we noticed we had a new UPS driver a few weeks ago. We asked what happened to the old one. The new guy said she had been suspended for one week because she falsified a delivery signiture on a "next day" delivery in order to appear that she delivered it on time.
How you could possibly expect to get away with that is beyond me, but alas.
Anyway, I dare to say that I send more packages than just about anyone here (we probably average something like 50 to 100 cartons per day going UPS), so I have some experience here. And my experience is that they are all just about the same: UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc. We've used them all from one time or another. There has never been an appreciable difference in delivery times, damage rates, pricing, ease of claim recovery or anything else. In fact, the only way UPS got their hooks into us was by giving us some very nifty software that links into our accounting system and makes back-billing our customers a lot easier.
At the end of the day, its all luck of the draw. The vast majority of the time, everything goes fine. When things go bad, it sucks, particularly when its YOUR guitar under the truck's wheels. |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Jeff, the reason you see no difference in price is because UPS wants the big clients like you that ship 50-100 packages a day and prices their service aggressively.
For the average joe, UPS is higher priced than all the others and will SIT ON A PACKAGE rather than deliver it early. The rest seem to think "we have it so we might as well deliver it"
UPS also tends to use the "weather" as an excuse more than the other carriers. I have had a package sitting in Denver awaiting delivery and been told that it was late due to weather (as I look out the window at sunny 40 degree day).
YMMV |
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Posts: 5575
Location: big island | the real problem: UPS is union |
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Posts: 7230
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Originally posted by Mauvais Beal:
I use them all, they're all the same, just different flavors of shitty ice cream. This is the truest statement.
Take it from someone who also has worked with ALL of the big ones, and many of the small ones. UPS, DHL, USPS, FedEx, AirFrieght, United, etc etc etc..
They ALL have the same issues, some are better than others in different parts of the country, or even at different depot locations, but essentially, stuff happens.
You might also want to realize at least in this case... you are talking Texas. I just got an email from someone I shipped something to who was just allowed back home yesterday because of the storm.
It's sad that the media just focuses on New Orleans like the rest of the south doesn't exist, but Eastern Texas was evacuated too. They may not have drivers to drive the trucks or people to load them yet. Well, they probably do now, but up until yesterday they may not have. |
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Posts: 1792
Location: Rego Park, NY, | I know someone who used to work with UPS. Just like with any other job if there are conflict with people that have to work together the end result will suffer. The trucks are filled in order of priority. There is shelf for overnight delivery, 2 day, normal etc. When my friend had to fill a truck for a person he didn't like he would purposely incorrectly fill the truck. Overnight package with regular delivery, etc. He also mentioned an instance where a driver claims he made a delivery but never even went to the location.
I was actually at a UPS depot to pick up a package. The people in front of me needed to pick up a package that was shipped overnight delivery. They said that both he and his wife stayed home from work that day so that they will not miss the delivery. The weather was nice so they sat in front of their house. The man at the depot shows that the driver didn't make the delivery because nobody was home. Again like any other job unfortunately you are dealing with people's personalities. As said before it's a crap shoot when it comes to the person delivering your package. |
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Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | Well, the Adamas is still listed the same on the tracking site. Now I have to deal with another hurricane (Ike) which will delay it even more. I'll be lucky to see this guitar before Christmas. |
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Location: big island | and ike looks like it has a bead drawn on your neighborhood, jim. hunker down or get outta there.
best wishes. |
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Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Jephus, this is like a room full of whinging tottlers. Buck-up little tikes, you can always, jump in your car, or on a plane and deliver/pick-up these things yourself. |
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December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | they all have disadvantages and advantages.
I use UPS domestically and usps internationally.
I have very clear reasons.
that work for me your mileage may vary |
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November 2004
Posts: 4413
| Don't Wells Fargo still run those coaches? I seem to remember The Cisco Kid and The Lone Ranger were always making sure the stage got through. 150 years and no progress? |
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Posts: 15674
Location: SoCal | Silver doesn't run nearly as fast as he used to.... |
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Posts: 5575
Location: big island | there are hearings going on currently regarding UPS and DHL joint venturing whereby UPS will conduct DHL's sorting and shipping, relocating the operations to louisville and leaving 8,000 DHL employees in ohio out of work. IMO, DHL may be out of business totally soon after that. |
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February 2004
Posts: 2487
| No problems yet with UPS or USPS.
I have always hated sending Guitars in clearly marked Guitar boxes.
I had a delivery guy for UPS who was filling in for the regular guy ask all about the Guitars I was getting a while back. He is young and a guitarist and I have to say It was unsettling to know that anyone along the line who plays guitar and see's a Gibson or Rickenbacker Box must think there is a shinny new Guitar in there that is worth more than a grand or two. Nothing like a well marked box to temp the crime if you see my point.
Randy |
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April 2008
Posts: 288
Location: New Hampshire, USA | Originally posted by lanaki:
IMO, DHL may be out of business totally soon after that. Wouldn't break my heart. I've never had a DHL delivery go right. It's always been late, broken, or both. |
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November 2005
Posts: 1126
Location: Omaha, NE | For most of the "Esteban World Tour", it traveled the country in a Taylor box.
I wonder if any would-be-thief would have been pleasantly surprised to discover an Esteban where he thought he was getting a Taylor... |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Speakin of the Esteban, what ever happened to all the AI film clips of us playin and dissin it. |
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January 2007
Posts: 672
Location: New South Wales, Australia | I deliver for Australia Post down here and have seen my fair share of guitars. As an honest guitar player the thought of thieving someone's new pride and joy is foreign to me. I always make sure I handle with extreme care. |
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November 2005
Posts: 1126
Location: Omaha, NE | Originally posted by stephent28:
Speakin of the Esteban, what ever happened to all the AI film clips of us playin and dissin it. Not sure...I sent the disk off to a friend to see if he could upload the vids, and I never heard back.
Actually, at this point the 'ban has gone missing. I guess I should try tracking it back down. |
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March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | I have the video: it's not the best but there are some great highlights: maybe I can upload it to the new site. |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Originally posted by Omaha:
Actually, at this point the 'ban has gone missing. I guess I should try tracking it back down. Hopefully it was insured for MORE than it's true worth ;) . |
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June 2006
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Location: South of most, North of few | Update on the 1681 that was lost in the storm situation. It just cleared Jacksonville today and should be delivered tomorrow... :D |
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Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | Hope it beats IKE to your door. |
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June 2006
Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | From the latest info, it looks as if Ike will be headed to Texas and miss us. Of course you never know what these things will do. |
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Why I hate UPS..........