USPS now most expensive for shipping off island

[dan d]

Many ofthe new shipping styles are affiliated with matson shipping. Lotsa containers come over to hono and are than air mailed to u interisland. Its still surface,like PARCEL,
Like dhl.standard shipping applies,just good luck knowing how Lol
Aloha


HPP

[sfendt]

"(This post does not apply to flat rate boxes, first-class mail, surface, or media mail.) It generally applies to items over 16 ounces that normally only qualify for the non-flat-rate "Priority Mail" designation)."


"The services that your post does NOT APPLY TO covers about 95% of the Post Offices' retail packaging services."

While it may be true that 95% of the service fits in that category, I'd say only about 20% of my shipping does. If it fits flat rate and isn't banned by the post office, I use them, as flat rate is a great deal. If it doesn't, they're seldom the cheapest and if they are, its only by a $ or two, so it usually goes FedEx (and it usually doesn't take any longer to drive all the way to Hilo and ship it than it does standing in the USPS line).

At our local post office, there are a couple great people, but there's the one you NEVER want to help you (because she doesn't ever help anything except make more problems) - and FedEx acts like they want business.

Anyway - shipping out of here, do shop around, check your options is good advice.

As for getting stuff here - that's another thread, but I'll say that I often get E-bay stuff shipped from China faster than Amazon Free Shipping from US.

Living the good life - off the grid in Puna

[leilanidude]

At our local post office, there are a couple great people, but there's the one you NEVER want to help you (because she doesn't ever help anything except make more problems) - and FedEx acts like they want business.
-----------
I know exactly which one you mean - and I avoid her at all costs.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

More details of plans for Amazon Air were announced today. They plan to have their own fleet of cargo planes:
https://www.thestreet.com/investing/stoc...r-14800359

"I want great climate, we’re going to have that.” President Donald J. Trump, while viewing the massive wildfire devastation 11/17/18. (The J stands for Jenius)

[Guest]

dang Terracore, das sum bad luck. I wonder if things stacking up locally ?

I hope people ordering from China are not doing so to receive a plagerized / copy of a USA designed product just to save a few bucks. JMOz

[Obie]

I got a USPS priority mail package today that was from Amazon Prime.It was promised to be delivered by Friday.

It shows up on Wednesday 2 days early.

The Post Office is supposed to be closed.

Does Bezos have that much power or is that the way priority mail is supposed to work ?

[leilanidude]

That is how Priority Mail works.

[terracore]

"The Post Office is supposed to be closed."

Last year, they were delivering priority mail packages in many areas on Sunday Dec. 24th due to backlogs. This time of year they have temporary/non-career/non-union employees that are at their disposal.

"I got a USPS priority mail package today that was from Amazon Prime.It was promised to be delivered by Friday."

Promised by Amazon or the USPS? Amazon picks delivery dates based on algorithms, often times selling things they don't actually have in a warehouse (or it's in a more distant warehouse) expecting their "just in time" logistics system will get the item you ordered to a shipping carrier and then to you by the date they chose. If it doesn't come to them in time, or its further away than they were expecting, they will change to a faster carrier to make the delivery date. For example, ship via Priority Mail instead of using a slower/cheaper method like Parcel Pool or Parcel Select they would have preferred to use. Sometimes we hit the jackpot, and a product they thought was in the Michigan warehouse is actually in the California warehouse, but still ships Priority so gets here "early".

[Obie]

Amazon promised it by Friday but the USPS got here 2 days early and delivered it on a day the Post Office was closed.

There was no mail delivered on Wednesday and it was a regular USPS truck and employee that delivered the package.

That's why I wondered if Amazon gets special service.

[OrchidIslander]

[quote]Originally posted by terracore

"The Post Office is supposed to be closed."

Last year, they were delivering priority mail packages in many areas on Sunday Dec. 24th due to backlogs. This time of year they have temporary/non-career/non-union employees that are at their disposal.

That is patently untrue and not the case at all. During the holiday season postal employees work 24/7 to handle the heavier load. I'm a permanent/career/union employee - the complete opposite of your scenario - as are about 95% of the postal employees working the holiday mail. We've begun working on Sundays and work hours available to us have been increased to handle the additional workflow.

"I got a USPS priority mail package today that was from Amazon Prime. It was promised to be delivered by Friday."

Obie, the post office was "officially" closed on Wednesday, 12/5. However, all that was closed was the retail portion of the operations. Those employees charged with delivery and distribution of mail reported to work. That's why you received your parcel on the quasi "closed" day.