Chombi

So, I ordered a Giro helmet from the big sale at Nashbar last week and so far,.......
It seems to have been on a long vacation across the country visiting so many places.......

Received by the local post office

06/15/2016 9:42 A.M.
Package transferred to post office

South San Francisco, CA, US
06/15/2016 5:55 A.M.
Destination Scan

South San Francisco, CA, US
06/14/2016 10:15 P.M.
Arrival Scan

San Pablo, CA, US
06/14/2016 9:33 P.M.
Departure Scan

06/14/2016 12:35 P.M.
Arrival Scan

Hodgkins, IL, US
06/10/2016 11:11 P.M.
Departure Scan

06/10/2016 1:58 P.M.
Arrival Scan

Indianapolis, IN, US
06/10/2016 11:44 A.M.
Departure Scan

06/10/2016 6:30 A.M.
Arrival Scan

Columbus, OH, US
06/10/2016 2:58 A.M.
Departure Scan

06/10/2016 1:12 A.M.
Arrival Scan

Girard, OH, US
06/09/2016 9:39 P.M.
Departure Scan

06/09/2016 6:46 P.M.
Origin Scan

US
06/09/2016 3:34 P.M.
Order Processed: Ready for UPS

Is this just typical UPS service, or does Nashbar have a special cheapy shipment agreement with UPS that passes their packages around before it gets to its final destination.....
What ever it is, I hope that helmet does not get crushed by the brown trucksters up before I get an opportunity to do it myself.....

oddjob2

Actually, other than the first leg of the journey, your package has always been moving west. That's better than I have seen in boxes I have shipped from Michigan to the west coast. Sometimes USPS sends them to Pittsburgh before they head west, go figure. I have even seen a Fedex package go to Florida before heading for northern CA.

CliffordK

I had one package a couple of years ago via USPS that came here with a detour via some small town in Alaska, probably with weekly airplane mail service.

Bikerider007

That does not seem efficient since those are all decent sized cities. Granted I know nothing about UPS logistics coming from back east.

jefnvk

Perhaps it would help to know your general area. I have a lot of packages come through Hodgkins IL to Detroit, I'm assuming it is some sort of hub, and from there it is probably just going sorting facility to sorting facility, especially if it is ground service.

Also is it UPS or USPS? Your title says UPS, the text says Post Office. I know UPS and FedEx have agreements with USPS to do first/last mile services, which generally adds a few stops. Think all my Nashbar free shipping goes that way.

eschlwc

ups ground is slower than usps and fedex. it's cheap, so it's a trade-off.

ups ground often uses usps for final delivery.

six days with tracking the whole way shouldn't be an issue as there are other options when timing is critical.

#firstworldproblems

Chombi

I can wait, it's the extensive "handling" of the package that worries me most.....especially after getting two wheels delivered by them recently with boxes all smashed down, holed and torn, as if they were conciuosly trying to kill what's inside.

beech333

If it makes you feel better, I sent mail to VA on the 24th of last month and it arrived on June 13th.

nesteel 

I had a package shipped to me from Arizona. Went right past me all the way east to Ohio, then BACK west to me in Nebraska. Someone forgot to take it off the truck most likely.

stardognine

Ha, I ordered some stuff from Niagara Cycles, in Niagara Falls, and they ship by UPS. It looks like it got to Buffalo fast, but it'll be 2 more days for it to get the last 87 miles. (?) So it appears to be intentional.

SirMike1983 

As long as you get it and it's intact...

I have received a few bikes by Fed Ex/Bike Flights over the past couple years. The last couple were mangled badly, to the point Bike Flights paid in full both times for the damage. Fed Ex was unhelpful, but Bike Flights refunded the item in full. The damage to these bikes was extensive in a couple cases, essentially destroying them. The conditions of the boxes on arrival were dreadful and showed signs of some very heavy impacts.

So that is to say, if it gets there and is intact in the end, it is still better than some of what goes on with the larger boxes.

rootboy 

This always worries me.
Especially with fragile things. When I buy a nice book, I try to always pay for something more than Media Mail, which keeps the package "in the system" way too long. And they really throw that stuff around. All along the way.

AlexCyclistRoch

UPS=United Parcel Service. This is NOT the US Post Office.

rootboy 

Yes.

Grand Bois

Clearly, the UPS turned the package over to the USPS for delivery in the last step.

10 Wheels

They thought it was a basketball.

repechage

I think at one time all fedex shipments visited Memphis.

Certainly a Gran Tour for the helmet!

repechage

I have noticed that, can't have regular shipments be at a premium pace...

stardognine

This is exactly what happened to my package, according to the tracking info. At least now I know I'll get mine tomorrow.

Grand Bois

I ordered a 42" TV from Amazon. It was delivered to my door by courier within the hour for free. The courier was a very attractive young lady. I wish it could always be like that.

SquidPuppet

I ordered some rims directly from H Plus Son, a manufacturer in China. The package took almost three weeks to arrive, but I was able to watch each step of the way using the DHL tracking. The rims arrived damaged due to insufficient (completely negligent) packaging. I contacted the manufacturer and they sent me new rims a couple days later.

I began tracking the next morning and it indicated that the package arrived at the Shanghai airport. The next day it indicated no movement. On the previous shipment it showed an arrival in Los Angeles and it stayed in customs for a few days before moving again. Checking my new shipment again on the third day it indicated no movement. I was getting concerned that it was stuck at a Chinese airport. Later that afternoon the USPS delivery man brings them to me at my front door. Three days from China to Idaho? The tracking never even showed the departing the country, let alone arriving in the US, let alone being transferred from DHL to the Post Office.

It all ended very well too. The replacement polished rims arrived in good condition and the manufacturer told me to keep the old rims at no charge. They were badly scratched but otherwise undamaged. I powder coated them black and used them an another build about 9 months later.

Free rims.

jiangshi

To be perfectly clear on what is going on, Nashbar shipped the package via a super cheap service that UPS (and FedEx) offer to large shippers. There is no guarantee on delivery dates, but it is pennies cheaper for the shipper than straight USPS. In a nutshell, UPS will put the packages on trailers when there is room. The service can take 10 days or more. The shipper chooses to save a few pennies over you getting your package in a timely manner. You, the consumer, can always choose a time definite delivery method, if you are willing to pay for it.

This has nothing to do with UPS, USPS or FDX and their service/handling. It was designed this way.

rhm

I have USPS tracking numbers for two packages. According to USPS tracking, the same address is on both packages. Both were out for delivery yesterday. One was delivered. The other was returned to the shipper as undeliverable to that address. After an inordinate amount of time on the phone, I now have someone in a USPS facility somewhere looking for the package, and they will call me when they find it, so I can verify my address. I'm not a gambler, but I'd bet a hundred bucks the address on the package is correct.

Shimagnolo

Agreed!
I never get attractive young ladies coming to my door.

Shimagnolo

The weirdest tracking I saw on one of my own packages included:
- Originating in CA.
- Eventually reaching the local UPS distribution center in CO.
- Back to CA, (but to a different city).
- Back to my local UPS distribution center in CO.
- Delivered.

But that was nothing compared to a track I once saw posted somewhere.
It originated in the one of the lower 48 states, and destination was also in the lower 48.
But it took the scenic route through Japan!