Bad Lag

I also got screwed by this new delivery system, the name of which I have forgotten.

Large freight forwarders pick up and transport the packages to the customer's city. USPS receives those packages and does the final, local deliveries.

The problem seems to be the USPS portion of that system. They are sitting on the packages for a week or more before delivering them to your home. I've read of 2-3 weeks delay, all the time.

It's a system that sounds good but is tragically flawed. The USPS portion of it just isn't working properly.

Rather than wait weeks, I'd be happier if I could just go to the Post Office and pick up my package.

Send me an email, I'll be over right away.

SwimmerMike 

Back on topic.

I just ordered some tires last Friday from PBK. Received them Wednesday.

I have also ordered from some US companies in the last month where it took 2-3 weeks to receive them. I'm still waiting for an Atom free-wheel tool I ordered domestically 4 weeks ago.

IMO right now if you need something soon, go to the LBS, if you can wait then mail order works.

nlerner

I ordered some brakes from Bike24 in Germany a couple of weeks ago. I've ordered from them before, and they're usually kinda slow on shipping (and one fairly expensive item came to me really poorly packed, but fortunately not damaged). They use DHL to get it to the US and then hand the package off to USPS. The DHL tracking system says it arrived at Kennedy (NYC) on 9/9/20 and give me a USPS tracking #, but that one just says something like "pre-shipment info received." It's quite possible it's hung up in customs as I'm sure that's another choke point for mailing/shipping these days and isn't actually in the USPS system yet, but it's a bit frustrating.

RobbieTunes

1. One shouldn't assume who I like or don't like. No one knows what is true any more.
2. The USPS has been a soup sandwich bag of worms for decades, and will be.
3. People do bad things for political reasons because they can. I wish they didn't and couldn't.
4. Any assumption that one side or another is free of corruption would be defying human nature.
5. We are to blame for this mess by voting for these opposing players, one knee-jerk reaction after another.

UPS tells me I should pack their stuff "to be dropped from 10 feet." I believe that. It's the tire marks that bother me.
They are holding my Graftek and Coppi. I hope they don't lose them until I get there.
I've only had one bike delivered by DHL-damaged.
Fed Ex seems pretty good but apparently is opting out of a lot of undesirable shipping contracts.

ProBikeKit: I've gotten a group/wheels from them in a wheel box with no semblance of packing.

RobbieTunes

Post 39 , if you're pointing fingers. I didn't bring it up.

RobbieTunes

To the Post, yes, but I don't watch Fox News.
There is no unbiased straight source of news any more.
I scan Fox News website: "no." I scan CNN website: "no."
I scan NPR: "no." I watch local news and turn it off when it goes network.
My trust in a respectful, fair and tough reporter ended when Sam Donaldson retired.
Everybody else is more about the agenda, their sound bites, and ideology than the facts, it seems.
I blame Dr. Spock for poor parenting and think Robert Reich has some good analysis about American family economics.
The last people I really thought were good on the radio were Click and Clack.

Any English major can look at the use of verbs and tense in news articles and newscasts and find the bias right away.
The basis of that type of analysis and research was born in the 70's.

I've been watching the Tour and listening to the elegant commentary of that British commentator.
He's a gem and a wordsmith.

If a deal comes up on ProBikeKit, I'd buy it.
I'd just temper my expectations because COVID seems to have really changed everything.
Except maybe China. Mao's kids are hard at it. I still order from there.
Someday, one of their kids will probably be living in my house.

RobbieTunes

That's how I work it with UPS and Fed Ex. I "intercept" via the web.
They hold, I go.
You can open it right there if there's an issue.
Wear a mask.
Hand sanitizer.

BFisher

Alright, no recess for either one of you!

In shipping, overseas or not doesn't matter much. Waited a month for goods from UK, got a refund, goods came the next damn day. Gave the refund back. Not his fault. Just got wheels from Merlin this week. Took two days.

Got stuff from CA, two days. Stuff from one state South of me, almost two weeks!

For the most part it has been good, and problems I can blame on the vendor are very, very few.

iab

I shipped a package USPS to japan, took 12 days. Shipped the same package USPS to Italy, still hasn't arrived in 34 days. In the meanwhile, I received a package from Italy via USPS in 15 days.

My point? Hillary's emails obviously. duh.

gaucho777 

Robbie, no hard feelings, okay? I know I was replying to you directly, but I meant my last comment in a general sense. People I don't like say true things, too, like Rumsfeld on "known knowns." You may not find the Washington Post credible, but the root of the story and the court's decision does ultimately have a basis in facts & evidence. It's hard to know what's true, but it's our responsibility to try. Read that court document I linked. Unfortunately, we cannot have a thorough, honest discussion about mail delays at the current moment without acknowledging that the USPS has been politicized.

Anyway, we've spent enough time on this forum together over the years for me to know you to be a good, kind, generous dude--and you crack me up, too. I'd still be glad to ride with you any time, no matter who's name is on your bumper sticker.

pachyderm56

It appears to me that the latest way some online sellers do business it to list items as available but the seller does not have them in stock, when you order from said seller they, in turn, order from their supplier, the ordered item may be sent directly to you OR sent to the seller {essentially a middle man} and then sent on to you, I think sellers like Bell's Bike does that kind of business, there have been times that an order from them takes longer than ordering from Taiwan

zigmeister

Postal Service is a dumpster fire. Overpaid, full paid medical and pensions are ruining it, and they are just deciding to not delivery packages in a timely manner...called a "Slow-down" in the Union terms to force the Feds hands to keep forking out money to them.

Fortunately, I usually buy tires in bulk to last a few years....so rarely I have to buy very often. Usually don't buy anything else from them except tires personally.

RobbieTunes

Ditto. If I had a bumper sticker, it would say "no one this time around."

J.Higgins 

They certainly are NOT overpaid, and their medical and pensions means that YOU'LL get your mail delivered in a timely manner if they are able to do it because they are kept healthy as government employees should be. I'm retired military, so I'm a little partial to other branches of service, but I have to tell you that the USPS is nothing but a well-organized (debatable) grunt-force labor force, just like the army or any other branch of the service. The cold hard facts is that employees need to be healthy and fit to work in order for the mission to succeed. So don't whine about their medical benefits and wages. Try not to forget that a lot of your tax dollars do go toward making sure that you get your mail. Be happy. Some countries have worse mail issues.

RobbieTunes

Yep. I think their obligation is in the hundreds of millions on each Jan 1, before a single stamp is sold or a letter sorted.
My local carrier (rural) was a gem; she lost a package once and we all helped her find it on the side of the road.
When she had cancer, we found out they couldn't replace her, the others had to take her route after theirs.
When she died, we went through about 10 substitutes who were already employees but "brought in" to handle her route and then some.

It sounds like a real personnel mess/business model mess, but I will not blame the union that much.
I have a close friend who just wanted to get out of the Marines and work at the post office. I see his life as my information on this.
After 34 years, he is still on the night shift, still trying to be flexible, and he is not making serious money. Decent, but not over any local average.
He stopped drinking because his job bothers him and he doesn't want to "go postal." We laugh about that, but behind his eyes, he's sad.
I don't begrudge him any of his benefits, because he's definitely not a complainer and I don't see him gaming that system.

J.Higgins 

I agree with you 100%, Robbie. I also have a close friend and former co-worker who is our mail carrier for the last 25 years here. He is absolutely slammed with packages. He starts at 0730 in the AM and delivers my mail around 1700 every night, so very long days for him. He's been through a lot and paid his dues, surely. Mind you, I live in a small town of <1400, so if things are tough here, they by golly things (for postal workers) are tougher in metro areas for sure!

billytwosheds 

I'm just surprised that no one has mentioned "buying local" to avoid the stress(?) of waiting for shipments, and to deal with real people.

Deals online are deals, and by all means go for them. But paying 10-15% more at your LBS and knowing your neighbors lights will stay on is...nice.

nlerner

Good thought! I bought a pair of new cycling shoes a month or so ago, and of the various online ordering options, one was to order through my LBS and pick up there. Price was the same no matter where it came from, so I went for the LBS option. Satisfied customer.

OldsCOOL

I don’t buy tires locally. The prices are double what I find online. Other stuff, yes.

rosefarts

I've gotten several things from them. Always been totally satisfied with prices and speed considering where it's shipped from.

I did order a plastic frame pump peg from an eBay store a month and a half ago, still haven't seen it. I wonder if it's part of this shipping thing y'all are talking about.

In general, except for Amazon, shipping is slower now than it was two months ago. It's the DeJoy effect.

nlerner

Update: My brakes are now in the same state as where I reside and in the neighboring city! Woot! Hopefully, that box will arrive this week. Ordered on Sept 8, so I really shouldn't complain.

jay4usc

ask PBK for a refund if they deny it, complain it to your Credit Card company and let them deal with the company plus they will refund you. You will probably receive your package in a month and just keep it.

yukiinu

I ordered a sterilizing wand ( package about the size of a paperback book) from a U.S company. I tracked it and it was shipped within 2 days after ordering it. It shipped via USPS, tracked it across U.S to the local mail distribution center (where it would normally be (out for delivery) but it sat there for 2 weeks before it was delivered in my mailbox.

yukiinu

I ordered a sterilizing wand ( package about the size of a paperback book) from a U.S company. I tracked it and it was shipped within 2 days after ordering it. It shipped via USPS, tracked it across U.S to the local mail distribution center (where it would normally be (out for delivery) but it sat there for 2 weeks before it was delivered in my mailbox.

Wileyone 

Do all the UK sites ship via DHL now? My last order from wiggle (free shipping...) cost me $35 duty/customs at my door on a $100 order. When they were shipping via post there were rarely any duty charges at all. Shipping was slower but that really didn't bother me.