UPS 'lost' my lower receiver.

[hollohas]

Losing a Christmas package for a few days is no big deal, but there are some legitimate beefs with UPS this month.

Someone already mentioned the mail order RX problem. Another countered by saying it's no big deal, buy it local and file an insurance claim. I'm sorry, but it isn't that easy. Many insurance companies require you buy through their mail order pharmacy or you pay full price. Fine, if its an emergency you go pay full price local...only if you can get in touch with your doctor to get a new Rx sent to a local pharmacy. Good luck with that during Christmas. Then filing a claim? Again good luck. The insurance company will say, "we're sorry, we already paid for the first set of meds shipped, we're not paying for the 2nd set bought locally". The insurance company does not care if the meds are late. I know this because it's happened to me and this wasn't during peak season. Was I able to get the meds? Sure was but at a major unnecessary cost because my package was lost for a couple weeks.

Example #2. Legitimate businesses suffer when packages get lost too. I sell supplies to contractors. A large amount of those supplies are not available locally so we order them. They base their schedules on when those supplies are going to arrive along with the owner of the building that needs to be completed. When a building is supposed to be completed by a certain date so the owner can occupy it and start making money to pay their bills, it's pretty important. When that date isn't met because some materials didn't arrive after being lost for a week+ at UPS in December, the contractor can face fines. That happened to one of my contractor customers earlier this month.

This country is working on a "just in time" inventory model. The only reason they are working on this model is because the shipping companies have promised delivery dates. When the shippers break the promise for any reason, then they cost people money.

Not getting a Christmas present in time is the fault of the buyer because they didn't buy earlier, but at the same time, if they were promised a delivery date which was subsequently broken, don't they have a reason to be mad? UPS and others made those guarantees and then broke them...UPS certainly has a responsibility to honor those commitments. From what I've read, it sounds like they are honoring it to those that did fall outside the guaranteed date by refunding the shipping costs. For late Christmas presents, that's all the "apology" needs to be.

[TheBelly]

This country is working on a "just in time" inventory model. The only reason they are working on this model is because the shipping companies have promised delivery dates. When the shippers break the promise for any reason, then they cost people money. .

Ultimately, this is the problem. In a race to be efficient, we have lost a bit of effectiveness. I say this is the problem because the average first-world human these days simply cannot handle it when they can't have both.

Fast. Cheap. Easy. Pick two because that's all that you're going to get.

[Jeffrey Lebowski]

Ultimately, this is the problem. In a race to be efficient, we have lost a bit of effectiveness. I say this is the problem because the average first-world human these days simply cannot handle it when they can't have both.

Fast. Cheap. Easy. Pick two because that's all that you're going to get.

Yep. Nailed it.
And I agree, this really is "first world problems" in a nutshell.
Imagine describing this problem to your Grandparents when they were in their 20s. They'd be absolutely blown away.

[Skip]

Yep. Nailed it.
And I agree, this really is "first world problems" in a nutshell.
Imagine describing this problem to your Grandparents when they were in their 20s. They'd be absolutely blown away.

True!

But Gramps could also mail-order a 1911 from Sears. (Now why he didn't and put them in his will to me is a conversation we'll have to have in heaven) So maybe our first world problems are trending third world?

I think Gramps would also wonder why we value cheap shit from China, trust paper money, and most people can't even fix a flat tire. Hell, he'd kick me in the ass for buying a car that doesn't even have a spare tire!

They'd be blown away by a lot.

IMHO, there is a difference between something being "late" and being "lost." Going back to the OP... Losing something of value (especially a firearm) is intolerable. Something being late a day or two is forgivable--happens to me all the time. I usually don't complain until I can rule out a reasonable delay and am worried it might be lost.

I'm happy to hear this is working out for the OP. We know a receiver is technically a firearm, but in reality it's a chunk of metal and I can't imagine anyone at UPS is going to break his back tracking it down knowing this (weight and size).

[jerrymrc]

Losing a Christmas package for a few days is no big deal, but there are some legitimate beefs with UPS this month.

Someone already mentioned the mail order RX problem. Another countered by saying it's no big deal, buy it local and file an insurance claim. I'm sorry, but it isn't that easy. Many insurance companies require you buy through their mail order pharmacy or you pay full price.

Example #2. Legitimate businesses suffer when packages get lost too. I sell supplies to contractors. A large amount of those supplies are not available locally so we order them. They base their schedules on when those supplies are going to arrive along with the owner of the building that needs to be completed.

#3. This country is working on a "just in time" inventory model. The only reason they are working on this model is because the shipping companies have promised delivery dates. When the shippers break the promise for any reason, then they cost people money.

#4. Not getting a Christmas present in time is the fault of the buyer because they didn't buy earlier, but at the same time, if they were promised a delivery date which was subsequently broken, don't they have a reason to be mad? UPS and others made those guarantees and then broke them...UPS certainly has a responsibility to honor those commitments. From what I've read, it sounds like they are honoring it to those that did fall outside the guaranteed date by refunding the shipping costs. For late Christmas presents, that's all the "apology" needs to be.

Shortened it up a little. Makes it simpler to respond.

The Meds. Did not know that some company's REQUIRE a person to buy from there mail order. I guess for the more common ones that is why my local king soopers is cheaper than what the co-pay is.

#2. Yep, I fully understand and for some things it can be a pain. My little shop overnights many items because the .gov regulations say I can't stock it. so when a "one of it's kind" piece of medical equipment need a part it costs $4-600 to ship the $150 item. this will also tie into #3.

#3. I still fume about this one. I could type for pages on this. For a safeway in that everything that is not pilfered runs through a cash register this seems to work but when you tie it to a hospital where every nurse has to push buttons to make sure the inventory and ordering is correct good luck. We have been on a system for 8 years now and still have issues with the human interface.

#4. We have been over the fun and games of the 3 shippers many times. Everyone has there horror stories and mine is Fed-Ex. I think the MSM blow up of it stems from people using more online purchases during the year and not thinking, everyone else had the same idea of last min shopping and "guaranteed" delivery. Throw in a little weather and some did not get there stuff on time.

[Jeffrey Lebowski]

Someone already mentioned the mail order RX problem. Another countered by saying it's no big deal, buy it local and file an insurance claim. I'm sorry, but it isn't that easy. Many insurance companies require you buy through their mail order pharmacy or you pay full price. Fine, if its an emergency you go pay full price local...only if you can get in touch with your doctor to get a new Rx sent to a local pharmacy. Good luck with that during Christmas. Then filing a claim? Again good luck. The insurance company will say, "we're sorry, we already paid for the first set of meds shipped, we're not paying for the 2nd set bought locally". The insurance company does not care if the meds are late. I know this because it's happened to me and this wasn't during peak season. Was I able to get the meds? Sure was but at a major unnecessary cost because my package was lost for a couple weeks.

I never said it was easy or cheap. Being truly sick isn't.
Just a few tips - instead of the headache of calling your doc yourself, have your pharmacy call his office. Also, let them reverse the claim on the other meds.
It still isn't easy, but it beats taking the absolute hardest route.