UPS Surepost, You'll surely not get your package in a few days, USPS will most likely take a week or longer to deliver your package.

I cant stand this service. I ordered something that was shipped and made it all the way to the usps who stated the package was not deliverable as addressed. The same company I have used for at least the last 6 years. I have the same address. They just started using this service. Now my daughter will be short on christmas gift. If I had known this is the order process I would have changed the shipment method. USPS SUCKS BIG TIME!

My order was shipped visa UPS on 12/18, finally arrived via USPS 10 days later on 12/28, good thing it wasn't a Christmas gift! But the slowdown was on UPS end, the package was sent by them from Illinois to Albuquerque NM (I live in Texas) 350 miles past my location, then backtracked to Texas, so 700 extra miles, and 6 days extra time. Once it finally was passed on to the USPS, it was delivered next day. But I definitely think customers should be told if SurePost will be used, and be given the option to select another method.

I have an auto-ship of vitamins that come every 30 days. Didn't know they shipped using SurePost. They left Arizonia on Dec 22nd. With an expected arrival date of January 2nd. Every time I track them on www.ups.com, I'm given the last scan of Arizonia on the Dec 22nd. The postal service tracking number returns no results on usps.com.

I'm out of the vitamins already, making me mad as hell. If they are not delivered on Monday, I'm calling the company that shipped them via surepost and giving them hell. (I might even ask if there is another carrier besides UPS that I can use in the future.)

The USPS is a monopoly you moron. Who will deliver your SS Cheques? All the Below Cost items no one wants to deal with? Who would keep shipping rates governed... What's your next question, why hasn't the Senate closed due to low margins?

Ands that Military, when is a competitor going to get them out of the war amrket? Oh, wait, that is privatized by fat cats.

I HATE Surepost, especially since I am not told this Willie the shipping method. I haven't had a problem at my address with either UPS or UPS deliveries. Deliveries from either arrive in a timely manner at my door. It's this ridiculous combo shipping that is the problem. I live 5 mikes from the airport where there is also a UPS hub. Regular UPS packages arrive at my door the same day they get there, whether by air or ground. The same with UPS packages. With Surepost, the package goes to UPS within a day or two, then (according to tracking) to the nearest big city, past my home. Then back out the next day to my local post office where they put it out for delivery the following day. Weekends or holidays naturally add time and with this many days a weekend is bound to get in the way. Packages that would take 3 to 4 days by either shipper alone take 6 to 10 days with Surepost. Very annoying.

I ordered an item in early December; it made it to Jacksonville Fl on Dec 7th then was to switch to SurePost. Still haven't received it. No help provided from UPS or USPS. Now I have another package in Jacksonville. Probably won't get that one either. I'm going to stop shopping online unless I know exactly how package will be delivered.

I have noticed a move to Sure Post with a lot of companies over the last year and it has definitely increased shipping time. Many have complained about USPS, but I find UPS taking longer too with Sure Post packages.

As for USPS it also depends on your local post office and/or mailperson. I recently moved and when it said it finally made it to my post office, I always received it within two days. Now, my packages go to my local post office and it can be a week that they sit there.

My best one was a recent purchase of a new calendar that was shipped from a warehouse 14 miles from my home in GA. It shipped 12/27 and I received on 1/8 via Sure Post. It visited 5 locations and sat at my post office for 4 days. In the meantime, I ordered a pair of shoes shipped on 1/3 via straight UPS out of WA and they arrived the same day from across the country.

I don't simply blame USPS, but the vendors and UPS too. They know it's not working yet they let it continue. Amazing!

I had my first experience with surepost. It sucks, but not because of USPS. It's adding UPS to the equation that screws up the process mainly due to UPS' usual so-so service.

The estimated delivery date is misleading and deceptive. I ordered something on the 1st and was informed by UPS that the delivery date was the 7th. Turns out that means that the package will be delivered to the post office on the 7th, not my residence, and to allow 1-2 days for delivery after that. So UPS can claim they made the delivery on time after dumping it on USPS who then get blamed because the package didn't arrive by the promised delivery date. And UPS is intentionally sketchy about this service. I searched their website using the term "UPS SurePost" and got 0 results. Google it and this what you get from UPS.

[link to www.ups.com]

So why hide the details? Because UPS knows this service is slow and inefficient. Going through two shipping services only complicates and slows down delivery. And it isn't the fault of USPS. I suspect the reason it might take longer than the additional 1-2 days to receive it from the post office is because UPS probably has contracted with USPS for a cut rate that has a longer longer delivery period than 1st Class or Priority Mail. So when it gets to the buyer's doorstep a week after the date promised by UPS the post office gets the blame. Kind of like a server in a restaurant bearing the brunt of a customer's wrath when the cook screws up the order.

I have had nothing but excellent service from USPS usually receiving packages before the estimated delivery date. Can't say that for UPS. And I also have experience with USPS from both ends of their service as I have done quite a bit of online selling over the years shipping to both foreign and domestic destinations. For cost and efficiency the private shippers cannot beat USPS, and they don't deliver packages on Saturday.

I ordered something online on 2/4/13 it was shipped UPS Surepost & received it on 2/8/13. I live in Burbank, CA. That is faster than USPS First Class Mail. This item shipped from San Francisco, CA. I had something else I ordered from San Francisco & that was ordered on the same day & I still have not received. In fact, I checked the tracking number & it is still sitting at the Sort Facility in San Francisco. The USPS is by far the worse. The sad part is I paid $5.75 extra for First Class but my package still sits in San Francisco.

It's UPS that should go out of business. Having ONLY a post office box for a mailing address, UPS continues to insist on putting packages shipped USP Surepost on their trucks to "attempt" delivery. They do not always hand off to the USPS which is the only way I can get the packages! Then they either hold the packages so that I have to drive to their location and pick them up at a much later date. Or they return them to the sender claiming they can't be delivered and I have to wait while the items are restocked and then resent! UPS will not give out any phone numbers so that they can be contacted locally (where the problems arise) so that a customer can try their best to correct THEIR mistakes! UPS IS TERRIBLE!!!!

SurePost is USPS attempt to stay in the package delivery business. It is likely that it will further destroy what little bit of good reputation they have. UPS will look like the clear winner since they will deliver on time according to their delivery date, leaving the costumer expecting the package that day or at best two days later. Not so! Your package will be delivered by USPS whenever they get to it.Here is how it works: We all agree that UPS will deliver on time to USPS. The thing is that most people believe that it has been delivered to the Local Post Office but it has not. It is delivered to a USPS sorting facility. It can remain as long as 10-15 days at the facility and it all depending on the quantity of packages received and on the "class" the item was shipped. Thats why some folks here have received their packages as soon as two days. Most people's packages are shipped 4th class and will remain in the facility till they first ship the first,second..and so forth. You will not know when your about to receive your package till USPS scans it at the Local Post Office then it will be soon. This could take weeks!
Also keep in mind that USPS has downsized and now most retail stores are opting for surepost. Imagine UPS and FEDEX all of the sudden dropping close to half of its packages on the USPS for delivery. I believe this will not be good for the USPS. Everyone is mad at them and want their packages!!!

I will surely pay the difference in the future to keep my packages out of the hands of the USPS. (THEY SUCK)

Wow - nobody gets it - not even close. To understand the relationship between UPS and USPS, one must understand the current national agreement between the two involving coast-to-coast Priority Mail. I'm not going to take the time to delve into it here, but here's what it boils down to: SurePost essentially "spun off" when the postal agreement was renegotiated several years ago. UPS wasn't going to continue filling their fleet with postal AMJ's without some sort of perk....thus, Surepost was born.

Oh, and one last thing that may have influenced the deal...the UPS bailout. ;)

I just got burned by this. The sender selected SurePost and UPS got the package here -- but USPS delivered it to the wrong house. Homeowner was mystified and I spent 24 hours tracking it down. UPS won't help you -- their I-800 # says they've having "extreme call volume" then hangs up on you. USPS won't pick up the phone... a trip to the main post office produces a number for the carrier annex, where someone eventually finds the carrier, who may remember where he left your stuff.

This is the price of cheap shipping -- it may get there just fine (this one was 4 days later than expected), but don't expect any help from either company if things go wrong. Just a word to the wise. Also, UPS can't track SurePost once it's turned over to the USPS.

(To answer another user in this thread -- the problem is that the USPS already *is* steadily going out of business... they're in a death spiral in 2013, so their service level keeps dropping. They're doomed, but for now we're stuck with this...)

what I don't understand is UPS delivered a package I ordered to the USPS 15 miles from my house and now I have to wait an extra day for delivery when the company could have had UPS deliver it to my house the same day it was delivered to the USPS. this is unsatisfactory and complete and udder nonsense

never had a problem with surepost, always fast when traveling distances ( UPS ) and quick to process locally ( USPS ). Stop complaining about shipping times, it's economy shipping for a reason ( it gets to you by the most economic way - bulk and distribute )

um...I just have the usps hold the package at the annex ( they have scanners and stuff ) so when they get to my package, I get a small post card telling me to pick it up ( it's REALLY not that bad )

Is that what happened? I thought it strange having goods shipped from Amazon by UPS only to be delivered to me by the USPS. As a matter of fact, when I track a UPS package, I see it being delivered to my local post office. Now I'll just go down to the post office and pick up my UPS package. I figured I'd give my postman a break not having to lug my packages to my house.

My package has been sitting at USPS for 7 business days (according to the tracking) yet when I call the post office, they are unable to help me. When I spoke to UPS, all they said was contact my post office. I will call the shipper tomorrow and hopefully get this resolved. What a pain though, would never use Surepost by choice.

I do not use SurePost but do use UPS for deliveries from places such as iHerb my last order was on 8 May, my order was received today 10 May, and this service has been consistent for the past two years. UPS SurePost ties into the postal system and peoples postal mailboxes thus where should the blame be placed.

I'm so upset I just recently made an order off of forever 21 and they shipped using sure post it said that my package was delivered but I never received anything and I complained to my local post office and was told that a investigation would take place I never heard back from them so I called back again to find out that they so called try to reach me and that my local mail man did indeed deliver the package but I happen to be home all the day the package was suppose to arrive and my man mail gave me my mail as usually but with no package in sight I was then told by my local post office to report mail theft to the police and try to explain that the package never came no one stole it o just believe they lost it and is trying to cover it up I am never using free shipping again from any site because ups sure post is horrible and will not take responsibility for their actions if they loose a package it's just gone and nothin you can do about it I'm hoping that forever 21 will give me a refund

Fedex and UPS both have this to save them money. Its easier to just use USPS,UPS,Fedex and just send it straight. Since all the shipping companies have had big losses. And USPS is being destroyed by congress forcing ridiculous laws on them.Its becoming a mess. DHL bailed out the US market all together.If anyone doesn't know DHL. They pretty much created the courier industry. I've only lost a package with fedex. Just make sure you let whoever you're buying from that you want you package sent straight to you. But it will cost more. If a company gives you free shipping through fedex or UPS it will be sent this way.

Its terrible.Took me 8 days to get a package from California to the mid west.The post office delivered it in two days after they got it but UPS is extremely slow with Sure Post.Guess they have to give bad service in order to cover the crazy wages and benefits they pay UPS workers.

I thought my package would be delivered to via UPS, but after checking the tracking number I found it was taken to the local poat office. I had no idea that this is what would take place when I ordered online. Thanks to everyone who posted!!!

Oh, they suck BIG TIME.

I hate when people ship anything to me using USPS. Biggest pain in the ass.

If you miss delivery, that is if they even try because they don't want to carry the packages around with themselves, then you get that fucking pink card which means you have the honor of driving to your local USPS branch to deal with yet someone else that doesn't want to deal with you. What a great service they have!

No wonder they are going bankrupt, ow and their tracking is shit as well.

The USPS wants to get into this type of delivery. You are wrong.

My package got to town to the UPS destination 22 days ago. Still have not seen my package. UPS was no help at all. Was told USPS has it now and they didn't have any kind of contact information. They have changed the delivary date 8 time in the last 2 weeks.

So this is same as fedex "smartpost", huh?


Am actually waiting on something, took much longer than usual. Amazon is really pushing the signup for Prime.


[link to consumerist.com]


I have had good luck with USPS as far as shipping to people, but the above article seems to explain why this cross carrier shit is shit.

I pretty much always use UPS when possible. Last time I had something shipped through fedex to KC it went :: Springfield, Mo > Indianapolis > Memphis > Houston > KC according to tracking. Arrived just outside KC, then sat for 2 more days before it was delivered. 8 days total.

UPS never takes more than a day or 2 for me.

We did the prime thing, just paid 80.00 for the year. Free shipping of most anything we order...plus Prime Video which is just as good as Netflix. We have never failed to get something in 2 days or less. We have gotten several items the next day with Prime shipping.