Shipping Heathkits

[Steve Harrison]

At 12:43 PM 1999-10-06 -0400, you wrote:
>I am out here in Long Island and find UPS a totally
>un acceptable deal. Late packages, drivers going
>home early saying they attempted to delivery,
>part time street people working the docks and sorts
>are hired and fired and rehired every 28 days to
>keep them out of the union.

Dunno about that stuff on LI; here in central Mass, UPS works very nicely,
much better than I ever expected.

>When trying to track a package the on line
>tracking system is always un available, and
>no one picks up the phones.

If you are talking about the web site at www.ups.com, my experience has
been the exact opposite. It's never been down when I needed it, and the
tracking site always has worked for me.

>However on USP a package from Vancouver can
>arrive overnight on standard priority mail
>the only drawback is no tracking system ,

I'd have to check again; but I think USPS does have a tracking system for
certain types of shipment methods. But their web site makes it very
time-consuming to obtain shipping cost estimates compared to UPS's site,
which I think is pretty fair and accurate. The main drawback is the scales
at UPS and the post office don't read the same as my bathroom scales ;o)

The UPS site also allows you to arrange pickup from your home or business.
I wonder whether making your arrangements through the web site might give
you any better service than via the telephone or customer desk?

My main complaint about UPS is that their policy for shipment of electronic
equipment requires that you use the original shipping carton/materials. I
haven't asked, but wonder if this means that unless you do, they won't pay
a claim even if you pay the extra insurance surcharge for
higher-than-default value ($100).

>Fed Ex on 30+ pounds can exceed 25% of the radio value.
>Any suggestions?

Before my company died, I found out they had an account with FEDEX which
provided a discount that amounted to shipping costs being somewhat less
than UPS for the same delivery service. But without that "special" account,
then yes, FEDEX is unreasonably expensive.

73, Steve K0XP

Sponsored by the City of Tempe 

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