# Why the hell even bother with internet tracking USPS. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 3, 2010, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-even-bother-with-internet-tracking-usps/562878 "2010-12-03T23:39:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-even-bother-with-internet-tracking-usps/562878/21 "2010-12-05T18:27:03Z")
While in general I have respect for the USPS, I have to agree that their package tracking is useless. UPS does it very well. Fed Ex is usually good. USPS might as well not do it at all, for as useful as it is. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-even-bother-with-internet-tracking-usps/562878/22 "2010-12-05T18:55:19Z")
> [@tumbleddown](#): > > But in any case, rather than pitting the entire postal service, pit the employee who tried to sell you something that the USPS just doesn’t offer for the type of mail that you sent. The USPS should make it plain on the part of their website involving tracking that tracking is only done on Express Mail and Parcel Post with delivery confirmation? As this thread illustrates, the USPS is making itself look very bad in the eyes of many people around the country by having a tracking page on its site that encourages people to track their items but then tells them nothing about the progress of those items other than that they have left their point of origin. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-even-bother-with-internet-tracking-usps/562878/23 "2010-12-05T22:09:20Z")
I mailed off a watch to Connecticut for repair yesterday, insured with delivery confirmation. Here’s what USPS tracking tells me so far … > [@](#): > > - Processed through Sort Facility, December 04, 2010, 10:28 pm, ROCHESTER, NY 14606 > - Acceptance, December 04, 2010, 11:32 am, GETZVILLE, NY 14068 Okay, so far, so good. ---
**Author:** ![kathmandu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kathmandu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kathmandu)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-even-bother-with-internet-tracking-usps/562878/24 "2010-12-05T23:42:37Z")
> [@Khadaji](#): > > While in general I have respect for the USPS, I have to agree that their package tracking is useless. UPS does it very well. Fed Ex is usually good. USPS might as well not do it at all, for as useful as it is. I’ve never had any problems with USPS. UPS, on the other hand, is usually a complete nightmare. I ordered a package from Amazon to be delivered via two day priority international courier. That was a week and a half ago. Nobody has any idea where the package is. The UPS tracking website insists on telling me that it’s sitting at the depot in Calgary, which is impossible because everybody agrees that the package did not ever clear customs. USPS, on the other hand, usually gets it to me before the estimated time of delivery. If they deliver it one time, I don’t need package tracking. Maybe the USPS likes their Canadian customers better? ---
**Author:** ![Annie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/858c86/32.png) [@Annie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-even-bother-with-internet-tracking-usps/562878/25 "2010-12-07T05:32:56Z")
> [@kathmandu](#): > > I’ve never had any problems with USPS. UPS, on the other hand, is usually a complete nightmare. I ordered a package from Amazon to be delivered via two day priority international courier. That was a week and a half ago. Nobody has any idea where the package is. The UPS tracking website insists on telling me that it’s sitting at the depot in Calgary, which is impossible because everybody agrees that the package did not ever clear customs. > > USPS, on the other hand, usually gets it to me before the estimated time of delivery. If they deliver it one time, I don’t need package tracking. Maybe the USPS likes their Canadian customers better? Yeah, when stuff come USPS/Canada Post and I’m not home, they take it to the drugstore depot half a mile thataway, leave a note in my mailbox telling me to go get it at the drugstore, I have it by dessert time. UPS, it’s stickers on the door, then off to the website where I can leave instructions for redirection, resulting in another day or 2 delay. At least with them I can track; I have a few things in the grimy mitts of DHL and to sign up for their tracking I have to open an account, and hand over a CC number. Hmm, bite me? Thanks muchly. Oh yeah, Lands End/Amazon? How about when I order you let me know what shipper you use so I can give you my work address, or not, as appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/278dde/32.png) [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Runs_With_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-even-bother-with-internet-tracking-usps/562878/26 "2010-12-07T06:48:06Z")
With UPS and FedEx, I damn near get the pilot’s voiceover with tracking: “Envelopes and packages, this is your captain. We are currently fourth in line for takeoff…” “Envelopes and packages, this is your captain. We’re now at 25 feet and climbing…” “Envelopes and packages, this is your captain. If this plane had windows and you were in a window seat on the left hand side of the plane…and it were daytime…you’d see the Grand Canyon approximately 250 miles to the north…” USPS? Nothing. Ever. They seem like they can barely handle confirmation even though they promise “tracking.” ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-even-bother-with-internet-tracking-usps/562878/27 "2010-12-08T00:46:34Z")
Totally off-topic question: why do some stores ship the package UPS, but ship it to the local post office rather than your home? ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-even-bother-with-internet-tracking-usps/562878/28 "2010-12-16T16:40:34Z")
Jeep’s Phoenix, I do not know. What I do know is that I currently have two USPS tracking numbers for packages in the mail. The sum total of tracking information available for one of them is “Tracking information received 12/12/2010” And the other, “Tracking information received 12/13/2010” Gee thanks ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-even-bother-with-internet-tracking-usps/562878/29 "2010-12-16T16:50:11Z")
Maybe too much tracking info is a bad thing… my coworker ordered something online last week via FedEx and was told it’d arrive at her apartment (here in Chicago) tomorrow. On Tuesday the tracking information showed it had arrived here in Chicago - hooray, early delivery! Or not. The next tracking info showed it being loaded back onto a truck headed for Wisconsin. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-even-bother-with-internet-tracking-usps/562878/30 "2010-12-16T17:00:47Z")
> [@kathmandu](#): > > I’ve never had any problems with USPS. UPS, on the other hand, is usually a complete nightmare. I ordered a package from Amazon to be delivered via two day priority international courier. That was a week and a half ago. Nobody has any idea where the package is. The UPS tracking website insists on telling me that it’s sitting at the depot in Calgary, which is impossible because everybody agrees that the package did not ever clear customs. > > USPS, on the other hand, usually gets it to me before the estimated time of delivery. If they deliver it one time, I don’t need package tracking. Maybe the USPS likes their Canadian customers better? UPS and FedEx tend to royally screw up my package delivery. With USPS I can’t track it but I can be sure it will reach the destination sooner or later. In the past 3 years I have had packages shipped to me by UPS and FedEx stolen, damaged so badly the gift was unusable, and at least a dozen stickers on my door from where the delivery guy showed up but never knocked or rang the bell to let anyone know he was there. He literally just walked up, put a sticker on the door, and went back to the truck. What the hell was the point of having him deliver a package if he isn’t going to actually attempt to deliver it? I love the USPS and they always do a fabulous job. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-even-bother-with-internet-tracking-usps/562878/31 "2010-12-16T17:34:44Z")
Works OK for me. It’s helpful when it show they were unable to deliver, so it is at the PO. It also showed once when the package WASN’T delivered so I could get a eBay refund. UPS is fine as long as my regular driver isn’t on vacation.☹ The temp drivers like to play “drop the notice and run” (as **pbbth** sez) leaving the regular guy with crap-loads of back deliveries to do. FedEX is super-craptastic. The local driver is well known to be incompetant and untrustworthy. He refuses to deliver to me as I wrote a complaint letter to HQ about him, and FedEX is OK with that “He’s a independent contractor”. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-even-bother-with-internet-tracking-usps/562878/32 "2010-12-16T17:38:19Z")
> [@KarlGrenze](#): > > USPS workers have breached federal law TWICE to my parents. I sent a package priority mail. It arrived a week later than it should be, and the contents had been replaced. Instead of the presents I had gotten them in Brazil, they got an English-Spanish dictionary and a can of chili peppers. That was 3-4 years ago. Just a few weeks ago, my sister sent them some DVDs by regular mail. Instead of the DVDs, they got a cheap tape recorder. How do you know it was USPS? ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-even-bother-with-internet-tracking-usps/562878/33 "2010-12-16T19:22:42Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > Maybe too much tracking info is a bad thing… my coworker ordered something online last week via FedEx and was told it’d arrive at her apartment (here in Chicago) tomorrow. On Tuesday the tracking information showed it had arrived here in Chicago - hooray, early delivery! Or not. The next tracking info showed it being loaded back onto a truck headed for Wisconsin. :eek: Update from her: the package returned to Chicago, after its detour to Wisconsin, on Wednesday. Today’s tracking update from FedEx? They’re handing it off to the USPS, and the selling company’s estimate on delivery is now something to the effect of “give it a couple more days.” Yeah. Well I’m thinking the Friday delivery date would have been met if FedEx hadn’t sent the package on a trip to Wisconsin, and maybe if they could have trusted/bothered their own drivers to find an apartment in Wrigleyville in Chicago. It’s not like they’re dealing with bumblefuck-nowhere that hasn’t seen a FedEx truck ever and the rural USPS carrier that delivers out of his car gives directions there that include instructions like ‘turn left at the dead tree.’ ---
**Author:** ![Lare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Lare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lare)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-even-bother-with-internet-tracking-usps/562878/34 "2010-12-16T19:27:05Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > Jeep’s Phoenix, I do not know. > > What I do know is that I currently have two USPS tracking numbers for packages in the mail. The sum total of tracking information available for one of them is > > “Tracking information received 12/12/2010” > > And the other, > > “Tracking information received 12/13/2010” > > Gee thanks I believe that means that the package is in the computer system but has not yet been scanned by a carrier/clerk. In other words, a computer told another computer that a package was coming, maybe even charged the shipping on line, but a USPS human hasn’t yet touched the package. ---
**Author:** ![Baracus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@Baracus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baracus)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-even-bother-with-internet-tracking-usps/562878/35 "2010-12-16T19:35:19Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > Yeah. Well I’m thinking the Friday delivery date would have been met if FedEx hadn’t sent the package on a trip to Wisconsin, and maybe if they could have trusted/bothered their own drivers to find an apartment in Wrigleyville in Chicago. It’s not like they’re dealing with bumblefuck-nowhere that hasn’t seen a FedEx truck ever and the rural USPS carrier that delivers out of his car gives directions there that include instructions like ‘turn left at the dead tree.’ This isn’t about Fedex not trusting/bothering its drivers. It is about the sender saving a couple bucks by using Fedex’s [Smartpost service](http://fedex.com/us/smartpost/outbound/index.html). ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-even-bother-with-internet-tracking-usps/562878/36 "2010-12-16T19:49:01Z")
FYI, Popular MEchanics tested how they three major shipping companies[treated packages](http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/tests/which-shipping-company-is-kindest-to-your-packages). What stands ou is the number of times a package gets flipped by USPS. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-even-bother-with-internet-tracking-usps/562878/37 "2010-12-16T20:04:35Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > I just looked online to see the tracking of a package that was supposed to be delivered today. It says it is delayed because it was “mis sorted”. > > That’s just fantastic. My favorite was when UPS failed to deliver a package to my house because I wasn’t there. So, next day I make sure to get home early, since it had to be signed for. I check tracking periodically throughout the day, just to make sure there’s no “dude, I totally tried to deliver it” moments. What do I see? “RETURNED TO SENDER. ILLEGIBLE DESTINATION ADDRESS”. Really, you asshats? You could read it YESTERDAY. It took a good three hours of arguing to explain to them that once it got back to the sender they were going to overnight it for free. Useless pricks. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-even-bother-with-internet-tracking-usps/562878/38 "2010-12-16T21:15:01Z")
> [@Baracus](#): > > This isn’t about Fedex not trusting/bothering its drivers. It is about the sender saving a couple bucks by using Fedex’s [Smartpost service](http://fedex.com/us/smartpost/outbound/index.html). Yeah, I know it exists, I’m just a tad confused about how FedEx is saving money here. It took a needless detour into a completely different state after arriving in Chicago, and isn’t even going somewhere that’s out of the way for FedEx. I guess the sending company may be getting their money’s worth for the vacation road trip their merchandise has gone on, but my coworker hasn’t gotten her money’s worth, especially if the item is delivered later than what she was told it would be. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-even-bother-with-internet-tracking-usps/562878/39 "2010-12-16T21:17:26Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > FYI, Popular MEchanics tested how they three major shipping companies[treated packages](http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/tests/which-shipping-company-is-kindest-to-your-packages). What stands ou is the number of times a package gets flipped by USPS. And yet the gentlest handling of the three. Huh. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-even-bother-with-internet-tracking-usps/562878/40 "2010-12-16T21:26:48Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > Yeah, I know it exists, I’m just a tad confused about how FedEx is saving money here. It took a needless detour into a completely different state after arriving in Chicago, and isn’t even going somewhere that’s out of the way for FedEx. I guess the sending company may be getting their money’s worth for the vacation road trip their merchandise has gone on, but my coworker hasn’t gotten her money’s worth, especially if the item is delivered later than what she was told it would be. Heh, I just found out, this is the package she’s having shipped to her here at work. Where I know our FedEx delivery person by name, and her regular daily (M-F) route is our hospital. Instead, this will give it to USPS to bring here, and has to come through our loading dock, and then interoffice mail… Yeah. She’ll probably have it by Christmas if it arrives tomorrow. 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-even-bother-with-internet-tracking-usps/562878.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hell-even-bother-with-internet-tracking-usps/562878.md?page=3)