riffclown Posted February 27, 2021 Report Share Posted February 27, 2021 I'll don't think I'll ever be able to fully trust The United States Postal Service with a kite again. After weeks of work and careful packaging, the post office accepted my Kite and promptly made it vanish the same day. It has not been scanned a single time outside the originating post office. Foolishly, I did not think to insure it and reading the fine print, my maximum refund will be $50 and that doesn't include the $14 they charged me to lose my package. That is not refundable. SO, if I do pursue the claim when that time comes, I sold my kite to the United States Post Office for 1/10th of its value and 1/4th of its material cost. Now, I"ll have to try and duplicate the most extensive build I've done, just to try and break even on materials cost. Labor is out the window. The intended recipient should not have to bear the costs since he did not receive anything. I don't expect extra due to a circumstance outside either of our control. I will only say that moving forward, my kite prices will increase by $25 to cover the extra expense of INSURANCE for twice the value of the kite every time or handling through a reputable company like FedEx or UPS. (with insurance of course.) If the post office ever loses another kite, they'll be paying for this one too. I've done this out of joy for making kites and not as a profit thing. Every penny I've gotten so far went back into materials to make new ones. This was an unacceptable loss and a complete loss of trust for the United States Postal System. #What has the UP Post Office lost for your today?? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exult Posted February 27, 2021 Report Share Posted February 27, 2021 Don’t ruin my sleep with horror stories like this 🙂. Though we haven’t got USPS over here there is always room for worrying (have had some delivery problems when buying stuff, but haven't lost anything though). I have for the first time, ordered custom made kites that should be shipped by end of February (about now). Not one QLK, but two to add to my lo/no wind quad armada (now limited (as in numbers!) to a Rev Indoor and a B-series std). My anticipation has now been replaced with unease and fear. 😬😨😱 12 hours ago, riffclown said: my maximum refund will be $50 and that doesn't include the $14 they charged me to lose my package. That is not refundable. SO, if I do pursue the claim when that time comes, I sold my kite to the United States Post Office for 1/10th of its value and 1/4th of its material cost. Tough conditions! Hope it gets resolved in some way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riffclown Posted February 28, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2021 FWIW, I guess the inquiry process works to some extent. After 10 days in the system and no updates, I finally got a scan response. It brings hope this may get delivered after all. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leen Posted February 28, 2021 Report Share Posted February 28, 2021 I pray it will work out for you Riffclown. It always gives me a helpless feeling when handing stuff over to the postoffice. I had the same experience twice, but fortunately not with valuable things. Wishing you luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazrcub Posted March 1, 2021 Report Share Posted March 1, 2021 I had a kite that shipped from NC to NJ it showed showed in transit from NC for 4 weeks. All attempts to trace and track were useless. Out of the blue I get an update that the package was out for delivery 5 weeks after shipping. Their tracking service is horrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul LaMasters Posted March 1, 2021 Report Share Posted March 1, 2021 Had int'l mail from "down under", it was returned to the sender w/o reaching me,.... several times USPS said they'd tried to deliver it but my wife is home all day, every day and it was for HER! Eventually received the items, but not less than 6-7 months after first attempt at delivery. Naturally, I paid for each shipment effort too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riffclown Posted March 1, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2021 3 Words.... OUT FOR DELIVERY!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mebeatee Posted March 2, 2021 Report Share Posted March 2, 2021 I was talked out of placing an order with a US retailer because of delivery problems last fall. The US, Canadian postal services, plus Canada customs would come play and they were having delivery problems. Another retailer plain did not ship outside of the US at all. I’ve had customs hold onto and quasi misplace kites before as well. We cut the postal folks some slack last Nov/Dec because of sheer mail volume, plus I know my postal delivery person....he said things were nuts and understandably so. However it took almost 4 weeks to deliver 2 glider kites from Lam Hoac’s place to mine...a distance of about 50 miles (including a ferry ride). Tracking????....scanned and left Lam’s PO...then nothing..... If it wasn’t for the covid stuff I could have taken public transit, meet him at his place, have a visit, and return home that evening. Didn’t matter in the long run as they haven’t been to the beach yet, just tossed around the living room. bt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leen Posted March 2, 2021 Report Share Posted March 2, 2021 All problems with customes and delivery aside, the post seem to think shipping is cheap. 15 minutes ago, mebeatee said: from Lam Hoac’s place to mine...a distance of about 50 miles I can't speak for other countries, but in Holland it's more wise and cheaper to make the ride yourself. It's only the lack of time to do so. And in riffclown's case I can imagine it's a load of his mind when the kite finally arives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riffclown Posted March 2, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2021 Well the good new is it did arrive and has been confirmed undamaged.. Was a scary few days though.. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mebeatee Posted March 2, 2021 Report Share Posted March 2, 2021 11 hours ago, leen said: All problems with customes and delivery aside, the post seem to think shipping is cheap. I can't speak for other countries, but in Holland it's more wise and cheaper to make the ride yourself. It's only the lack of time to do so. And in riffclown's case I can imagine it's a load of his mind when the kite finally arives. Not insinuated at all....as shipping is NOT cheap. It....shipping...has been a deal breaker before....especially out of country....then there's currency exchange....ouch!!! In this case the shipping would have been about the same as going there in person....bus, ferry, sky train. I live in a fairly rural area and travelling by public transit to and through the city during a pandemic doesn't appeal to me at all. During "normal" times this would have been a no brainer, as I used to go to the city quite regularly and worked in the city from time to time. I could have driven there but the ferry alone....car and driver....would be way more expensive. I wasn't in a hurry to get the kites...it just seemed odd it took so long to go relatively short distance. Irregardless of any shipping distance(s) there is always that trepidation of will it....the kite(s) get there or arrive here ok. Glad everything worked out riffclown!!!! Breathe...lol. bt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_(on-light)110px.png.f871ac6915a5dfb149c2fb26bbaf0493.png)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.