Grrr! Plant shipment FAIL

[bil]

I recently received some Nepenthes from the other side of Europe. The packet was delayed BADLY, and yet all the plants are doing fine. They were sent bare root with moist tissue, in plastic bags. The guy packed them well, in bubblewrap.
Just goes to show, it's the packaging that makes or breaks the deal.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Pick up the package and take it out anyways. See if the plant is truly dead or not. Do not assume anything until you know for sure the plant(s) are dead.

USPS does suck. Out of all the mailing services they have sent quite a few of my packages to neighboring cities to have them wander a quarter of the San Gabriel Valley before getting returned to one of their main sorting facility the most, by far. USPS is plain awful. Yes, USPS doesn't pick up the phone either. When I have to track down a package they messed up sending, I get extremely frustrated because I feel like there's no one there who wants to help me. By the time I do find someone who does pick up the phone, I'm already fuming mad. The only reason why they're still around is because of cost and because they are so ubiquitous. To find FedEx, UPS, DHL, or OnTrac here you'd have to go a little out of the way to get to them. The other courier services here are not located all that conveniently for people to find.

[modern_fumie]

Originally Posted by bil

I recently received some Nepenthes from the other side of Europe. The packet was delayed BADLY, and yet all the plants are doing fine. They were sent bare root with moist tissue, in plastic bags. The guy packed them well, in bubblewrap.
Just goes to show, it's the packaging that makes or breaks the deal.

I haven't been on this thread in a while, but I should add: when my friend finally got the vanilla orchid I sent her, it was green and alive. Guess these plants are harder to kill than one would suspect...

I also sent mine bare root in a ziplock bag with moist paper towels wrapped around the roots.

[modern_fumie]

So USPS lost ANOTHER orchid. The two they lost were both light enough (<13 oz) to go first class instead of priority.

Has anyone else noticed a difference in quality of service depending on whether it goes first or priority?

[wintergirl]

I think the main thing is the tracking. It keeps the people accountable. If your plant is sitting somewhere and not moving, you know it.

[estación seca]

Originally Posted by modern_fumie

...when my friend finally got the vanilla orchid I sent her, it was green and alive.

Vanillas tend to be very sturdy plants, hard to kill.

[modern_fumie]

Originally Posted by wintergirl

I think the main thing is the tracking. It keeps the people accountable. If your plant is sitting somewhere and not moving, you know it.

I had tracking on both. The last notification I had for the most recent casualty was "departed Coppell TX". That was 5 days ago. Who do I call?

[wintergirl]

Originally Posted by modern_fumie

I had tracking on both. The last notification I had for the most recent casualty was "departed Coppell TX". That was 5 days ago. Who do I call?

THe USPS has a way to file a "delayed" package report by email. Here is the form:

https://prd2faq.usps.com/faq/iq/usps...orward=emailUs


Fill out your tracking number and answer questions.

---------- Post added at 01:06 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:03 PM ----------

Here are the phone numbers if you want to call:

Customer Service representatives are available as follows:
Monday thru Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET
Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET
Sundays: Closed
Holidays: Closed [Click here for Postal Holidays]
Telecommunications Device for the Deaf/Teletypewriter (TDD/TTY): Call 1-800-877-8339
Hours of Operation are the same as 1-800-ASK-USPS
TRACKING (Domestic)
Call 1-800-222-1811
Monday thru Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET
Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET
Sundays: Closed

[estación seca]

Originally Posted by modern_fumie

I had tracking on both. The last notification I had for the most recent casualty was "departed Coppell TX". That was 5 days ago. Who do I call?

In addition to the tracking number, all the telephone and Web contact information is printed on the USPS receipt given to the customer at the post office or kiosk.

I smile and chat with the people at the post office, and my letter carrier, and I thank them. They have always been helpful. I agree the USPS business plan is designed to fail, but the people on the front line seem to respond better to pleasantness.

---------- Post added at 10:18 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:12 AM ----------

Originally Posted by modern_fumie

Has anyone else noticed a difference in quality of service depending on whether it goes first or priority?

Several years ago a Wall Street Journal reporter mailed a number of pairs of letters from a number of cities. One letter in each pair went first class, and the second went priority mail. In almost every case the much-less-expensive first class letter arrived before the expensive priority mail letter.

I don't know whether the study is still applicable. The USPS may have changed their practices.

[modern_fumie]

Originally Posted by wintergirl

THe USPS has a way to file a "delayed" package report by email. Here is the form:

https://prd2faq.usps.com/faq/iq/usps...orward=emailUs


Fill out your tracking number and answer questions.

---------- Post added at 01:06 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:03 PM ----------

Here are the phone numbers if you want to call:

Customer Service representatives are available as follows:
Monday thru Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET
Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET
Sundays: Closed
Holidays: Closed [Click here for Postal Holidays]
Telecommunications Device for the Deaf/Teletypewriter (TDD/TTY): Call 1-800-877-8339
Hours of Operation are the same as 1-800-ASK-USPS
TRACKING (Domestic)
Call 1-800-222-1811
Monday thru Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET
Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET
Sundays: Closed

Thank you! This is very helpful.