# UPS-FedEx asks retailers to spread out promotions



## Janderso (Dec 4, 2020)

Did you see where UPS told their driver's, "don't pick up at these six retailer outlets"?? - GAP, Nike, Macys.....

It's getting to be a frustrating problem on both sides of the aisle. Businesses need their goods to operate.
The retail shopping model has been moving away from malls for some time. Amazon and other big on-line sources have changed the way we get stuff.

I don't think we'll ever go back to pre Covid shopping habits. Maybe to some extent, but there has been a shift.
Will the Delivery companies like FedEx and UPS gear up to handle the new traffic demands, or will they continue to rent trucks and hire temporary workers?

All of us have experienced delays in receiving our ordered goods. I called Saia trucking this morning trying to determine when I might expect my 24" Pan and Box brake I ordered from Grizzly.. It's been eleven days so far, the item has been sitting in Sacramento for three days. That's 60 miles from here. I was told they will reach out to me to schedule a delivery. I don't need an appointment, we're open just deliver the darn thing.
I was told it might be Monday. If it turns out to be Monday, that's 14 days!
It's not just UPS and FedEx.
I fear this will get worse before it gets better. I hope I'm wrong.


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## RJSakowski (Dec 4, 2020)

I can't see retailers spreading out promotions.  You're talking about the same people that moved Black Friday to 5PM on Thanksgiving Day to get an edge on the competition and started their Christmas promotions before Halloween.

We are in the midst of a pandemic and we need to be considerate of the impact that this is having on our society.  Having to deal with shipping delays because of overwhelming demands due to increases in on-line shopping is a small inconvenience compared to the other issues brought up by this situation.

I have increased my on-line shopping in the past six months, largely due to Amazon Prime's free shipping and my self imposed isolation for health reasons.  Items costing a few dollars that I used to pick up on my next trip to town are now delivered by FedEx or UPS at the same or lower cost and usually faster than a trip to a bricks and mortar store.  I for one am thankful that Fed Ex, UPS and the USPS offer such services and I am willing to accept delays due to overwhelming demand.


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## Janderso (Dec 4, 2020)

RJ,
Thank you for putting this into perspective. I've been rather blessed in my life.
I have a tendency to isolate myself in my own little world.

And, you're right. We are in the midst of a pandemic, I should be thankful and accept the delays associated with the buying habits that have changed due to the pandemic.

You say you've increased your online shopping in the past six months. It appears we've all done the same.
With the increased shipping times, I have made an extra effort to buy for the business locally as much as possible. We have a Grainger outlet in West Sacramento, about an hour from here. I would never have done will call in the past, UPS was next day. That is no longer the case.

Yeah, I can't see retailers changing their promotion timing any time soon.


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## middle.road (Dec 4, 2020)

We really need to have some patience for the grunts working the line for these companies.
They are doing their best.
Our mail carrier is haggard, our mail drop off has stretched to 8-9PM some nights. I talked with him briefly the other day and he said that he'd had to head back to the PO twice that day to reload. More packages than room in the mail van.
UPS pulled up the other night at ~8PM with the dog's food. He was plain wore out.


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## Janderso (Dec 4, 2020)

middle.road said:


> We really need to have some patience for the grunts working the line for these companies.
> They are doing their best.
> Our mail carrier is haggard, our mail drop off has stretched to 8-9PM some nights. I talked with him briefly the other day and he said that he'd had to head back to the PO twice that day to reload. More packages than room in the mail van.
> UPS pulled up the other night at ~8PM with the dog's food. He was plain wore out.


A guy walked into the showroom this afternoon with packages, he got out of a white van. He had street clothes on, asked what to do with the deliveries.
UPS...
He told one of the salesman, he wouldn’t be done tonight until after 10:00pm.
I do feel for the industry, they have drivers and runners.


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## middle.road (Dec 4, 2020)

Janderso said:


> A guy walked into the showroom this afternoon with packages, he got out of a white van. He had street clothes on, asked what to do with the deliveries.
> UPS...
> He told one of the salesman, he wouldn’t be done tonight until after 10:00pm.
> I do feel for the industry, they have drivers and runners.


They've been hiring temps, folks with trucks, just to get the packages to their destinations.
I get the feeling that they are not being to particular.
When the FedEX contractor pulls up here the rear of his panel truck is a bloody mess of jumbled boxes and packages.


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## Aaron_W (Dec 4, 2020)

The delay on your brake might be weight related. I ordered a couple of small things from Grizzly well after you made you order and I already have it. Two separate packages coming from Washington and Illinois and they arrived together in about 4 days. One package was about 8 oz, the other at most 20lbs. I'm guessing yours requires some extra handling.

I have also noticed the long days they have been working. It used to be if I didn't get something at about 11am from the USPS, it wasn't coming today. UPS or Fedex same thing but about 3pm. Lately I have been receiving multiple deliveries on the same day, and had things delivered at 8 or 9 o'clock.

The USPS delivers about 20x the volume of UPS, and UPS is something like 2x the size of Fed Ex which is a lot bigger than whomever comes next in size so there isn't an untapped package delivery resource ready and waiting to pick up the slack. 

I can't remember the last time I saw my usual postman, seems like it is someone different every day.


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## Peyton Price 17 (Dec 8, 2020)

i ordered pen kits from woodcraft to make some money. it is 45 minutes but we are to busy to go for 3 hours. i ordered them on Friday and they keep saying the will ship them the next day. they should arrive today if they don't  keep doing this. it started small but is getting worse. i don't care if they say it will ship in 5 days but saying it will ship tomorrow every day is frustrating.


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## NCjeeper (Dec 8, 2020)

I had 2 Fed Ex trucks deliver packages to us this past Sunday. That surprised me. I guess they are working 7 days a week to keep up with the delivery demand.


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## Janderso (Dec 8, 2020)

My wife sent me a text this morning at 6:45AM. USPS made a delivery to our front door.
I ordered some belt sander parts from Renovo.com. The order went out on December 4th and the tracking shows delivered -at mailbox.
The only problem, I don't have it in my mail box.
I called Renovo, they said it's not their problem. It was delivered.
I told them that is unacceptable, I don't have time to go to the Post Office. You can't call them.
I just lost $59


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## Janderso (Dec 9, 2020)

A neighbor brought three packages over yesterday. One of them was my missing Renovo order


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## Aaron_W (Dec 9, 2020)

Janderso said:


> A neighbor brought three packages over yesterday. One of them was my missing Renovo order



I've had to do that several times. Usually Fed Ex who for some reason thinks our side door is the address of a house a few houses down on the cross street.

Glad they turned up for you, and your neighbor was willing to bring it to the right place.

I usually dress like this when I do it.  Are you Sarah Conner?


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## Stonebriar (Dec 9, 2020)

I made an order at Speedy Metal Nov26th.  I still dont have the metal.  All they have done is make a shipping label with UPS.  Not too speedy are they.  It is my last order with them.  This is the second time they have done this recently.


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## Aaron_W (Dec 9, 2020)

Stonebriar said:


> I made an order at Speedy Metal Nov26th.  I still dont have the metal.  All they have done is make a shipping label with UPS.  Not too speedy are they.  It is my last order with them.  This is the second time they have done this recently.



It may not be their fault. I've had that happen a few times where a business makes the label but the process doesn't advance and then the item just shows up. A problem with tracking by the shipper.


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## erikmannie (Dec 10, 2020)

I work as a UPS driver. A typical day since mid-November is 12 hours paid for me & 11 hours paid for my helper.


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## RJSakowski (Dec 10, 2020)

Janderso said:


> My wife sent me a text this morning at 6:45AM. USPS made a delivery to our front door.
> I ordered some belt sander parts from Renovo.com. The order went out on December 4th and the tracking shows delivered -at mailbox.
> The only problem, I don't have it in my mail box.
> I called Renovo, they said it's not their problem. It was delivered.
> ...



Why can't you call them?  All of our post office locations have on-line published phone numbers.


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## Janderso (Dec 12, 2020)

RJSakowski said:


> Why can't you call them?  All of our post office locations have on-line published phone numbers.


RJ,
The phone rings ten times then goes to a busy signal.
Ever since the Camp Fire, Chico facilities are over burdened. Chico and the surrounding area absorbed the homeless population of over 25,000 people. Let’s just say it’s a sellers market.
I don’t think the pandemic is helping in any way.
We still have tent cities.


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## RJSakowski (Dec 12, 2020)

Janderso said:


> RJ,
> The phone rings ten times then goes to a busy signal.
> Ever since the Camp Fire, Chico facilities are over burdened. Chico and the surrounding area absorbed the homeless population of over 25,000 people. Let’s just say it’s a sellers market.
> I don’t think the pandemic is helping in any way.
> We still have tent cities.



I am fortunate to live among small rural communities where all the postal workers are on a first name basis.  My wife needed to get global forever stamps for sending greetings cards to the UK last week and called up the post office to have them hold enough stamps for her to post all the cards.  No problem.  They set the stamps aside and my wife drove in to pick them up.

edit:  fun fact:The entire population of Iowa Co. WI is less the 1/4th the population of Chico. CA


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