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What are you telling customers about shipping delays?

IsItFasst

New Member
So the shipping industry is crazy right now as most of you know. It was bad for almost the entire year thanks to Covid, then the election (for USPS anyway) and now the holiday rush. Every day I am dealing with customers complaining about not getting there packages fast enough (as they should be upset). But what are we to do? It's the same thing over and over: package is picked up, moves some then gets stuck at a sort facility along the way. Some packages don't move for weeks. So we reship and the same thing happens to the next one halt the time. I guess USPS is just throwing some of are packages in a dumpster. Obviously I feel my customer's pain as it's frustrating but we can't keep reshipping for free. Since we ship a lot of lightweight items USPS is a must for us as customers don't want to pay for more expensive shipping options. And from my personal experience with UPS and Fed-Ex right now they don't seem to be much better (several packages were shipped to me on the 1st are still not here). We clearly state at checkout there are major delays so to take that into consideration when ordering but I don't think anyone is really expecting a package to take weeks to get to them. How are y'all handling irate customers at times like these?
 

Pauly

Printrade.com.au
you put a disclaimer about the current situation saying "Due to (covid or xmas or both), we're experiencing delays upto (enter period length here). if you need your package delivered quicker we strongly suggest to get express shopping. We apologise for the inconvenience, we hope you can be understanding though these situations"
or something like that.
 

WYLDGFI

Merchant Member
As of now, UPS has said all bets are off with any guaranteed shipping times. Even the insurance we would utilize for UPS mis-shipments or delays is not backing us. Fedex is marginally better at this time. USPS is a crap shoot.
We have a disclaimer about UPS and all shipping currently, not because of Covid but just due to the holiday insanity going on. Honesty is the best thing in this case. We will ship on the day we say we will....provide the tracking # and your box will get to you (hopefully) in a reasonable amount of time. We have already had shipments locally here in NJ or surrounding states go off the rails.
 

Texas_Signmaker

Very Active Signmaker
Try choosing a better shipping product like USPS priority or FedEx express. Those go through different systems VS ground and you'll have better luck.
 

eahicks

Magna Cum Laude - School of Hard Knocks
Even the post office told us our USPS Priority 3 day will take probably 7 days. I told them to change the name then, and the cost.
 

Notarealsignguy

Arial - it's almost helvetica
With the exception of those few that live under a rock, you would think that everyone would be aware of this issue by now? It's only been going on for 9 months
 

Solventinkjet

DIY Printer Fixing Guide
We ship overnight a lot due to the fact that printers seem to go down right in the middle of your biggest job of the year. We just pass on the policies from FedEx. FedEx isn't giving guarantees and so we aren't either. As long as we get the box to FedEx as we promise, what happens after that is out of our hands. I've only ever had one customer who didn't understand that and he decided to take his business elsewhere.
 

netsol

Active Member
Try choosing a better shipping product like USPS priority or FedEx express. Those go through different systems VS ground and you'll have better luck.


Tex

it doesn't seem to help, just makes you pay more, and changes who gives you the bad news

my office is in the bermuda triangel for packages ANYWAY, so it is hard for me to tell

NOTHING has ever delivered on time here
 

Texas_Signmaker

Very Active Signmaker
Maybe I dont ship as much as you but I receive overnight stuff almost every day and 99% have been here ontime. Most things I ship get there on time. Only once last month I sent something UPS and it didn't make it because it was a construction site and they were confused about the address. LTL freight has been good as well, with the exception of YRC. If I do anything with USPS it has to be Priority....anything less will fall into a black hole.
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
We don't ship all that much anymore, but just about everything we order comes in by or before the posted dates they give us.
 

petepaz

New Member
As of now, UPS has said all bets are off with any guaranteed shipping times. Even the insurance we would utilize for UPS mis-shipments or delays is not backing us. Fedex is marginally better at this time. USPS is a crap shoot.
We have a disclaimer about UPS and all shipping currently, not because of Covid but just due to the holiday insanity going on. Honesty is the best thing in this case. We will ship on the day we say we will....provide the tracking # and your box will get to you (hopefully) in a reasonable amount of time. We have already had shipments locally here in NJ or surrounding states go off the rails.

yeah UPS told us a couple weeks ago no guarantees on next day shipments but the good part is they will still charge you and take your money for next day deliveries
:confused::jr:
 

petepaz

New Member
just tell them the truth but try to let them know when they place their order not after it's late. we are experiencing issues with many materials. some because of the shipping companies and some because the manufacturers are backed up and short staffed...good times
 

White Haus

Not a Newbie
I'm on both ends of this right now......waiting for shipments coming to us and shipping out. I had a Purolator ground order picked up here last Wednesday and is still in town, when it should have been delivered in another province last week.

What can you do I guess....
 

IsItFasst

New Member
Yeah I have had the display up during checkout since like April. Noting that no carriers are guaranteeing delivery times. Recently nade Priority the first option by default with First Class being moved to second along with noting First Class could take 20+ days. But even with Priority I am seeing week long delays or more in some areas since they just aren't moving at some facilities. Just driving me nuts. At least USPS is showing they picked up our packages now. There for a while they wouldn't show they even picked up for several days after they did so it made us look bad. I am always truthful but just so tiresome dealing with customers day after day asking about their order when all I can tell them is what USPS has already told them.
 
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