The Miracle of two day delivery - NOT

When Congress removed the restriction that only the Federal Government could deliver mail within the US and the UPS, FedEx, Emery, DHL and others came into existence they initially only served businesses in the cities and close in environs.

Things were good.

They then expanded to cover people at home, and marketed to shippers to use them.

Things were good.

Two day delivery arrived.

Things were good - for them.

However, I find that two day delivery, or any rush delivery to a home address, is really useless unless you live a lifestyle out of the 1950s where someone is always home.

Order on Wednesday, shipped out that night.

You have to sign for it.

Thursday it arrives and you are not home so slip is left.

You get home after 5 PM Thursday and thus the package is already on the truck for the next day so cannot be held for pickup.

You get another note.

Weekend comes and goes and thus on Monday, sometime during the day, you leave work to get to their local facility and stand in line to get your 2 day next day delivery package.

So I always recommend never to ask for two day or next day delivery if you order ANYTHING on a Wednesday - it will never get to you till the following Monday anyway. Go Ground and save money. It will STILL arrive on the Following Monday / Tuesday anyway!

For packages you do not have to sign for, then they will leave it on your front door. Just hope no thief is cruising through your neighborhood and gets it - there is nothing to stop him and no proof that you did not get it. Then you have to file a claim to get your money back and STILL order it again.

Another recommendation is always request a signature for anything being delivered - it will take you two to 5 days longer to get it - but you will get it. Especially in dicey neighborhoods.