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Post by potet on Apr 22, 2023 10:42:59 GMT
When I order a Lulu book, the printer being in France, the parcel is of the format Colissimo (trackable) and delivered to my home by the postman. Today, I expected a parcel of four books, and was surprised not to have received any e-mail from the post-office informing me that it was on the way with a date for the planned delivery. I had a look at my order with Lulu, and to my utmost suprise, discovered that this parcel will be handled by a US company - UPS - I have never been in contact with so far, to an office far from my home, and rather late (May 5). I have placed a ticket with Lulu.
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sirram
Senior Printer
No man but a blockhead ever wrote, except for money
Posts: 269
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Post by sirram on Apr 22, 2023 12:33:32 GMT
UPS (United Parcel Service) is a well known delivery-van service in England. A day hardly goes by without my seeing one in this neighbourhood. UPS is multi-national so presumably operates in France as well.
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Post by Retread-Retired-Cameron on Apr 22, 2023 17:36:08 GMT
Lulu Press uses UPS as it's generally cheaper than the Postal Service.
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Post by BlueAndGold on Apr 22, 2023 17:46:44 GMT
Lulu uses FedEx quite at times too. UPS and the US Postal Service work together also. They have a system called "Smart Post" wherein USPS will transfer a package to UPS (or other carriers) for the long haul, then the carriers will transfer it back to USPS for door-to-door delivery - or to a PO Box.
I'm a bit surprised that UPS did not deliver your package to your door, Potet. Where I live, they drop it at the front door then immediately email me a photo of the package sitting on my doorstep.
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Post by And Kevin 2024 on Apr 23, 2023 0:01:19 GMT
UPS are massively international, owning large aeroplanes as well as vans. Their van drivers are mental. I expect they get paid by the parcel.
I once posted something to Italy. Recorded, tracked, insured, to be signed for, at extra expense. It was never signed for, etc., but that chap received it.
I also once posted something to China. Something I had ordered that did not work. A refund on receipt was promised, paid in to my Amazon account. It was trackable as far as Beijing. Where it vanished. The recipient insisted they had not received it. Strangely, 6 months later I was refunded, and also the item mailed back two more months later, still not working! I contacted the Chinese company after the refund and said, "a bit late, but thanks for the refund." Later I asked why they had retuned the watch. They said they had not. They had never received it. Yet it had them on the package as the sender. How peculiar.
There's one large delivery company in the UK who had such bad press, they simply changed their name. Their drivers barely made an attempt to deliver, and the items were returned to a depo, to be auctioned off. It would not surprise me if they still do that.
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Post by potet on Apr 23, 2023 9:34:25 GMT
I'm a bit surprised that UPS did not deliver your package to your door, Potet. Where I live, they drop it at the front door then immediately email me a photo of the package sitting on my doorstep.
I wouldn't complain if they did and if the availability were not so late. I have the impression the French printer's shipping department made a mistake. P.S. The postman rings; I open my door, and he gives me the parcel.
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Post by And Kevin 2024 on Apr 24, 2023 0:10:45 GMT
The photo on the doorstep idea is a covid safety idea. No contact. But they should have stopped that by now and reverted back to knocking on the door once, then running away, after throwing the parcel in a hedge, saying no one was in. Many people now have door bells with webcams in them, that contacts to your mobile phone. So you can be 'in' when you are out. They also record so you know if they really tried to deliver in the manner they should.
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Post by And Kevin 2024 on Apr 24, 2023 0:13:05 GMT
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Post by cadbob on Apr 24, 2023 17:31:58 GMT
Yes, both FedEx and UPS are famous for saying they tried to deliver a package yet never actually having been anywhere near the place of delivery. I sometimes wonder if its the driver being lazy and just not caring and doing the job they're being paid for properly.
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Post by And Kevin 2024 on Apr 24, 2023 23:40:08 GMT
Most do really only get paid by the number of parcels they drop off. Some are also self-employed on the same basis. So they try to do it as fast as possible. Hence why many of them also drive like Mad Max.
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Post by And Kevin 2024 on Apr 24, 2023 23:44:53 GMT
Once upon a time, I used to sell things via a door to door catalogue. Bung it through a house's letter box. Go see if they have left it out the next day with an order in it. If so, order it from HQ. When it comes, deliver it. The problem was getting people to be in to answer the door and pay for the thing! It was C.O.D. Often it would take many visits, at times even giving up after many tries, and returning it. It often cost more in fuel than I made!
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Post by potet on Apr 26, 2023 21:22:03 GMT
Today 2023-04-26, I am still waiting for Lulu's answer to my ticket.
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Post by Retread-Retired-Cameron on Apr 26, 2023 23:55:50 GMT
With luck it will turn out well.
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Post by And Kevin 2024 on Apr 27, 2023 1:08:58 GMT
A very large well-known company in the UK gained such a bad reputation regarding failed deliveries, they simply changed their name! It could not just have been the drivers at fault, because stuff they say they could not deliver apparently was never scheduled, it went straight to a company auction site. They were basically stealing stuff to sell, under the excuse they tried, but ... www.standard.co.uk/business/hermes-changes-its-name-to-evri-after-parcel-mishandling-allegations-b987530.htmlAnd many other faults to do with working conditions. This is by no means a small company.
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Post by And Kevin 2024 on Apr 27, 2023 1:11:01 GMT
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