You know what is not a step forward? Self-generated tracking numbers/shipping labels

[Totem Polar]

I can't be the only one: used to be, back in the day, that you took your shit to the post office with an address written on it, shipped it, and they gave you a tracking number, if the service you chose had one.

Now, there is this trend where sumdood generates his own online label, complete with tracking number, and then is supposed to take the whole thing to a post office or box and mail it. Of course, people being people, often times life interferes with the errand running. I can't remember the last time I got a "your package has been shipped, track it's progress" email where there wasn't some huge gap between the notice and evidence of actual movement from town hub to town hub.

Last one was 10 days. "Here's your priority tracking number..." (clicky on the linky)

'Shipping label generated'

No shit. I know that.

10 days later: 'item accepted'

11 days later: 'item departed'

12 days later: 'item at sorting facility'

Day 13: 'item out for delivery'

That's bullshit. Send the number when there's something to track. How would kids feel if the newscasters did their fake Christmas eve Santa sleigh tracking bit, only starting Dec 15th, with jack shit changing until the 24th. Even little kids would figure out that their chains are getting yanked.

I know, first world problems. But I didn't sign up to live in the first world to deal with potable water insecurity, or 3-decade life expectancy. Tracking number is to track progress, not stagnation/procrastination.
[/end rant]

[blues]

I love it...

Didn't know there were any other curmudgeons out there.

[Sigfan26]

I can't be the only one: used to be, back in the day, that you took your shit to the post office with an address written on it, shipped it, and they gave you a tracking number, if the service you chose had one.

Now, there is this trend where sumdood generates his own online label, complete with tracking number, and then is supposed to take the whole thing to a post office or box and mail it. Of course, people being people, often times life interferes with the errand running. I can't remember the last time I got a "your package has been shipped, track it's progress" email where there wasn't some huge gap between the notice and evidence of actual movement from town hub to town hub.

Last one was 10 days. "Here's your priority tracking number..." (clicky on the linky)

'Shipping label generated'

No shit. I know that.

10 days later: 'item accepted'

11 days later: 'item departed'

12 days later: 'item at sorting facility'

Day 13: 'item out for delivery'

That's bullshit. Send the number when there's something to track. How would kids feel if the newscasters did their fake Christmas eve Santa sleigh tracking bit, only starting Dec 15th, with jack shit changing until the 24th. Even little kids would figure out that their chains are getting yanked.

I know, first world problems. But I didn't sign up to live in the first world to deal with potable water insecurity, or 3-decade life expectancy. Tracking number is to track progress, not stagnation/procrastination.
[/end rant]

I never understood generating a label immediately when an order is generated. Print them when they are ready to ship.

[GuanoLoco]

I love it...

Didn't know there were any other curmudgeons out there.

Becoming a curmudgeon is one of my life goals.

[blues]

Becoming a curmudgeon is one of my life goals.

It's easy.

Start with having standards of behavior you hold yourself (and others) to.

Live long enough to be considered "old school*" and disappointed countless times over the years by the actions of others who seen not to care a whit about keeping their word.

Presto change-o: You're now a curmudgeon. Welcome to the club.

(*I consider "old school" to be a good thing. OMMV.)

[RevolverRob]

Hell, let's turn that frown even further down.

Why - the fuck - in the 21st Century:

1) In the world of delivery drones, FedEx, UPS, USPS, DHL, and Amazon Delivery, do I still have to go to a store/office to send a package? The mailman picks up out going mail, but I have to go to the post office to send a package...

2) Why is it that a 17-year old kid can get into my locked building, to put Chinese-delivery solicitations on the doorknobs, but FedEx guy can't seem to figure out how to ring the doorbell?

3) Why is it that UPS/FedEX tell me a package was "delivered" when what they mean is, "We dropped it off at the UPS store, three miles away, because we didn't ring your doorbell and it was easier for the UPS guy to just drop a hundred packages at the UPS Store and let them deal with it."

4) Why do we still have postal clerks at the post office? Automated post office kiosks do all of their work, faster, with less bitching, with less attitude, and with less wait. Seriously, my local PO was a 45-minute wait to post a package, because the two ladies in there, who are perpetually 2-days from retirement never get in a hurry. They FINALLY installed an automated kiosk. I can now get in and get out in 5-minutes. Of course...it'd be even better if I didn't even have to go to the PO to use the kiosk.

Finally, why does the inventory system of every post-office/shipping office look like my 4-year old nephew's bedroom closet after he "cleans" his room? Seriously, barcodes, hand scanners, thousands of people working and no one can seem to locate my package at the office (where I had to go, because they didn't ring the doorbell to deliver it) in less than a decade of my life, because they threw it in a cart and it's buried in the back. I've seen crack houses with better inventory organization.

[Totem Polar]

It's easy.

Start with having standards of behavior you hold yourself (and others) to.

Live long enough to be considered "old school*" and disappointed countless times over the years by the actions of others who seen not to care a whit about keeping their word.

Presto change-o: You're now a curmudgeon. Welcome to the club.

(*I consider "old school" to be a good thing. OMMV.)

Given the hindsight of my own journey, I'd say you're spot on.

[blues]

Given the hindsight of my own journey, I'd say you're spot on.

Here's what you have to look forward to...

[Hambo]

Hell, let's turn that frown even further down.

Why - the fuck - in the 21st Century:

1) In the world of delivery drones, FedEx, UPS, USPS, DHL, and Amazon Delivery, do I still have to go to a store/office to send a package? The mailman picks up out going mail, but I have to go to the post office to send a package...

I'm guessing your mailman walks a route and can't carry a Santa bag of packages back with him. I leave a not in my box and the guy walks up and takes it from my hand or where I leave it. Done.

[Sigfan26]

Hell, let's turn that frown even further down.

Why - the fuck - in the 21st Century:

1) In the world of delivery drones, FedEx, UPS, USPS, DHL, and Amazon Delivery, do I still have to go to a store/office to send a package? The mailman picks up out going mail, but I have to go to the post office to send a package...

2) Why is it that a 17-year old kid can get into my locked building, to put Chinese-delivery solicitations on the doorknobs, but FedEx guy can't seem to figure out how to ring the doorbell?

3) Why is it that UPS/FedEX tell me a package was "delivered" when what they mean is, "We dropped it off at the UPS store, three miles away, because we didn't ring your doorbell and it was easier for the UPS guy to just drop a hundred packages at the UPS Store and let them deal with it."

4) Why do we still have postal clerks at the post office? Automated post office kiosks do all of their work, faster, with less bitching, with less attitude, and with less wait. Seriously, my local PO was a 45-minute wait to post a package, because the two ladies in there, who are perpetually 2-days from retirement never get in a hurry. They FINALLY installed an automated kiosk. I can now get in and get out in 5-minutes. Of course...it'd be even better if I didn't even have to go to the PO to use the kiosk.

Finally, why does the inventory system of every post-office/shipping office look like my 4-year old nephew's bedroom closet after he "cleans" his room? Seriously, barcodes, hand scanners, thousands of people working and no one can seem to locate my package at the office (where I had to go, because they didn't ring the doorbell to deliver it) in less than a decade of my life, because they threw it in a cart and it's buried in the back. I've seen crack houses with better inventory organization.

I sent a fairly valuable package to a friend, paid for signature required. Looked at tracking, and it said delivered and SIGNED FOR by my friend... It was in his mailbox, and no one signed for it.


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