journeyman
Oud Junkie
Posts: 492
Registered: 12-28-2003
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
USPS
I just had an oud delivered to California and the USPS delivery person left the oud outdoors in front of the address because there was no one home to
accept it. I called USPS and the person at customer service said that because it was shipped from another country, Canada in this case, it is the
policy to leave it, "in a safe place" if no one is home, in spite of it being insured for more than $500 and in spite of the Priority service that I
paid for. Can anyone confirm that this is indeed the policy? I am frankly shocked that anyone would lack enough common sense to do such a thing if it
is not policy and if it is policy, I'm shocked at that too.
roypatterson.com
|
|
|
abc123xyz
Oud Junkie
Posts: 114
Registered: 5-17-2007
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
I stopped being shocked by the things done to musical instruments by the airlines and delivery people, a long time ago.
I'm convinced that they hate music and there's some kind of conspiracy, 'cause mere incompetence can't explain it all.
David
|
|
|
Brian Prunka
Oud Junkie
Posts: 2916
Registered: 1-30-2004
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Member Is Offline
Mood: Stringish
|
|
My understanding is that USPS normally will leave a parcel unless you have requested signature confirmation.
I hope the person got the instrument!
I think it depends on the area and various factors. USPS usually won't leave a package outdoors in NYC, but if the apartment building has a
vestibule, they may leave it in there.
For an oud, the safest thing is to ask for signature confirmation. Not sure how that would work shipping from Canada.
|
|
|
Jody Stecher
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1354
Registered: 11-5-2011
Location: California
Member Is Offline
|
|
abc123 xyz, I'm afraid it has nothing to do with the content of the parcel. All the delivery services here in San Francisco California have recently
taken to leaving parcels without even ringing the bell. This coincides with the rise of a criminal class who watch delivery trucks from USPS, UPS,
Fedex, etc and when a delivery is left at the door of a house whose door is near the street one thief walks up and takes the parcel while his partner
watches out for witnesses. We have had items stolen while we were home. We have put a sign at the doorbell saying RING THE BELL!!, We're home!!! and
half the time they still won't take the time to push a button. too much in a hurry. It didn't used to be like that. Our old UPS driver's father was a
mandolin player. We had nice conversations. USPS has always been unpredictable.
journeyman, was the oud still there when the intended recipient got home? It is not the policy of USPS to leave domestic parcels IF the parcel
requires a signature. If there is no one to sign they keep the item for retrieval at the nearest post office for a week or so and they leave a written
notice about this. I don't know about shipping from another country. Leaving it to be stolen or rained on makes no sense to me.
|
|
|
SamirCanada
Moderator
Posts: 3404
Registered: 6-4-2004
Member Is Offline
|
|
USPS deliveries in Canada are handled by Canada Post. if the sender had requested signature, they would have brought it to closest shoppers drugmart
with postal services. its really too bad they don't do that in the US... it would save a lot of headaches.
hope the oud got there to its rightful owner!!
@samiroud Instagram
samiroudmaker@gmail.com
|
|
|
Brian Prunka
Oud Junkie
Posts: 2916
Registered: 1-30-2004
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Member Is Offline
Mood: Stringish
|
|
The policy is similar with the USPS . . . if a signature was requested, they would keep it at the nearest Post Office for pick up if no one was home
to sign for it when they attempted delivery. Normally they will make 2 delivery attempts, then hold it for a week or so for pickup.
I had thought that if you purchased insurance that signature confirmation was automatically required but it seems that isn't the case.
Roy—did the person get the instrument? I sure hope so.
|
|
|
![[*]](images/xmbprobrown/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
