Late last year we pointed out that GameFly, a Netflix-style program for video games, was beginning to develop a reputation for rotten service and slow turnaround. It looks like the United States Postal Service may be partly to blame, at least as far as GameFly is concerned. They’ve filed a complaint against the USPS over lost, stolen, and damaged discs, as well as discriminatory treatment when compared to Netflix and Blockbuster.
Accept The Rate Increase Or Pay A "Downgrade Fee"; RCN Will Get Money From You Either Way
By 4.21.09
RCN knows some of you aren’t going to be happy with having your fees increased, especially in such a tight economy. They know that some of you will probably decide enough is enough and call them to request an account downgrade. They’re going to make money off of that, too.
UPS Gets A Twitter Monitor To Solve Your Problems
By 2.16.09
Looks like UPS has set a guy on Twitter to search for complaints and offer help as well as act as customer service ombudsman. If that package just never seems to be coming or you’d like the guy to just stop playing skeeball with it on your front porch, and regular customer service isn’t of help, Thomas looks like your guy. In addition to being a web-dude at UPS, he’s been blogging since ’99 and founded a theater company in ’06. Sounds like a cool cat to me. You need a real human being non-drone your face-fronting Twitter presence. He’s ThomasAtUPS on Twitter.
Worldwide Rebates Using Suspiciously Fragile Check System
By 2.2.09
Mail in rebates (MIRs) are the among the worst “deals” you can fall for, because any number of issues—most of them beyond your control—can render your supposed savings moot. Now a reader wonders whether Worldwide Rebates is deliberately employing what has to be the world’s least durable check mailing system to throw yet another obstacle in the difficult path to a successful rebate.
USPS Wants To Cut Back To Five-Day Work Week
By 1.30.09
A $3 billion deficit and expected losses of $6 billion more have led the Postmaster General to suggest cutting mail delivery from six to five days.
Aetna Fires You From Your Job Without Your Company's Permission
By 1.24.09
Richard O’Connor, the Vice President of Marketing for Aetna, might want to rethink how his department handles its customer retention program in this economy, particularly when it comes to telling people that they’re still valued even though they’ve been let go. Chris received just such a letter today, and now the VP of his company’s HR department is trying to figure out why Aetna fired Chris.
Amazon Replaces And Expedites Order That USPS Lost
By 12.28.08
Our reader ordered some gifts from Amazon in early December, only to have the post office lose them right before Christmas. Amazon saved his Christmas by overnighting a new package at no charge.
Bank Sends You Another Copy Of Your Credit Card Just To Remind You To Use It
By 11.12.08
Here’s a weird story. Chris at PhillyBurbs.com was dealing with some ID theft problems (random charges were showing up on his credit cards) when he got a random credit card in the mail. It was an extra copy of a card he did indeed have. Wondering if someone was trying to get copies of his cards — he contacted the bank:
DHL Cuts 9,500 Jobs, No More Shipping Inside US
By 11.10.08
No more DHL for you, America. They’re cutting 9,500 jobs and suspending domestic mailing operations. This leaves the shipping field back to UPS, FedEX and the USPS. However, you can still ship with DHL internationally from the US, so no need to fret that you can’t keep sending those care packages to Cuba and North Korea.
Postal Employees Ordered To Stop Offering First-Class Mail
By 9.21.08
Postal employees have been ordered to upsell pricey express or priority mail services to anyone sending anything more than a letter, according to an anonymous tipster. The directive comes straight from Washington to help combat the Post Office’s $1.1 billion operating deficit. To avoid the upsell, specifically ask if there is a cheaper way to ship your package. The anonymous tipster’s letter, inside…
USPS Delivers Just The Cover Of Your Rolling Stone, But Is Very Sorry
By 9.19.08
Reader Dave says that he received just the cover of his copy of Rolling Stone, wrapped in a cute, apologetic plastic bag from the USPS.
My Mail Carrier Likes Throwing Our Packages Up Several Flights Of Stairs
By 8.21.08
Reader Misha would like to know what can be done about a mail carrier who seems to enjoy throwing packages up several flights of stairs, and supervisors at the post office who don’t mind that she does this.
FedEx Turns Shipment Of DVDs Into Can Of Old House Paint
By 8.4.08
John at Needcoffee.com writes that he’s come to expect the occasional “damaged in transit” theft of items from packages he ships or receives, at least through the U.S Postal Service. With private carriers, however, he notes that he’s always had better luck. But last week he opened a box of DVDs shipped to him via FedEx to discover a rusty can of $5 house paint.
USPS Says Guaranteed Overnight Isn't Guaranteed. What?
By 6.15.08
Dorothy found out that the USPS’s guaranteed overnight delivery doesn’t apply if you use their Express Mail boxes, because “Letters get stuck up in the top of the box all the time. Sometimes, it takes days or even a week before we find them.” Hey post office, maybe you should try to check the top of the box every day. Problem solved!
It's Illegal To Stick Unstamped Flyers In Mailboxes, But The Post Office Doesn't Care
By 5.28.08
Section 1725 of Title 18 of the U.S. Code prohibits placing mailable materials like circulars and sales bills with unpaid postage in mailboxes with intent to avoid payment of postage. That means that the Chinese menus and offers for cheap lube jobs that end up in your mailbox might have been placed there illegally. One reader whose mailbox was clogged with this junk contacted the USPS to report the businesses. Her story, and the post office’s ambivalence, inside.
Stamp Prices Rising May 12
By 5.6.08
New stamp prices go into effect starting May 12. Here’s the new prices you’ll be paying for postage:
It's Tax Day! Here Are Some Post Offices That Are Open Late…
By 4.15.08
Today is the day, folks. You’ll need to finish up your taxes and send them on their way to the IRS.
By 3.26.08
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Want to reduce your Bank of America spam mail? Our commenter tinder posted a link to their opt-out page in our earlier post on Chase spam. [www.bankofamerica.com/privacy/]
