Two months after the U.S. Postal Service’s Postmaster General announced how USPS leadership intends to resuscitate the wheezing institution by cutting jobs, raising rates and ending Saturday delivery, the union representing the nation’s mail carriers has gone public with the changes it believes are needed to keep the USPS from becoming irreversibly insolvent. [More]
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USPS Turns Box Into Accordion, Hopes You Won't Notice
By 4.17.12
When Chris received this package in the mail, he assumed that his mail carrier had crammed it in his mailbox with overwhelming force. That wasn’t the case, though. The truth is more mysterious and much weirder. [More]
American Airlines Voucher Disappears In The Mail, Airline Shrugs
By 4.6.12
The original copy of an air travel voucher has mystical powers, and flights can only be scheduled using the original copy. At least, that’s the impression we get from Ashley’s experience. When she went to redeem her voucher, she mailed it in, as required. Only the tracking number hasn’t been scanned in the USPS system, and there’s no sign of the voucher. [More]
The One Junk Mailer That Won't Remove Me From Their List
By 3.29.12
Christopher has a mission. That mission is to eliminate junk mail from his life. Maybe to save his time and sanity, maybe to save the planet, maybe both. Most companies he’s called have been happy to oblige: they save money and earn goodwill by leaving him alone, after all. But one junk mail purveyor won’t stop. That company is Mailsouth. [More]
Worst Company In America Sweet 16: USPS Vs. Facebook
By 3.21.12
The old world clashes with the new this afternoon as the company that used to connect people around the country tries to take down the website that everyone now uses to show off photos of their kids. [More]
Please Join Us In Welcoming Your Worst Company In America 2012 Sweet 16!
By 3.21.12
The floor of the Worst Company In America BattleDome is stained with the blood of the vanquished. But only one company can earn the privilege of placing the WCIA Golden Poo in its trophy case, so the violence must continue. [More]
Worst Company In America Round One: UPS Vs. USPS
By 3.16.12
We hope these two parcel-punting pugilists know how to deliver the punches, because they both seem to have a problem delivering your packages. [More]
Here It Is, Your Lineup For Worst Company In America 2012!
By 3.12.12
Welcome to Consumerist’s 7th Annual Worst Company In America tournament, where the businesses you nominated face off for a title that none of them will publicly admit to wanting — but which all of them try their hardest to earn. So it’s time to fill in the brackets and start another office pool. That is, unless you work at one of the 32 companies competing in the tournament. [More]
Package Vanishes Into Thin Air Inside The Post Office
By 3.2.12
Anthony’s faith in the U.S. Postal service was clearly misplaced. He dropped off a package with a prepaid label at a local post office, with the misguided belief that it would enter the shipping system, and that the delivery confirmation barcode on the label would show the package’s path through the mails. That’s not what happened. What happened was that the prepaid label, with no package attached, was returned to Anthony’s house. Where’s the package? No one knows. But it’s not the post office’s problem, since there’s no proof that he even mailed it in the first place. [More]
35,000 Pink Slips Are In The Mail For USPS Employees
By 2.24.12
As we wrote back in September, the U.S. Postal Service was looking at closing more than half of its mail processing centers around the nation, which was predicted would translate into around 35,000 lost jobs. Last night, the USPS finally announced that while some of those centers have survived the executioner’s blade, the number of layoffs will remain about the same. [More]
Here Are The Tattered Remains Of An Attempt To Mail Some Textbooks
By 1.27.12
Victoria mailed some textbooks worth $275 in what seemed like secure packaging. The postal service returned the packaging to her, but the textbooks were never seen again. She opted not to insure the package, figuring that no one could do that much damage to heavy hardcover textbooks. She was overly optimistic. [More]
Wells Fargo Thinks USPS Is Fastest Way To Tell Me About Bounced Check
By 1.24.12
When you think of the fastest, most-efficient way for a business to contact a customer about a problem, you obviously think of an antiquated, bloated, nearly insolvent government-operated organization that is synonymous with sloth. Oh wait — you don’t? Well, Wells Fargo apparently does. [More]
Postal Employee Caught With 10 Years Of Stolen Bulk Mail Wants To Keep Job
By 1.24.12
For 10 years, a Postal Service employee in Texas has been stockpiling massive amounts of bulk mail in her office and home. And even though she’s now under investigation by postal inspectors, the USPS worker says she wants to keep her job. [More]
Postal Service Shows It Can Toss Fragile Packages Over The Fence Just As Well As FedEx
By 1.19.12
The U.S. Postal Service is always trying to convince people that it’s just as good as FedEx or UPS. But for all the aspects of those businesses the Postal Service should emulate, there’s one it shouldn’t: Tossing expensive packages over customers’ fences. [More]
Postal Carrier Told He Can No Longer Wear Santa Suit On The Job
By 12.21.11
For more than a decade, a postal carrier in Bellevue, WA, has spread Christmas cheer along his mail route by donning a Santa Claus costume over his uniform for a few days leading up to Dec. 25. But after someone complained to the USPS about his Kris Kringle getup, the Santa costume will have to remain in his closet this year. [More]
USPS Delivers Christmas Gift 371 Days Late
By 12.21.11
A woman in Florida recently received a Christmas gift from her daughter in Arkansas, but she isn’t waiting until Dec. 25 to open it. Why? Because the Postal Service was supposed to have delivered in time for last Christmas. [More]
Couple Takes Advantage Of UPS Laziness, Steals Over 100 Packages From Doorsteps
By 12.21.11
We’ve certainly written enough pieces over the years about how some UPS, FedEx and USPS carriers would rather fling your package somewhere in the vicinity of your house rather than knock and wait to see if you’re home. Now the police in Somerville, MA, say a couple took advantage of drivers’ willingness to leave packages out in the open by swooping in to steal the deliveries right off folks’ doorsteps. [More]
We're Sorry, Your Delicious Package Of Treats Was Intercepted By Post Office Rats
By 12.20.11
Rodents make the worst postal workers, especially when delicious, edible holiday treats are involved. One post office in Manhattan had a few rats and/or mice working over packages before they reached their intended destinations, resulting in a holiday surprise of a different kind. [More]
