General Discussion

HipChick

(25,485 posts) Mon Sep 14, 2020, 07:45 PM Sep 2020

'Like somebody turned off a switch': Small businesses say USPS delays are hitting them hard..

Joe Cortese says his company, NobleSpirit, relies on the U.S. Postal Service to ship thousands of packages containing stamps and collectibles each year. But starting in June, he and his wife, Polly, began noticing problems with shipments.

When we have something that has value, we are mindful of the progress it is making,” he says from his company's base in rural Pittsfield, New Hampshire. “Packages that would take two, three, or four days were literally taking three weeks, even four weeks.”

Cortese, 69, adds, “It was like somebody turned off a switch.”

Customers have contacted his company to ask about the progress of a package, and in some cases, asked for refunds. Sales have softened since the delivery delays began this summer, which Cortese suspects are due to weakening customer confidence that they’ll receive packages on time. The culprit, he believes, is change put in place at the Postal Service by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, who stepped in the role in June.

Those changes, including limiting late deliveries and cracking down on overtime pay that resulted in delays in service across the country, have drawn scrutiny from lawmakers and customers, with particular concerns about how they affect mail-in ballots and prescription medication deliveries. But businesses like NobleSpirit say they’re also feeling the impact. And the complaints from angry customers are raising anxieties ahead of the busy holiday season.

https://amp.usatoday.com/amp/3461404001

8 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

'Like somebody turned off a switch': Small businesses say USPS delays are hitting them hard.. (Original Post) HipChick Sep 2020 OP

As far as I am concerned dejoy and the GOP are ATTACKING Me and my family, in a war Eliot Rosewater Sep 2020 #1

Hope he sues them malaise Sep 2020 #2

He should talk to all his neighbors about his experiences and who he blames. nt Blue_true Sep 2020 #3

I had a couple of parcels delayed during the summer Sherman A1 Sep 2020 #4

This could destroy the small business I work for. BBbats Sep 2020 #5

Meanwhile: Grokenstein Sep 2020 #6

I ordered something on July 4 and it arrived on Sept 7. Ordinary package. Ordinary mail. nt LAS14 Sep 2020 #7

My solution... Grins Sep 2020 #8

Eliot Rosewater

(31,106 posts)

1. As far as I am concerned dejoy and the GOP are ATTACKING Me and my family, in a war

Reply to HipChick (Original post)

Mon Sep 14, 2020, 07:48 PM

Sep 2020

cuz this aint changing, ballots WILL be prevented from being counted and we better figure out what to do

malaise

(268,717 posts)

2. Hope he sues them

Reply to HipChick (Original post)

Mon Sep 14, 2020, 07:49 PM

Sep 2020

Blue_true

(31,261 posts)

3. He should talk to all his neighbors about his experiences and who he blames. nt

Reply to HipChick (Original post)

Mon Sep 14, 2020, 08:02 PM

Sep 2020

Sherman A1

(38,958 posts)

4. I had a couple of parcels delayed during the summer

Reply to HipChick (Original post)

Mon Sep 14, 2020, 08:03 PM

Sep 2020

and have really slowed down on my online purchases for reasons being I really don't need much of anything at this point and two if it is shipping via USPS I will simply do without if at all possible.

BBbats

(89 posts)

5. This could destroy the small business I work for.

Reply to HipChick (Original post)

Mon Sep 14, 2020, 09:12 PM

Sep 2020

I work part time for a small music shop.
We sell instruments(guitars mainly),CD's,vinyl records,accessories,etc.
The records,CD's & cassettes we can ship by Media Mail.Haven't seen too much of a problem with that although it's been a bit slower than usual.We usually ship effects pedals & accessories 1st class & there has been some real problems.Most people don't want to spring for Priority Mail & we can't offer a good price if we have to absorb that.Some customers are complaining about the time it takes for an item to reach them.
FedEx & UPS are not great options because of the cost & they both use the USPS for rural/out of the way areas.
It's put a hurting on us!

Grokenstein

(5,721 posts)

6. Meanwhile:

Reply to HipChick (Original post)

Tue Sep 15, 2020, 06:14 PM

Sep 2020

(1) Amazon.com is still doing fine, and (2) this fiasco has only made Democrats more determined to sweep the GOP into oblivion. Way to go, Generalissimo Corpulente!

I've encountered plenty of folks online--some obvious trolls out to stir shit, some just misinformed--who gripe about the USPS. I do everything I can to turn their ire in the right direction and defend the workers, and I hope everyone on our side does as well.

In the meantime, delivery times have improved somewhat. I notice a lot of stuff I've ordered from the East Coast now tracks around the big bottleneck DeJoy set up in Chicago. No idea who works all that out, but bless 'em. They're no doubt risking their jobs to defy the anti-Americans in the White House.

(CinematicExcrement recently posted this hilarious critique of Kevin Cosplayer's "prophetic" turdblossom The Postman. Recommended!)

LAS14

(13,769 posts)

7. I ordered something on July 4 and it arrived on Sept 7. Ordinary package. Ordinary mail. nt

Reply to HipChick (Original post)

Tue Sep 15, 2020, 06:17 PM

Sep 2020

It showed has being shipped right away.

Grins

(7,199 posts)

8. My solution...

Reply to HipChick (Original post)

Wed Sep 16, 2020, 08:56 AM

Sep 2020

It's not just like the people in this story, but everyone in very small ways.

Some are being hit with late fees by their banks on their monthly credit cards bills.
Because the bills from the banks are not getting to them in time.
So the customer is getting hit with additional expenses.
And the bank is getting hit because their cash flow is impacted.
And the economy is hurt because there is blockage in the movement of money.

Solution: A bill banning bank's from charging all late fees and interest charges.

The banks will HOWL at the mere mention of such a bill.
And you just watch how fast mail delivery will suddenly speed up.

Reply to this discussion