UPS delivery delays – the saga continues

UPS PR didn’t respond to our inquiries today about how much progress they have, or have not, made in catching up in our area post-snow, and why the Web information still appears to be inaccurate for those awaiting deliveries. However, a UPS spokesperson quoted in this P-I story posted tonight says they will be making some deliveries tomorrow. Meantime, the comments continue rolling in on our previous UPS update from pre-New Year’s, and this one from “xxx” may be of immediate interest if you are still awaiting a package:

These guys have no clue where the package is – 404-828-3219 is the corporate number. SOmeone from there assured me the package will get delivered today. guess what – it wasn’t. He also gave me the local number 425-882-4111 in issaquah, and i called them and they said that the trailer is inaccessible until Monday and all they know is that it is not in the truck. Bottomline – a very frustrated me is still waiting on the package, and UPS has no bloody clue where it is and are useless. He said they were doing their best – absolutely not. Biggest bunch of insincere and useless people. I have put the numbers here so everyone can call and complain and give them a piece of your mind.

In a subsequent comment, “xxx” said the 425 number is supposed to be answered until 10 pm tonight – so if your package hasn’t arrived yet, it may be worth a try. 10 PM UPDATE: They’re working late tonight — a UPS truck just went by our house, further uphill and eastward on the nearby side street.

54 Replies to "UPS delivery delays - the saga continues"

  • Sue January 2, 2009 (9:32 pm)

    I’m still waiting on a UPS package – a christmas gift my mother-in-law had sent to me. I’m trying to get her to send me a tracking number so I can try and follow up on it.
    .
    Two packages I’ve ordered via UPS since Christmas have arrived here already, but this one is still missing. It’s really ridiculous. Fortunately it’s not urgent that I receive it, but I’d still like what I’m entitled to receive!

  • ag January 2, 2009 (9:57 pm)

    I have been waiting since Dec. 22nd for my “overnight” package to arrive… and don’t know where the hell it is. It’s not urgent, but highly annoying.

  • PDieter January 2, 2009 (10:09 pm)

    we got our over due package @ 9pm tonight…so they’re making the effort

  • Admiral Janeway January 2, 2009 (10:19 pm)

    Not UPS. But I got a FEDEX delivery yesterday, New Year’s Day. Package was originally ordered as “guaranteed delivery by Christmas”.

  • goodgraces January 2, 2009 (10:27 pm)

    Just a friendly reminder not to “kill the messenger” when your packages do arrive — the drivers really do seem to be busting their behinds to deliver. We just received a package at 9:40 p.m. And it wasn’t even delayed — shipped on Tuesday, promised (via the online tracking system) for today, delivered today. Ok, tonight. But still! Some good news!

  • s January 2, 2009 (10:41 pm)

    i hope all of you are getting partial refunds.

  • Allen January 2, 2009 (10:51 pm)

    Sometime after 8:00 PM UPS was kind of enough to update the tracking info on a couple of my packages. Seems as though they were once again “Out for Delivery” since 03:21AM and 04:46AM this morning. Kind of strange, first they say I requested that my packages be held (which I did not) and that they would not be delivered until Monday. Then I get a email reply from their support saying that they would be delivered on 01/02/2009. Now they say that they were out for delivery all day today but still will not be delivered until 01/05/2009. Anything UPS says now will be difficult, if not impossible, for me to believe.

    Perhaps management needs load up their personal vehicles and spend the weekend delivering packages and apologies in order to attempt to restore their customers faith and to take some of the burden off of the drivers.

  • Allen January 2, 2009 (10:55 pm)

    UPS does not give refunds during the Christmas rush. I read in the forum at hardocp.com that newegg.com was refunding shipping charges so it is up to the each individual etailer to make amends.

  • celeste17 January 2, 2009 (10:58 pm)

    I have the exact opposite problem. UPS misdelivered a package to me that should have gone to a neighbor one street over. I called UPS that same night and told them that this had happened. They told me that a supervisor would be in touch on Monday. Today is Friday. Due to health problems I haven’t been able to deliver this package myself. Today I was able to drive by the neighbor and saw a car so I stopped. He was going to try to come by tonight to grab it but guess he couldn’t get away so hopefully he will be by tomorrow or if I am feeling ok I can take it to them. I just want to package gone.

  • Magpie January 2, 2009 (10:59 pm)

    I got a package yesterday that was ordered about 3 weeks ago and another one showed up on my doorstep around 8-9 pm tonight…it wasn’t there at 7:30 when I let the cat out…there was a broken down UPS truck on the corner of Andover and 39th on New Year’s Eve and they were transferring packages from one truck to another..the drivers are probably as frustrated as we are!

  • IBJ January 2, 2009 (11:11 pm)

    I’ve got 5 packages waiting for delivery to my home, sent between 3 weeks and 4 days ago. All are in Redmond, none have been delivered.

    At work, only a few miles from here, I have recieved all packages with minimal delay, and a 2 day air package I ordered on Friday showed up on Friday (still a 3 day delay).

    I have a feeling they are making sure to deliver to all the businesses in order to try and minimize their long term profit loss. Too bad that some of us use UPS both at work and at home, so this plan is somewhat flawed.

  • AlkiResident January 2, 2009 (11:18 pm)

    Just wanted to add something here… UPS has completely come through for me all delayed packages were delivered the day after Christmas – Fedex has been the failure this season. But, I was able to go directly to the Fedex facility with my tracking number to pick up packages that seemed to have gotten stuck at the facility. I suggest calling either company’s main number to ask for the package to be held at the main office for pickup if you decide to pick it up yourself.

  • emoticant January 3, 2009 (12:05 am)

    i ordered something 2nd day air on 12/26. ups originally said it was to be delivered on 12/30. finally saw the “out for delivery” status as of 3:20am on 1/2. waited for them all day today for nothing. now says delivery on 1/5. i looked for an option online to have them hold it downtown and i’ll pick it up, but i guess you have to wait until they put one of those “missed delivery” stickers on your door to even get that option. i know they’re behind and working hard, but if i had the choice of just going there and picking it up i would. as it is, they’re not giving me any other option than to sit and wait with no other information to go on. would be really nice if you could track it further once it’s “out for delivery” – that status helps me none.

    not sure i see the point of ordering something “2nd day air”, doesn’t seem to make any difference at all.

  • Rasmus January 3, 2009 (12:29 am)

    I am still waiting for my 2-day delivery, which shipped on Dec 21st. I have been on the phone with UPS several times, and even got a guarantee, that they would deliver my package today, Jan 2nd.

    Yeah, no. Didn’t happen.

    I contacted Amazon (where I purchased the goods) who have already refunded me the shipping cost. Next step is to report my shipment lost and get the rest of my money back.

    Without the slightest exaggeration, I could have crawled to a brick and mortar store and back, faster than what UPS is doing. Even with the snow.

  • raindance42 January 3, 2009 (1:31 am)

    Our 3-day-select UPS package, originally due to arrive on 12/18, was finally delivered on 12/31 (we live at 26th and Trenton). Hubby reports that they have been getting regular nearly-on-time UPS service at his business in south Seattle.

  • BB_10 January 3, 2009 (2:30 am)

    That’s because UPS sucks!! They stole $700 worth of camping gear and scuba supplies I had shipped to Australia a few years ago in a shakedown scam that if we paid $200 they could “release it from customs”. Huh. Funny that some other stuff I had shipped FedEx made it and never got “held up”. Even with purchased insurance and a request to return to sender the package never came back nor did the insurance claim made with the corporate office. UPS are a bunch of criminals and I’ll only ship FedEx or USPS.

  • morcaffeineplease January 3, 2009 (6:58 am)

    Next time try sending your package with the U.S. Postal Service. The prices are lower than UPS or FedEX and they delivered throughout the ice and snow and aftermath.
    There were a few hilly areas in West Seattle that were unsafe to deliver for a time, but all holiday letters and packages that were delayed have been delivered, despite the poor street conditions. Heck, they even delivered to most addresses that did not shovel their sidewalks or cleared their steps.

  • KD January 3, 2009 (7:10 am)

    I too am waiting. According to tracking, package has been in Seattle since the 12/18, was supposed to finally be delivered yesterday, but nothing. Now rescheduled for 1/5. Hmm. I am frustrated too. My holiday guests have just left – this was a gift for them! But, I second the comment by goodgraces above. The drivers really do seem to be working hard. We saw trucks in my neighborhood (Arbor Heights) late last night (9ish?). Didn’t deliver to us, but it’s not the driver’s fault. The problem is somewhere else. I’ll be grateful when my box arrives.

  • hopey January 3, 2009 (8:31 am)

    As reported by others, the problem with asking them to “hold” the package is that most of the time they apparently will tell you they don’t even know where the package is! How can they hold it if they can’t find it?
    .
    The one package I have a tracking number for has (supposedly) been scanned each day and marked “Out For Delivery”, so I guess I could theoretically ask them to hold my package, since they seem to know where it is. But at this point I’m standing on principle: why should I have to go pick up my package when I paid to have it delivered to my home via 2-day air?

  • iggy January 3, 2009 (9:24 am)

    There’s an article on the front page of the online Seattle Post Intelligencer about this, entitled
    Holiday Gifts Still Snowbound.

    http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/

  • R26 January 3, 2009 (9:31 am)

    Still waiting for 2 packages.

  • WSB January 3, 2009 (9:33 am)

    Iggy, that’s the same article that we linked in the story above (if you see a word, phrase, or sentence in blue in a WSB post, it’s a link – we take great pains to include lots of them so people can access as much info as possible) when posting it last night. See the phrase “this P-I story posted tonight.” – TR

  • KSJ January 3, 2009 (10:33 am)

    Also still waiting for one package. It was supposed to be delivered to my office, but took so long that we got into the holidays (office closed). I had it rerouted to my home instead. They originally tried to deliver on 12/26 and I still haven’t gotten it. That means it’s been sitting somewhere here in Seattle for a week with no snow, and no delivery.

  • Brandon January 3, 2009 (10:43 am)

    Iggy, thanks for posting the link, I had missed that, since I usually just read the comments.

  • Brandon January 3, 2009 (10:54 am)

    If UPS is trying to hard to “catch up”, why isn’t the service counter on 7th open today for pickups? Again, we have been told that our package would be delivered by Friday, instead its ready for customer pickup on Friday, but they never told us that. Now we have to wait until Monday, and apparently, the status of a package can only be changed once. No one ever said that before. Left hand, meet the right hand.

  • Brandon January 3, 2009 (10:56 am)

    Oh, and that Harry and David fruit basket that was in Seattle on the 18th but still not delivered? You can keep that, ecchhhhhhk! We just found out from the sender about it when they asked if we liked it. Nice touch.

  • k January 3, 2009 (11:07 am)

    We did get our packages from UPS that were supposed to be delivered by the 23rd on the 31st– at 6:30pm. We were out so we couldn’t thank the driver.

  • GenHillOne January 3, 2009 (11:45 am)

    Agreed that it’s not on the drivers – “love you, hate your management” comes to mind. Isn’t it disturbing that it doesn’t even seem like there is one distinct strategy? Some have been scanned daily, some not at all, some rescheduled…THAT is what needs a major process review. We did reject a perishable, Brandon, ick is right. I feel especially bad for those waiting for time sensitive business-related deliveries and medication.

  • IBJ January 3, 2009 (12:33 pm)

    They’re doing something on Saturday with the packages… A few of mine just got reference numbers on the web site with cryptic stuff like “UPS_SAT_2ND_SIG” which makes me hope they would actually deliver it today.

    Hahahaha.

    None of my ground stuff has a reference #, so they might actually be prioritizing.

  • Allen January 3, 2009 (12:34 pm)

    All packages were delivered today. Packages were not damaged anymore than usual. Perhaps before the major weather issues UPS will update their tracking system and begin communicating with timely accurate info.

  • WS pet lover January 3, 2009 (12:49 pm)

    One of the packages I ordered “2 Day Air” arrived in Seattle on 12/19. Everyday, when I checked the tracking it said it would be delivered “today”. Called UPS…could not track “probably at the back of the truck somewhere”. I asked to have it re-routed to the recipient who had gone back home to DC. Had to ask for a supervisor and he said “no problem”. Package was delivered in Seattle on 12/31. Huh?

  • wants to remain nameless January 3, 2009 (2:21 pm)

    GenHillOne – You are absolutely right. Blame management. The drivers are out there everyday working their tails off. It’s not their fault that packages haven’t been scanned and the call center is giving out poor information. Blame the ones making the decisions not the drivers.

  • Rasmus January 3, 2009 (2:31 pm)

    FWIW – I contacted Amazon (who shipped my stuff via UPS) and said that at this point, I consider my package to be either lost or stolen. They immediately offered me either a reshipment or a full refund. No questions asked. THAT is customer service.

    So, if you’re in a similar situation, that might a way out of waiting for UPS to get their act together.

  • JT January 3, 2009 (3:25 pm)

    Received my 3x rescheduled delivery today. Latest tracking info showed 1/5 date, so don’t give up yet.

  • hopey January 3, 2009 (5:26 pm)

    The aforementioned multi-day “out for delivery” package shipped via 2nd day air on 12/23 arrived today. Still no sign of the package shipped by my mother-in-law well before Christmas. And of course, she doesn’t have the tracking number.

  • dq January 3, 2009 (5:30 pm)

    i got 2 packages today… and am still waiting on 7 more. unfortunately, the 7 missing all “had” food in them, sent from relatives for the holidays. i do appreciate that they worked new year’s eve and delivered today as well, however, the 7 missing packages were supposed to arrive on 12/18.

  • Sue January 3, 2009 (5:49 pm)

    This is really weird – I finally got the order info from my MIL for the Amazon.com packages sent to us (one we received, one we didn’t). Both are sent via UPS, but Amazon has no UPS tracking info on the site. I order from Amazon all the time and have NEVER seen UPS tracking info omitted. The package I am still expecting is allegedly estimated to arrive on 1/2 (yesterday) and had been shipped on 12/18.

  • IBJ January 3, 2009 (7:03 pm)

    I got an Amazon package today. One that was shipped on the 31st, 2 day, so it technically should be here on Monday the 5th. So I got one of my packages early.

    The other 5 are still sitting in Redmond, including an Amazon 2 day package shipped on Monday.

  • mani January 3, 2009 (9:40 pm)

    no updates yet…no packages…they have no clue…sorry situation…unfortunately, we customers don’t have any muscle to hurt ups and they seem to know it.

  • mani January 3, 2009 (9:42 pm)

    I have a request from WSB – not to let this issue die…you are kind of the only muscle we have in this battle…please try to hold them accountable…as time passes most people will receive their packages and forget this happened…and lets not forget that this happened because of incompetence from UPS…

  • WSB January 3, 2009 (10:23 pm)

    I promise I won’t. I’ve got about four names to try to chase through corporate on Monday, for starters. It’s very difficult to understand why, for example, they have not simply made a statement like “We know things have been a mess and we’re really sorry” and maybe even offered a coupon for next time, or something like that. So many businesses make such gestures. And even if they are small gestures, or simple statements, they seem to go a long way, in cases we have covered before, anyway. Ironic side note: Seattle is the birthplace of UPS.

  • Brandon January 4, 2009 (9:07 am)

    My theory is that they really don’t care about old customers who are upset, nothing can be done to repair the dissapointment. So let them fall of the truck, but don’t upset existing customers (new deliveries). They are concentrating on those customers because their “fail rate” hasn’t been affected yet on those deliveries. Kinda like airlines, if it leaves the gate late, hold them up forever if it means another gets off on time. And the miniscule % this is impacting is microns in the scheme of things for UPS. So I am not surprised that they don’t give a rat’s arse about these late deliveries. Deny, deny, deny. And, all will be forgotten next year anyway. (Do these guys consider political careers??) And getting corporate America to change shippers will be next to impossible, regardless of the uproar.

  • Sue January 4, 2009 (9:59 am)

    I was finally able to track down the tracking number for my missing package. Claims it arrived in Seattle on 12/28 and was Out for Delivery on 12/29 – no other scans. The latest estimate for delivery is 1/5, so we’ll see if it actually arrives or not.
    .
    What I found interesting is that Amazon seems to have deeply buried the tracking info for the package on their site – and I’d bet UPS asked them to. I was logged in as a relative looking at what she’d ordered. Everything she ordered for a relative in the midwest had a UPS tracking number. Our 2 packages just said “shipped by UPS” with no number, which I’ve never seen before. it wasn’t until I clicked through multiple help menus, found the “contact us” screen (on Amazon), then clicked on “express info” that it allowed me to see the UPS shipping number. I truly believe they’ve hidden it so we can’t see what a mess they’ve made of Seattle orders.

  • mani January 4, 2009 (5:10 pm)

    Thank you WSB for your response indicating that you won’t let them off the hook. I agree that some sort of compensation would have gone a long way – something like 10% the value of the item upon invoice proof and just plain out say “We messed up. We owe customers big time!” …but instead what we hear is lies, lies and more damn lies…

  • mani January 4, 2009 (5:12 pm)

    Infact when I complained to the retailer, they immediately offered me a $20 credit for my frustration with UPS….and told me that if does not get in by Wednesday, they will refund my entire charge…retailers are handling this far better than UPS….

  • IBJ January 4, 2009 (6:16 pm)

    Oh noes! It’s snowing @ 6pm on Sunday.

    You think the UPS managers have already called the crews and told them to not bother coming to work all week? ;)

  • mani January 4, 2009 (7:18 pm)

    They will work obviously….but won’t deliver anything for the next month or year….

  • Michael January 4, 2009 (10:57 pm)

    The griping…make it stop…

  • xxx January 5, 2009 (6:57 am)

    Again, this saga continues. Called the corporate number (9th time I am calling UPS, 3rd their corporate relations office),and the guy nonchalantly told me “You have no other choice, other than to wait for a call back” inspite of my protestations that all assurances thus far have been worth zero. He did not seem to care about BBB, FTC or the state Attorney General offices either when I told him that my problem has reached gargantuan proportions. Shows you clearly how much they care —

  • WSB January 5, 2009 (7:07 am)

    I heard back from my original corporate PR contact this morning and have sent her my list of questions. Will post separately when answers are received – TR

  • mani January 5, 2009 (7:23 am)

    Thanks WSB for following up on this – but really I have no expectations from anyone in UPS. If corporate relations cannot answer enquiries, then God save us all!
    One other thing I would like customers to do is when calling up retailers like Newegg, Amazon and Costco.com, tell them of your experience with UPS, and offer to pay a couple of bucks extra for the “privilege” (maybe “luxury” would be a better word given recent events) of not shipping with UPS. At the very least, they will make note of your comments and feedback and add to the list of grievances against UPS. This is what I have been doing, and I would encourage everyone to this. WSB, if you feel this is a reasonable form of protest we are entitled to given the lack of any apology/information/reimbursement from UPS other than insincere and false information, and if you agree that my tack may be useful, pls put this comment where others can see as well. Thanks.

  • Brandon January 5, 2009 (10:45 am)

    The griping…make it stop… Comment by Michael

    Why do you hate children opening gifts on X-Mas? If UPS has their act together…they deserve every smack.

  • Allen January 6, 2009 (5:26 pm)

    Received a package today, January 6th. I had no idea that the shipper chose UPS to deliver this one. It was shipped on the 18th of December. After receiving it I entered the tracking number on the UPS website. Original delivery date was December 24th. It stated that an attempted delivery was made yesterday and that no one was home to sign for it. I was home. UPS did not attempt delivery as claimed…

  • si January 7, 2009 (5:19 pm)

    After what seemed like a long delay on a package that was supposed to be delivered on 12/23, I was happy to see on the web today that it got delivered to my front door, guess what, there was no package at the front door. UPS cutomerservice tells me that they can’t get in touch with the driver, so in all possibility the driver did not know the area well and delivered to the wrong address, eventhough the package shiiping address matches my home address,
    What a way to wait so long for a christmas gift that eventually gets lost somewhere!

Sorry, comment time is over.