Alki Mail thinks it’s smarter than you.

[DeniseM]

Alki Mail, with its arrogant and ignorant owner, seems to have no idea that a FedEx parcel is meant to be shipped via FedEx, and not via the Post Office. We are talking FedEx SmartPost. Despite my repeated and express requests to place my items in the FedEx pile, they consistently route the packages to the post office in a manner whereby the package hangs out ENDLESSLY in the severely dysfunctional USPS before it is finally tendered to FedEx, where it should have gone from the gitgo. This might occasion a delay of up to two weeks, if USPS has not lost the package entirely.

Not only is Bree’s (the owner) behavior non-productive, but it is entirely disrespectful. I will not be using Alki Mail services again.

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[WSIslandNotary]

Actually, when I was relying on SmartPost for my former small business and I, too, didn’t understand why I would send out items using a SmartPost label sure it was via FedEx only to find it would post as USPS.

After a few minutes of research and asking the very very busy staff I found that it’s FedEx who hands off packages TO USPS.

Here is a the example the owner was talking about:

“FedEx SmartPost, which is similar to UPS SurePost, is a hybrid shipping service with which FedEx will pick up packages from the shipping destination,

and then hand the packages off to the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) for the final delivery to the end customer.

“What’s unique about SmartPost is that there are two different carriers (FedEx and USPS) handling every package.

“One of the reasons this service was created is that, each day, the USPS is already visiting nearly every address in the United States to deliver mail, so there is efficiency and little-added cost for USPS to deliver small packages to residences, which is not necessarily the case with FedEx and UPS.”

I hope this helps and apologize – I understand the confusion and frustration. It is not the shop’s fault. It’s purely a FedEx/USPS deal :)

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[DeniseM]

“FedEx SmartPost, which is similar to UPS SurePost, is a hybrid shipping service with which FedEx will pick up packages from the shipping destination, and then hand the packages off to the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) for the final delivery to the end customer.

Yes, precisely. FedEx initiates the delivery, transports it to its general destination, and then the post office makes the final delivery. But if the item is initially handed to the post office, they must then deliver it to FedEx in order for FedEx to get the package moving. It is an extra step, totally unnecessary, and given the current derelict state of the US postal system, it can take up to several weeks for USPS to make the hand-off, or even worse, they can lose it. Which they have done.

Why not just initially give the package to FedEx, who are responsible for the first part of the journey?

Because if you are Bree at Alki Mail, you don’t understand how the process works, you ignore your customers’ entreaties, and you just do what you want because you think you know better.

The bottom line, especially in this season, is that the package takes from 4-6 weeks to get to its destination. That is not a good thing.

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[WSIslandNotary]

I’m seriously shocked by your reply.

Witnessing this pointed vitriol because the answer you want is not the answer of fact is disturbing. Also, I’m not Bree, but I’ve been a client for long time (and also with using SmartPost and FedEx) & wanted to help clarify things because I had similar concerns about shipping just like you did. The labels I used had indicated it’s FedEx and could go in either the USPS drop or FedEx drop since the USPS pickup person would scan it and move it over to the FedEx drop. So, again, it’s a middleman process. Also, the claim of shipping anything taking 4-6 weeks right now doesn’t make sense unless it’s maybe an international package, or a back order from Amazon (now THERE’s someone to yell at instead!). Otherwise, that claim is many steps closer to hyperbole than fact. The latest anything has been for me and my business is two weeks AND that was due to the pandemic, lack of healthy delivery staff, lack of in-house postal staff, deaths, illness, and the like. I find those to be acceptable excuses because nothing is guaranteed right now and won’t be for some time.

Now, I’m afraid you’ll just start attacking my business now, too, and I don’t even know who you are. A lot of us don’t have the independent time and wealth to be loud and angry and post about the mail in person or online.

All I can say is I feel sorry you’re so angry and hope you find relief. We have all had a terribly difficult year of loss and confusion. No one knows what someone’s tipping point will be. I know I definitely didn’t expect yours, and I am sure neither did she.

Independent businesses cannot afford to make mistakes right now and it is causing a lot of undue stress compared to when we could all give each other some leeway. Because it balances out in a more normal time. But we all need the leeway more than ever.

But, to rip down a specific person in a specific shop because of the processes of two massive companies playing middleman to each other that the small shop has zero control over is just mean-spirited.

Back when I worked in healthcare and previous to that life, television, I couldn’t please everyone. So, I would refer them to two or three other people they could go to in my skill set and see if it was a better fit.

Some people just wanted a better solution and it resolved itself.

Some just wanted someone to abuse, to blame because they were hurting or because they were just unwell or a bit of both.

My suggestion to you is there are two other FedEx dropoffs you can go in West Seattle I also often use for my escrow drop-offs. Look them up – there are two – and try them out.

I know you’ll reply at this point with another intense post and move into cutting me down next. I tried to offer an answer that was directly from FedEx’s site because you were so frustrated and I had a similar misunderstanding of the process, but also because in the spirit of Don who owned the shop, he would seek a solution and hope it helped.

Some of us just want a better solution.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 6 months ago by WSIslandNotary.

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[Eddie]

I seem to remember a rule that I read about posting to the West Seattle Blog Forums. It said something to the affect that in order to post a “rant” about a business, that the poster had to make a good faith effort to contact the business and give them a chance to resolve the issue.

I’m thinking that this post violates that civility and fairness rule. and frankly, I see that sort of posting in the WSB forums more than I would expect in this otherwise helpful and civil forum.

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[2 Much Whine]

I just think it is awesome that DeniseM is able to provide disparaging remarks about both Alki Mail that she uses for convenience (or used to use) AND the “severely dysfunctional” USPS that she continues to use to save a few bucks. Hilarious. Pay more to FedEx and ship your items through them and your problem is solved.

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[pshiho]

I have used Alki Mail for my buiness and personel use for over 10 years. I have nothing but wonderful things to say about them. Always helpful, always friendly.

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[kroberts]

Reading this post actually makes me want to go out of my way to use Alki Mail. To the OP, I find the best course of action if you are unhappy with a business is just to go elsewhere.

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