BUYING ONLINE? Beware of co's using the UPS/USPS shipping method
Millions of Americans buy online everyday because of the simplicity of the purchase experience as well as competitive prices (to brick and mortar) and low or no cost shipping.
Increasingly, more online retailers are turning to a hybrid shipping method to save money and thereby offer more consumers "free shipping". Free shipping has become an almost mandatory offer to get consumers to buy from one online retailer or another.
VIPs at Zappos and Prime customers at Amazon get quick free shipping and value that amenity to the point it is now a commodity. These companies use UPS or Fed Ex for shipping and my experience has been extremely good with both.
Three weeks ago I bought items online from Under Armour clothing and then last week from Footlocker. Both companies use a new hybrid delivery system that quite frankly stinks. They use UPS and USPS together to deliver. The process starts with a UPS pickup from the online retailer but there is a hand-off to USPS (your not so friendly postal service) when the package gets to your neck of the woods.
What I have experience is the package gets lost for a while (can't be tracked by either party) and definitively arrives late. My Under Armour package just showed up one day after I had already asked for a credit and a re-order.
UPS says the problem is USPS. USPS says its UPS. The bottom line is the customer gets the bad end of the deal and no one takes any responsibility for the problem.
My recommendation? I now ask an online retailer how they ship. If they use this hybrid, I search for the product elsewhere. I believe this attempt to save money will only alienate consumers. To save a penny to lose a dollar is not good business.
Watching out for you everyday.
Eli




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