FBM Shipping Delays - USPS Caused Delays
Has anyone else had problems with USPS delays and getting a warning of account deactivation for something out of sellers control?
I just had to delete all my FBM products due to this account being shut down will effectively put me out of business.
FBM Shipping Delays - USPS Caused Delays
Has anyone else had problems with USPS delays and getting a warning of account deactivation for something out of sellers control?
I just had to delete all my FBM products due to this account being shut down will effectively put me out of business.
Seller_nFMk5RXoNZeoX
Here's insight for anyone reading this...
Use buy shipping through Amazon and you are covered. It's that easy. We still use USPS when Amazon says it's covered. *Most* standard orders processed within a day are eligible for OTDR protection if using Amazon to buy labels. In some cases, we have had to upgrade to UPS ground/ ground saver for a little more money.
We got the same deactivation warning you got (and I suspect many others as well), and after a call with seller support, this was the solution. Money wise, we're spending a tiny bit more overall, but it's truly negligible. There are some items we sell that are cheaper using UPS than USPS.
The 'suck factors'-
1) ShipStation cannot be used to ship, so this does make packing orders take a bit longer. While you can buy labels in bulk on Amazon, you need to be very careful as it spits out a long string of labels and doesn't say what is what. I use ShipStation to print packing slips in advance of buying labels and then CAREFULLY line the label up with the packing slip.
2) I will no longer get credit card rewards on postage. (But at least I don't run up a large balance either as I can't always pay the card to zero)
The benefits-
In a perfect world, Amazon would simply tell customers their order will take a couple days longer. As we all know, that ain't gonna happen. So you may spend a little bit more money (mainly due to the no credit card rewards thing), but for me, it's worth it. I no longer have to worry about deactivation and there is the added bonus of INR claims not being charged, and I even noticed an auto strike through of a negative costumer rating due to lateness.
Message from Amazon: "The fulfillment issues associated with this order were not due to the seller"
So hold your nose and go forward. Buy shipping through Amazon, choose a service that is covered (clearly stated if it's not) and don't worry.
39 replies
Seller_bkY210yEnKEDM
yes; I stopped using 99% of my packages with the losing company USPS
Seller_nxvyRDZCFduAS
Don't use USPS right now unless you have your delivery estimates set to 3 months. Last month USPS took 17 days to deliver to our same ZIP code.
Seller_HjfyVYcuJdbTf
The Executive branch of the Federal Government is doing it's best to make USPS as bad as possible, so they can later say it should be privatized (because it's so bad... even tho they intentionally sabotaged it).
Since Jan 7th, packages have been inexplicably rerouted off-route, and left to sit days at distribution centers, making them very late. Make America Great is more like Make America Dysfunctional (and our important mail service too). Looks very intentional (and wasteful).
USPS used to be great but has gotten worse and worse the more corporatized the USA has gotten. Greed greed greed
Seller_oDXVaydIpi3Hi
Thats weird, because USPS has had issues for years and years - including severe issues for the last 4 months nationwide - but I guess if you want to make everything political.
Seller_oDXVaydIpi3Hi
USPS has had issues for years. Our local hub has been in the news multiple times for leaving things sitting for weeks, including live (at least they were live when they got there) animals. Many of the hubs have had things sitting for weeks at a time the last year.
They have hired an extra 140k people the last 5 years, despite mail and package volume dropping 25% during the same period. It might have made sense during CoV, but Amazons network and the other major carriers increases in volume much more during that time. Even with the extra labor, their KPIs have only gotten worse (from lost package rate, to service date failure rates).
We have been gradually moving away from them for all of our businesses, as others have suggested here. One thing to note, Amazons UPS contract for fulfillment ends next month. Our UPS contact has told us UPS isnt going to renew because Amazon hasn't been willing to increase the rates. UPS is also shutting down a number of hubs across the nation in anticipation of this (We lost 2 in our state this month). Things with deliveries might get awfully bad across the board the next 2 months. Hopefully Amazon and UPS can reach an agreement, because USPS isnt viable considering Amazons policies and good customer service - and I don't see that changing.
Seller_Ha6JyVvDK6Ybs
Seems like March is a sheet show with USPS but then again didn't King Elon just eliminate 10000 usps workers... Total BS Amazon harms our businesses for this issue using their preferred shipping method through their account shipped on time! Bring it not my freaking fault and you take my buy box away I used slow time to rebuild the great empire of Ebay!
Seller_IrK98js6BjQoi
Thank you all for the information, this is helpful to understand the scope and the perspectives associated. I suppose the most optimal thing to do is price for use with UPS and FedEx where applicable
Seller_Pv5A8fAWNxIoW
If you are buying shipping through the Amazon portal and have a scanned pickup within the ship-by date, why would USPS delays affect your ODR so much as to delete all your FBM products? Secondly, why panic to the extreme? Simply set your entire inventory to zero until you get things straightened out. We use USPS almost exclusively and only have rare issues. They offer fair rates and free daily pickup. We have had more issues with UPS in the last 25 years than we ever had with USPS.
No criticism here, just some insight.
Seller_eRqUws6X7ctFY
Yes, I have. I just call Amazon every couple of days to point out that I had the packages there on time, and blah blah blah, they post a note or whatever. They tell me not to worry about it, it's taken care of , and don't worry about the account deactivation banner. Then the cycle starts all over again, in a couple of days I call them again, etc
Seller_XSqPquQH4FvW1
Not generally a problem here, I have always used USPS. Possibly you have a local problem?
