Five stars for the USPS. </sarcasm>

[Disheveledamethyst]

No pictures in this thread. Just anger.

For the new year, I decided that I was going to keep tabs on any packages that were lost or damaged in transit, both incoming and outgoing. While I originally attributed the problem to holiday traffic, as many of packages hovered within a few days of Christmas, I'm starting to realize that's not the case. The USPS just can't handle anything bigger than an envelope without a seventy percent chance of destruction.

Since the first of January:
1. Inception US First Advance (Outgoing) - Sent out December 19th, completely flattened upon receipt, from end to end

2. Inception Verizon "Mind Crime" Viral Poster (Outgoing) - Sent out December 21st, the tube arrived to my customer with about a half inch of standing water in the tube.

3. Finding Nemo Advance A UK Quad (Incoming) - This one was incredible. Since it was an international delivery, the seller carefully and tightly packaged it in a bare PVC tube. Customs, presumably under the impression is was dangerous, sawed through the tube about three inches in completely decimating the end of the poster. The PVC was then taped back up with the tape they use to mark priority mail and sent it my way.

4. Ratatouille French Lobby Cards (Incoming) - Not an international purchase. The seller, who was only two states away, backed the cards with strong cardboard and taped all of the open ends to make it water tight. When it got to me it was bent in such a way that it appeared somebody had attempted to fold it in thirds.

5. Metropolis 2010 Re-Release (Outgoing) - Sent out January 1st, and as of February 18th, still has yet to be received.

So in a month and a half, the post office has ensured that five of packages have been sufficiently damaged before their timely delivery. There is a UPS/FedEx store very close by and I'm considering wiping my hands with the USPS completely. And to be clear, I use good tubes. I use the same mailing tubes the studios mail their posters in when they send them to the theatre and are quite difficult to bend unless you snap them over your knee.

[Bruce]

Consider going to stronger tubes. The studios don't care if some fair percentage get damaged, because they can still be displayed with dings and creases, or a replacement can be sent.

But for valuable posters, try the heavy duty ones from Yazoo Mills, or PVC pipe.

We send out 100 tubes per week on average, and maybe one in 1,000 get damaged, and we use the USPS and UPS, so it is likely that your tubes just can't stand up to their manhandling.

Incidentally, UPS and FED EX Ground are ever rougher on tubes than the USPS!

Bruce

[Zorba]

Incidentally, UPS and FED EX Ground are ever rougher on tubes than the USPS!

I have yet to have a failure with UPS or Fed Ex but once again today the usps failed in dramatic fashion.

I think Im going to tell all shippers from now on that Id rather have them walk outside, throw the tube in my general direction and hope that it magically somehow gets here than have it shipped it with them.

[CSM]

I have yet to have a failure with UPS or Fed Ex but once again today the usps failed in dramatic fashion.

I think Im going to tell all shippers from now on that Id rather have them walk outside, throw the tube in my general direction and hope that it magically somehow gets here than have it shipped it with them.

   Now that's my kind of sarcasm!

[Zorba]

  Now that's my kind of sarcasm!

 

My usps fucked up posters and I are here for your entertainment.

Two shows a night.

Please do not forget to tip your servers.