USPS not delivering on time.......I am shocked


Amazon is blaming the U.S. Postal Service for having to shut down its grocery delivery service in portions of the country, according to Recode.

USPS was responsible for delivering orders from the tech conglomerate’s eponymous service Amazon Fresh for a large majority of intended destinations, but allegedly failed to do so in a timely manner, or at all, in certain instances. Amazon cites this, as well as an overall imperfect relationship with USPS, as the primary reasoning behind its decision to limit its delivery feature, which included cutting it off in parts of nine states.

Amazon has been vamping up its supply chain and distribution processes, especially for foodstuff and other items typically found at a grocery store or market.

Amazon’s ultimate goal is to open 2,000 grocery stores within the upcoming decade, and 20 in the next two years or so, according to Business Insider. It was also recently granted a patent titled “Physical Store Online Shopping Control,” further showing its seriousness of developing brick-and-mortar locations.

And Walmart, a huge rival of Amazon, has taken notice by trying itself to increase its delivery infrastructure.

Amazon’s delivery woes may go beyond USPS, if inklings of the members of the company’s are actually true. A couple from Florida said in October that they received an Amazon order of plastic storage bins, but found a surprising 65 pounds of marijuana within those containers. The couple slept outside of their home in fear someone violent may come looking for the green product, but were given a $150 gift card for their troubles. Another couple expecting gifts in their New Hampshire home opened a box from Amazon in July only to see a bag of medical waste.

http://dailycaller.com/2017/11...ry-mess-says-report/

Grocery delivery must be a tricky business. Many have tried, none succeeded so far.

It’s always something!

Groceries are a hideously low margin product, I’m told. My grocery store probably loses money on me every time I go in, having to provide an electric powered cart and assistance going out to the car.

quote:

Originally posted by JALLEN:

Grocery delivery must be a tricky business. Many have tried, none succeeded so far...

An Iowa based chain has a delivery service, I have not heard of any issues.

https://www.hy-vee.com/grocery...getting-started.aspx

I like going to our HyVee for a few odds and ends, Mrs Sigmund handles the complicated list. I always run into pals to chat with. Oh yeah, I'm retired.

quote:

Originally posted by JALLEN:
Grocery delivery must be a tricky business. Many have tried, none succeeded so far.

It’s always something!

Groceries are a hideously low margin product, I’m told. My grocery store probably loses money on me every time I go in, having to provide an electric powered cart and assistance going out to the car.

In NYC grocery delivery works well but that’s a guy from the grocery store loading stuff into a van and driving it to customers homes...very different animal.

quote:

Originally posted by Dusty78:

In NYC grocery delivery works well but that’s a guy from the grocery store loading stuff into a van and driving it to customers homes...very different animal.

That's the way HyVee does it too.

Not just with groceries. The last two prime orders we have placed, neither has been delivered even close to the two days they are supposed to be delivered. Because they were handed off to the USPS from UPS. They were on time for scheduled delivery when UPS had them.

Well, now that you bring those to my attention, it turns out HEB has a service called Instacart that promises orders filled and delivered within an hour. I have no idea how it works as the website requires all sorts of log in/app stuff.

I wonder if these are the same products offered at the store, at the same price, etc.

My earlier response was based on research I did a few years ago before investing in a grocery operation, one of the cheap stocks that got cheaper.

quote:

Originally posted by Dusty78:
In NYC grocery delivery works well but that’s a guy from the grocery store loading stuff into a van

Van? I remember bicycles with small front wheels and huge baskets over the front wheel. Of course that was back in the dark ages, when I was young.

quote:

Originally posted by olfuzzy:
A couple from Florida said in October that they received an Amazon order of plastic storage bins, but found a surprising 65 pounds of marijuana within those containers. The couple slept outside of their home in fear someone violent may come looking for the green product, but were given a $150 gift card for their troubles.

Or maybe they were worried because the bins originally had 100 pounds of dope and the drug dealer wants the missing 35 pounds.

quote:

Originally posted by JALLEN:
Well, now that you bring those to my attention, it turns out HEB has a service called Instacart that promises orders filled and delivered within an hour. I have no idea how it works as the website requires all sorts of log in/app stuff.

I wonder if these are the same products offered at the store, at the same price, etc.

My earlier response was based on research I did a few years ago before investing in a grocery operation, one of the cheap stocks that got cheaper.

Yes, same products etc. They usually are delivered from your local grocery store. My sister does it from another major grocery store.....they charge $10 a delivery or month I cannot remember which. You go on the website, order the stuff you want, and they deliver it within a 1 hour window from their local grocery store.

quote:

Originally posted by JALLEN:
Groceries are a hideously low margin product, I’m told.

I read 3.5% like who'd even compete? OK so it's worse.

quote:

The average supermarket has a profit margin of about 1 percent, according to Stacey Vanek-Smith of National Public Radio. Some experts suggest this figure might be as high as 3 percent.

http://smallbusiness.chron.com...permarket-22467.html

My post office would routinely mark Amazon orders as "delivered" in the time frame when they should have shown up, but then not actually deliver them until two or three days later.

I was driving past my neighbors house and saw 2 recently "delivered" packages sitting on the ground at the entrance to the driveway from the road. The front door was 50 yards away.

Relying on the USPS to deliver something ontime? Geeeeee, what could possibly go wrong?


I once ordered something that was shipped UPS surepost. Ups got it to within 4 miles of my house in 2 days, It sat at that post office for 11 days before they delivered it to my house.

quote:

Originally posted by JALLEN:
Grocery delivery must be a tricky business. Many have tried, none succeeded so far.

It’s always something!

Groceries are a hideously low margin product, I’m told. My grocery store probably loses money on me every time I go in, having to provide an electric powered cart and assistance going out to the car.

+1 on this, I don’t know why anyone even tries. One thing you left out is how much merchandise goes out the door without being paid for. Most of the big chains have their own ‘risk management’ teams and they can’t keep up with it.

Add to that, ever go down an isle and find something that ought to be refrigerated sitting on top of something that isn’t? Maybe an open box of cookies?

You get the service you pay for. Amazon parcels are "Parcel select", not first class or priority anything.
And if UPS would try dropping them off before carriers leave for their routes, it would help immensely.

A friend of mine is manager for a Kroger store in AZ. (Fry's)
He said on a REALLY good month they can hit 7% - but on average it's 5%.
The store is in a high priced area of the state with limited competition, I know that's not the normal range for most grocery stores.

The Post Office delivering groceries?

What could possibly go wrong?

On the other hand, this may be the biggest thing since the South Beach Diet. Think about it. Your order is lost, you file a claim with the Post Office, claim takes weeks to be checked, in the meantime you fit into clothes you wore in High School.

Where do I sign up?

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by Dusty78:
In NYC grocery delivery works well but that’s a guy from the grocery store loading stuff into a van

Van? I remember bicycles with small front wheels and huge baskets over the front wheel. Of course that was back in the dark ages, when I was young.

I remember it well growing up in NYC. At 16 years old in '66 I pedaled one for a chain called Grand Union. Could fit about 3-5 household of grocery at 4 bags per address. .50 cents per apartment was a good tip.

quote:

I remember it well growing up in NYC. At 16 years old in '66 I pedaled one for a chain called Grand Union. Could fit about 3-5 household of grocery at 4 bags per address. .50 cents per apartment was a good tip.

I worked in a Grand Union butcher dept in the late 80's.