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Wednesday, December 17, 2008

The Mysteries of Shipping Packages

Usually it's pretty straight forward. I order something online (usually books) and a few days later it arrives at my door. I often try to get to that $25 threshold for the free shipping. I like free shipping, and I don't mind that it might take a day or two longer (it's usually not an urgent purchase.)

So, I ordered some books and the order was split into three packages for shipping. Each was sent on a different day. One was shipped UPS on December 9 from Nevada. I got that last week. The other two were sent from Monroe, NJ.

Now, I live in NJ. Monroe is maybe a half hour away - maybe longer if there is traffic. These two packages were shipped via DHL. One was shipped on December 8. It went to Maryland and then was transferred to the regular postal service. That got here on Monday.

The other was shipped on December 7th (also from Monroe) and went to Kentucky, where it was transferred to regular postal service. Following the tracking information it made it back to NJ on the 13th (to Jersey City - a half hour in the other direction from Monroe). It still hasn't arrived at my door.

The mystery I'm pondering is WHY? Why on earth did my packages have to go to Maryland and Kentucky - when they started out so close to here. I know the shipping is free, but, seriously, is that really the most efficient way to ship?

I feel fairly confident that the package that is in NJ, but not here yet, will arrive by Christmas, but... why did it have to go to Kentucky first?

4 comments:

Vivian Mahoney said...

Because there's nothing like free travel?

Hope you get the package soon!

christine M said...

Free Travel! That must be it! Thank you for the answer, Vivian.

Though, I am getting a little nervous - this package apparently left Jersey City on Saturday (a half hour away) but doesn't seem to have arrived anywhere else.

I'm not sure what to do other than wait.

PJ Hoover said...

It's one of those mysteries of life.

Bill said...

Christine, Christine,

You must understand by now that many companies in the most complicated way possible, just because they can. Actually, I asked the same question some time ago of FedEx. I think they ship everything to Atlanta or someplace where the have a state of the art distribution center. Apparently, it is much more efficient and faster for them to do that because everything goes into and out of one hub. I don't understand it either.

You may know that DHL is terminating its US business and will only ship internationally. We were using them at our office and I can tell you that they were terrible. We were on a scheduled pick up every afternoon and one day that DHL man came after the office was closed and didn't pick up the packages from the box in the lobby, because he didn't know it was there. He could have seen the big yellow box if he turned his head to the right as he came in, or he should have been looking right at it as he exited. We use UPS now, as we had before. Much better. I'm sure you will get your package by Christmas too.