Better By Nightfall

Two weeks ago I ordered two of my summer books from Amazon.com because the prices were brilliantly cheaper than anywhere else online, including half.com. As part of a trial "prime membership" with Amazon, I utilized the "free" two day shipping option in hopes that I would get my books by Friday, June 7th (figuring, of course, that the 4th would throw off the original date of the 6th by just a day). Apparently both Amazon's and the UPS' estimate were highly flawed, mainly do in part to the UPS. However, Amazon is still somewhat to blame as well.

When my book hadn't arrived on Monday I decided to check into what exactly happened to them. It's not like a shipment with tracking disappears; quite the contrary, it doesn't appear at all unless you track it down yourself. Apparently Amazon shipped the package via UPS under the impression that UPS would deliver the package properly to my residence. However, deliveries to this location go to a mailbox that I can't readily access 24:7. As such, the UPS delivery person cannot drop the package off at my door or my mailbox. Instead, they're supposed to leave it in the hands of the local staff here to take care of it. Apparently that's too difficult for this unnamed UPS delivery person in part because it would actually mean walking a few steps and talking to the local staff. It also appears to be tenuous for this particular driver because he or she has a record of trying to deliver stuff after the close of business at 7:30 P.M. Honestly, who does that? Of course no one is going to be around to pick up or sign for the package when business hours ended two hours ago.

Perhaps what's worse is the fact that I've called the local UPS Store and the UPS General Offices in hopes of rectifying the situation only to be told that it was my fault for not picking up the package or not being around to receive it. Yes, UPS, you totally nailed the situation! Oh! But did you consider the fact that there is a simple but different process you must go through to deliver packages to houses, apartments, condos, and businesses. Apparently not. So I retorted that UPS had, in fact, been the cause of the problem due to their lack of education and their severe lack of good business practices. If someone orders something for two day shipment and gets their package within the time a ground shipment would've arrived, that's BAD. Why should I even bother to waste the money on "expedited" shipping when it isn't even going to arrive at the time I need it?

Thanks to this UPS delivery person my books are late and I've had to pay for extra copies in the hopes that the original ones that I ordered will arrive on time so that I may exchange them with the bookstore and get my refund. Pending, of course, I receive my books before the last day to get a full refund.

I suppose it's not so bad, especially since this particular driver has tried to deliver the package three times (when they usually only try two times); however, it's a situation that needs to be rectified before it causes me financial strain because of their untimely practices. Let's see if they get it right tonight.