More than a week ago, I went to the post office to get priority mail boxes to ship the Spring 08 shares out in.
[Priority mail is expensive, but we use it because, until recently, we had never had a package go missing when shipping priority. My theory is that the less time the package is in the hands of the U.S.P.S. the less likely it is to get lost or stolen. This theory fell apart a few weeks ago when everything we mailed on August 23rd appears to have fallen into a black hole.]
The postal worker informed me that they didn't have nearly enough boxes to give me (I only need 100) and that I would have to go to USPS.gov and order them. Which I did 10 minutes later when I got home. According to the website the boxes would be shipped priority mail, meaning they would be delivered in two to three days.
Since then Erin has worn a path from our house to the post office, checking twice a day to see if the damned boxes have arrived yet. Every time she comes home empty handed, she looks a little bit more discouraged.
Remember, my mom flew up from Texas last week to help Erin get the yarn out. They've got all the mailing labels ready to go. They've got the yarn all laid out on tables and sorted. We just need the flippin' boxes.
So this morning, I get the following email, copied here in it's entirety so you can share the full, Kafkaesque experience.
September 09, 2008
Dear SUSAN GIBBS,
Your order has been shipped from the fulfillment center. It should be received within 7-10 days.
Item(s) ordered:
Item #EP 14 QTY: 100 Priority Mail Envelope
Item #O-FRB2 QTY: 4 Priority Mail BoxFlat Rate Box O-FRB2
Item #O-1097 QTY: 4 Priority Mail Box O-1097
To be shipped to:
SUSAN GIBBS
PO BOX 302
EDGARTOWN, MA 02539-0302
If you would like to review your order, or track your package at any time please visit your Account area at www.usps.com/shop.
If you have any questions regarding your order, you may contact us at http://www.usps.com/common/contact_us/postalstore.htm, or send an email to icustomercare@usps.com.
Again, thank you for choosing The Postal Store for your postal needs.
Are these people insane? 7-10 days?!? Who does business like this?
My dear Spring 08 shareholders. You have been with me since the beginning of this project. You took a chance on me, believed in me, encouraged me when I though I couldn't do this.
In short, you have been the best 100 shareholders and friends a shepherd could ever ask for. And, as much as I hate to do this, I am going to have to ask you to be patient just a little longer.
XO
18 comments:
Deep breath. The USPS can be evil sometimes. We'll be ok till then!
You could always appease the angry mob ;) with pictures of said yarn and roving...
Um, also... you wrote "Priority mail boxes" in your post, but according to the email, they are sending you "100 Priority Mail envelopes."
I am hoping you really wanted envelopes when you said "boxes." Otherwise, there's another turn for ya.
We're soooo close! :)
(Also, I like Maggie's suggestion -- how about some photos?)
Oh dear Susan,
I am so sorry you're stressing out.
Don't worry about your loyal shareholders.
It's just like that old ketchup commercial with Carly Simon singing "Anticipation".
When the yarn does arrive, it'll be an exciting day for us all. It's rare to have such a close-up and personal experience such as this and we're with you during the good times and the annoyingly frustrating times too.
Take a deep breath. Have a cup of tea. Stamp your feet. Glad you vented to us, too!
I just reread your post and noticed the note from USPS said 100 "envelopes", not boxes.
Yikes!
They really are beyond inept aren't they?
No worries! I ordered 100 envelopes for our regular orders, but if you look below that you'll see that I also got 4 cases of priority flat rate boxes and 4 cases of regular priority mail boxes.
Thanks for alerting me though- if I had just gotten envvelopes I would have LOST IT!
Great idea, Maggie! I will post some pics when I get home from the library tonight.
I am so easily distractible that I am having Erin drop me off at the Edgartown Library to work on the book. When I tried to write at home the couch kept insisting that I'd get more done if I took a long nap first.
I would have lost my mind, flown off the handle, blew a head gasket, take your pick. I've never had a problem w/ priority until recently as well. I had ordered some wollmeise and other yarn from two diff. places, both to be priority shipped and arrive the same day. I check the site "delivered". Get home, no packages. Call the p.o. "we don't know where they are". They showed up 3 days later. sweet.
Susan, Had the very same experience last Tues. I wanted one box. Was told I had to order on line. So now instead of one box I will get 10 boxes each of several different sizes. If you notice, they do have the flat rate boxes there. They want you to use those because they make more money if it is a light package. So now I will have all these extra boxes sitting in my basement. Where is the logic there? And they wonder why their business is down??
Becky
Fall Shareholder
I am laughing (in spite of it all) I love the couch telling you you needed a nap. I had that happen twice in the last several days...the nerve!
Have you read The Art of Racing in the Rain? A wonderful book -- with a family's life, seen through a dog's eyes. If you haven't, I'll send you my copy (after you finish YOUR own book). Let me know if you need help. I am assuming you have all the editing and such help you need, but yell.
If Ike (NOT the hurricane) could only talk.
Send the USPS some bad juju, as my bro would say!
It will all happen, and there will be all sorts of excitement when it does arrive. We are grown ups, we understand delay of gratification!!!!
I have a lovely older friend from Japan who now lives on Long Island and is sure that I can't get good vegetables in the city, so she sends me care packages of vegetables .... from Long Island to NYC... a distance of maybe 50 miles. It takes Priority mail 3 days to deliver. It takes regular mail, going the other way (When I send her something to thank her) 1 day. I cannot account for it. I keep telling her to save the $14 it costs Priority and just send it regular, but she is sure Priority is better and I gave up. USPS.... your government at work for you!!!
Breathe, dear. Really, this is all new, your forging the way, and shit always happens on the first run - it's when all the pitfalls and traps show up.
I'm anticipating the lovely yarn-yness, but not at the expense of your mental health. It will get here when it gets here and I'll play with it then :-)
No worries - remember how I couldn't even remember if I'd bought a spring or fall share?
This just gives me a little more time to make room in the stash container.
I'm so sorry to hear about your situation! I have an issue with the USPS just about every time I go in there (and I ship t-shirts 3-4 times a week so just imagine). If everyone else did business like that we'd all be bankrupt from customers leaving. I guess that's the "benefit" they get from being the only entity that does what they do.
OK the whole problem is you used the "EDGARTOWN" post office. It is the ultimate black hole post office in the whole of the US of A.
For future reference always use any other post office in the world. Vineyard Haven, Oak bluffs, Cuttyhunk. ANywhere.
You are not alone. It will all be ok. deep breaths. : )
Kristy
I feel your pain! I have had a similar experience. When you order something online, I wish they would set the delivery expectation upfront. Not send some email days later saying it just shipped after you had expected it to arrive.
As a shareholder, I'm not worried. This stuff happens.
Michelle
Oh, how frustrating for you! Especially since you've got extra help right now and no boxes to use, grrr. But we, your shareholders, we will be thrilled to receive our packages when they arrive.
That is ridiculous!! But I for one am happy to wait--and I can't wait to see you at the festival!!
honey chile, tho i am not a real share holder, i think i know us well enough to know we all love you and as a part of being invested, we understand that live happens...and patience is a vertue and we all want to be vertuous! ;-} you are doing all the hard work! so you just hang in there! we are still behind you!!!
puddleduck
Post a Comment