Your Post Offices (plural) at work

[Michael B]

On January 23, I paid $12.00 to send a 'Global Priority Mail Express' envelope to my fiancee in Cali. It was suppossed to get there in 3 days. When it didn't arrive I tried to get the Post Office to trace it. First I tried their web page and it said "invalid tracking number". Then I tried their 800 phone line, it too said 'invalid tracking number". Then I called some other 800 number and got a real person who gave me a local number and the local guy swore that the tracking number didn't exist (" valid number starts with...yada yada"). Then I went to the post office where I mailed it, got the same clerk and we checked, the numbers on my receipt matched the numbers on his receipt (they keep them for 30 days) and HE called somebody higher up the food chain and again they said there was no such tracking number. I was suppossed to go back when the 30 days was up and file a claim, but to be truthful, I forgot to and M. and I just considered it lost.

Guess what I got in the mail today? A little worse for wear and some real pretty tape with 'Correos de Colombia' logos holding it together and a semi-legable stamp that I think says 'insufficent address' (even though the address is correct and has worked before). What's most amazing is that everything was still inside, nothing missing, nothing broken. Wonder if I can get my $12.00 back?

[Michael B]

... in response to Your Post Offices (plural) at work, posted by Michael B on May 17, 2003

Thanks, guys, I'd used the USPS Global Priority before a few times with success I even used to recomend it to others (but no more!).  Now this ABE is a new one on me, I'll check out their web site and maybe give them a try (I've got a gift box ready to go).  Lots of guys swear by Avianca Air Freight (mail it to them in Miami and tell them to forward it), but the only time I used them they opened the package and stole about 1/2 the stuff and broke the rest. When she got all the documents together to apply for the I-129F, she sent them to me via UPS with no problem. There is a local company (or at least a local branch of what I think is a small regional company) called Cargos de Colombia here, but they charge $4.20 a pound! I used them to send her and the kids Christmass presents, they arrived just fine, but it cost a PILE of money!

[Hiker]

... in response to Re: Your Post Offices (plural) at work, posted by Michael B on May 17, 2003

[This message has been edited by Hiker]

I know what you are saying about stuff stolen and packages rummaged through, but most likely that was done by customs in Colombia.  I tried three times to send something to a girl in Monterrey Mexico.  Once I used DHL, once UPS, and the final time I used Fed Ex next day.  All three times she received the box I shipped her but it was full of cardboard and paper.  

The company I worked for had several large plants in Mexico.  We actually had cost worked into our lotus spread sheets to cover the under table money.  We could even predict almost to the dollar what it would be.  This was in the ledger as "GTP".  Only a few of us knew that stood for "Grease The Palm".

[wizard]

... in response to Re: Re: Your Post Offices (plural) at wo..., posted by Hiker on May 17, 2003

When we were in Cartagena a couple weeks ago, we met a guy from Great Britain who married a Colombiana... They have been living in Cartagena for the last 25 years... He runs a resturaunt in La Plaza de Santo Domingo in the Old City... Interesting conversation, but the point is, he told me that at least 20 percent of every contract for doing business in Colombia is allocated for pay-offs and graft... You can get anything done as long as you grease the right palms...

[Edge]

... in response to Re: Your Post Offices (plural) at work, posted by Michael B on May 17, 2003

Michael - we also have used Avianca is the past but we did not have any problems.  My wife wanted to try ABE this time.

Try ABE Cargo, my wife has seen them advertising on the T.V. with the noticias from Colombia so we gave them a shot and all went well.

[Edge]

... in response to Your Post Offices (plural) at work, posted by Michael B on May 17, 2003

My wife and I just sent an important packet to her family.  We were not in a real hurry, but wanted it to arrive in 7-10 days.  I used UPS to send it to Miami so I would have a track number = $5.  We sent it to ABE Cargo Express.  They charged $10 and it was delivered to her family two days after ABE received it.

We have had real good luck using these cargo express companies.

http://www.abecargo.com/index2.html

[beenthere]

... in response to Your Post Offices (plural) at work, posted by Michael B on May 17, 2003

Michael B,
I've had great success over the years using DHL in deliveries to Cali.  Probably have used them over 20 times and never had a problem.  Usual delivery time 3 days.  A little more expensive than the USPS, but the peace of mind is worth it, and who wants to deal with postal workers when things go wrong.
Also in the last few years Federal Express has increased its presence in Cali.  They did a good job for me a month ago.
Good Luck next time.

[Brazilophile]

... in response to Your Post Offices (plural) at work, posted by Michael B on May 17, 2003

I have used GPM to send stuff abroad.  And indeed I was also told the it should "get there" in 2 or 3 days.  The catch is that "get there" for you and me means something completely different than what it means to the USPS.  To us "get there" means arrives at the addressee.  To the USPS "get there" means arrives in the hands of the foreign mail delivery service.

This was explained to me very clearly by one fairly knowledgeable clerk.  The GPM article will arrive in Colombia within 3 days.  After that all bets are off and the USPS washed its hands of the mail article.  If it takes a month to get from the airport to the addressee you have to take it up with the Colombian mail service.

Such is the stuff of government delivery services.  For door-to-door guarantees we have to use private delivery services like DHL.  National borders are not as important to private firms.

[Red Clay]

... in response to Your Post Offices (plural) at work, posted by Michael B on May 17, 2003

I'd say if anyone ever had a case for a refund, you do. However, I believe that technically NONE of the USPS special mail options are guaranteed in any way to arrive on time or at all, even though their catchy names imply that.