[glenntzke]

NYC's USPS is notoriously unreliable, especially for those of us without the luxury of doormen. Despite living in a nice neighborhood with a vestibule that would certainly house a package just fine - and then include that the postman has keys to get to just outside my apt door - USPS packages are routinely lost, yet "delivered".

Amazon at least mitigates this loss risk by unquestionably resending the package without additional charge. This exercise has grown tiresome.

[jrockway]

USPS always delivers my packages. When I see USPS I know I'm going to get the item on time (along with 600 outdated emails regarding the tracking, but I digress). I'm in 11201. (This does not apply with packages shipped internationally. They will claim to deliver it, ignore your redelivery requests and signature releases, and then whine at you incessantly when you go to the post office to get the package. But you do get the package at the post office, so that's nice.)

UPS also does a great job. I don't know how they break into my building, but they do. Once in a while the normal delivery person takes the day off, and you get the door tag. Fill out the form online and the package appears tomorrow. Not perfect but reasonable.

FedEx is awful. FedEx means I'm not going to get the package unless I happen to be at home and they happen to actually ring my doorbell.

DHL is also awful (the delivery mechanism of choice from amazon.co.jp to the US). I order a $10 magazine and they won't just leave the package at the door. In fact, they call me to see if I'm at home, say things like "oh, you didn't answer before, I'm not on the way there anymore so I can't deliver it" and other such bullshit.

Finally there are the taskrabbit-like shipping services, A-1, Lasership, etc. If you see one of those you aren't going to get your package. Just re-order it and hope you don't lose the lottery again. They can't even successfully deliver to commercial addresses with dedicated courier receiving and fully-staffed mail rooms.

[copperx]

> Amazon at least mitigates this loss risk by unquestionably resending the package without additional charge. This exercise has grown tiresome.

It's interesting that Amazon finds this to be cheaper than shipping it properly to begin with. Although it makes sense if packages sent through USPS are low-value and not just small.

[ikeboy]

They can get refunded from usps insurance, I believe.

[_delirium]

In apartments in other U.S. cities I've had the opposite experience. USPS has been reliable, because the USPS mailbox array for the past two buildings I've lived in has included both the usual small boxes for everyone's mail, plus a few large boxes used to deliver packages. USPS sticks my package in one of the empty boxes, and slips the key into my mailbox. No problem at all for unattended delivery, at least for small- and mid-sized packages (obviously they can't deliver a TV there). But UPS and FedEx don't have any system like that installed, so they either leave you a "sorry we missed you" note, or just leave the package sitting somewhere unsecured.