Click to view our Accessibility Statement or contact us with accessibility-related questions
Showing 1 of 1924 conversations about:
DenaliDave
19
Jan 13, 2017
bookmark_border
In regards to: MD-32187-1565020
You know, this is my first Massdrop purchase and I'm pretty ticked off. I understand that things are going to take a little longer to arrive here in Alaska, but nearly a GD month?! Really MD?
I've had orders from Ali Express out of China get here to Alaska faster. I've hard orders from INDIA get here faster. FedEx SmartPost? Are they putting my headphones on a dogsled or something? I'm half expecting some poor soul to show up at my door, weary after the 1,000 mile trek with a mangled box in his hands. He'll apologize for taking so long, but the mountain passes were treacherous through Canada this time of year.
USPS flat rate shipping DOES NOT COST MORE to Alaska, and it's 3-5 business days. I'm fairly sure everyone in the lower-48 has their cans shipped via USPS due to its cost effectiveness.
We are not a "foreign country". We are not considered "outside of the United States".
Hell, I have Amazon Prime and get free shipping via Prime to Alaska.
Hell, if MD gave you shipping options that'd be killer. But SmartPost? Really? That's like D-team of shipping methods. I'm actually quite concerned my item may be lost due to the poor coordination between FedEx and the USPS.
Now I see it's sitting in Kent, WA. That means it's going onto a barge and going to be another 10 days at the very least to Alaska. Then, it might sit in the mail hub here in town for another 2-5 business days until someone "feels" like delivering my lowest of low priority package.
I was excited when I saw "FedEx" shipping, but then physically ill when I saw the green and purple of FedEx ground, knowing that my poor package was being relegated to what amounts to "book rate" or "freight class" shipping. Seriously, I have vendors in China and India using EMS that offer better service.
I'm letting my audiophile friends here in Alaska know that if they do opt-in to a Massdrop, they may or may not get their items before the next ice age forces us to move south.
Jan 13, 2017
EatingPancakes
5
Jan 17, 2017
bookmark_border
DenaliDaveYou won't get it down South either, I live in Hawai'i. My last update was 7 days ago now.
Jan 17, 2017
Franknozly
36
Jan 17, 2017
bookmark_border
DenaliDaveHeh same experience, delivering to Blaine, WA. It's been sitting in Kent, WA for the last 4 days with no updates. I have no idea wtf they're doing when Blaine is 2.5 hours away, could've walked there by now.. STILL NO UPDATES wtf.
Jan 17, 2017
DenaliDave
19
Jan 18, 2017
bookmark_border
FranknozlyFrom what I've been able to ascertain, FedEx "smart post" is by far the worst shipping method known to man. It's some kind of cooperative effort between the USPS and FedEx Ground. The problem is two fold:
1. The packages are the lowest priority, and moved/delivered "space available" 2. The bar-codes/labels are terrible and often times cause confusion between FedEx & USPS systems, causing delays as an actual set of human eyes (instead of a computer sorting machine) has to make the routing determination.
I've bought things from China, India, eBay, Amazon ... and I've never had something shipped "Smart Post" before. We really do live in a world of doublespeak when the terms "smart" and "post" can be used to describe the absolute most horrid way to ship something. Massdrop? I"m "Mass disappointed" here.
It sucks that you're only 2.5 hours away, but it gives me hope that I'm not the only one this is happening to.
My package is showing it just left Kent this morning, that's 5 days it sat there. It's claiming to be delivered on the 26th. That's more than a WEEK from now. As I said, when something goes to Kent before Alaska that means barge. They're putting my headphones on a freight barge with heavy machinery, cars, ect. At least I can say my headphones have had more time on a boat than I have. Maybe I'll pretend they're pirate headphones or something and fighting their way along the Canadian coast to me.
I sold a microphone on eBay not to long ago and shipped it to PA from Alaska. I used USPS flat-rate shipping and it was like $7-8, and buyer received the item in about 72 hours. From Alaska. To Pennsylvania. I would have GLADLY paid an extra $7, $8, nay -- even $10 rather than have my package strapped to humpback whales or literal dog sled.
I wouldn't be so miffed if the information about the expected delivery date and method was a little more clear and explicit when joining the drop.
Jan 18, 2017
Henry.T
2
Jan 19, 2017
bookmark_border
DenaliDaveBoth FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery use the same hubs/terminals, the same with Smart post. Both Ground and Home Delivery use independent contractors to move packages between stations and deliver the packages. The employees who load the Ground trucks and the employees who set up Home Delivery are all on FedEx's payroll. If you trust one you should trust the other. Smart Post is ok if the package isn't fragile. Trust me on this one.
Jan 19, 2017
DenaliDave
19
Jan 19, 2017
bookmark_border
Henry.TOf course they use the same hubs/terminals. What else would they use? I never disputed that.
For the rest of MassDrop, here's an excellent article on "The Consumerist" (legit outfit) on why SmartPost is god-awful from an actual insider:
https://consumerist.com/2012/11/21/insider-explains-why-fedex-smartpost-is-so-terrible/
What it says does not bode well, and matches Google searches for "SmartPost horror stories":
" I know little about how it “got this way” but do know enough to be dangerous… I can tell you that their labels are among the least conforming with USPS “best practices” that there are… i.e. if one “set out” to design a label that was likely to confuse the sorting equipment at USPS it would look a lot like SmartPost labels. "
Cont:
"Main point here… until SmartPost cleans up their labels and adheres to some better barcoding and addressing standards (consistent placement of addresses in a location on a package, in readable font, with proper contrast, less “over-labeling,” using some reliable method of separating FedEx barcodes from USPS barcodes (again see better barcoding – fewer grey gaps in barcodes making them unreadable)… mis-sorts will continue to occur with this product.
When a mailer uses better and more clear formatting for a return address than a delivery address for e.g…. sometimes a sorting machine will send the package back to a facility on the way toward it’s sender instead of the intended recipient (only to be “caught” by a human eye, and sent back the “correct” direction… possibly in a long loop of the same situation happening back and forth until it gets magically/luckily corrected).
So, yeah. This explains a lot. When you combine that with the fact that SmartPost packages are classified as the lowest priority there is -- they pretty much get moved "as space available" and whenever anyone wants to hassle with the poor labels.
Jan 19, 2017
DenaliDave
19
Jan 19, 2017
bookmark_border
DenaliDaveSo my package was sent on the 3rd, and is "scheduled" for the 26th. That's 23 days to move from Breningsville, PA to Anchorage, Alaska.
According to Google maps, I could drive that in about 70 hours (non stop of course, but still).
So, I can only conclude that Frodo, Aragorn and Boromir; Legolas; Gandalf; Gimli the Dwarf, the son of Glóin; and Frodo's three Hobbit companions are making the delivery journey.
I'm sure along the way to my door (which believe it or not is quite nice, not like Mt. Doom) -- they'll encounter many perils with my package. Perhaps Orcs in Atlanta or mercenaries in Portland? I do wonder if they'll be able to outpace Gollum who seeks my HE-350's as "his precious".
When they finally do arrive, I plan on having a feast in my Hobbit Hole for the weary package-bearers. Their magical elven cloaks, given to them by the FedEx high elves in Salt Lake have done a remarkable job keeping them warm through the treacherous high mountain passes of the Western Rockies.
Gandalf himself will probably give a speech about how the delivery journey has come to an end, and has so dawned a new era for man and his kinfolk alike. The HE-350's have arrived safley to their rightful heir, and a new day will dawn upon the lands of Middle-Alaska.
And then there will be some dreamy, awkward and long stares as the fellowship members say their goodbyes, with Frodo not wanting to relinquish control of the Hifiman cans to my persons.
And at long last, after an arduous 23-day long fellowship and journey -- the story shall end.
At least this is the story I'm telling myself, as it's entirely more entertaining than the reality of SmartPost poor shipping practices/methods.
Jan 19, 2017
Henry.T
2
Jan 19, 2017
bookmark_border
DenaliDaveThat is an old article, I can tell not just from the date but because, up until i quit three months ago, I worked at FedEx Ground. The mis-sort issue with Smart Post was fixed. USPS takes their packages, with their labels, and sticks them in a huge sack. The outside of the sack has a FedEx standard label on it.
There is a more concerning problem now though... If something in the sack is clearly damaged, or smashed, ripped, or otherwise damaged... FedEx QA can't do anything about it. It has to get pushed to its destination USPS station for them to send it back. Unless the package is leaking some sort of liquid, then QA treats it like a hazmat. If it is a hazmat, USPS is in huge trouble. During the Holiday seasons you can expect anything shipped Smart Post to be at high risk. The bags are big and don't stack well, as such are often crammed in to fit.
Smart Post isn't treated less important than any other package in the process. That said, The trailers that go from station to station are either "Hot" or "Cold," important or not. Anything the size of an envelope is generally considered hot, as well as anything shipped HD. If something is being shipped cross country its always treated as hot. If something is being shipped in state, or within a few stations away, its treated as cold. That means the trailer its put in wont be the first there, but it will get there before the trucks leave to deliver. If a parcel reaches its terminal, it must be delivered that day, or at least attempted.
TL;DR Smart post isnt that degree of bad anymore, just more likely to have something delivered damaged. FedEx Express and Air never mingle with Ground and HD.
Jan 19, 2017
DenaliDave
19
Jan 23, 2017
bookmark_border
Henry.TWell, my package sat in Kent, WA for FIVE days. Yes, FIVE days before finally being loaded onto what I can only assume is a clipper ship with a sail. I think Marco Polo himself is delivering this, after circumnavigating the globe first or something.
As I said, I regularly receive items from AliExpress that are on a different continent, across the Pacific Ocean and have to go through US customs in less than 14 days. This is now looking like it's going to be over a MONTH.
Alaska is part of the CONTINENTAL United States. It is not, however, part of the CONTIGUOUS (attached) states. We are STILL part of the North American continent, are we not? We are not a foreign country, and the USPS, FedEx, and UPS do not treat us as a foreign country. The "if it fits, it ships" applies to Alaska via USPS flat rate shipping. So do all other methods of USPS.
Alaska does NOT cost more to ship to. Alaska is regularly abused as a way for retailers to milk extra money for "S&H". I've lived here my entire life and know people that work at the sorting and distribution centers for FedEx and USPS. Alaska has one of the largest cargo hubs in the nation. Yes, we are a larger international hub here at Anchorage Intl than Seattle or Atlanta.
I regularly receive Amazon Prime packages in 2-3 business days. I also receive EMS packages from abroad in about 15 days, and those also go through US customs.
Massdrop certainly dropped something. The ball. I could understand if I lived in Antarctica and had to have my headphones cleared through the National Science Foundation for cargo space on a C-130 bound for McMurdo. This is clearly a bumbling lack of logistics and supply knowledge on behalf of Massdrop, not a penny-pinching-pass-the-savings type of thing.
I won't be ordering anything from Massdrop EVER again, and will be communicating this debacle with my enthusiast/hobbyist groups on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Reddit.
Signed, Headphoneless in Alaska
Jan 23, 2017
DenaliDave
19
Jan 23, 2017
bookmark_border
FranknozlyYou ever get yours? It's looking like mine are aboard a barge now, finally. The M/V "Midnight Sun" to be exact. Funny, I have an order from India that was shipped the 15th from Mumbai that'll probably beat it via EMS shipping that was also "free". That package had to cross an ocean and go through customs.
Jan 23, 2017
Franknozly
36
Jan 23, 2017
bookmark_border
DenaliDaveYeah it arrived on the 18th, so total it took 15 days. It was in WA from thurs-wednesday, disappeared for 2 days in Kent. Somehow another package that was sent later caught up to this package and ended up arriving at the same time. Seems about right about the lowest priority.
Jan 23, 2017
View Full Discussion
Related Products