<p>Just a head’s up. After using Amazon for some textbook needs the past two years, this year my son is having trouble getting the books delivered! Apparently Amazon sent them via FedEX who has somehow subcontracted to the USPS! ??? Very confusing. At any rate, the books have traveled back and forth from Amazon to being refused (correct Paty addressing on the label) to Amazon to being refused. And since the USPS doesn’t deliver to Paty…</p>
<p>Right now my son is trying to contact the Post Office at the university (not answering) which is what Amazon told him to do. He is to ask the Post Office to accept and hold the packages! If he had known it would be sent USPS, he would have used his P.O. (which we understand is good until the end of the month.) I would have tried to change the delivery address but this isn’t my problem, and in fact, since the books originally were sent out FEDEX, they probably wouldn’t have accepted a P.O.! Go figure.</p>
<p>Anyway, just wanted to give you a head’s up as this has never been a problem in the past and now the books are in limbo somewhere. I think I would verbally talk to someone if I were shipping via Amazon again to try and ascertain exactly what service is shipping the items.</p>
<p>Okay. This is something you might need to know. </p>
<p>Most book vendors (if not all) through AMAZON will need a P.O. Box for delivery unless you do expedited and can designate FEDEX and UPS. Even if you designate FEDEX, there is no saying you won’t end up with the problems we encountered, where FEDEX subcontracted to the USPS and then wouldn’t deliver to the PATY address.</p>
<p>A nice Amazon customer service rep took the time to call FEDEX and verify this. We ended up canceling and getting refunds on book orders. Then son is re-ordering and using only the P.O. Box address for delivery.</p>
<p>By the way, he finally reached someone at the Post Office at UA and they told him there was absolutely no way they could receive the package addressed to PATY to hold it.</p>
<p>It does seem to me that the vendors are shooting themselves in their feet since new students may not have P.O. boxes and it sounds as if UA may lose the P.O.s this year. At that point, the package services will have to make changes or lose the business.</p>
<p>Hope no one else gets stuck in this endless loop and I’m glad there was a real person at AMazon to at least stop if for us.</p>
<p>Sorry for your problem The Student. But, I’m happy you shared your experience with us.</p>
<p>I just ordered something from REI and had it shipped down to son. Because of your post, I called instead of ordering online. REI ships UPS, FEDEX and USPS. If you order online, there is no way of knowing how it will be shipped, which can cause a problem depending on which address you give to them. If you call, the can designate which shipping method they will use, therefore avoiding any delivery problems. I think I will call a store before ordering until I understand this process better.</p>
<p>I hope this helps others avoid any problems with shipping.</p>
<p>We just received some novels from Amazon for son’s honor class (bookstore only had used and we didn’t want highlighted books). I tracked them, as we’re getting close to the time, and found that they were also coming FedEx. They stopped at many destinations on the way down south. Package just arrived, not in very good shape, either. I’ve had textbooks arrive the day before we leave when I’ve ordered them weeks ahead of time. Very nerve wracking!</p>
<p>I suspect its like the other buildings on campus: USPS doesn’t deliver to individual buildings. Because of the subcontracting, its hard to know when this would happen. The AMazon rep said to only use the P.O. address to avoid this but I know it wasn’t a problem in the past.</p>
<p>I had a vision of his textbooks in shipping limbo like riding the MTA, except after two trips they sent them back to AMAZON!</p>
<p>I agree, when you can, call and specify shipping or pay expedited where you are more likely NOT to get USPS. We live in a rural area and I often order through Amazon rather than drive to a city to shop. We also have an address and personal mail box. When there has been a mixup and FEDEX has had the P.O. number, they actually call us to follow through on the delivery. </p>
<p>Thanks, Seeking…I hope this isn’t happening too often to others. Amazon isn’t thrilled either but seemed to think it was a UA situation problem. I suspect its not confined to UA.</p>
<p>montegut: You know we always ship directly to the school. Otherwise, we’re paying
shipping twice. We could track and ‘see’ the books go back and forth! No one
could stop the process and redirect them!
Hey: have a great 2012/2013!</p>
<p>THANK YOU for bringing this to my attention. I placed orders for all 3 kids and the other two arrived no problem, I didn’t even double check DS’s order status. Had the same situation, having always used Paty for Amazon textbook orders I didn’t even double check. Called Amazon and new order is on its way via UPS or FedEx.</p>
<p>* Apparently Amazon sent them via FedEX who has somehow subcontracted to the USPS*</p>
<p>Heads up to everyone…Many online retailers are now using FedEx and UPS to get items to the destination city’s post office, and then having the post office deliver to the homes.</p>
<p>It’s hit or miss as to which orders will be that way. I had 4 orders at Kohls, but only one did the UPS to PO to home route…it was the heaviest item. </p>
<p>So, not all of Amazon, Kohl’s, etc orders will go to the Post Office first, but some will. </p>
<p>BTW…this can be very confusing when tracking online. When I first learned of this, I was waiting for a pkg, tracked it online, and it said that it was delivered at XXX on YYY date…but I didn’t have it. So, I called and was told that it was delivered, but to the Post Office…and then I got it the next day.</p>
<p>UPS also does a joint program with the Post Office. I believe it’s called UPS Mail Innovations. We had similar trouble (luckily, not textbooks) during D’s freshman year. Now we always try to make sure that it isn’t one of these partner programs. I know you must be very frustrated!</p>
<p>As an old person who remembers when service was a source of pride and ‘the customer is always right,’ it is frustrating to deal with these situations. So, I grab an ice cream, count to ten, and wrestle with folks to try and resolve the issue.</p>
<p>When you can designate shipping not to include post office, that is good. Otherwise, use a P.O. number. When the P.O. closes at UA, we might need to use the Fedex office nearby or ???</p>
<p>Socal2: I wouldn’t have known except my son checked tracking and mentioned the books were being sent back. Then, he rather thought Amazon would fix it. They couldn’t directly. Glad you were able to catch the problem before school started :P</p>
<p>The information slip we received when getting a PO Box at the Ferg Post Office says “that ALL packages can now be delivered to the PO Box regardless of the company that ships.” DD has two textbooks that should arrive today. She was going to check her mail this morning so I’ll ask her tonight if they were delivered.</p>
<p>Just got off the phone with FEDEX. THEY will not accept a package addressed to a P.O. Box…so we’re rather back to square one. AND UA POST OFFICE had refused to take a package addressed to PATY off the USPS truck…</p>
<p>You really HAVE TO verify what shipping service the vendor might use and address accordingly.</p>
<p>I’m not going to bother calling UPS since I’m fairly confident they are governed by the same rules.</p>
<p>Our UA Post Office might say they’ll accept packages shipped by any service BUT the services won’t ship to P.O.'s (unless of course, they are SMARTPOST which is the FedEx subcontract… :(</p>
<p>I know the info. slip we received at Bama Bound said that you had to exactly follow the address format given that did not use “PO Box ##” but used “104 Ferguson Center # --------”.</p>
<p>Just saw an ad in the most recent CW that was sent to our home…inside front cover has an advertisement for The UPS Store on University Blvd. For $78, a student can rent a personal sized mail box, and ALL packages from ALL carriers are accepted. In fact, the ad “subtlely” states the problems with the P.O. Box at the Ferg. We are definitely considering this option, but my question is this…how far away is this UPS Store? Is it walking distance from RCS?</p>