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Mail order is becoming very sloppy


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4 packages came in the mail today - mind you this is four separate distros.

1. Lacking a 7" I ordered when it's clearly stated on invoice.

2. Wrong t-shirt size

3. Five LP's that were packaged by what I assume to be a six year old kid.

...and one package could not be delivered because postage is still due (this is after I already paid shipping expenses)

We're human, mistakes happen, I understand that... BUT... This has been happening so much within the last couple years and it's becoming a real nuisance. I'm not going to name names because there's just no point but come on... How hard is it to read an invoice? I worked in a mailorder warehouse for a couple years so I know how things are - busy, busy, busy. It still does not excuse the fact that the SAME distros are making the SAME mistakes every single time I place an order. So, what happens next? Me taking time out of my extremely busy schedule to mail things back, send out emails, etc... I've been doing mail order since 1994 and you'd think with everything being done on computer these days that things would have improved. I certainly don't remember having these types of problems 'back then' - maybe an order taking a month or two but at least you received what you ordered.

/rant

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The most recent problems I have been having w/ mailorders:

1. Poorly-packaged items (be it records, prints, or anything else)

2. Orders shorted (only twice in the last 2-3 years...one, the label were complete assholes...the second, and most recent, missing a record and a cd/book...BUT, that label is run by one guy and he is always busy...but he has been cool and contacted me to resolve and send out the missin items)

But I think the biggest culprit to shitty mail orders is the USPS. Yes, I know postal workers probably hate their jobs and thusly express that dislike by not giving a shit of the mail, esp. packages, they handle. But at the same time...if you do a job, at least have some pride and self-respect and do the job well. Do care about customer satisfaction.

Conversely...if you absolutely hate your job...then just fuckin' quit and find something else. I am sure there is someone willing and able to do your job who needs work.

I'll just blame it on all you fuckin' lazy Americans... ;)

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I really don't get it. I would be stoked to get $22/hr to walk around people's neighborhoods and deliver their mail. What is wrong with people?

You do realize its more than people driving a local mail truck on how your mail gets delivered?

true, but postal workers get paid out the ass.

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shit happens, most of us do this on the side after working day jobs, I found out this morning that I shorted a package that went to France, my fuck up...not the end of the world.

if this happens to you, be cool when you email the label...that's my advice...

Justin, It's certainly not the end of the world by any means but when the same problems keep occurring over and over it's hard not to say something. I also work a job, go to school, and do my own projects on the side. It's called life. Maybe some of these distros who continuously make mistakes need to slow down a little. I'd rather wait a few extra days and have my order be correct rather than receive it in three days and it be all screwed up.

Its probably more of a coincidence, but if you have been ordering stuff since 1994 then you know it was much worse BITD...you were lucky to get half the records you ordered and LP mailers were rarely used

Never had problems BITD with Lookout, Fat, etc... Like I said in my original post, yeah, you'd wait a month or two but everything ordered showed up (or at least all my items did).

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yeah, shit happens, Merge shorted me on a package last week and their mailorder guy Reed was super apologetic, got the replacement out the next day and it arrived super quickly on top of that...so it's not the end of the world.

So it happens to us all, so as long as the label treats you as they'd want to be treated, then it will get sorted out.

I've only had a handful of bad experiences with mailorder and the places that I had issues that were never resolved with I don't order from - or they don't exist anymore.

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Maybe some of these distros who continuously make mistakes need to slow down a little. I'd rather wait a few extra days and have my order be correct rather than receive it in three days later and be all screwed up.

And then you will have Joe-N00b record collector emailing and even calling the label/distro bitching and moaning on why they have not received their precious record order they just placed three days prior.

(Exaggerated example but sadly I have seen it and heard from friends who run labels, that this indeed happened)

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The most recent problems I have been having w/ mailorders:

But I think the biggest culprit to shitty mail orders is the USPS.

I'll just blame it on all you fuckin' lazy Americans... ;)

I had a package marked fragile and took it to the PO. After she put the postage sticker on she tossed it into a box. If you are gunna toss my shit around do it when I'm not looking.

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Maybe some of these distros who continuously make mistakes need to slow down a little. I'd rather wait a few extra days and have my order be correct rather than receive it in three days later and be all screwed up.

And then you will have Joe-N00b record collector emailing and even calling the label/distro bitching and moaning on why they have not received their precious record order they just placed three days prior.

(Exaggerated example but sadly I have seen it and heard from friends who run labels, that this indeed happened)

I remember paying for records with a money order of a mail order form that you got in some other record. Some would never show and others would show months after and you didnt even remember you ordered it.

Now if people dont get it in 3 days via media mail they bitch

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The most recent problems I have been having w/ mailorders:

But I think the biggest culprit to shitty mail orders is the USPS.

I'll just blame it on all you fuckin' lazy Americans... ;)

I had a package marked fragile and took it to the PO. After she put the postage sticker on she tossed it into a box. If you are gunna toss my shit around do it when I'm not looking.

Working in the distribution scene, I can tell you that putting 'Fragile' on a package means 'Kick Me' to most people. Just a heads up

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I had a package marked fragile and took it to the PO. After she put the postage sticker on she tossed it into a box. If you are gunna toss my shit around do it when I'm not looking.

Working in the distribution scene, I can tell you that putting 'Fragile' on a package means 'Kick Me' to most people. Just a heads up

And this is why you shouldn't get paid $22 an hour.

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I always get a kick out of ignorant people that think usps carriers are just walking around catching rays. I was a carrier for almost a year so I know firsthand that most people couldn't cut it in that job, as much more often than not the newbies I worked with couldn't cut it and were cut before their 90 days were up. Don't believe me? During my probationary period another new carrier (Ex Marine) decided it was too much and quit because of the strain. It's a PHYSICAL job that eventually breaks most people down.

As for making the grade..Imagine not knowing the neighborhoods you're delivering to and having 10+ hours of mail to get rid of. Combine that with god awful weather/conditions and it is often miserable. Going fast doesn't work, because you are constantly having to figure out where you're going and check apt numbers, names, sort mail, etc. Many of the people in there are veterans, and they deserve a decent paying job for serving their country. The majority of carriers I knew had repetitive stress injuries. Bad knees, hips, wrists...crap that ain't going away.

Bottom line: the workers there were just like any other private sector job I've ever had. Most were good, a few were great, and a few were awful. I left simply because I had a better offer in IT, and obviously the PO isn't growing. But the mindless ripping of PO workers is lame and ignorant.

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