So, I just ordered something from Circuit City, and didn't want to spend $4.99 for upgraded shipping. I figured that it would just go via ground instead.

But instead, CC uses FedEx Smart Post. This looks to be the same junk that UPS calls Mail Innovations.

Basically, what happens here is that UPS or FedEx takes the package all the way to the local USPS distribution center. They then hand it off, and let USPS do the final delivery.

I hate these methods of shipping. It always takes over 1 week to get me anything, and even when an item has been delivered to my distribution center, it always takes at least 1 day to process it there, and then takes another 2 days to be delivered to me.

All of my free shipping from places like Newegg or Amazon always come so much faster - I try to use them specifically for that, and I avoid these Mail Innovations retailers. I wish that they would understand how much their shipping method sucks.

yep..smartpost is sloooooooooow

My free Senseo (that cost me $15) was shipped this way using DHL/USPS. Got a notification of shipment on the 12th but received the package yesterday (19th). Tracking showed it wasn't picked up by DHL until the 16th.

The USPS is in a world of its own and management has no real reason to save money or practice efficiency, unless some fancy machine can do the task. Since not every home and probably all apartments don't have a roomy mailbox, where does the postal carrier going to place the medium to large package. Too many items walk off a UPS route and than claims are filed by the clowns in the neighborhood, customers soon will either be meeting the driver at the door or picking up packages at the UPS office. Think Direct Deposit and how it saved the USPS lots of grieve. Yes, the criminals could no longer follow Cliff and grab the government checks out of folks' mail boxes.

Many times there's a large box where large packages are deposited and the key will be left in the person's mailbox. Or, they'll leave a notice saying, in effect, the package was too large to fit and to pick it up at the post office. This is what happened when I was an apartment dweller.

sigh.

The USPS doesn't have a center in Earth City, while UPS and Fedex do. I know most of UPS sorting is done overnight and Fedex probably the same. Getting from the St. Louis (Lambert) Airport to WV in 3 hours is questionable.

Yeah, I think that this is FedEx until it hit Martinsburg. And of course, there is still no change to the package. Why in the world would it take so long?

Just want to point out that Amazon also uses this method of shipping for certain items (I've seen it used on both books and automotive items in the past two months).

Some retailers (like Amazon) keep it more hidden by not telling you it shipped until it is closer to your location. I think this is rather smart, but requires a lot more creativity and supply chain logistics management than the easier route of just giving you that USPS tracking (and/or the partner tracking info).

A lot of the big ebay folks seem to have embraced this (whether it be via Fedex/DHL/UPS, it doesn't matter, they all offer this new parcel select routing service). Interestingly, this service is a direct reduction in ground for these shipping companies since it shifts a lot of the last mile traffic over to the USPS, but with fuel prices, these programs will only continue to look more attractive to bargain shipping for lighter items.

Rasheed

Fedex smartpost and it's DHL and UPS counterparts have always worked well for me. I don't see any particular delays with these methods plus you can always collect the package at the nearby PO if you are not around during delivery time - saves me so much hassle.