US v UK post

[jamesjermain]

Last Thursday I ordered an out-of-print sailing book from Amazon. The order had to be passed on to a Texas-based bookseller and it arrived yesterday morning. The day before (Wedneswday last week), someone posted me some official papers from Scotland. The Winchester post office found they were 5 grams overweight, held on to them for two days and I had to collect them this morning.

True, the UK PO had to do something to deliver the book, but the speed of the Amazon delivery was still remarkable.

<hr width=100% size=1>JJ

 

[sailbadthesinner]

3 weeks ago i ordered rod heikel's Greek waters pilot from shopping section of YBW. website 5 attempts to use the web site failed to get the thing in my shopping basket. so used old fashioned telephone and paid by switch.
STILL waiting for book.
AAAAAAAAAAARgh

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=red>I can't walk on water, but I do run on Guinness</font color=red>

 

[snowleopard]

glass houses...

seems it takes 6 weeks to get the first issue to me after ordering a YM subscription through this site.

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[jamesjermain]

Oooops! But not my department...nm

.

<hr width=100% size=1>JJ

 

[Forbsie]

A couple of years ago, I ordered a computer manual from Amazon one morning.

It arrived that same afternoon!!!

Now that's service.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/forbsie?&page=1>My Project</A>

 

[Gunfleet]

same day arrival

Perhaps they're telepathic. The Sherlock Holmes stories are full of 'make sure that catches the 11 o'clock post, Mrs Hudson, I want the Inspector to have it on his desk this afternoon'. Until quite recently (abt 1980 I last remember someone using it, though it could have run much later) you could send letters around Paris for delivery within a couple of hours by pneumatic post. Even now, from some French country towns, letters addressed to central Paris will get there the same day. I'm afraid our dear old Royal Mail has fallen somewhat since Conan Doyle's day.

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[bedouin]

Re: same day arrival

Same day arrival is still a fairly regular occurrance - at least in London

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[Gunfleet]

Re: same day arrival

You must live backing onto Buck House. I spent the largest part of my life living in central London (20 years in Tooley St, 8 in Shoreditch, 6 in Shepherd's Bush) and I've never received a letter the same day it's been posted there.

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[ruthhobson]

Yes - Amazon are great, several orders arrived in less the 24 hours.... but the post office.... My last Amazon package was delivered before they estimated while I was out (all sailing books for HWMBO), so they left a little note offering various options.
Collecting it myself was going to be a problem so I called the number provided to arrange delivery to a local branch round the corner from my house - not possible I was told - my local branch has "a different postcode"!! Then they couldn't rearrange delivery over the phone .... they need you to post back the card so it can be cross-referenced.

Talk about making life easy for the customer ....... not.





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[Guest]

My brother lives in New York ...takes 10 days sometimes for mail to get to him, from him is similar.

I send to my mother in Uk from baltic ... takes 3 days to get to her, from her 3 days as well.

When I have sent letters in UK ... normally next day delivery on most that I've sent .... rarely had worse. But USA ..... never seen good, but Amazon may be using different means ? not Federal Post system ?????


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ...
Bilge Keelers get up further ! I only came - cos they said there was FREE Guinness !

 

[jimd]

Re: same day arrival

I learned recently that in Edwardian london if people were going to be late home, they would send A postcard to let their nearest and dearest know.

<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by jimd on 28/03/2003 21:26 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[johnsomerhausen]

The 5 tgrams overweight might be due to a small difference between the UK and US ounces.... Some years ago, NASA subcontracted the programming of a space launch to a British firm and the staellite went completely off course, due to a small difference (after the fourth digit following the dot) between the US and UK inch....
john

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[Gunfleet]

What difference? The inch is the width of King John's thumb. It's official. ;-)

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