Christmas on Hold Here In Pacific Northwest

The weather has, to say the very least, been quite unusual here in the Pacific Northwest the last week and a half, but I’m beginning to lose patience with UPS. I was even okay with packages not arriving by Christmas day.

However, roads have been cleared here since Christmas day, the Post Office managed to deliver the mail every single day, without exception. Still no sign of a UPS truck here, despite the fact that they’re normally up our road twice a day, and sometimes more often.

Here’s the the latestest shipping details from one package from Amazon’s web site:

Status: Shipment Delayed

December 26, 2008 04:03:00 AM FIFE WA US
Arrival Scan
December 23, 2008 09:59:00 PM FIFE WA US
Problem resolved and shipment is in transit
December 22, 2008 08:45:00 PM FIFE WA US
Arrival Scan
December 22, 2008 09:06:00 AM FIFE WA US
Arrival Scan
December 22, 2008 09:00:00 AM FIFE WA US
Arrival Scan
December 20, 2008 01:55:00 AM SEATTLE WA US
Departure Scan
December 19, 2008 09:42:00 PM SEATTLE WA US
Arrival Scan
December 19, 2008 08:49:00 PM REDMOND WA US
Departure Scan
December 19, 2008 03:39:00 PM REDMOND WA US
Arrival Scan
December 19, 2008 11:21:00 AM PORTLAND OR US
Departure Scan
December 19, 2008 05:00:00 AM REDMOND WA US
Delay in delivery due to weather or natural disaster
December 18, 2008 11:07:00 PM PORTLAND OR US
Arrival Scan
December 18, 2008 06:30:00 PM ROSEBURG OR US
Departure Scan
December 18, 2008 05:37:00 PM ROSEBURG OR US
Arrival Scan
December 18, 2008 03:50:00 AM SPARKS NV US
Departure Scan
December 17, 2008 08:21:00 PM SPARKS NV US
Shipment received by carrier
December 17, 2008 07:25:21 PM US
Shipment has left seller facility and is in transit

Apparently the thinking must be that if they’ve already missed the 2nd Day promised delivery that they can be as late as they want to be. Strangely enough, I don’t find that acceptable business practice. So unacceptable, that I won’t be buying any more Christmas presents from Amazon unless they offer some different delivery options.

It seems at the very least that UPS should have made it possible to pick up packages at their facility in Fife. I’m not sure whether it was UPS or FEDEX, but if you missed a home delivery you could call and pick the package up at their facility the next day, the same as you can do at the post office.

UPDATE. Well, the squeaky wheel must get oiled, because my packages came sometime after 5:45 tonight because they were on the front porch when we returned from dinner tonight. However, Leslie’s presents, originally due the 19th still haven’t shown up. I guess that’s what happens when you wait until the last minute to order gifts. :-0