Rant Smart Post Shipping: Is It Really Worth the Wait?

[Hunter Mom]

I placed an order for some samples on 2/27. PC shipped them on on 3/1 and so far they're scheduled for delivery on 3/8. WTH! It does NOT take a week for regular mail to come from Chicago to Kansas, why on earth does it take a week for smart post to?

According to the tracking, they went through Wisconsin, which - last time I checked - isn't between here and there. I paid the same shipping fee for my supply order, and it came normal FedEx and was here in a matter for a couple of days. I'd rather them use USPS Priority Mail and get it here faster than this. Of course, I still think UPS was better than FedEx is.

 

[Liquid Sky]

I know....I call it DumbPost. Soooo slow...and the products take a road trip all over before reaching their destination. Doesn't make economical sense to me. ugh!

 

[esavvymom]

You'd think if we are having to wait LONGER for something, they would give you the option of choosing SmartPost shipping for a lower shipping rate and slower shipping time, or the regular shipping rates with FedEx as the carrier! Not fair that you pay the same rate, but get slower return.

 

[lesliec]

How do I know? I ordered mine last weekend and was hoping to have them by my anniversary show tomorrow and always get it by Friday night.... It's not here!!!!! It's not the end of the world, but I was really hoping to have it.

 

[Melissa78]

I have something coming (dunno what...) via smartpost and its been in Wisconsin for 2 days now - hasn't moved. Its listed as my show but its a $1100 show and its showing as one box that weighs 1.5lbs....unless the products are in sponge format (just add water and watch it expand) I don't know whats going on . Wonder if this is my sling bag finally...


OH...btw...Pennsylvania is not by way of Wisconsin either

 

[Melissa78]

OMG! I just checked (things that make you go hmm...) on my above post....My package is now in Kent WASHINGTON....I am less than 2hours from the Atlantic Ocean and my package went from Chicago to the PACIFIC OCEAN!?!?!?!

Yup - someone above coined it right...DUMBpost!

 

[Sheila]

We are just now starting to receive our SAT boxes and changeover kits here in Japan. They are slowly trickling in ...

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I've always called it Dumbpost too. The most frustrating is when it shows up right in my own town on the tracking, and then the next day it's in a different state. I'm in Michigan, and I've seen my Dumbpost packages sent to Texas and then back to the other side of the state before reaching me. Tell me how that is efficient in any sense of the word? :thumbdown:

 

[lesliec]

You guys crack me up. I got my box this evening!!!!! It was my samples for my 1st anniversary show tomorrow..... now if someone would just finish cleaning the house....

 

[Becca_in_MD]

We are just now starting to receive our SAT boxes and changeover kits here in Japan. They are slowly trickling in ...

That is just painful. Painful! Esp. since you've had to listen to all of us with our testimonials about using the new products. How have you been doing March shows without catalogs, or did you do the pre-order (but is that only showing up now, too?)?

 

[Sheila]

Thanks Becca. And that's just it ... we can't do March shows until the catalogs arrive. Same thing for September shows.

My e-mail to them back on Feb 24th:

Jan,

We were extremely excited in December to learn that you and Corporate are working towards getting faster shipping to those of us overseas! Smart Post takes up to 4 weeks unless it's from Mid Nov-Mid Jan, then it's 8-9 weeks on average. Priority Mail comes by plane, not boat & takes 7-10 days. Although Priority does cost more, it makes it easier for us to support our business and our customers. The longer shipping times really do impact our ability to do business overseas.

We are all still waiting on the changeover boxes and our Sell-A-Thon boxes with the new products. Can you please advise what method of shipping was used so that we can give our downlines an estimated time frame on when to expect their boxes? I'm assuming they were sent Smart Post since they are not yet here, but wanted to clarify. Most of the Consultants have March Hosts who are waiting on the new catalogs to start taking orders for their shows. The Consultants who have shows the first weekend of March are starting to panic.

Any assistance is appreciated!!!

Here's corporate's response (received on March 5th! ... 9 days later!!!):

Hi Sheila,

Thank you for your email. I am sorry that your samples did not go out as expected. I talked with our Promotions, Shipping and IT teams and they have committed sending promotions through Priority Service. As far as changeover, we did look into that and it was cost prohibitive.

I am sorry for the panic and hope by now that your items have arrived. I appreciate your patience as I know this is not easy working abroad.

Kind regards,

Jan

Janice M. Capinegro
Vice President
Consultant Career Solutions
The Pampered Chef
[email protected]

I read that I just sat there in shock.

My response:

Thank you for checking into it for us Janice. The boxes are slowly starting to arrive. Not everyone has everything yet but we are starting to get them. Here in Japan, we are 15 hours ahead of you guys at Corporate so it's already Saturday the 5th here. This weekend is shot. Not everyone can do shows this weekend if they didn't do a supply order or borrow catalogs from someone who did a supply order. I find it a bit disappointing that it is "cost prohibited" for us to do business for the first week of March and the first week of September as it does impact our sales for those months. I hope that the appropriate people will reconsider THAT decision.

 

[Hunter Mom]

You'd think if we are having to wait LONGER for something, they would give you the option of choosing SmartPost shipping for a lower shipping rate and slower shipping time, or the regular shipping rates with FedEx as the carrier! Not fair that you pay the same rate, but get slower return.

Amen! It irks me that we don't have that option. Of course, after reading Shelia's issues, I don't feel quite as bad. I can see them sending earned things out like this, but not the stuff we order ourselves.

 

[Jolie_Paradoxe]

I have something coming (dunno what...) via smartpost and its been in Wisconsin for 2 days now - hasn't moved. Its listed as my show but its a $1100 show and its showing as one box that weighs 1.5lbs....unless the products are in sponge format (just add water and watch it expand) I don't know whats going on . Wonder if this is my sling bag finally...


OH...btw...Pennsylvania is not by way of Wisconsin either

Bit of a hijack....CONGRATS Melissa on an awesome show!! Very nice amiga!

 

[Melissa78]

I think not getting catalogs until 2 weeks before the new one starts - stinks! I feel even worse for those overseas. I think there is a GREAT EASY solution to this issue....instead of having a B2B meeting AND then Spring Launch - simply combine the two and hold them together in early January and then we can order catalogs sooner AND that gives more than enough time to get overseas. I'm sure this is only my opinion and that others feel its too hard with January being close to December/Holidays but it would make everything much easier for supplies and having HO training right at the beginning of the year would rock. Again, I know...my opinion. (that translates into, please don't attack me if you disagree, simply stating thoughts.) hehe

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I think not getting catalogs until 2 weeks before the new one starts - stinks! I feel even worse for those overseas. I think there is a GREAT EASY solution to this issue....instead of having a B2B meeting AND then Spring Launch - simply combine the two and hold them together in early January and then we can order catalogs sooner AND that gives more than enough time to get overseas. I'm sure this is only my opinion and that others feel its too hard with January being close to December/Holidays but it would make everything much easier for supplies and having HO training right at the beginning of the year would rock. Again, I know...my opinion. (that translates into, please don't attack me if you disagree, simply stating thoughts.) hehe

EXACTLY! It's not out of the realm of possibility - after all, early January is when Leadership always took place. For me, I never wanted to go, because of the amount of travel involved so soon after Christmas, but the idea of a SL as a one day event would make it so much more doable. And give ALL of us more than two weeks lead time into the new selling season.

 

[Becca_in_MD]

I've already kicked myself b/c I forgot to put on my Launch feedback survey that they need to do it in January and not February. And now with hearing about this horrible shipping for overseas, it just adds to the need to move it up. I really miss the hokey build-up about the trip announcement that they did at Leadership. I think the energy would be much higher in a room with 1,000 other people than at a team meeting. Maybe HO staff doesn't want to travel right after Christmas. This was just plain too tight this year.

 

[pamperedlinda]

Hi Sheila,

Thank you for your email. I am sorry that your samples did not go out as expected. I talked with our Promotions, Shipping and IT teams and they have committed sending promotions through Priority Service. As far as changeover, we did look into that and it was cost prohibitive.

I am sorry for the panic and hope by now that your items have arrived. I appreciate your patience as I know this is not easy working abroad.

Kind regards,

Jan

Janice M. Capinegro
Vice President
Consultant Career Solutions
The Pampered Chef

OMG Sheila I am in shock! WOW....really?

I'd email her back and have her check on the amount of revenue the overseas orders normally generate in that time frame....revenue that is lost because y'all didn't have your business materials to hold shows. That's just insane!

 

[lesliec]

I think not getting catalogs until 2 weeks before the new one starts - stinks! I feel even worse for those overseas. I think there is a GREAT EASY solution to this issue....instead of having a B2B meeting AND then Spring Launch - simply combine the two and hold them together in early January and then we can order catalogs sooner AND that gives more than enough time to get overseas. I'm sure this is only my opinion and that others feel its too hard with January being close to December/Holidays but it would make everything much easier for supplies and having HO training right at the beginning of the year would rock. Again, I know...my opinion. (that translates into, please don't attack me if you disagree, simply stating thoughts.) hehe

I completely agree. I put on my survey that February is really hard, being that I work 2 Sat a month, and it is a short month, and it is SAT where I would like to do more shows.
Also, it is my anniversary (I know, personal, not everyone else has this at this time...) So hubbs and I wantet to get a weekend away. All of this made Feb REALLY hard this year.

 

[wadesgirl]

Crap totally didn't think about mentioning that February bites for SL in the survey.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Hi Sheila,

Thank you for your email. I am sorry that your samples did not go out as expected. I talked with our Promotions, Shipping and IT teams and they have committed sending promotions through Priority Service. As far as changeover, we did look into that and it was cost prohibitive.

I am sorry for the panic and hope by now that your items have arrived. I appreciate your patience as I know this is not easy working abroad.

Kind regards,

Jan

Janice M. Capinegro
Vice President
Consultant Career Solutions
The Pampered Chef

OMG Sheila I am in shock! WOW....really?

I'd email her back and have her check on the amount of revenue the overseas orders normally generate in that time frame....revenue that is lost because y'all didn't have your business materials to hold shows. That's just insane!

Totally Agree! So, having a whole week go by without anyone in a region doing shows IS cost effective? That's some strange accounting!

 

[Sheila]

Trust me Linda & Becky, I sat here in shock that they would say that too! Somebody wasn't thinking that one through very well.

 

[pamperedlinda]

Trust me Linda & Becky, I sat here in shock that they would say that too! Somebody wasn't thinking that one through very well.

You should forward that to Jean and Marla....that's just crazy and irresponsible.

 

[esavvymom]

And it's really not fair. You are running a BUSINESS- just like they are.
Again- if it's that bad- wouldn't it make sense for them to give you/us the OPTION of selecting our shipping method then?