The end of faith!

Well, that's it - I have been touting the USPS to everyone! Fast, reliable, responsible, and great! I love the fact that you get the boxes free (nothing is free) along with other mailing supplies - that's fabulous! I love that you can order the labels online - so convenient! BUT now I find out that if you send a package via GLOBAL PRIORITY MAIL out of the country you are on your own! They take absolutely no responsibility for the package - you can't track it - you can't do anything. If the person on the other side says that they did not receive it - BINGO! you're out of LUCK!

This is the response that I got from BETTY at USPS:

Thank you for contacting us about the package LC063691832US. I apologize for any inconvenience that this has caused you.

Ordinary Letter Post and Global Priority items do not offer tracking or tracing as part of the service. For this reason, the members of the Universal Postal Union have agreed that accepting or processing inquiries for Letter Post and GPM items is not mandatory. Accordingly the United States Postal Service has decided that it will no longer accept inquires on Letter Post items, including Global Priority Mail. We appreciate your notifying us of the possible delay or loss of the item you mailed. Please accept our apology for the possible delay or loss of this item and the inconvenience this matter has caused you.

If I can be of assistance to you in the future, please don't hesitate to contact me. Thank you for choosing the United States Postal Service®.

Regards,

Betty

Can you believe that? Basically it says "Tough Luck" "Who cares" "You think that we are going to take any responsibility?"

Well, this morning I refunded the shoes in question. Luckily (at least) my postmaster (I live in a small town - if you're in a city - forget it!) tells me that he was able to discover that the package was indeed received at customs in Canada on the 19th of December (it was mailed on the 13th) and that he will see what he can do from his end (what a doll!). But basically I'm out of luck - if she does receive the package and if she is totally honest she will give me back my money.

But now I know that I cannot trust the USPS and will no longer. I will continue using them for anything going beyond the CT/MA/NY/VT/NH/NJ area as UPS takes too long out of that area and I should be able to get tracking information - although the other day I received a message from someone who told me "I tracked the package that you mailed last week and it tells me that it was shipped November 22nd and is now in GA" - well, I emailed PayPal and actually discovered that the USPS uses their tracking numbers more than once! PLEASE! Is that the most ridiculous thing you have ever heard?

My faith is slipping, slipping, GONE!

BROWN - here I come!
All packages shipped out of the USA will go via UPS AND they will pick them up from my home AND I can order the labels online.

Hopefully the sweater sent to France on January 9th will get to this other woman or I will be out some more money! I have really been lucky up until now - my luck seems to have run out!

Should I write to my friend BETTY at USPS and tell her what I think? I don't think she cares!