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On paper, it's a perfect system. In reality, failing businesses who want the extra income sign up to be package pickup spots, and then provide deplorable servic

by kweks 7y ago

On paper, it's a perfect system. In reality, failing businesses who want the extra income sign up to be package pickup spots, and then provide deplorable service. Some don't respect the opening hours that were published. Some literally climb over mountains of packages. Some have no organisation. Delivery companies realised that they no longer have to attempt deliveries so automatically dump their packages in the pickup points. Most pickup points end up loathing people who comes to pick up packages: the customer hates the lack of service and resent that their package wasn't delivered, the shop resents that they have even less time for their failing business, and take this out on the package customers. The worst part is, 90% of the time you can't control if a package goes there.

lifeformed 7y ago
Perhaps, but that sound like a much more manageable problem to solve than what the article describes happening in NYC.
frereubu 7y ago
Anecdatum - a local failing newsagent (UK) is the UPS pickup point and I've not had a single problem with them. In fact I prefer picking up from them because UPS delivery times are verging on fictitious. I think it may keep the newsagent afloat and that's absolutely fine by me if I can pickup my packages from them, because they're not going to exist for much longer just selling the curious mixture of indigestion tablets, cat fancier magazines and third-rate chocolate biscuits that they do currently in their windowless hovel.
- jdietrich 7y ago
  >I've not had a single problem with them Seconded. I get a lot of packages delivered to my local convenience store, even if I'm expecting to be in on the delivery day. I find it vastly preferable to collect the parcel at my own convenience rather than wait for the knock-and-run from an impatient delivery driver.
  - CydeWeys 7y ago
    I get a lot of smaller packages delivered to work for a similar reason. I'd rather get a notification and go pick it up than have it randomly dropped either in front of my door or in the apartment's common lobby, and wonder if it's going to grow feet and walk off before I get home.
- kweks 7y ago
  It may be a cultural difference. Over the years, I'd had parcels delivered to about 10 different depots, and the experience was always the same. The google reviews for the places are all the same: 1 star, never open / packages stolen / packages broken. It's great to hear it works better in some places; on paper it's a great solution.
apostacy 7y ago
UPS already tried doing this a few years ago in Brooklyn,[1] but not Manhattan apparently. I was subjected to this a few years ago. Instead of being greeted at the end of the day with my shiny new $300 phone, they left it in a pile on the filthy floor of a local bodega three blocks away. Then, after finding it, I have to wait in line and have my ID scanned and sign for it. And I paid for overnight shipping but if I don't rush home, I have to wait until the next day. My neighbor hated it more than I did. So, she started "stealing" her packages from the bodega. It turns out that if you don't sign for the package, they return it to the sender after a week and you get a full refund. So you can easily double dip by not signing for it and also getting a refund. And the local business is responsible for package being lost. After two months, the local bodega stopped hosting packages, presumably because they were having to eat the cost of losing packages. Since there were no other businesses nearby willing to do this, UPS was forced to resume delivering to our building. While this is an effective way for people to shut this kind of thing down, I'm sure it must be illegal. At least if you get caught, it is fairly deniable, since the package has your name on it. But it is probably illegal to interfere with a package being delivered. Please do not do this. You are stealing from the merchant. [1]: https://www.ups.com/us/en/services/e-commerce/b2c-delivery-solutions.page https://www.ups.com/us/en/services/e-commerce/b2c-delivery-s...
- coliveira 7y ago
  This only shows the lack of character of some New Yorkers compared to people from Paris. They resort to stealing to get what they want. It is a shame, and very difficult to create a civilized world in this situation.
- oogali 7y ago
  Are you talking about UPS Access Points? If so, that is definitely available in Manhattan as I’ve had packages routed to them willingly (I requested it) and unwillingly (driver was too busy to complete deliveries that day). It started out with the access points being fairly ubiquitous and available at local bakeries, coffee shops, etc. But in recent years, it’s been scaled back to the local UPS Store locations. But it’s definitely still a thing available in Manhattan, and I’d wager all the boroughs.
teglsbo 7y ago
Let the receiver choose the pickup point. In Denmark it's usually possible to choose the pickup point in the checkout flow when ordering. In that way I can take my business elsewhere, if I don't like service.
- MrBuddyCasino 7y ago
  Same in Germany. There is usually no problem at all with picking up parcels.
  - majewsky 7y ago
    At least not on the level of "package is badly damaged" or "package gets lost/stolen". There's still the issue of limited opening hours which is a hard issue for people who are working themselves during business hours. Also, the delivery companies that are not DHL have quite sparse pickup locations, which means more time lost on commuting.
    - Symbiote 7y ago
      I think most kiosks and other locations that serve as pickup/drop-off spots have better hours than the delivery driver. They tend to open at around 7:00, and close at 18:00 or 19:00, which is much easier to schedule around than a driver who might deliver between, say, 7-17.
- pengstrom 7y ago
  We have the same system in Sweden and it works very well.
cperciva 7y ago
Delivery companies realised that they no longer have to attempt deliveries so automatically dump their packages in the pickup points. Indeed. There's a UPS pickup point a block away from me, and when Amazon decides to deliver packages via UPS, the driver 100% consistently leaves a "missed delivery" notice without even trying to deliver the package. When I complain, UPS is always apologetic, but nothing ever changes...
majewsky 7y ago
The better system is what DHL is doing with their Packstationen in Germany: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packstation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packstation Basically it's like a vending machine for packages. You address your parcel to one of these and the package deliverer will deposit them into a locker there. I then get a code by e-mail which I can use to open the locker whenever I get around to the Packstation. It's really nice for people who work during the day and thus have a hard time getting to the pickup shops during business hours. The only downside is that it only works for small to medium-sized packages, but those are the bulk anyway.
- CydeWeys 7y ago
  I've seen those in various places in the US too.
- barsonme 7y ago
  Those are all over the US, too. My apartment has Parcel Pending that couriers can put packages in. Amazon has lockers, too.

by kweks 7y ago

lifeformed 7y ago

Perhaps, but that sound like a much more manageable problem to solve than what the article describes happening in NYC.

frereubu 7y ago

Anecdatum - a local failing newsagent (UK) is the UPS pickup point and I've not had a single problem with them. In fact I prefer picking up from them because UPS delivery times are verging on fictitious. I think it may keep the newsagent afloat and that's absolutely fine by me if I can pickup my packages from them, because they're not going to exist for much longer just selling the curious mixture of indigestion tablets, cat fancier magazines and third-rate chocolate biscuits that they do currently in their windowless hovel.

jdietrich 7y ago
>I've not had a single problem with them Seconded. I get a lot of packages delivered to my local convenience store, even if I'm expecting to be in on the delivery day. I find it vastly preferable to collect the parcel at my own convenience rather than wait for the knock-and-run from an impatient delivery driver.
- CydeWeys 7y ago
  I get a lot of smaller packages delivered to work for a similar reason. I'd rather get a notification and go pick it up than have it randomly dropped either in front of my door or in the apartment's common lobby, and wonder if it's going to grow feet and walk off before I get home.
kweks 7y ago
It may be a cultural difference. Over the years, I'd had parcels delivered to about 10 different depots, and the experience was always the same. The google reviews for the places are all the same: 1 star, never open / packages stolen / packages broken. It's great to hear it works better in some places; on paper it's a great solution.

apostacy 7y ago

UPS already tried doing this a few years ago in Brooklyn,[1] but not Manhattan apparently. I was subjected to this a few years ago. Instead of being greeted at the end of the day with my shiny new $300 phone, they left it in a pile on the filthy floor of a local bodega three blocks away. Then, after finding it, I have to wait in line and have my ID scanned and sign for it. And I paid for overnight shipping but if I don't rush home, I have to wait until the next day. My neighbor hated it more than I did. So, she started "stealing" her packages from the bodega. It turns out that if you don't sign for the package, they return it to the sender after a week and you get a full refund. So you can easily double dip by not signing for it and also getting a refund. And the local business is responsible for package being lost. After two months, the local bodega stopped hosting packages, presumably because they were having to eat the cost of losing packages. Since there were no other businesses nearby willing to do this, UPS was forced to resume delivering to our building. While this is an effective way for people to shut this kind of thing down, I'm sure it must be illegal. At least if you get caught, it is fairly deniable, since the package has your name on it. But it is probably illegal to interfere with a package being delivered. Please do not do this. You are stealing from the merchant. [1]: https://www.ups.com/us/en/services/e-commerce/b2c-delivery-solutions.page https://www.ups.com/us/en/services/e-commerce/b2c-delivery-s...

coliveira 7y ago
This only shows the lack of character of some New Yorkers compared to people from Paris. They resort to stealing to get what they want. It is a shame, and very difficult to create a civilized world in this situation.
oogali 7y ago
Are you talking about UPS Access Points? If so, that is definitely available in Manhattan as I’ve had packages routed to them willingly (I requested it) and unwillingly (driver was too busy to complete deliveries that day). It started out with the access points being fairly ubiquitous and available at local bakeries, coffee shops, etc. But in recent years, it’s been scaled back to the local UPS Store locations. But it’s definitely still a thing available in Manhattan, and I’d wager all the boroughs.

teglsbo 7y ago

Let the receiver choose the pickup point. In Denmark it's usually possible to choose the pickup point in the checkout flow when ordering. In that way I can take my business elsewhere, if I don't like service.

MrBuddyCasino 7y ago
Same in Germany. There is usually no problem at all with picking up parcels.
- majewsky 7y ago
  At least not on the level of "package is badly damaged" or "package gets lost/stolen". There's still the issue of limited opening hours which is a hard issue for people who are working themselves during business hours. Also, the delivery companies that are not DHL have quite sparse pickup locations, which means more time lost on commuting.
  - Symbiote 7y ago
    I think most kiosks and other locations that serve as pickup/drop-off spots have better hours than the delivery driver. They tend to open at around 7:00, and close at 18:00 or 19:00, which is much easier to schedule around than a driver who might deliver between, say, 7-17.
pengstrom 7y ago
We have the same system in Sweden and it works very well.

cperciva 7y ago

Delivery companies realised that they no longer have to attempt deliveries so automatically dump their packages in the pickup points. Indeed. There's a UPS pickup point a block away from me, and when Amazon decides to deliver packages via UPS, the driver 100% consistently leaves a "missed delivery" notice without even trying to deliver the package. When I complain, UPS is always apologetic, but nothing ever changes...

majewsky 7y ago

The better system is what DHL is doing with their Packstationen in Germany: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packstation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packstation Basically it's like a vending machine for packages. You address your parcel to one of these and the package deliverer will deposit them into a locker there. I then get a code by e-mail which I can use to open the locker whenever I get around to the Packstation. It's really nice for people who work during the day and thus have a hard time getting to the pickup shops during business hours. The only downside is that it only works for small to medium-sized packages, but those are the bulk anyway.

CydeWeys 7y ago
I've seen those in various places in the US too.
barsonme 7y ago
Those are all over the US, too. My apartment has Parcel Pending that couriers can put packages in. Amazon has lockers, too.