Some Thoughts On Tracking

[andreww]

I know that some people have no need for Tracking numbers, but personally I find that tracking my watches progress around the globe to be both interesting and entertaining. Having done this a number of times, I have come to some come up with some pretty interesting conclusions / questions about tracking.

TRACKING IS ACCURATE - its the post office that sucks.

Lets use my current shipment as an example.

-Shipped Feb 5 from China.

-Dispatched from China that same day.

-Arrived in British Columbia on Feb 12.

Now, this tracking info showed up within hours of the events happening, but where did the package go for 7 days? As the route between China and BC is entirely over the Ocean, I doubt that stopovers were an issue. So we can only assume that the package sat in a bag at one end of the trip or another (my guess is on the Canada side). Anyway, the package now shows as being "Out for Delivery", so I know I will have it within 24 hours. Once again tracking is accurate. It may be frustrating, but I have never received a package before my tracking told me it was out for delivery.

TRACKING IS INCONSISTENT.

You would think that a system like parcel tracking would have a consistent set of rules (ie; individual parcels are tracked at the same points throughout the journey). Again using my current shipment as an example;

-Arrived in Canada

-Processed and en-route to delivery office.

Other packages show the time in & out of customs. Some show more detail than others. Do the postal workers "wand" a package whenever the mood strikes them?

WHY DO DIFFERENT TRACKING SITES SHOW DIFFERENT INFO?

Canada post has one set of events, EMS China has another. You would think that once in Canada, the events would be the same?

WHY DO MY PACKAGES TAKE LONGER THAN EVERYBODY ELSE'S?

Every time I see someone post that the got there watch from China to North America in 3 or 4 days, I just want to kick them in the nuts! I ordered this watch on the 2nd, and I'll likely receive it on the 15th, and this is probably the fastest one yet! All this waiting is taking years off my life. WHY?

Anyway, another wait is almost over and the anticipation is always the best part. If you guys have any Tracking/Shipping stories you'd like to share, I'd love to hear them while I wait!

[rek001]

Hey Andreww, I know what you are going through. I don't have any specific stories to tell, but I hae to agree with you, my local post office and carriers are pretty incompetent.

Every time I have to go to the PO to claim my watch after they try to deliver and I'm not home, it takes about 15 minutes for them to locate the package. The view behind the counter is quite open, and I watch the clerk go from one pile of packages to another, randomly pulling out a package here and there, shuffling around, taking sweet time. There does not seem to be any organization of unclaimed packages. I'm surprised that more packages aren't misplaced.

[andreww]

I hear you. I mean, it really is a wonder that we get anything at all! I guess its the low price we put on these jobs. I have my watches delivered to my office as I figure that customs will be less likely to suspect a business package. The mailroom guys have yet to actually get any of my watches from the 2nd floor to the 10th. I have a European last name, and they pretty much figure anything that starts with a "W" is close enough. I'm not kidding you when I tell you I've gone searching through this building on four occasions, looking for watches that have been delivered to the wrong person. That is the reason that a tracking number is so important, as I must now notify the receiver, and they call me as soon as it enters the building.

[slai]

Agreed. Canadapost must be one of the most inefficient carriers in the world.

[Corgi]

Oh yes I waited about 3 weeks for my lady-prez. The people who say they got it in 3-4 days LIE.

[Goochenbrau]

Im in the US, and it has never taken over 5 days. Also, the tracking has always been accurate for me. The only shipping problem Ive ever had was a domestic shipment to a destination one state over. It was supposed to take a couple of days, and it took almost a month.