I ordered a Skylab Saturn V and a Saturn 1B on Friday the 11th. For some reason, Estes split the order into two shipments, one via UPS, and one via USPS (postal service) Priority Mail. Both were shipped 12/14/20. I just received half my order from Estes today, the Skylab Saturn V shipped via UPS. The Saturn 1B I take it is in the Priority Mail shipment and per the tracking number due to be delivered tomorrow. Thing is, I don't believe it will be.

I have had numerous shipments that I have sent (3) and have incoming that are long overdue. The three I sent were taken directly to the post office on December 3, one of which was to delivered about 15 miles from where I live. None of those shipments have been delivered and the only thing noted on the tracking site was a note stating "December 8, 2020
In Transit, Arriving Late".
I also have an order from NASA Gear which shipped 12/11/20 and is "In Transit, Arriving Late."

I have heard tidbits here and there of others with similar stories and was wondering if anyone had received anything from the US Postal Service?

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Bernard J. Herman Ohio RLS

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Steadily receiving things, but just about all of them are late. Got one from Matt Steele today and a DVD movie (which is a Christmas gift). Both were delayed some.

I have some things that seem to just sit in one location within the USPS system for days and days. Got one that shows as ‘accepted’ at the origin post office for six days now. No further updates since.

This has been going on pretty much all summer and into the fall. So far, nothing has been lost.

Earl

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Earl L. Cagle, Jr.
NAR# 29523
TRA# 962
SAM# 73
Owner/Producer
Point 39 Productions

Rocket-Brained Since 1970

“In transit arriving late” seems to be consistent with everything I have sent or order shipped via usps.

Hasn’t this been just a $#&@ing great year.

On the local Detroit news they had a segment on the usps depot in Allen Park, Michigan. They showed a considerable string of semi tractors trailer that haven’t been unloaded for days or even weeks.

I now think I know almost where my plywood order from Balsa USA might be.

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I bought 2 kits from Don Fent (Barone). He shipped them Tuesday from Bartlett, TN and they arrived today in Milwaukee, WI. Knock on wood, no problem here.

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Scott D. Hansen
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There are some sorting centers that seem to be having issues. I know St. Louis was adding minimum of 1 week to anything going through it. I read a news article that said the Detroit sorting center had semi trucks outside of it waiting to be unloaded for 2+ weeks. Regular letter mail doesn't seem impacted nearly as much as packages.

UPSP is hit/miss right now and untrustworthy. If you need to get something, do it via UPS or FedEx.

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Aaron Head
NAR 83209 L2
TRA 11803 L2

Yeah, I had a Mac Pro laptop I ordered (a week or so ago) from Apple (another Christmas present) and Apple shipped it via FedEx out of TN this past Tuesday night and it arrived here the next day about 1pm. I don’t think USPS would have pulled that off even with their one day shipping.

Earl

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Earl L. Cagle, Jr.
NAR# 29523
TRA# 962
SAM# 73
Owner/Producer
Point 39 Productions

Rocket-Brained Since 1970

Pretty much the same USPS delay experiences others mentioned but only for the past six weeks or so. If USPS tracking on the website has an estimated delivery date it will almost certainly be pushed. Like Earl, I haven't had anything go completely missing yet but I do currently have one packing running very late.

I've placed my share of online orders in 2020 I've been working at home since March so really much more ordering than I normally would online. It's hit and miss but mostly miss.

There are exceptions. I ordered the Estes Little Joe I and an Estes Mercury Redstone when the Estes Little Joe I was on sale and both of those landed on my porch within 5 working days of the order all the way from CO shipped in a single box, not bad at all.

I ordered an AeroTech cap to replace my vintage LDRS-8 AeroTech cap that I apparently misplaced forever and it also landed on my porch within 5 working days not bad for USPS from UT. A recent StickerShock order got here in less than 5 working days and Mark doesn't even go to the post office every day so that was great.

Several eBay purchases were delayed but I did receive those from various vendor locations but it took about 3 - 5 extra working days. Those were the more recent purchases.

The longest delays were motors. I had an order from Bellville take about a month for some Q-Jets to get here to Louisiana. I have another more recent order from FlightSketch for the newer white lighting Q-Jets that was due here Monday. I'm sure it's still moving through the system but USPS hasn't updated shipping and on occasion I have found that they don't update the tracking info and a package will just suddenly appear here unexpectedly making it very difficult to hide new packages of rocket stuff from the wife ....

Fed-X by far to my area has been the absolute best as far as tracking, delivery date promised and not smashing my stuff. Kudos to Fed-X those guys are top notch in my book

Hope you get your Saturn soon. As Tom Petty said "The Waiting is the Hardest Part"

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USPS has been REALLY slow. A package was mailed out to me on Dec. 10. Still not sure where it is, other than 'in transit'. And late.

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SAM #0031

I have a few items in the system somewhere. I think.

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"Old Rocketeer's don't die; they just go OOP".....unless you 3D print them.

Yep! the USPS is working a lot of OVER TIME right now. But to keep the over time flowing, you have to make look like there is a overwhelming load of mail.
if you look at the tracking, you will see the same tracking number scanned received 2-3 times. Then days later you may see it scanned received again. Then you might see it scanned several times processed thru. then a departure scan. I had an item take 11 days to get from Southern Ga. to South Fl.
3 days in Ga. and 8 days in Opalocka Fl. there is no limit on the amount of over time you can work ( be at work), during the holyday's. and V time is after 10 hrs. = 2 times your pay.
Not bad money for works that can not count to 10 on their fingers.

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Neal Miller
Master Blaster NAR# 58296