Tell everyone it will take 7 days.

When it comes early, people will be happy.

I don't think offering options would help - people would choose the cheapest option and still call and complain. I don't think you'll ever be able to avoid that 1% of assholes.

You could offer "Comet Prime" - free 2 day shipping after $80 annual fee.

Edit: Now that I've thoguht about it a bit more, maybe offer two levels of shipping, free and slow, or flat rate and faster with tracking, both USPS.

Personally, if a package takes a few extra days to arrive, it doesn't matter much to me. Nothing I order online is an emergency purchase that I need ASAP. I'd rather spend less and wait a few days.

On the other hand, there are some folks who suffer from the instant gratification syndrome and would eagerly pay more for faster delivery.

For better customer service, I'd say offering a "cheap & slow" option and a "fast & expensive" option would cover most bases. But like you said, that means and extra stop for shipping stuff out--so include that in as part of the handling cost for the more expensive shipping option.

I don't know how much of your business is generated in Canada......but I know UPS or anything other than USPS is a killer for us!

I have found it is best to just charge a pinch more and ship everything priority. They get it way faster and safer. I'd rather eat a bit more cost and have the cust pay a couple dollars more and get the package way faster. So basically the small increase for priority is split. It is of course a bummer when people only need a few bulbs and the order itself is $10 and the shipping is 6-8$, but I had too many issues with the cheap options. They were slow, abused and lost a lot more often.

People love the cheap and slow option until that includes "cheap, slow and lost" and no insurance is on it.

I have amazon prime personally and still pay the the extra few dollars+ to get it in one day all the time.

I mostly only have lost package issues when shipping to Canada, but that is because it goes the "cheapest" first class option since priority is nearly double on international.

USPS tracking is so awful though compared to UPS/FedEx Sometimes goes a bit without updates that are a frustration for us and customers of course.

This is why I still USPS. At shows and working with the Canadian customers they all have this same feedback. I hear something that UPS.FEDex rails you guys for taxes or something like that awful

I was one of the people who contacted you about shipping on my first order. USPS tracking was erratic and made it appear that the package was stalled. Your prompt and polite reply was to not panic and see what happens. Package arrived the next day.

I have ordered from you since and no longer pay attention to the wacky tracking. The actual delivery is just fine.

Priority is a ripoff when first class is so inexpensive.

I'd state free 5 business day shipping, and put on your website that delays are the sole responsibility of USPS.

I ship everything I produce via USPS Priority for domestic US and First class to Canada. With 2 day delivery in most cases (domestic US) the tracking is really moot...however, if one does go astray at least it can be tracked and carries $50 insurance.

First class is only good up to 13oz then you have to bump it up to Parcel Post or Priority. The flat rate boxes are good and you do have to compare some of the options. For instance it can be cheaper to ship a normal priority box over a medium or large flat rate box. It is all in the "zoning". Middle country states make out.

Look into Reginal A and B boxes as well. These can be even cheaper but they are zoned to your area so going long distances isn't going to help. The added bonus to priority is it is automatically insured $50 if it does get lost. It really is a juggling act though in terms of options.

You should offer free shipping with 7 day arrival. If they need it faster, they can pay a surcharge for expedited or priority shipping. That way when packages arrive quicker, you will look good.

Actually Art best thing to do is to offer the other options has shipping and then create a page explaining all your frequently asked questions...that way you are not wasting your time on emails.

As well put a link to that newly created page on your invoices. right beside the tracking number information. That way people can reference back to that before sending you an email.

I'm guilty of doing this on my last order since we had a bit of a confusion in the cart. BTW the bulbs are in the machines

It's not though. Domestic priority is almost always 2 day at this point. 3 in some cases coast to coast. And I have so much less damage on packages I order to come here. First class is not an ideal solution for packages, thats for letters or flat items. Packages first class get destroyed. Things online tend to be cheaper anyways so paying for shipping isn't bad in the end.

Offer standard but maybe offer priority if needed in a hurry.

UPS ground is usually slow in my experience.

Can ask ask seriously if this is being exaggerated? It would indicate you get hundreds of orders a day really.

We ship everything priority for a flat $5 for under $100

Orders over $100 get free priority shipping.

Ordered 2 bulbs? $5 shipping please..

Order $10000 and your order is the size of a small elephant? that'll be free 99 for your shipping and it still gets shipped Priority mail!

We have had 2 shipping issues ever - 1 the post office damaged the box, the other they flat out lost.

Looking at shipment/delivery data - all but 2 shipments in September were delivered in 2 days and quite a few were delivered in 1 day...

164 emails daily, wow! I don't even do that many between LED emails and my regular job which involves sales and support emails all day. Insane, must be quite the operation over there

I was gonna say, you are located in one of the farthest corners of the states so maybe that adds an extra day to it. I ship to Florida frequently though and don't get too many emails about the delay or anything. Looking at records they all show 3 day delivered.

USPS leave packages outside too, just as UPS and all about area I suppose for theft.

Ups usually takes quite a bit longer in my experience. Usually 4-5 days for standard parcel. Fed ex is expebsive but seems to work a bit faster.

Usps still seems tk be the quickest and the cheapest solution. Things are really going to slow down soon for the holidays though.

I consider myself a US Postal shipping "expert", self titled. Being devil's advocate here, Can you give me say.. 10-20 or so examples, all from the same day? Should be pretty easy to cut & paste tracking numbers.

I ship my fair share, most everything short of PCBs goes First Class, regardless of what part of the world I'm sending it to.

Transit time is pretty fast, and is often as fast as priority, at 1/2 the price or less.

If you're doing the volume of sales that you mention, that tells me you're doing something right, and your customers must like how you are doing things. My suggestion would be to write a FAQ with the common questions you are asked, and point people asking questions to it, or perhaps put it in the e-mail signature that is sent with your shipping conformations.

I do a fair volume of shipments, not as high as it sounds like you do, though, and only have a small % of people asking where their order is. The delivery confirmation is pretty good and accurate!

Wait - does your cheap shipping not come with a tracking #?

Whatever you do, continue to provide clear expectations.

My vote would be to provide shipping options and then clearly state that you ship ASAP (as you always do) and that typical transit times for each option are X with no promise and delivery is out of your control.

A tracking number reveals neither personal information nor sales info. I'm willing to take the time to help you understand what is going on, you're blaming the US Postal service for what seems to be an EXTREME amount of failures, and saying you get a very high number of emails on a daily basis complaining. Do I "believe" a Priority package "can?" take longer. SURE! But I also believe the USPS is pretty fast and accurate, so show me some examples! Here's some:

9405511899561222582350 (Two days, From MO in IN, no personal info)
9405511899561713674076 (Mo to PA, 3 days)
9405511899561114952209 (MO to FL, 2 days)
9405511899561134752117 (MO to FL, 5 days but over a weekend)

Let's see those tracking numbers so you can get some advice you asked for!

As a Canadian, I reiterate what Bigbossfan said. USPS is the way for us to get your products at a rate that makes it worth ordering smaller batches. Tracking...thats a bonus. Canadians ordering know that tracking on USPS isn't an exact science but at least we know its shipped and it will get here when it gets here. I have an order with Comet right now, and I just checked tracking, its on its way and the latest update was yesterday...am I worried...no. Having a UPS or Fedex only option, would make me second guess ordering because of unreal brokerage fees. Thanks for the reasonable USPS shipping option Art!

Looks like youre including Sunday... Also it looks like your packages take a day just to get to Orlando PO

Tracking: 9405511899561337934907 5 days Priority -1 day for Sunday & -1 day the recipient wasnt available for whatever reason - 3 Days in reality for this one

Tracking: 9405511899561165002915 5 days priority -1 day for Sunday - Thousand Palms is in the middle of nowhere...

Tracking: 9400111899561157792739 7 days priority -1 day for Sunday (This was actually sent 1st class)

Tracking: 9405511899561158937279 5 day priority -1 day for Sunday

Tracking: 9405511899561112537385 5 days priority -1 day for Sunday & -1 day for "Undeliverable as Addressed" - 3 days for this one

Art, great product! I only order from you. Shipping has been slow for anything I've had come USPS lately. Personally, I'm ok with a higher order minimum to satisfy the free shipping or paying a little more to see UPS or FedEx deliver. $3-4 more wont break the bank and will ensure a speedy delivery. I don't stock hundreds of bulbs at a time so usually when I order, I'm looking to get them quickly, if that comes with a fee of what equates to 3-5 extra bulbs in price, well I'm good with that.

Here's what I see. First off these are scattered all over the boards on dates.

Tracking: 9405511899561337934907 5 days Priority. You printed on the 3rd a Wednesday, but not in the PO's hands until noon the next day a Thursday, it arrived 3PM on Monday. You can't call this 5 days.

Tracking: 9405511899561165002915 5 days priority. Again printed on one day, picked up the next past 3PM, and it was in CALIFORNIA the next day, From Friday afternoon to Tuesday delivery is not 5 days.

Tracking: 9400111899561157792739 7 days priority. According to the tracking, was printed on the 17th (A Wednesday), but not taken to the PO until Friday morning. This was First Class, not Priority, and Wellsville Kansas is way outside a metro area. Friday to Wednesday (over a weekend) is not 7 days.

Tracking: 9405511899561158937279 5 day priority. Printed one day, taken to the PO the next, in this case at the PO at 6:45 at night (on Thursday), delivered on Monday

Tracking: 9405511899561112537385 5 days priority: Picked up on a Wednesday, in Texas Saturday but marked as "Undeliverable as Addressed", magically delivered Monday.

On all of these except the last cause I can't tell, you print postage one day and it's the next day (often late in the day) or even the next that it's in the PO's hands. You can't use that to measure. It happens, it happens all the time with me cause my mailman comes and goes by noon, but I don't see an issue here. I don't know how you operate, how you inform customers you've shipped, or anything, but if you're truly getting those types of question 12 a day, 2 more in 15 minutes, and this is after people check their tracking info, I don't know what to tell you. The USPS appears to be doing their job.

I'm sure someone has suggest to add an express shipping option at a premium rate. No to split hairs, but your product isn't VITAL, even for operators who make their living on pins. A burnt out bulb can stay burnt out an extra day, and if someone wants to spend an extra $10 to get it, we shouldn't all get hit with the fee. I've always noticed that your shipments arrive within 5 business days, even here in Albuquerque from Florida.

+1..if you want 2 day shipping guaranteed, start sending me $6 a month (or whatever it is) forever like 'zon. stinkin instant gratification spoiled little wankers.
send them back to the dark ages of year old catalogs and phone in mail order to make them appreciate how things have progressed.

Oh! AND, yeah, USPS sucks. It's a monopoly that clearly doesn't give a sh!t about it's customers, but that's not a surprise to anyone. One post office might be great and fast, and ten miles up the road another might be awful and lose stuff all the time. Even one teller might be great compared to the person sitting next to them! Massive frustration, but UPS doesn't have a 'first class' option price-wise....

Give a $ 8-10 expedite option.

haha! That's the other end of the spectrum I guess. I remember being 12 or so and waiting 8-10 weeks for Street Fighter to arrive in the mail from a mail order catalog. My dad was going nuts with me asking him 'Is it here yet?' forty times in a row...

Get to know your mailman. Ask him to scan when he picks up. Mine does, although he's a rural worker and they're paid by packages, so he WANTS to. If that doesn't work you can Request a Pickup online and they will make a special trip. I've learned to never drop off, especially "express" packages. I dropped off a 2-day Express at 9AM that didn't get scanned in ANOTHER PO until later that day past 7PM, "missing" the guarantee cutoff so no money back guarantee. You know, since they didn't get it until late that night.

Were those tracking numbers you provided from inquiring customers?

FYI, I order some stock parts from a company in Florida, and UPS is almost always 6 days and they miss often enough to annoy me.

Exactly. Under-promise and over-deliver. Its what the pros do!

I have never had a single problem with USPS priority mail both as shipper and receiver. I should add that I get tons of packages. 98% of the times I've had problems it has been UPS. I avoid them at all costs. FEDEX is pretty good too.

Change locations maybe. As long as I get items to the PO by 5:15pm it scans and starts its journey then