I will no longer do business with Midway

[campbed]

So given Midway shipped your order as you asked.... will you be really not ordering from them again?

Title of your post, and then saying you did have a tracking number, kinda seems unfair to Midway.

[AllenJ]

57K wrote:

I believe in second chances, but hadn't ordered from them for some time because of dissatisfaction with a previous order. They'll never get another penny of my money again. Maybe I was a bit negligent in thinking they would ship UPS, but according to my shipping info, it sure looked like it was coming UPS. I doubt that my shooting partner will ever order from them again either and between us that's a few thousand dollars of business every year which is probably the only way they'll understand that the burden of delivery is on them and not the customer who has essentially paid them cash money with the expectation of reliable delivery.

I don't understand how you can admit being negligent in checking the type of shipping you wanted then hold Midway responsible for delivery? They are responsible for shipping the items, not delivering them. Be mad at the carrier, vow never to use them again, but not using Midway again because the shipping company did not do their job makes no sense.

[rlc323]

I have had a couple of problems with the "surepost" system that delivers the final mile. An order from Natchez was delayed at the USPS center for several days, and would probably be there still had I not contacted Natchez to get an investigation started.

Right now I have been 5 days on a Midway order that was supposed to be here yesterday (Monday). Seems it is hung up by the USPS again.

I realize that Midway and Natchez are trying to offer cheaper shipping options, but in some cases especially in dealing with the USPS, cheaper is not the way to go.

From now on I plan to wait until I have a large enough order in my cart to justify using regular UPS, instead of dealing with the Postal service.

[schmellba99]

Sounds more like you should be upset with yourself considering that you have multiple options at the Midway website for shipping. You selected the cheapest option, which Midway pretty clearly indicates who the carriers are.

And you have a completely different set of luck with UPS. I'll gladly pay more for FedEx over UPS every day of the week, and twice on Sundays. Hell, I generally have more faith in USPS than I do UPS. I honestly cannot remember the last good experience with UPS I've had.

[merbeau]

There are several options when ordering from Midway and the Sure Post is the cheapest. It involves UPS until near the final destination then the USPS for final delivery. In my case the UPS starts from Midway and goes to Dallas where it is dropped off at the USPS shipping center then it goes to Fort Worth for final shipment to my local post office. The only time I had a problem was when part of the shipping label got torn off and the item went missing for two days. It was finally located and eventually made it to my home.

The only thing that I cannot understand is the USPS offers,’ if it fits it ships’ for $5.25 and many of my orders do not require huge boxes yet seems the cheapest with Midway is always $9/10. On one occasion I had an order shipped priority mail and watched it through the system. Two days later it said out for delivery. The postal delivery person came and no package. I called the local post office and asked where the package was. Apparently the delivery person forgot the package was in the back of the truck or did not want to get out of the vehicle to place on my front porch. The next day the person shows up and complains about computers and following packages!!

[csmsss]

I've only had excellent experiences with Midway and will not hesitate to order from them again when the occasion arises.

As far as the carriers, go, sometimes it's difficult to see exactly who will be handling your package all the way through from pickup to doorstep. The tracking linkage between, say, UPS/FedEx, and USPS's more primitive tracking system can make it appear that the package is lost when, in fact, it's probably sitting in a main post office somewhere waiting for the once or twice a week run to your town's PO.

[Dondor]

I use either of the big boys. FedEx is nice for me as I am 10 minutes from Memphis. But there is a UPS hub distribution point here in my town as well as one of the UPS office things. I always go ground, and schedule it for a pick up at one of the offices. That way it is there when I am able to pick it up and not some random time when I may or may not be home.

Oh, always request signature for delivery. Keeps them from dropping boxes at your door and NOT ringing the bell.

[chewie146]

Reading this again, it looks like the OP is just venting. It's frustrating when things don't go according to plan.

[Jerry45]

Originally Posted by William T. Watts

I am Postal retired so this gives me no pleasure to say this about my former employer!! William

Let me tell you how the USPS worked for me. I'll try to keep it as short as possible. I was in a running battle with USPS for 20 years over mail not arriving (bills and bank statements) and my receiving mail from not only the wrong city and stated but addressed (numbers and Zip Code) that weren't even close to mine. After ten years of calling the local post office, calling the Postal Inspector and writing several letters to the Post Master General I finally wrote my congressman. Inspectors said if I don't have "proof" my mail was being stolen they wouldn't do anything. Post office supervisor said he couldn't do anything and I never received a reply from the Post Master's office... until my Congressman contacted them. Post office mangier started logging my mail in and out. I receive all of it for over a year. Then a bank statement, electric bill and water bill didn't arrive. I called the supervisor. He said since I hadn't had any more problems he had stopped logging my mail the month before. He started logging it again and I received all my mail for another six mounts. Then it started again. I call. There was a new manager. He refused to do anything. I wrote the Post Master General again. NOTHING! The problem went on for another three years. Eventually the supervisor was replaced and the entire staff turned over. I haven't had a mail problem in over three years now. Only took 20 years to get it worked out.

[anothernewb]

man, I feel for the OP and others that have had shipping issues. I guess I have to count myself lucky. So far I've not had problems with any shipping company I've used, or others have used to ship to me.

Now, twerps scanning the front porches and swiping packages... now that is another story that has been thankfully stopped cold with the proper application of a couple beers, some grilled steaks, and a retired neighbor with nothing else to do but write down license plates of cars "not from the neighborhood"

[Swampman1]

I've had good luck with Midway

[57K]

It took an hour of my workday time but I located my order, which I would like to bill Midway for. The address and 9 digit zip-code were correctly printed on the shipping label and someone had handwritten my address on the side of the box with the supposed date of delivery, 5/16. It came in a Nitro Express "Super Fast Shipping" box.

There was no Packing list on or in the box, nor an invoice for me to check if they had shipped incorrectly, or correctly and it being my error. It could be as mentioned earlier that in ordering from their website, the program defaulted to the lowest cost shipping option. Because of the overwhelming support for Midway in this thread, I will place another order with Midway in a couple of weeks. Next time however, I won't do it over the internet and they'll get a credit card number instead of a debit card number. If that one goes missing, I'll simply have the credit card co. to stop payment and I'll leave any headaches to Midway. I don't normally do business with the USPS and I ship and receive parcels from UPS, frequently. Midway will hear it directly by voice to ship UPS ONLY.

This does not change my opinion that Midway is trying to gouge on shipping. If they want to do business with the postal service, why then don't they just use the Flat-Rate shipping boxes so that we know exactly what we're paying for? I'd even be more inclined to use the USPS Flat-Rate boxes because of lower shipping rates and to avoid 2 different carriers handle a single shipment. My preference is UPS as I stated and from my office I know when they arrive. Regardless of what happened, I can guarantee you that I had been listening for the UPS van last Thursday and Friday because I had no reason to believe that I had specified any other shipping option. So, I'm done here.

[higgite]

If you want an invoice from Midway, you need to check the box for that option during the checkout procedure. If you don't choose to get an invoice with the order, they won't send you one. Your choice.

[hooligan1]

I like ole Potterfield, he always gets my stuff to me even if he has to bring it in on horseback, but I can't say you didnt get a raw deal but heck everybody gets one once in a while.

[Constrictor]

im going to quit buying chevrolet. im sure you wanted to know that too.

[BigTex308]

I buy stuff from them ALL the time. Several packages a month and have NEVER had an issue. Midway is top notch as far as I'm concerned. I look forward to spending money with them.



USPS isn't the best, but I deal with them alot. Usually sending out 3+ packages/week. Only had one issue and that was a broken box.


I'd blame the shipping company though, and not the merchant.



Sorry you feel that way. More stuff for me!





Ike

[Jerry45]

As I mention in another post I was awaiting a UPS delivery from Midway. If I really needed it I might be upset. With UPS not Midway. It's so stupid it actually makes me laugh. Expected delivery date 5/20/13. 5/20/13 transferred to USPO in my zip code. The PO is 1.5 miles from my house. My house is between the UPS depot and the post office. USPS delivered it to me today 5/21/13 a day late. UPS HAD TO PASS MY HOUSE TO GET TO THE POST OFFICE. If UPS hadn't passed up my house on the way to the PO and actually delivered it to me they would have had it here on time. You can't fix stupid.

[AllenJ]

This does not change my opinion that Midway is trying to gouge on shipping.

I won't disagree with you on that, they always seem to have the highest shipping cost when I compare to other internet retailers. Sometimes though they are the only ones that have what I need so they do get my business. My last order from them was a Swarovski scope and a Ruger scope ring. Shipping was free and it was delivered on the day they said it would be.

[Clark]

I quit using Midway 10 or 12 years ago when they wanted to charge for shipping.

But I am back. The prices went down.

I buy reloading from:
Midway
Midsouth
Wideners
Grafs
Forum classified

I buy gunsmithing from:
Brownells
Enco
CDCO
Ebay
Amazon
forum classified

I don't know what I am getting from Cheaper than dirt and Cabela's but I can see they are in my email inbasket.

[CrustyFN]

I'll gladly pay more for FedEx over UPS every day of the week, and twice on Sundays. Hell, I generally have more faith in USPS than I do UPS. I honestly cannot remember the last good experience with UPS I've had.

My experience is just the opposite. I ordered powder and primers from Graf's It required a signature. Fedex stopped by my house while I was at work and left a tag on the door. No problem I figured, the is a FedEx hub is one mile from my house. I go there and am told they don't handle ground. The hub that handles ground is 50 miles away. There was no way they could have the package dropped off there or come by at a later time. Now I always have it shipped UPS and I stop by the UPS hub on my way home from work and pick it up.

[medalguy]

I order pretty regularly from Midway and I've never had a problem that wasn't of my making. I always check the shipping options and decide whether I want the cheapest or fastest or most reliable before placing my order.

As far as UPS dropping packages at the PO, that's not the discretion of the driver. If the shipper selects USPS for final delivery, that's what the driver does. I was at my PO this morning waiting to ship a package and my local UPS driver walked in and got in line behind me, holding three boxes. I let him go ahead of me just to see how this worked. He handed the packages to the clerk, clerk signed the diad board, and the driver left. The clerk tossed the packages into a hamper behind him and then waited on me. I have no idea what happened to the packages after that.

[Skadoosh]

It took an hour of my workday time but I located my order, which I would like to bill Midway for.

Now that cracked me up...

[Silver00LT]

I ran into a deal with them on my last order. I contacted them...they apologized and end of transaction. I received the rest of my order no problems.

Have not had a problem with UPS to USPS, USPS or UPS. It's FedEx I have a problem with.

Will continue to shop with them for my needs other than reloading components.

I order pretty regularly from Midway and I've never had a problem that wasn't of my making. I always check the shipping options and decide whether I want the cheapest or fastest or most reliable before placing my order.

As far as UPS dropping packages at the PO, that's not the discretion of the driver. If the shipper selects USPS for final delivery, that's what the driver does. I was at my PO this morning waiting to ship a package and my local UPS driver walked in and got in line behind me, holding three boxes. I let him go ahead of me just to see how this worked. He handed the packages to the clerk, clerk signed the diad board, and the driver left. The clerk tossed the packages into a hamper behind him and then waited on me. I have no idea what happened to the packages after that.

Typically sorted out and delivered the next day. Depends on season, hours, etc. The cut hours added a day transit time to all my orders....then again we have ONE post office serving the needs of nearly 50k people.

[schmellba99]

My experience is just the opposite.

It's interesting to hear all of the different experiences.

My last UPS fiasco happened just a couple of weeks ago. I ordered a book off of Amazon, and they shipped UPS. I've lived in my current house for 2 years and, up until this delivery, every single package has been left on my front porch.

This last delivery, the driver decided, for reasons I cannot fathom, to literally toss the package over the wrought iron fence into the back yard. Where 3 dogs were staring at him through the fence. As you can well imagine, 3 dogs that are bored during the day and suddenly get a cardboard box tossed over the fence have found themselves a new chew toy.

I simply cannot fathom the logic this driver had. 2 Christmases ago we had a significant amount of my daughter's gifts stolen from the local UPS hub. It took several phone calls, but they finally reimbursed us for the cost. I've just not had good luck with them.

[Silver00LT]

It's interesting to hear all of the different experiences.

My last UPS fiasco happened just a couple of weeks ago. I ordered a book off of Amazon, and they shipped UPS. I've lived in my current house for 2 years and, up until this delivery, every single package has been left on my front porch.

This last delivery, the driver decided, for reasons I cannot fathom, to literally toss the package over the wrought iron fence into the back yard. Where 3 dogs were staring at him through the fence. As you can well imagine, 3 dogs that are bored during the day and suddenly get a cardboard box tossed over the fence have found themselves a new chew toy.

I simply cannot fathom the logic this driver had. 2 Christmases ago we had a significant amount of my daughter's gifts stolen from the local UPS hub. It took several phone calls, but they finally reimbursed us for the cost. I've just not had good luck with them.

My parents is the only house on the road...the ENTIRE road. FedEx ultimately delivers it to a house that is not even on a street with the same numbers anywhere in it.

Think all major shippers have done some ultimately dumb things.