Silk Road forums

Discussion => Newbie discussion => Topic started by: britkid55 on June 05, 2013, 12:58 am

Title: first class vs. priority mail...
Post by: britkid55 on June 05, 2013, 12:58 am
I just wondered when placing orders in the US how long have you all typically waited for first class mail to arrive compared with priority. This is my 3rd order my first 2 were priority and arrived in 2 business days! Just wondered if my first class mail will arrive by friday. I placed the order tonight and if its shipped out tomorrow when can i expect it? Obviously no matter what anyone says itll arrive when it arrives but I just wanna get a few ideas from you guys! cheers
Title: Re: first class vs. priority mail...
Post by: semi_feral_human on June 05, 2013, 01:28 am
I'm basing this on years of online shopping, sending/receiving birthday/christmas cards, paying bills, and not silk road purchases... but i don't see why it would change it much.

Priority mail - Almost always takes about 48 hours to arrive. (mailed monday morning, receieved wednsday with the mail.) two exceptions. i once lived in a rural area faaaaaar from the sorting center in which it would take about 72 hours arrive. the other exception was dealing with a retailer several hours away who had the same sorting center, in this case it was next day. in extremely rare cases they can send your package to the wrong destination sorting center, and it can take 4 days to infinity to arrive.

First class - Usually delivered within 24 - 72 hours. Rule of thumb: within the state, next day; couple of thee states away, 2 days; across the entire country, 3 days.

Obviously on silk road you don't know where it's coming from like with other things.
Title: Re: first class vs. priority mail...
Post by: jekyll on June 05, 2013, 03:31 am
The NY Daily News did a little experiment on differences between First Class and Priority Mail in terms of shipping times.  They found that 80% of the time, First Class mail arrived at the same time as Priority Mail. If you want to see the report, it's on CLEARNET here: https://www.nydailynews.com/news/money/first-class-ripoff-news-experiment-finds-pricier-priority-mail-isn-faster-42-cent-stamp-article-1.408191
Title: Re: first class vs. priority mail...
Post by: britkid55 on June 05, 2013, 05:23 am
appreciate the quick responses I feel a whole lot more comfortable!!
Title: Re: first class vs. priority mail...
Post by: semi_feral_human on June 05, 2013, 06:56 am
The NY Daily News did a little experiment on differences between First Class and Priority Mail in terms of shipping times.  They found that 80% of the time, First Class mail arrived at the same time as Priority Mail. If you want to see the report, it's on CLEARNET here: https://www.nydailynews.com/news/money/first-class-ripoff-news-experiment-finds-pricier-priority-mail-isn-faster-42-cent-stamp-article-1.408191

I've seen that article or one similar too it. Hasn't totally been my experience. Except when I lived way out in no mans land it was unusual for priority to take more than 48 hours (excluding sundays and holidays of course). With first class 3 days wasn't abnormal.

It probably depends on a lot of things. But anybody sending something priority within the same city is a sucker.
Title: Re: first class vs. priority mail...
Post by: jekyll on June 05, 2013, 08:44 pm
It probably depends on a lot of things. But anybody sending something priority within the same city is a sucker.

Agreed.  Ever since I paid $30 for an Express shipment that ended up being shipped from my city, I always pay attention to where my vendors are located.  In the same city, First Class is usually overnight.
Title: Re: first class vs. priority mail...
Post by: FreedomOutlaw on June 05, 2013, 09:05 pm
I deal with two vendors that ship to me from the opposite coast. On uses Priority, the other First Class.



If I order something on a Monday, and gets sent out with Tuesday's mail:

Generally,  Priority is 2 days (Thursday's mail) and First Class is 3 (Friday's mail). I've never done Express mail. I imagine that would be next day. One time, 1st class took 4 days, but that was around the holidays.

It would be nice to know, at least, the zone the vendor is shipping from, especially if there is an Express or Priority option. Shipping in the  same zone is usually next day with 1st class. I generally don't like to ask with the first order from a new vendor. I don't want to  make anyone uncomfortable.
Title: Re: first class vs. priority mail...
Post by: duty free on June 05, 2013, 09:38 pm
First class usually (but not always) takes about the same amount of time that priority does, both classes of mail do both travel on the same trucks, after all. But every once in a blue moon, for whatever reason, a first class package can take significantly longer. Not long ago I waited for almost two weeks for first class.
Title: Re: first class vs. priority mail...
Post by: britkid55 on June 06, 2013, 06:54 pm
seems the consensus here is that its about the same or a day more...good to know especially when its a lot less in shipping costs to go first class. Too bad my vendor hasn't been seen since i placed my order and its still in processing   :'(  so i guess my tuesday order that i hoped to be shipped out wednesday hasn't even been looked at!! I was hoping for a friday delivery but I'm over it now guessing it'll be monday at the earliest now  :'(
thanks again for the replies its still an interesting topic to discuss!
Title: Re: first class vs. priority mail...
Post by: semanticmonkey on June 06, 2013, 09:37 pm
2 days??? i hate you, my orders usually traveling 2-6 weeks
Title: Re: first class vs. priority mail...
Post by: Bennett4545 on June 06, 2013, 09:46 pm
I love priority mail.  Besides, I think it might look fishy to the USPS when someone tracks a first-class stamped package. 
Title: Re: first class vs. priority mail...
Post by: slirp on June 06, 2013, 09:54 pm
I've had priority mail packages take a week in 2013.  USPS used to do priority mail in 2 days most of the time but those days are past.  I now find that first class is generally more reliable to arrive within 3 days.

Still, I like vendors to ship priority mail flat rate so that there aren't any misunderstandings with USPS about sufficient postage.
Title: Re: first class vs. priority mail...
Post by: 88fxstc on June 06, 2013, 10:22 pm
Ya it sucks when you order for the first time , priority or express , just to find out the vendor was relatively close to you. One vendor I've dealt with I could have driven to him in probably less than an hour.I ordered xpress and he was cool enough to send 1st class and transferred the difference back to my SR wallet.
He's a good vendor, they wouldn't all do that.