I used to be a big proponent of keeping the US Postal Service in business, but over the past year, my mind has changed completely.
Most recently, I sent a package to some friends in England. Over a month had gone by and they still hadn't received the shipment. One day, a box showed up at our door. It was the box that we had sent out about 5 weeks prior, except it had no contents. The box looked as though it had been ripped open and the books that I had sent to their children were missing.
The Post Office on Russell Road could not help me at all. They told me they didn't know what happened, and despite the message on the package saying it had made it to Los Angeles, they told me it never actually left Las Vegas (according to their report they printed over the computer). The manager asked me to fill out a form (I would not be reimbursed for the box they made me buy to ship the books because they told me I could reuse it - despite the box being torn open). They also told me I would not be reimbursed for the contents which was valued at $22. I filled out the form the manager asked me to fill out and when I asked her what my case number was (one of the questions on the form) she told me she didn't know and that I'd have to do it online. I said, "then why did you give me a form to fill out here?" She just reolied again that I'd have to do it online and I may or may no hear back. That was it. There was nothing further they could do.
Unfortunately this is not the only time I have had a package go missing when shipping through the USPS. I have finally learned my lesson and will not be supporting them anymore. FedEx and UPS may cost more, but at least my package won't be stolen and the customer service is much better. It's such a shame.