What I learned from experience

I thought these 3 instances may help someone. I live in Southern California and we get some very hot days, several days ago it was 111˚ at my house. Last year I placed a large order of various soaps and creams. The cream were mostly Tabula Rasa. The packages are generally taken to the post office in the late afternoon. And because I always follow the tracking number I know that they are trucked to a couple of destinations in the evening. They end up a distribution center around 2:00 AM. Around 6:00 AM it is delivered to the destination post office which delivers to my house. About 8:00 AM it is put on a truck but I generally don’t receive my mail until around 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM. So it is on the truck for several hours. When I opened the box all of the Tabula Rasa creams were turned into liquid. Luckily, I put them in the refrigerator for about 45 minutes and they firmed up. Little did I know that if it is about 95˚ out the back of the truck becomes about 120˚ to 130˚ which liquifies many substances including shaving balm. There are two things you can do to avoid this. Either get a P.O. box even a small one so it stays in an air conditioned building. Or do what I have done; take a copy of the tracking number sheet, bring it to the P.O. and ask them to hold it until you pick it up.

Some time ago I read on one of the blogs that an individual purchased a used brush from someone. Both lived in a very cold state either Michigan or Minnesota and it was winter. When he used the brush he noticed that it was shedding a substantial amount of hairs. Upon inspection, he noticed a crack about a 1/2 long where the knot fit into the handle. According to him the person who sold him the brush evidently washed the brush prior to shipping it but did not throughly dry it. There must have been a substantial amount of water in the base of the knot and it froze which caused the crack.

Last year a brush I had ordered from Europe was sent by FedEx. It was an economy shipment so, the brush took approximately 6 day to reach me which was not a problem or issue. Economy shipments are not delivered until the afternoon and they can take up to 8:00 PM. I can’t understand why but the brush was delivered to the wrong address. I never received it until 8:00 PM. This could have been a disaster for me if I never received the brush and FedEx had a delivery signature. FedEx is normally pretty good but this driver had delivered packages to my house that were not mine and had to come back and get them. This happened several weeks after my brush was delivered to the wrong address. Needless to say, I don’t trust this guy any more when it come to my brushes. I have had 4 more brush deliveries over the next 6 months. So, I found out where FedEx’s main distribution center is located which is only about 4 1/2 miles from my house. Once the brush is shipped I print out the tracking number sheet and bring it to the distribution center and give it to a manger with the instructions to keep it there and I will pick it up. Now I am assured that I and only I will receive my brush.

 There are two things you can do to avoid this.  Either get a P.O. box even a small one so it stays in an air conditioned building.  Or do what I have done; take a copy of the tracking number sheet, bring it to the P.O. and ask them to hold it until you pick it up.

You could also move 111 is WAY to hot for me

Thanks for the tips!

Those are excellent tips, Tidepool, so thank you for sharing them.

Good post, Tidepool. I know at least one vendor who will not ship certain products in the summer months, and it is for reasons similar to what you outlined.

Last summer, I had some croap waiting for me in liquid form by my door. The refrigerator returned things mostly to their original state. Today was once again a very hot day, and a soap that arrived had some discoloration on both the top and the bottom of it (the clear plastic jar made it easy to see). Half an hour in the fridge, and the color was back completely consistent throughout, thankfully.

I’ve had a stainless steel handle misplaced by the postal service, so it’s good to know that there may be measures that can be taken to avoid something like that happening again.

As an example I ordered four soaps and creams from Pasteur Pharmacy in New York. I knew that It was going to be hot so I had the Post Office hold my mail. I received notification that my package is at the Post Office now. I will pick it up tomorrow.

Great tips Tidepool. Thanks for sharing.

Good post, Tidepool. I know at least one vendor who will not ship certain products in the summer months, and it is for reasons similar to what you outlined.

Last summer, I had some croap waiting for me in liquid form by my door. The refrigerator returned things mostly to their original state. Today was once again a very hot day, and a soap that arrived had some discoloration on both the top and the bottom of it (the clear plastic jar made it easy to see). Half an hour in the fridge, and the color was back completely consistent throughout, thankfully.

I’ve had a stainless steel handle misplaced by the postal service, so it’s good to know that there may be measures that can be taken to avoid something like that happening again.

Regarding you lost handle. I always have someone else mail delivered to my house and I have to assume that my mail goes to other addresses. It generally happens when a new mail carrier fills in for the regular one. When you order something always request a tracking number print it out go to the post office and request that package be held and you will pick it up.

Regarding you lost handle.  I always have someone else mail delivered to my house and I have to assume that my mail goes to other addresses.  It generally happens when a new mail carrier fills in for the regular one.  When you order something always request a tracking number print it out go to the post office and request that package be held and you will pick it up.

Thanks, good advice! When I last ordered something a bit more valuable, I first contacted the vendor to ask if I could have the shipment insured, which they did at no extra cost. That considerably lessened my anxiety about another possible USPS mishap.

please keep the 111 degree heat out west.

as an aside, I did not know that you could order from pasteur's pharmacy. I was in NYC on Sunday, but sadly they were closed.