Did I Mention Mail Problems?

Oh yeah, I'm sure I have. They've been an issue for weeks... uh, months, now. We've tried a multiple of things, and still....

The latest one was absurd. I'd been shopping for Tide laundry detergent. I prefer the powder, always have. Liquids spill and make messes that can't be just brushed up. Pods just invite trouble, even without toddlers around, and I prefer to use less than the official recommended amount because it actually does just as good a job. Consumer Reports showed that years ago along with cold water being just as effective as hot, while better for your clothes. So I stick with what I like. It's one of the ways I earn my geezer-hood.

Unfortunately, the boxes have been harder to find recently. I did get one just after we relocated, and decided to look for another one, not because we needed it yet, but just as an "in case" purchase. The store no longer carried it!

WTF? (For friends and fans of Farscape, that "F" stands for "frell". Because of course it does... there. Great TV series.)

I decided to check their online ordering. Often those have what isn't on the store shelves, but can be either picked up outside later or even delivered to the door. It took a while, but I located some. Since it looked like they were phasing it out for whatever reason, I went ahead and ordered 3 boxes. To be delivered.

They didn't arrive. Now this store has been very reliable, over the last few years of our ordering that way, i.e., since covid. The house has a deeply recessed entryway, and with cars parked in the driveway obscuring the view of whatever may happen to sit in that space, things have always been safe there. No temptation, no porch pirates.

Right now I've been ordering lots of needed supplies for the new house, still to be delivered here since we haven't actually moved into the new-to-us one yet. They have lots more variety online, so I don't have to settle for most popular, everybody-buys-these, items. I had recently managed to find window blinds there to replace broken ones in a bedroom, which come in a kind of weird size, for example, and which arrived today. They'd been delayed a couple extra days, likely for being pretty rare. No biggie. But it got me thinking, I hadn't seen my Tide yet. Time to check my order.

Browsing through my order history, it claimed to have been delivered June 7. Really? Three boxes of powdered Tide, requested per our orders' standing delivery request to go in the deep entryway, got delivered and we hadn't noticed? It was time to call the company's customer service number.

Once I had a human, the order number was asked for and given. Yep, they showed it delivered, June 7. Had I checked with my neighbors? What did the photo showing where it was put say? Photo? What photo? He checked further, and it said... they were put in my mailbox.

Say what? I haven't actually tried it but I doubt one box would go in my mailbox. Since they're kinda heavy, I'm not about to try it either. He suggested maybe they were put on the ground next to it? Not a chance! We hear the mail truck. It has a noisy engine. Rrrrr, pause, rrrrr, pause, rrrrrr, pause, and after a while it's on the street behind us. Yes, it's that noisy. I've had so many problems getting mail delivered up here that I pay attention and head out as soon as my shoes go on. So no, I knew it hadn't gone into my mailbox or under it.

I didn't bother mentioning that a couple weeks ago we had gotten one delivery here for the house a street over with an identical number. I just took it over there and dropped it off myself. If somebody around town had something like that happen but with my box - and their own really huge mailbox! - they hadn't seen fit to do something similar. After all who can't use more laundry detergent? And a package of 3 boxes would have been quite hefty.

For my problem, I was given a code number for a $15 coupon off my next purchase. After being kicked "upstairs" to somebody with more responsibility and less accent, and giving my bona fides again, I was promised to have the cost of the order refunded back onto my credit card. It would take maybe 5 days. 

But these days it sure beats a check in the mail, right? 

And yes, I will order something again from the company and use the coupon. Just not sure for what yet. Right now plans are for emptying the PODS so we can move. We'll have to wait to see what there is both need and room for once that's done next week. Meanwhile I'll keep hunting for powdered Tide in whatever stores I'm in which might carry it.