[Myrddin]

Amazon ships via a mix of vendors. UPS, Airborne (DHL+USPS) and USPS direct. Barnes & Noble generally sticks with UPS. DHL freight is often handed off to independent contractors in my area. Many of those people are unemployed and perform these deliveries as a means of wringing some cash out of their investment in a car or truck. The airlines employ some of these people to deliver late arriving luggage as well.

I've purchased Russian kettlebells form a supplier down in Texas. He uses UPS exclusively because they will reimburse his losses if they screw up the delivery or lose the package. Not so with FedEx. He stopped using FedEx because they kept losing the packages and not covering the losses. The "independent contractors" didn't have any liability or accountability.

[proudofthesouth]

The primary complaint that I’ve read about Amazon has been the lack of and rudeness of their CSR’s.

[ridesthemiles]

I’ve purchased Russian kettlebells form a supplier down in Texas. He uses UPS exclusively because they will reimburse his losses if they screw up the delivery or lose the package. Not so with FedEx. He stopped using FedEx because they kept losing the packages and not covering the losses. The “independent contractors” didn’t have any liability or accountability.”

I know a lday who ships live horse semen all over the country.
Fed Ex lost her container and contents 3 times in 3 days.
When customer’s mare came into heat again, she threatened to fly with it on her lap. UPS got it there in less then 7 hours. Don’t know how.