Rant

I'm not sure if you've heard or not, but Amazon.ca has changed their delivery service to UPS.

I'm sure this is great if you're a stay-at-home hermit, who doesn't sleep, shower, or generally leave the house, but if you're a regular person who, oh I don't know, goes to work, it means you'll never get your package.

Here's how ordering from Amazon used to work:
1. Place your order
2. Wait a few days
3. Receive a notice that Canada Post could not deliver your package
4. Pick up your package the next day from your closest post office

Here's how it works now:
1. Place your order
2. Wait a few days
3. Get a message on your phone at 3:00pm saying UPS tried (and failed) to deliver your package because you were at work. Wait a day.
4. Get a message on your phone at 4:00pm saying that UPS tried again (and failed again) to deliver your package because you were at work.
5. Seriously contemplate staying home from work so you get your damned package. Decide a paycheck is worth more in the long run than books.
6. Get a message on your phone at 4:00pm saying that UPS tried again (and failed again) to deliver your package because you were at work. This is their final attempt.
7. Phone UPS to find out where the hell your package is. Get put on hold for 30 minutes. You can't even enjoy the bad music because you're interrupted every 10 seconds with "Your call is important to us" although clearly it isn't or else someone would have answered you by now.
8. Have a 30 second conversation with a human on where the depot is. You have 5 days to pick up your package.
9. Wait for a day off (that's a weekday if you're lucky) to drive the 40 minutes across town to the depot to pick up your package.
10. Wait in line for 30 minutes.
11. Finally give your tracking number to a person, who vanishes into the back.
12. Wait another 15 minutes for the person to reemerge with your package.
13. Drive the 40 minute back home with your package.

Hooray! Amazon has made it so much easier for you to get your mail! Thanks, Amazon!

I'm switching to Chapters/Indigo. At least I'll only have to drive 5 minutes to the Shopper's Drug Mart to get my package with them!


(Incidentally, you can have UPS drop off your package at your nearest UPS store ... for a monthly fee. Seriously)