The Wonderful USPS....

And once again the USPS shines: A parcel coming to me in Seattle from Ohio has now gone via San Juan, Puerto Rico (!) At least there isn't a hurricane right now...

And once again the USPS shines: A parcel coming to me in Seattle from Ohio has now gone via San Juan, Puerto Rico (!)  At least there isn't a hurricane right now...

So sorry John.  Good luck.

And once again the USPS shines: A parcel coming to me in Seattle from Ohio has now gone via San Juan, Puerto Rico (!)  At least there isn't a hurricane right now...

how is this even possible?

Damn... It is sad when a parcel get to take a vacation before I do. Haven't had one in quite some time.....

And once again the USPS shines: A parcel coming to me in Seattle from Ohio has now gone via San Juan, Puerto Rico (!)  At least there isn't a hurricane right now...

Maybe the San Juan Islands just north of Seattle? 

Oh man. This is why I try to use UPS whenever I can.

I finally received the package yesterday. It was a new and sealed aftershave, and this isn't the time of summer heat, so I doubt that it was damaged at all by the detour. A USPS representative apologized but gave no explanation.

OK, once again a USPS employee somewhere has shown his true colors.  A cardboard box containing a new Panama hat for me, very clearly marked with stickers saying, "Fragile - Handle with Care" and "Please Do Not Crush," arrived torn and crushed.  The hat also was crushed, but I am hoping, with fingers crossed, that letting it sit with a balled up towel sitting inside for a few days will restore most of its shape.  The fact that virtually every other package I have received, NOT marked fragile, has arrived in good shape, while the ONE that is so marked is terribly abused, suggests to me that some postal worker has intentionally taken out the frustrations of his (or her) boring life on my package.

OK, once again a USPS employee somewhere has shown his true colors.  A cardboard box containing a new Panama hat for me, very clearly marked with stickers saying, "Fragile - Handle with Care" and "Please Do Not Crush," arrived torn and crushed.  The hat also was crushed, but I am hoping, with fingers crossed, that letting it sit with a balled up towel sitting inside for a few days will restore most of its shape.  The fact that virtually every other package I have received, NOT marked fragile, has arrived in good shape, while the ONE that is so marked is terribly abused, suggests to me that some postal worker has intentionally taken out the frustrations of his (or her) boring life on my package.

I suppose you can be thankful this moron works at USPS and not preparing the food at your favourite restaurant.

Per the USPS website:  Special Handling-Fragile service 
- Mail is given preferential handling to the extent practical

Per the UPS website shipping specific directions for hats
- Choose the correct size shipping container for your merchandise or use sufficient internal packaging material to keep items from moving around within your package. Use materials that will not collapse under the weight of heavy items. Tightly wadded kraft paper, for example, can be used to fill empty void space in the shipping container.
- Recommended Container:
200 Burst Strength Box
Use a new, single-wall, corrugated shipping container with a 200-lbs-per-square-inch burst strength, or non-U.S. equivalent.


With all the automation and equipment at shipping facilities, packages are always moving.  

I cannot see the packing used for your hat.  The problem could be Walmart, USPS or some combination of both.

I hope your hat will be like new.