Due to health, I do most shopping online, and have purchases shipped. Priority mail is the most reasonable, and one would think, fairly reliable. I've used it for a long time, and it is the most-used delivery service by Ebay sellers. Things normally arrive when anticipated, in reasonable condition.

I splurged twice on live orchids from two different sellers, recently, people who have shipped me nice plants quite awhile ago. Both shipped USPS Priority mail, delivery confirmation (where the carrier is supposed to electronically scan the bar code when he delivers the item to you at the door of your house). All clothing, pet supplies, toiletries, makeup items , whatever, have arrived safely - we moved the end of February - to the new address. But...the two live orchid plants, labeled as live plants, perishable, did not arrive at all. Both were keyed in on the supposed delivery date, not electronically scanned. The USPS has supposedly investigated, and because somebody in their system keyed them in as delivered, the sellers refuse to make it right with me. The sellers maintain, rightfully so, that they honored their obligation, and shipped the plants, which the USPS documents as delivered. It's hard to believe that in a good neighborhood, under a covered front door alcove, that only the live plants parcels are being stolen. Also, due to illness and such, I don't leave home all that much, and certainly not for very long periods of time. I'm here to say that the Postal carrier never rang the bell nor knocked on the supposed delivery dates, as I was home, according to my calendar. I do not take the car out, to conserve fuel, unless I have several errands or appointments to be done during the same outing. Emphatically, no delivery attempts were made on those delivery dates.

So, it appears the regional or local post office or sorting facility may have some theft going on, and somebody has a particular love of orchids (both sellers have the word 'Orchids' as part of the name of their business, right on their sender address labels). Or else somebody is diverting plants and re-selling, maybe on Ebay or at the local Swap Shop. At any rate, I'm just out all the money, plus the shipping cost, and the seller has his growing, mailing, costs, plus a small profit, covered, to show for his end of the transaction.

What do I get from the USPS? The packages were not insured (a red flag for someone inside the organization to steal, and it's very common, if one reads the USPS' own complaints). Therefore, I have no recourse, and am just out the money. Sad, isn't it. So, guys, if anybody is living in the Broward County area, you may want to think twice about purchasing plants online, through sellers not insuring them, and sending them out via USPS Priority Mail. Oh, and I can't seem to get the regional manager to call me back; he doesn't even use voicemail, so calling him is a joke. You've been warned.

Randy