Stopped mail delivery

I've yet to receive one piece of mail delivered by the post office in both Saigon and Vung Tau in the last 3 years, no matter the origination. Documents and packages sent via couriers (UPS, FedEx, DHL) have always arrived, but not anything that has to go through the post office.

It's often a matter with their 3rd party suppliers. Some items will never arrive and (at least some) value items, will eventually be returned, they way, they got it.
The one only reliable service is the not sure about the name, something vnpt logistics (yellow and black colors). They are slow, takes a few days longer, but will arrive.
Also about ok is Viettel Post.
If it ever goes somehow with ... Nath Tinh Logistics (not sure the spelling), then you better write it off

None of us in my family have ever received a piece of mail in a year and a half, unless you want to count flyers jammed in the gate trying to sell property LOL.

Managed to send one item of mail with royal mail in the UK.. just one. Small parcels sent the same way seem to be ok.

I wonder if in apartment blocks with security if they get turned away?

I have had mixed results sending & receiving mail here via  Vietnampost. I have sent standard mail to the Isle of man & mainland UK & would have put money on it they would not get it.....but they actually did & within 2 weeks. I have also received mail via Royal Mail/Vietnampost & got it too. Critical thing when someone sends you mail is to give a contact telephone number as part of address & get the sender to write as best they can in Vietnmese.

On the other hand!!!! I have had friends send me dummy/test mail from France, UK, Singapore, Thailand & Dubai & never ever got them.


Bit of a funny story......... One day I even went to the trouble of waking not even 300 mtrs to the nearest Vietnampost office & sent myself a dummy letter, all done with address in Vietnamese & the then land ladies telephone number on it............never saw it again BUT as the years have gone on & I have learned how things work here (well sort of), you must check also at the security gate cos if the postman cant reach you on the phone they will often leave the mail with the security & chances are security will not tell you, wont put it in your box & it will just sit there!!! I had this just a week ago with a  small pre paid parcel  from Shopee. Went online to see where it was & it was noted as delivered & signed for 2 days previous??? Thought about it, called GF & she had not had a call, then twigged, bet security has it, down I goes & hey presto there it was in a pile in the security office with about 10 others!!!

Would suggest carrier pigeoj would be safer and more reliable but then locals might catch wnd eat it

My wife and her daughter have something show up from a clothing store or beauty store a couple times a weel.  It always seems to arrive.  Some Vietnam Post, some Grab.  I don't recall her commenting on not getting something that was shipped or delivered.  We do have a house and not an apartment block so our own address and gate.  They always call when they arrive.

I do find it odd that most are pay upon receipt for the goods and not in advance like back in the US.

But now we are off the track of mail although a lot comes Vietnam Post.

From a business standpoint I enjoy the fact that I can ship parts or samples in the city same hour delivery for a couple of dollars.  Saves me a lot of running around.

SteinNebraska wrote:

My wife and her daughter have something show up from a clothing store or beauty store a couple times a weel.  It always seems to arrive.  Some Vietnam Post, some Grab.  I don't recall her commenting on not getting something that was shipped or delivered.  We do have a house and not an apartment block so our own address and gate.  They always call when they arrive.

I do find it odd that most are pay upon receipt for the goods and not in advance like back in the US.

But now we are off the track of mail although a lot comes Vietnam Post.

From a business standpoint I enjoy the fact that I can ship parts or samples in the city same hour delivery for a couple of dollars.  Saves me a lot of running around.

I live in a small apartment building with a secured gate but without a security person sitting by it.  Delivery people always call my phone number when they are at the gate. 

As long as the packages are sent via couriers (international or local), they'll arrive and best of all, they arrive either the next day -- or in two days if they're sent from the other end of the country.  I've received hundreds of packages (I'm an online shopper) via couriers, but not one piece of mail.

I love the Vietnamese method of sending everything COD.  No credit card info, and I'm always allowed to open the package to check the content before accepting or refusing.  Shipping charge is either free or less than 35K, can't beat that.

Almost all shops deliver free within the same city, and some in Saigon even guarantee free delivery within 90 minutes during business hours.  Here in VT, I simply pick up the phone and in the span of one hour or less, have my fridge and pantry filled with necessary items at wholesale price (lower than supermarket price) and no delivery charge. 

I haven't been to a supermarket for probably a year or more.  There are many mom-and-pop shops that sell the same merchandises as the supermarkets for lower price (lower overhead) and they all deliver.

Ciambella wrote:

SteinNebraska wrote:

My wife and her daughter have something show up from a clothing store or beauty store a couple times a weel.  It always seems to arrive.  Some Vietnam Post, some Grab.  I don't recall her commenting on not getting something that was shipped or delivered.  We do have a house and not an apartment block so our own address and gate.  They always call when they arrive.

I do find it odd that most are pay upon receipt for the goods and not in advance like back in the US.

But now we are off the track of mail although a lot comes Vietnam Post.

From a business standpoint I enjoy the fact that I can ship parts or samples in the city same hour delivery for a couple of dollars.  Saves me a lot of running around.

I live in a small apartment building with a secured gate but without a security person sitting by it.  Delivery people always call my phone number when they are at the gate. 

As long as the packages are sent via couriers (international or local), they'll arrive and best of all, they arrive either the next day -- or in two days if they're sent from the other end of the country.  I've received hundreds of packages (I'm an online shopper) via couriers, but not one piece of mail.

I love the Vietnamese method of sending everything COD.  No credit card info, and I'm always allowed to open the package to check the content before accepting or refusing.  Shipping charge is either free or less than 35K, can't beat that.

Almost all shops deliver free within the same city, and some in Saigon even guarantee free delivery within 90 minutes during business hours.  Here in VT, I simply pick up the phone and in the span of one hour or less, have my fridge and pantry filled with necessary items at wholesale price (lower than supermarket price) and no delivery charge. 

I haven't been to a supermarket for probably a year or more.  There are many mom-and-pop shops that sell the same merchandises as the supermarkets for lower price (lower overhead) and they all deliver.

I am the opposite, I love going to the supermarket especially Big C, fighting my way to the checkouts trying to stop Vietnamese jumping the queue, screaming unruly kids everywhere, then holding my ground at the parking lot check out again as the Vietnamese try everything to jump the queue to get out, what an adventure!   I like the street market too especially on a Sunday morning with all the young & not so young ladies out still with their pajamas on from the night before!   & I like the ma & pa shops too, just for the banter.

Highlight of my month (sad really) is 20th & 30th every month double bonus points at Aeon Citymart & for December leading up to Christmas & I quote from the check out girl......."double 5" bonus points which I presume means bonus points x 5.

One thing I notice though is that Ms My seems totally uncomfortable, out of her comfort zone & sort of lost in a supermarket!

goodolboy wrote:

I am the opposite, I love going to the supermarket especially Big C, fighting my way to the checkouts trying to stop Vietnamese jumping the queue, screaming unruly kids everywhere, then holding my ground at the parking lot check out again as the Vietnamese try everything to jump the queue to get out, what an adventure!

My wife and daughter think it's really strange but I go to Mega Market probably three times a week.  It's rare that I buy more then half a dozen items.  My wife does the real shopping.  Mostly it's Mountain Dew, other drinks, whiskey, bread, cheese.  They think I'm crazy to go there for only that. 

Heck, I went yesterday and forgot some things so went again today.   For me it's something to do and I enjoy the scenery.  I can get there in 3-5 minutes.

Slight thread drift:

They don't like going any distance to buy something and definitely not to go out to eat.  I explained that I grew up driving 30km to the nearest market and often drove to the next city just for dinner and it is 100km away.  It's just what we do in the area where I grew up.

I started driving a car to school when I was 14 years old.  If you were rural they assumed you knew how to drive already so they gave us a school permit.  We didn't even have to take a written or driving test.

That came later when we were 16 and got a normal driver's license.  On a school permet we could only drive to school and back or to school functions and only have family in the car with us but it was 35km one way to school.  Imagine sending your child off in a car at that age here.

I figured it out one day and I've driven well over 2,000,000 km in my lifetime so far.  Still haven't had an accident other than hitting deer but you can't prevent those.  They just run out in front of you.