USPS Ground Advantage Delays
If you’ve ordered welding, brazing, or soldering supplies from Muggy Weld and your order is taking longer than expected, we understand your frustration. Many of our customers are working on time-sensitive repairs, and waiting two or three weeks for materials can disrupt projects, delay jobs, and create additional expenses.
Unfortunately, USPS Ground Advantage shipping delays have become an increasingly serious problem, particularly for packages containing hazardous materials (HAZMAT). Recent changes in USPS handling procedures, combined with extended processing times at certain distribution facilities, are affecting deliveries across the country.
We want to explain what’s happening, why some shipments are taking so long, how shipping prices are determined, and what Muggy Weld can and cannot do once your package leaves our facility.
Why Are USPS Ground Advantage Packages Taking So Long?
USPS Ground Advantage is marketed as an economical shipping service with standard delivery estimates of 2-5 business days for many domestic shipments. However, packages containing hazardous materials face additional transportation restrictions, and actual delivery times can be considerably longer.
At Muggy Weld, we’re currently seeing some shipments take two to three weeks to reach customers. Packages that previously arrived within several days are now experiencing extended delays, sometimes without meaningful tracking updates.
One of the most concerning locations has been the Tacoma, WA, distribution area, where we’ve observed packages remaining there for approximately 10 days before continuing toward their destinations. We’ve also encountered delays at other USPS processing facilities.
In one particularly frustrating case, a package shipped from Olympia, WA, to Portland, OR (a drive of approximately 90 minutes) took three weeks to arrive. These are actual shipping experiences involving Muggy Weld orders, and they illustrate how dramatically USPS times can differ from published estimates.
USPS Hazardous Materials Shipping Rules Have Changed
Muggy Weld products are shipped under hazardous materials requirements, which means our USPS shipments must travel by approved ground or surface transportation methods rather than air.
USPS implemented additional hazardous materials compliance measures on July 12, 2026, concerning how packages are evaluated for proper HAZMAT identification. Packages containing hazardous materials must be accurately declared and labeled. USPS has established a $50 HAZMAT noncompliance fee for applicable commercial shipments with incorrect hazardous materials information, including certain shipping codes, labels, and Department of Transportation markings.
These requirements are intended to reduce the risk of hazardous materials entering transportation networks where they are prohibited.
Muggy Weld complies with applicable hazardous materials shipping requirements. Unfortunately, proper labeling does not prevent packages from experiencing extended processing or transportation delays.
Muggy Weld Ships Orders Promptly, Usually Within 48 Business Hours
Our team works hard to process and ship orders as quickly as possible. Most orders ship within 48 business hours under normal business conditions.
Once a package is accepted by USPS or UPS, it enters that carrier’s transportation network. From that point forward, Muggy Weld cannot control which distribution centers handle the shipment, how long it remains at a facility, when tracking information is updated, or when the carrier delivers it.
We cannot access internal USPS tracking systems, instruct postal employees to move a package, or expedite a shipment that is already traveling through the postal network. When customers contact us asking where their package is, we generally have access to the same tracking information they can see online.
We understand that this can be frustrating, especially when tracking hasn’t been updated for several days. Unfortunately, contacting Muggy Weld repeatedly cannot produce information that USPS has not provided.
Why We Offer Both USPS and UPS
Customers frequently suggest that Muggy Weld should stop using USPS altogether. We understand why customers who have experienced serious delays might feel that way. However, eliminating USPS would remove an important affordable shipping option for many other customers.
Not everyone ordering Muggy Weld products needs them immediately. Some customers are replenishing workshop supplies, purchasing materials for future projects, or simply trying to keep their expenses as low as possible.
With the rising cost of living, we recognize that even a few dollars in shipping costs can matter. That’s why we continue offering customers a choice.
USPS Ground Advantage: Lower Cost, Longer Delivery Times
USPS Ground Advantage is generally our least expensive shipping option. It is appropriate for customers who are not working against a deadline and can accommodate potentially significant delivery delays.
Because of the current problems we’re experiencing, we recommend allowing considerably more time than USPS’s published estimates. Some Muggy Weld customer packages are taking three weeks or more to arrive.
Reminder: Ground Advantage does not guarantee delivery by a specific date.
UPS: Recommended for Time-Sensitive Orders
For customers who need welding or brazing materials to complete an urgent repair, fulfill a work commitment, or meet a project deadline, we strongly recommend selecting an appropriate UPS service at checkout.
UPS is generally more expensive, but our experience has been that it offers more predictable shipping performance for these orders.
Customers should review the delivery estimate and service terms for the specific UPS option selected. Not every UPS service includes a guaranteed delivery date.
We will continue offering both carriers because our customers have different needs and budgets.
Why is Shipping Sometimes Cheaper on Amazon?
Some customers notice that shipping costs can be lower when purchasing Muggy Weld products through Amazon.
Amazon ships enormous volumes of packages and has negotiated shipping arrangements with major carriers, including UPS. Those shipping volumes can provide pricing advantages that small businesses cannot obtain independently.
However, purchasing through Amazon also involves additional marketplace expenses.
Amazon charges Muggy Weld approximately 15-18% in fees associated with product sales and shipping. Consequently, our products are generally priced about 15% higher on Amazon than when purchased directly through the Muggy Weld site.
While customers may sometimes see lower shipping charges through Amazon, the product price is higher to account for those platform costs. We encourage customers to compare the total purchase price, including shipping, when deciding where to order.
We’ve Worked Hard to Keep Muggy Weld Products Affordable Since 1987
Muggy Weld has been in business since the 1980s (originally under the brand name Cecil N Muggy Co), and keeping our products affordable has always been important to us.
In 1987, a full kit of Super Alloy 1 or Super Alloy 5 sold for $89. Today that kit sells for $109. That’s an increase of just $20, or 22.5%, over nearly 40 years.
During that time, the costs of raw materials, manufacturing, labor, transportation, and operating a business have increased substantially. In the past year alone, some of our manufacturing costs have risen by as much as 25%. Rather than passing those increases directly to customers, we’ve absorbed them.
SSF-6 and SSQ-6 have required price adjustments because the cost of manufacturing those items increased beyond what we were charging. We will continue evaluating those prices as material and production costs change.
For many of our other products, however, we’ve deliberately avoided price increases, despite rising expenses. This is one reason we cannot simply absorb higher carrier charges or hire additional employees to handle an increasing volume of USPS complaints without affecting our product prices.
We believe customers are better served when we focus our resources on manufacturing quality products, shipping orders promptly, and maintaining reasonable prices.
What Should You Do If Your USPS Package Is Delayed?
If your Muggy Weld order has shipped and USPS tracking shows that it is delayed or sitting at a distribution facility, please follow these steps:
- Check your tracking number: Visit USPS Tracking for the latest available shipment information.
- Allow additional transit time: Our shipments are currently taking longer than published delivery estimates, sometimes two to three weeks.
- Contact USPS directly: USPS customer service can be reached at 1-800-275-8777. Provide your tracking number and request information about your shipment.
- Request a shipping inquiry when appropriate: If your package has been in transit for 14 days, Muggy Weld will submit one USPS inquiry on your behalf. After that inquiry has been submitted, please continue monitoring your tracking information and communicating directly with USPS.
We understand that reaching a human representative at USPS has become increasingly difficult. Automated telephone systems and online support tools can make getting answers frustrating. Unfortunately, Muggy Weld encounters many of the same limitations when contacting USPS. We do not have a special telephone line that allows us to bypass their customer service systems or obtain information unavailable to customers.
USPS and UPS Customer Service Contact Information
USPS Customer Service
- Phone: 1-800-275-8777
- Website: https://www.usps.com/help/contact-us.htm
- Tracking: https://tools.usps.com/tracking
UPS Customer Service
- Phone: 1-800-742-5877
- Website: https://www.ups.com/us/en/support/contact-us
- Tracking: https://www.ups.com/us/en/home
For questions about a package’s location, distribution center processing, or expected delivery date, the carrier transporting your package is the appropriate point of contact.
Our Policy on Shipping Delays and Refund Requests
When customers choose USPS Ground Advantage, they are choosing an economical shipping service with an estimated, rather than guaranteed, delivery date.
Muggy Weld cannot issue refunds simply because USPS is taking longer than expected to deliver a package that has already been shipped and remains in transit. A shipping delay does not mean that an order was processed incorrectly or that Muggy Weld failed to fulfill its shipping responsibilities.
If a package is confirmed lost, damaged, or otherwise subject to a separate delivery problem, we will review the circumstances under our applicable policies and legal obligations.
We ask customers to consider the delivery service they select at checkout, particularly when purchasing materials for time-sensitive work. If your project cannot wait two or three weeks, please select an appropriate UPS shipping service.
A Respectful Request to Our Customers
Muggy Weld is a small business. We have a dedicated team that works hard to process orders, answer product questions, and help customers find the right materials for their repair. We genuinely appreciate our customers, many of whom have supported our business for decades.
However, the increasing number of USPS shipping delays has also brought a substantial increase in complaints directed at our staff.
We understand that customers are frustrated when packages don’t arrive as expected. We share that frustration, especially when we know an order was shipped promptly and is still sitting at a postal distribution center.
Our employees are happy to assist with order-related questions, but they cannot resolve problems within USPS’s transportation network. We are not staffed to provide ongoing monitoring of individual USPS shipments, repeatedly contact postal facilities, or serve as a substitute customer service department for the US Postal Service.
We ask that customers communicate with our employees respectfully. Profanity directed at staff, personal insults, threats, and abusive communications are unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
Our team deserves to be treated with courtesy and respect, even when circumstances beyond our control are upsetting. We will continue providing the best customer service we can for matters within our responsibility. Complaints about postal delays, tracking updates, and distribution center operations should be directed to USPS.
Our Commitment to Affordable Products and Reliable Order Processing
For nearly four decades, Muggy Weld has worked to provide customers with specialized welding, brazing, and soldering products at reasonable prices. We intend to continue doing exactly that.
We will continue processing orders promptly, complying with hazardous materials shipping requirements, and offering both USPS and UPS so customers can choose the service that works best for them.
Whenever reasonably possible, we will also continue absorbing manufacturing cost increases rather than automatically passing every additional expense along to our customers.
Recognizing that many people are working within tighter budgets, we want our products to remain accessible. At the same time, we cannot control the operations of USPS or UPS, determine their shipping rates, or guarantee delivery dates established by outside carriers.
If keeping shipping costs low is your priority and you can wait for delivery, USPS Ground Advantage remains available. If receiving our materials promptly is essential, we strongly recommend choosing UPS.
We appreciate your business, your patience, and your understanding as we navigate these ongoing shipping challenges together.
The Muggy Weld Team