I have completed the Netflix race. Quick conclusion: It doesn't matter where I mail it from, they all process at pretty much the same time.
More To Come.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Sunday, December 16, 2007
A Chicago Post Office Test
I happen to have finished all three discs from Netflix this weekend, and I'm going to send them on a race back to Netflix through the USPS.
Disc #1
Title: Smallville Season 3, Disc #2
Zip Code Sent from: 60640
Outgoing Location: Corner mailbox at Carmen and Broadway (Aon Building)
Mailed on: Sunday night (approximately 11pm)
Netflix "arrival" confirmation email date/time: TBD
Netflix "sending a new disc" confirmation email date/time: TBD
Disc #2
Title: Smallville Season 3, Disc #3
Zip Code Sent from: 60625
Outgoing Location: either Pytel's residential mailbox via the mailman or corner mailbox at Spaulding and Lawrence. If that corner mailbox only has one pick-up per day, I will drop at the 60625 post office before 5pm.
Mailed on: Monday late afternoon
Netflix "arrival" confirmation email date/time: TBD
Netflix "sending a new disc" confirmation email date/time: TBD
Disc #3
Title: Friday Night Lights, Season 1, Disc 2
Zip Code Sent from: 60601
Outgoing Location: Eve's work office building's mailbox
Mailed on: Monday morning
Netflix "arrival" confirmation email date/time: TBD
Netflix "sending a new disc" confirmation email date/time: TBD
My Predictions:
Logic says that the discs should arrive #1, #3 then #2. Disc #1 will be on the first mailbox emptying pick-up of the day tomorrow (and is a mailbox fairly close to the actual post office), and then will be sorted and sent to the Netflix facility at 60680-4117, theoretically arriving in the first batch Monday morning. Disc #3 will be in the mail before the first mail pick-up of the day, and has less distance to travel because it will already be downtown. Disc #2 should theoretically not be logged in at Netflix until Tuesday because it won't be picked up
until later in the afternoon by the individual mail carrier or will get into a blue mailbox to be picked up in the 5pm or later pick-up.
My experience tells me that the discs will actually log in #2, #3 then #1. Disc #2, if it goes with the mail carrier, is in a more efficient post office (60625) than Disc #1 (60640) by my experience mailing discs. Also, with the mail carrier, I think that the discs are hand sorted immediately into the bin to go to Netflix, so that it gets there quicker. The morning/first run discs will be buried at Netflix receiving on account of all the end-of-weekend (exacerbated by the snowy weather) disc watching and returning, slowing down their check-in. The late afternoon disc, on the other hand, will hit Netflix in a smaller batch, theoretically helping it to be processed faster.
All of my disc mailing experience has been wholly unscientific, and this isn't much better, except that I am going to document the experience, mostly to figure out which is the best way to send back my discs, since all three options are viable in my regular routine. All discs will be packed into the mailing envelopes with the disc sleeve barcode visible in the little cut-out window in the mailing envelope, in case that helps with processing time. My queue is plenty full of available discs, so everything being returned should be able to trigger a new disc to mail immediately.
I will edit this post with updates as discs make their way through the system.
Yes, these are the sorts of things that I think about now that my job doesn't involve major problem solving. I am enjoying the break, but if anyone needs a problem solver on the side, I am clearly available.
Disc #1
Title: Smallville Season 3, Disc #2
Zip Code Sent from: 60640
Outgoing Location: Corner mailbox at Carmen and Broadway (Aon Building)
Mailed on: Sunday night (approximately 11pm)
Netflix "arrival" confirmation email date/time: TBD
Netflix "sending a new disc" confirmation email date/time: TBD
Disc #2
Title: Smallville Season 3, Disc #3
Zip Code Sent from: 60625
Outgoing Location: either Pytel's residential mailbox via the mailman or corner mailbox at Spaulding and Lawrence. If that corner mailbox only has one pick-up per day, I will drop at the 60625 post office before 5pm.
Mailed on: Monday late afternoon
Netflix "arrival" confirmation email date/time: TBD
Netflix "sending a new disc" confirmation email date/time: TBD
Disc #3
Title: Friday Night Lights, Season 1, Disc 2
Zip Code Sent from: 60601
Outgoing Location: Eve's work office building's mailbox
Mailed on: Monday morning
Netflix "arrival" confirmation email date/time: TBD
Netflix "sending a new disc" confirmation email date/time: TBD
My Predictions:
Logic says that the discs should arrive #1, #3 then #2. Disc #1 will be on the first mailbox emptying pick-up of the day tomorrow (and is a mailbox fairly close to the actual post office), and then will be sorted and sent to the Netflix facility at 60680-4117, theoretically arriving in the first batch Monday morning. Disc #3 will be in the mail before the first mail pick-up of the day, and has less distance to travel because it will already be downtown. Disc #2 should theoretically not be logged in at Netflix until Tuesday because it won't be picked up
until later in the afternoon by the individual mail carrier or will get into a blue mailbox to be picked up in the 5pm or later pick-up.
My experience tells me that the discs will actually log in #2, #3 then #1. Disc #2, if it goes with the mail carrier, is in a more efficient post office (60625) than Disc #1 (60640) by my experience mailing discs. Also, with the mail carrier, I think that the discs are hand sorted immediately into the bin to go to Netflix, so that it gets there quicker. The morning/first run discs will be buried at Netflix receiving on account of all the end-of-weekend (exacerbated by the snowy weather) disc watching and returning, slowing down their check-in. The late afternoon disc, on the other hand, will hit Netflix in a smaller batch, theoretically helping it to be processed faster.
All of my disc mailing experience has been wholly unscientific, and this isn't much better, except that I am going to document the experience, mostly to figure out which is the best way to send back my discs, since all three options are viable in my regular routine. All discs will be packed into the mailing envelopes with the disc sleeve barcode visible in the little cut-out window in the mailing envelope, in case that helps with processing time. My queue is plenty full of available discs, so everything being returned should be able to trigger a new disc to mail immediately.
I will edit this post with updates as discs make their way through the system.
Yes, these are the sorts of things that I think about now that my job doesn't involve major problem solving. I am enjoying the break, but if anyone needs a problem solver on the side, I am clearly available.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Ten Gifts for Knitters
I am a knitter, I like knitting, I think about knitting a lot, and Clara Parkes has written up this year's list of 10 great gifts for knitters. As though I didn't put enough choices on my Christmas List already.
Oh, you know what else is super? I donated to Heifer International, and today I got address labels and holiday gift tags with livestock on them, including sheep. I was very excited, especially because my MSF/DWB ones are almost used up. I recently gave them money too, though, so I should eventually get a re-stock on their address labels.
Oh, you know what else is super? I donated to Heifer International, and today I got address labels and holiday gift tags with livestock on them, including sheep. I was very excited, especially because my MSF/DWB ones are almost used up. I recently gave them money too, though, so I should eventually get a re-stock on their address labels.
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