For the stuff you don't want the post office to touch / screw up / fail to deliver / whatever -- pay the $4 / item prime rate for one day delivery. No post office involved then.
My only complaint with amazon using usps for the last-mile delivery (fedex smart-post, whatever ups's equivalent is) is that being just outside a good-sized city, fedex/ups will get it to their facility in a day or two, and then the post office will take another full week to move the package 5 miles.
I love the $4 overnight. When I'm deciding whether to do 2-day or overnight, I always do a little thought experiment: If I'm sitting around tomorrow and wishing my new thing was here, would I open my wallet and shell out four bucks for it to show up today? You bet your ass I would! I'm an impatient bastard like that.
My only complaint with amazon using usps for the last-mile delivery (fedex smart-post, whatever ups's equivalent is) is that being just outside a good-sized city, fedex/ups will get it to their facility in a day or two, and then the post office will take another full week to move the package 5 miles.