Customers Starting To Get Holiday Packages After Delivery Delay

Angry UPS customers are finally receiving those gifts that were not delivered in time for Christmas.

Some customers went directly to pick up their packages at UPS service centers like Liz Bach from Los Angeles. She paid $40 for overnight shipping, but her gifts didn't arrive as promised. She said, "They were supposed to overnight it. They didn't make it. So, I am here to pick it up now."

The Today show caught up with the Mayo family of Atlanta as UPS delivered their missing gift. The Christmas gift for their 15-year-old son arrived at 9p.m. on Thursday night.

Mrs. Mayo said, "I felt I would sure I would receive it in time."

Other people who finally got their deliveries say it was too little, too late.

Jeff Cormier of Dallas had an iPhone case made with a photo of his daughter as a gift for grandma, but she left town before it was delivered.

He said, "I don't know what to say more than how frustrating it is."

Diane Dormand of Fort Worth, Texas, ordered a gift online, but wasn't at home on Christmas Eve when it finally arrived.

She said, "It was smashed. It was opened. I didn't know that there were contents opened until later that night."

To catch up with delivery delays caused by weather problems and heavier than expected volume, UPS rented extra U-Haul trucks and called in 2,600 extra workers on the day after Christmas.

A UPS spokesperson says in a statement: "We're making every effort to get all the packages delivered."

Federal Express has also taken it on the chin from customers and responds in a statement: "We will work directly with our customers to address any isolated incidents."

Meanwhile, the U.S. Postal Service says it had carriers working on Christmas Day and didn't experience delivery problems.  

Online retailers like Amazon, Kohl's, and Walmart are offering refunds on shipping charges to get back in the good graces of angry customers.

Diane Dormand summed it up by saying, “I think from now on I will heavily rely on the stores. Not so much online shopping next year.”