"It shipped" ruse

Discussion in 'Marketplace Discussions' started by fishcane, Feb 22, 2017.

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  1. fishcane

    fishcane Dirt Farmer Thread Starter

    Location:
    Finger Lakes,NY
    Im tired of the shipping updates that happen when a label is created but the actually "it shipped!" doesn't occur for several more days... i wish I could get an update only when the PO actually takes possession of the item that way I know how long someone is sitting on my item. Not that I haven't been guilty of not getting to the PO quickly but I feel its misleading to get a shipping notice when it in fact has yet to happen
     
    AaronW, Snoflo1998 and Galley like this.
  2. Myke

    Myke Trying Not To Spook The Horse

    I used to feel that way myself, then I just put the USPS page link on my toolbar, along with others, checking it mainly first thing in the morning, to see what's coming that day.
    Since I retired 3 years ago, I don't let things like this bother me the way I used to, just not worth it.
    Besides, sometimes the USPS or UPS, etc. tracking is prone to misleading mistakes itself.

    Technically, since most start the process at home, it is in the process of shipping.
    .
     
  3. Combination

    Combination Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Orleans

    If you really feel that this is a ruse, it's a ruse on the part of USPS, not the sender. You already know that the sender has no control over that e-mail landing in your inbox.

    When a few days have passed, and you get the same result when tracking, then it's time to send a polite e-mail and say that you know the shipping label has been created, but did it actually go out...

    Life's too short, man. Most people do send out in a few days' time.
     
    Myke and fishcane like this.
  4. fishcane

    fishcane Dirt Farmer Thread Starter

    Location:
    Finger Lakes,NY
    Well, Im not losing any sleep or hair over it, its just annoying and inaccurate, it should say "label created" not "it shipped." I liked the e-bayer who, aware of this, sent me this: "you may see a shipping notice as I printed a label but won't be able to get to the PO until Thurs"
     
    Myke likes this.
  5. hvbias

    hvbias Midrange magic

    Location:
    Northeast
    My post office used to be very quick about scanning parcels after prepaid ones were dropped off. Recently it is taking as much as 4 days (!) for them to scan and move a package dropped off. It seems like the only way to get them into their out going bin the same day is if you wait in the queue and get them to manually scan it and watch them drop it in their cart. But I don't always have the time for that especially during a lunch hour when the line is usually 30 people deep.

    Check this tracking number for instance: 9449 0096 9993 8120 7614 28

    I dropped this off the next day after printing the label. It sat in the post office I dropped it off in for 5 days! I'd like to say this might have been an anomaly since it was a Saturday when I dropped it off, but it's not.

    This is something I've only noticed in the last year. Along with a higher than normal number of packages going missing.
     
    JPagan likes this.
  6. Myke

    Myke Trying Not To Spook The Horse

    Here we have no consistency in actions, or the carrying out of policy. Part of it is my apartment complex refusing to put in lockers for us residents to retrieve our packages from, thus forcing the carrier to literally drive from apartment, to apartment to deliver packages too large for the mailbox. Add to that, what one of the good carriers tells me is, a problem with turnover. No one wants to work for the USPS the way they used to. Here, I simply have to deal with each situation as it arises, and move on to the next one. The USPS isn't alone. UPS, Fed Ex, Amazon are setting parcels outside our doors, and not knocking, so packages either get stolen, or go missing some other way !
    .
     
  7. tmtomh

    tmtomh Forum Resident

    As the buyer, you never can know what's happening - and it's usually not worth worrying about. The seller could have processed the label but let the item sit at home for days before taking it to the Post Office. Or they dropped it off immediately but the PO sat on it for some reason. Or it started moving through the delivery system but someone at USPS neglected to scan it, so it stays on "shipping information received" for a few days even though it actually is moving through the system. Or the seller dropped it off at their local mailbox store and that's creating a 24-36 hour delay in the item getting scanned by USPS. There are many, many possible scenarios, and IMHO "it shipped" is almost never a ruse, but rather just a technical issue.

    Finally, keep in mind that Media Mail parcels sometimes don't get scanned at all, so it's just "shipping info received" for 3-9 days, and then "item delivered." First Class mail parcels get more consistent updates/scans in my experience.

    Speaking of which, for a typical parcel containing a CD, Media Mail is more or less the same price as First Class, so why not just send it out First Class?
     
    JPagan, fishcane and Myke like this.
  8. Jerryb

    Jerryb Senior Member

    Location:
    New Jersey
    I've had less trouble with media mail packages than some first class packages.
     
    tmtomh likes this.
  9. tmtomh

    tmtomh Forum Resident

    Interesting - I guess experiences vary by region or maybe even by Post Office...
     
  10. Muzyck

    Muzyck Pardon my scruffy hospitality

    Location:
    Long Island
    There is really no way to know if a package has entered the postal system other than looking at the tracking details to see if has been "picked up" or "accepted" or any of the other terminology that is used. Since many folks print their own labels, the U.S.P.S. must supply tracking at the time the label is printed. I have purchased a lot of items recently over the weekends and had the tracking numbers long before the U.S.P.S. is opened for business on Monday morning.

    I had another item assigned a tracking number on Feb 16 but not get "accepted" until Feb 22. Did the seller fail to take it to the post office or did it sit in some bin at the post office for a week? I really have no way of knowing.
     
  11. hvbias

    hvbias Midrange magic

    Location:
    Northeast
    Interesting, everyone at my branch is new, except for the one senior guy who mostly handles passports. I have a new mail delivery person as well, but shes great.
     
    Myke likes this.
  12. mikeja75

    mikeja75 Forum Resident

    Location:
    U.S.
    Well...it was sent media mail which means that it could be delivered in a matter of days or a few weeks. Even first class mail does not have any time limit that the PO will estimate. I live in Iowa and you used to be able to drop off a letter or package being sent within the state and it would be delivered the next day. Now it some times has to be sent out of state to be sorted and then returned to be delivered. Crazy.

    Priority Mail is now the best option if you absolutely have to have it somewhere withing 2 or 3 days at a reasonable price.
     
  13. Combination

    Combination Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Orleans
    Priority Mail is not guaranteed either.
     
  14. Myke

    Myke Trying Not To Spook The Horse

    My WTB was in my hands today, two days after a member had shipped it here, because I prefer Priority, but ! As @Combination says, no guarantees. I've seen Priority take a week, due to unforeseen circumstances aka Schlitz happens.

    I'm not risking a sealed Classic 180g original Band Of Gypsys with poor old Media Mail.
    .
     
  15. Combination

    Combination Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Orleans
    In early December, I sent a surprise to someone that cost like $70 (very heavy) via Priority Mail. It took 6 or 7 days to arrive.

    During that same week, I'm sure a Media Mail parcel got to me in 3-4 days. What can ya do...
     
    Last edited: Feb 23, 2017
    Myke likes this.
  16. Snoflo1998

    Snoflo1998 Well-Known Member

    Location:
    UK
    I buy and sell on eBay and I agree that it is exasperating to see "shipped" with no tracking update for days thereafter (like, happening right now for something I purchased last week!) Anyway, I make sure if I sell something my buyer doesn't have to go through this grief.
     
    fishcane likes this.
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