USPS Tracking - what are your current experiences?

Discussion in 'Marketplace Discussions' started by George P, Dec 20, 2017.

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  1. WarEagleRK

    WarEagleRK Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chattanooga, TN
    Here is a curveball... I shipped 2 things to two different California buyers via media mail on Monday. I am in Tennessee. They got delivered today. There are items from early December that are just out in the ether somewhere but these got on a rocket in 3 days.
     
  2. kwadguy

    kwadguy Senior Member

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA
    So, I had an interesting discussion today with one of the guys at my local post office. He seemed in a good mood because basically no one was there on Christmas Eve morning and I think he was looking forward to going home. Anyway, I mentioned how a lot of this stuff I ship doesn't even get an initial scan until the same day it's scanned in the routing post office. And he said this is by design. Because their on time metrics count the amount of time to get delivered from the first scan. So stuff that's sitting around and not going anywhere - - stuff like media mail - - is intentionally not getting scanned in at all. That way, when it does eventually get on its way, they can meet their on time metrics. But he said this has been going on for all mail classes except express mail.

    Of course, if you stand at the window and force them to scan your packages, then they scan your packages. But this is what they're doing to any packages where they're not forced to do that, ie, anything dropped in a blue box, or dropped off in the self-service part of the post office.

    When I complained that doing that makes it impossible to force a search for package that you dropped off and isn't in the system weeks later, is response was a simple "yup."
     
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  3. I know that has been happening but I am surprised you found an employee that admitted it. After getting complaints from buyers, claiming I am not shipping the package when I am supposed to, whenever I can I take the package inside and get it scanned. Tracking then shows USPS is in possession but it doesn't go anywhere for days anyway. Here is one example:

    9449008205497680768509

    If I had set it on the counter or put it in a box, it would have taken the same time to get to Memphis from Little Rock but tracking would include the false claim that USPS received it the day it arrived in Memphis. Here is one I took to the post office on Nov. 24th, indicating the false claim pre-shipment info was received on Nov. 29th. When I started taking packages to an employee, I was asked a few times if I wanted a receipt and of course I said yes. If I had said no, the package would have sat for days then tracking would indicate it started its journey with a claim it was received the day the journey started.

    9449008205496901288819
     
  4. manicpopthrill

    manicpopthrill Forum Resident

    Location:
    ICT, Kansas
    Consider yourself lucky if you can get them to scan your package and give you a receipt. My local P.O. refuses to do so on the basis that they are too busy and don't have time (I've been told this as I stand there, the only person in the place). This is any time of year, not just December.
     
  5. Wow, holding the scanner a few seconds doesn't seem to me to take much time. This is a package coming to me, USPS took possession Dec. 7, no activity since.

    USPS.com® - USPS Tracking® Results
     
  6. slop101

    slop101 Guitar Geek

    Location:
    So. Cal.
    Yeah, don't hold your breath!
    Here are some recent pics of USPS's back-log...

    [​IMG]

    What genius thought that covid was the time to roll back operation manhours?
     
  7. WarEagleRK

    WarEagleRK Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chattanooga, TN
    I guess if I answered that it would get flagged as political commentary.
     
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  8. ScramMan2

    ScramMan2 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portland OR
    Got a really nice email with a lot of the frustrations on what's going on from New West Records.

    A quick note regarding shipping delays

    To everyone who has purchased holiday gifts that have not yet arrived, we are deeply sorry.

    Our elves have been diligently shipping orders, with nearly every order from our store shipping within two business days of the order being placed. But our elves aren't the only ones at work – the US Postal Service and other carriers are currently dealing with record volumes of shipments, and we're sad to say that many packages are going to arrive after the holidays.

    Some more details:
    • If your tracking is stuck on Pre-shipment, please rest assured that we have already shipped it, and it is currently in the hands of the US Postal Service. This can happen if the initial scan never takes place, which is happening frequently during this busy time. We have already heard from many customers about orders that arrived without any tracking updates at all, still stuck in the Pre-shipment phase.
    • If your tracking shows that packages have diverted to far-away places, don't panic. This is happening as the postal service is diverting packages around under-staffed areas. We recently saw a package go from Michigan to New Jersey to Texas to New York to Massachusetts, but it finally arrived at its destination!
    • If your tracking is not updating at all, please be patient. This is a by-product of the overwhelmed system, and your package is likely still in transit, even if the data isn't updating.
    Reddit post with more information.

    https://www.reddit.com/r/usps_compl...416366524&mc_cid=af96877745&mc_eid=7baa9776fc
     
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  9. kwadguy

    kwadguy Senior Member

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA
    Package dropped off in Blue Box on 12/2/20.

    First scan in the system: 12/26/20.
     
    LordThanos1969 and rob68 like this.
  10. rob68

    rob68 Senior Member

    Location:
    Michigan
    Mailed 2 First Class packages on the 15th in southeast Michigan.

    Took 8 days for them to scan again in southwest Michigan...and one is going to Texas, the other to Florida.

    No buyers have complained as of yet.

    I don't mind the slow as long as they at least continue to scan somewhere.

    Don't want to have to issue any refunds!
     
  11. recstar24

    recstar24 Senior Member

    Location:
    Glen Ellyn, IL
    Thanks all for the updates. Just saw some vinyl that was shipped from MA (Newvelle records) on the 12th just got updated today that it landed in Los Angeles CA.

    I’m in Chicago lol.

    I’m not freaking out. Honestly.
     
  12. Gaslight

    Gaslight ⎧⚍⎫⚑

    Location:
    Northeast USA
    Still problematic here as well....it is what it is, thinking the larger picture here.

    As long as it eventually shows up (as a buyer). And as a sometimes eBay seller, I've still put a hold on that until at least next month I think.
     
    Thesmellofvinyl likes this.
  13. Joseph.McClure

    Joseph.McClure Forum Resident

    Location:
    Memphis, TN
    I am waiting on a CD from Washington DC (eBay). Left DC on 12/5. Arrived in Memphis 12/8. No movement since 12/8.
     
  14. rjh_54

    rjh_54 Well-Known Member

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Ordered clothes last week on 12/24, "shipped" 12/26 Priority and scheduled to arrive tomorrow, 12/30. Tracking still shows the number was only created and that the package is in "Pre-shipment". Not sure if the package truly hasn't been shipped yet or if it's been shipped and just hasn't been scanned. Not holding my breath for the package to arrive tomorrow, but hoping for at least some sort of update.
     
  15. Stuff that was shipped early in December and went through major hubs still appears very slow. It does seem like packages shipped out in the last week or so moving far quicker through the system.
     
  16. vsegdago

    vsegdago New Member

    Location:
    Russian
    I often use the services of USPS, delivery is certainly not very fast, but reliable. Usually delivered to my post office 7-10 days after the parcel arrived at the main post office.
     
  17. WarEagleRK

    WarEagleRK Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chattanooga, TN
    I've noticed that as well.

    It seems like all of my shipments from early/mid December just sat in Memphis for 2 or more weeks before being scanned.
     
  18. Galley

    Galley Forum Resident

    According to my ex-wife, here’s what happened in Greenville. It is very likely it was happening across the country.

    The postal service received a glut of packages during the first ten days of December. They stored them in the distribution center, hoping to whittle it down, day-by-day. They were soon overwhelmed, and concentrated on the packages that were still coming in, and had no choice but to neglect the backlog.
     
  19. Thesmellofvinyl

    Thesmellofvinyl Senior Member

    Location:
    Cohoes, NY USA
    Even though I provided a tracking number that shows a buyer’s delayed item is still “in transit,” eBay refunded the buyer’s money. I sent eBay an email expressing my displeasure, and asking how they’ll resolve this. My guess is if I ever get an update showing it was delivered, eBay will recommend (but won’t be able to force) the buyer pay for the item.

    Has anyone ever had this experience?
     
  20. I haven't personally had this experience (I stopped selling a few months ago), but yes ... I have read about several instances where eBay automatically refunded the buyer after a certain amount of time regardless of whether the parcel had been delivered or not.

    Apparently, the eBay powers-that-be have not altered the time-limits to acclimate to the USPS's deluge of mail this month and even last month's. Either that or they just don't care.

    It's up to the buyer to be honest enough to send payment again if or when the parcel "shows up".
     
    Thesmellofvinyl likes this.
  21. Thesmellofvinyl

    Thesmellofvinyl Senior Member

    Location:
    Cohoes, NY USA
    It should be up to eBay.
     
  22. Thesmellofvinyl

    Thesmellofvinyl Senior Member

    Location:
    Cohoes, NY USA
    Same here. Paused indefinitely.
     
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  23. statcat

    statcat Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Jersey
    You're basically out of luck unless it's an honest person which it sounds like they're not based on opening an INR case that quickly. You're held at their mercy basically.
     
    Last edited: Dec 31, 2020
  24. Thesmellofvinyl

    Thesmellofvinyl Senior Member

    Location:
    Cohoes, NY USA
    The clerk at my local post office told me there is a way to intercept a parcel. It’s pricey, but at least I could still resell the item, possibly at a higher price, later.

    If I can at some point present to eBay the tracking information that shows that it was finally delivered, I would think that they would have to make it right somehow.
     
  25. dee

    dee Senior Member

    Location:
    ft. lauderdale, fl
    Also had some delays at a Memphis hub.
     
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