USPS Woes...

[DanGWanG]

Not sure where else to post this, as I'm looking for some immediate help with USPS.  I've been dealing with a user on the forums regarding a sale, and there appears to be a lost priority mail package.  While I've never had a problem with USPS Priority Mail, it seems there are plenty of people out there who have had issues, especially with lost packages.

At a high level, I've shipped out some high value items via priority mail and this is the current status:
- Delivery status not updated as of October 28, 2011, 11:37 pm
- Out for Delivery, October 28, 2011, 9:37 am, CITY, STATE ZIP
- Sorting Complete, October 28, 2011, 9:27 am, CITY, STATE ZIP
- Arrival at Post Office, October 28, 2011, 6:08 am, CITY, STATE ZIP
- Processed through USPS Sort Facility, October 28, 2011, 1:18 am, CITY, STATE ZIP
- Acceptance, October 26, 2011, 11:15 am, CITY, STATE ZIP

The receiver never got the package, and the local USPS branch has no idea where it is or what happened to it.  It is now 4 days past the expected date, and I've already filed a case to get the missing update posted.  An important thing I should mention is that, I didn't purchase insurance.  Lesson learned.  My question to the community is, has this happened to anyone?  Was it recoverable?  What are some other steps I can take to try and salvage some losses, etc.  I've been getting some bad anxiety as a result of this waiting game to see if the package gets returned to me, to see if the receiver magically was delivered the package 4 days late, and refreshing the tracking page to see if any updates have been made and so on...

Any thoughts?

[DanGWanG]

Yeah, the delivery confirmation is the same thing is the crappy tracking they use.  Which, by the looks of the tracking, the package arrived at the local sort facility, got on a truck....then magically disappeared.  It's possible that they weren't able to locate the address, but unlikely.  

The "Delivery status not updated" generally means that the postal mail man person didn't scan the package upon delivery...which could mean that he either never delivered, lost the package, delivered it but never scanned it, etc. The possibilities are endless....

[DanGWanG]

It never arrived, our case claims go no where, and a lot of money and rare goodies down the drain.

[jpc]

This was totally domestic?

That sucks.

I ship USPS Priority all the time, often with delivery confirmation. I'm hesitant to buy insurance and tip off the bored postal worker that the package has any value whatsoever....

[IvanIvanovich]

Unfortunately without insurance there is only a limited obligation to reimburse for postage fees. Even then you have to fight tooth and nail to get anything done. When sending high value items you should send them registered and insured for maximum protection. If you want to be really persistent you could attempt to contact your postmaster. Even still it is no way to prove what happened to the package, though as you say, it should be clear that the carrier is at fault in this instance as it was last scanned exiting with the destination zip carrier for delivery.

[sordna]

I once ordered a couple of books from an amazon seller, and didn't get them for like 2 months. I called them and they assure me they shipped the package with USPS right after my order. I waited some more, and eventually got it, it somehow was in transit for 3 months. What's even weirder, on the same day I got an international package that was shipped to me 1 year earlier, which I had completely written off and forgotten about.

[DanGWanG]

Wait? If it never gets delivered they tell you to fuggedaboutit?

It appears so.

[bootstrap]

In the last 20 years, I have received about 100+ parcels shipped to me throughout the Asia Pacific region via USPS (i.e. from US sellers). The longest it has taken to arrive is 3 weeks, and that includes the time the stuff sits in customs. Never had a single item lost, with or without tracking.

Recently, I found some good freight forwarders that will ship things from the US. They cost less than USPS (surprisingly) and are much faster - the two reasons why I switched from USPS.

Borderlinx uses DHL. Very reliable, very fast. Though cheaper than USPS, it is more expensive than some other companies. For example, to send a Model M (1391401) from the US to Singapore via USPS might cost about $55-60 (I'm not joking). The same item via Borderlinx will cost about $40 or slightly less with a discount code.

Right now, I've got two comparatively lower value items being shipped via vPOSTUSA. Inexpensive, the cost is almost like shipping within the US. I used them only once before. From Portland, OR, the item (a Briggs & Riley roller bag) arrived at my Singapore address in 5 days.

Most big companies - e.g. Amazon - have no issue sending the stuff to the virtual US addresses of freight companies. However, I've come across a handful of sellers (individuals) who are not comfortable mailing items to the same address. There is someone there to sign for the stuff when it is received.

Sellers in the US and buyers from outside the US should take a closer look at those freight forwarding companies. It might save buyers money and time, and sellers unnecessary anxiety.

[DanGWanG]

It came back to me!  Mistake on my part, wrote the wrong address :frusty:

It would have for sure just been declared as lost or something if both myself and the buyer didn't attempt to file a claim, speak to local post office representatives, etc.  If this ever happens to any of you, please do all that you can to speak to everyone that you can.  The local consumer affairs group will vary in customer service, but the guys in Chicago are wonderful.  They took care of escalating the issue.

[litster]

you mean it wouldn't have come back to you if you and the buyer didn't attempt to file a claim?

[fohat.digs]

First, I have had pretty good luck with all the carriers. International shipping is much more dangerous for both buyer and seller.

All you US sellers -

If you don't know about the USPS "Game Board" flat rate Priority Mail box - you should. I know, I know, USPS tracking is the pits, but they are generally OK if you go Priority.

The regular "Large Flat Rate Box" will not hold a keyboard because it is too square, but the "Game Board" box is a perfect size and shape, even for something large like a Model M, and still goes for the $14.95 flat rate ($57.80 international). This is not cheap, but it is a fixed rate that you can count on.

Post Offices do not carry these, but you can go online and request them (in packages of 10) and they will be delivered to your doorstep free of charge. I would not be suggesting that you get them to actually store your collection in .....

If you are concerned with tracking, FedEx is by far the best for domestic shipping, but they and UPS are both ridiculous for international.

[pitashen]

It came back to me!  Mistake on my part, wrote the wrong address :frusty:

It would have for sure just been declared as lost or something if both myself and the buyer didn't attempt to file a claim, speak to local post office representatives, etc.  If this ever happens to any of you, please do all that you can to speak to everyone that you can.  The local consumer affairs group will vary in customer service, but the guys in Chicago are wonderful.  They took care of escalating the issue.

LOL!!!!!!!!!


Maybe I shouldn't laugh, coz it could happen to anyone...

[DanGWanG]

you mean it wouldn't have come back to you if you and the buyer didn't attempt to file a claim?

That is correct.  No one at the USPS offices had any idea what happened to it, and until we finally started catching people's attention, that's when they decided to do something.  The delivery confirmation status remained unchanged (it should have changed if it was being re-delivered back to me as a result of an address issue) for over 2 weeks.  Then finally, I spoke with some customer affairs reps and they took care of the situation.

[litster]

It's good to know there is something you can do.  Thanks.