Paranoid dimensions question

[farmer-greensleeves]

I've had several packages go completely unscanned that I had placed in a post office box Monday.  They aren't even shown as picked up.  The new labels page looks like this

I hadn't been updating the dimensions since everything were small books and clothing items, nothing exceeding 12" in any direction.  There was no mention of the dimensions on the label.  Does it matter if I leave the dimensions at the default in such a case or could that cause some sort of discrepancy that caused my packages to not be scanned?  Or is this just the post office having issues?

[nobody*s_perfect · Accepted solution]

It's just the Post Office having issues.

Packages that are put in a collection box don't get scanned when the collection box is emptied, they get scanned farther along in the process.  Usually, but not always, at the sender's Post Office.

[simba6]

It's been taking longer for packages to get scanned and the info posted.  They used to start as soon as the got the package. Now many don't get a scan until the main sort center.  Gets buyers "yippy" when they don't see it moving right away.

[a_c_green]

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@farmer-greensleeves wrote:

I've had several packages go completely unscanned that I had placed in a post office box Monday.  They aren't even shown as picked up.

[...] 

I hadn't been updating the dimensions since everything were small books and clothing items, nothing exceeding 12" in any direction.  There was no mention of the dimensions on the label.  Does it matter if I leave the dimensions at the default in such a case or could that cause some sort of discrepancy that caused my packages to not be scanned?  Or is this just the post office having issues?

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The dimensions have no effect on whether your package gets scanned when the drop box is emptied. I would suggest plugging in the correct package dimensions at shipping time anyway (especially for a large package that may incur dimensional charges), but regarding the failure to scan packages when they're emptied from the drop box at the post office, there's no connection. For that issue, you need to be having strong words with your postmaster.

You can get a late-shipping ding if the post office doesn't scan your package before the end of your Handling time. If they don't bother to do an Acceptance scan when taking possession of your package, eBay will not see it as in their possession until an automated conveyor scan occurs sometime later at the sorting facility, and that could be as late as the next day or beyond.

[farmer-greensleeves]

Thank you everybody.  Yes, from here on out I'll include dimensions.  It is good to know that that isn't the reason at least.  Hopefully, they'll start scanning soon.  I'll contact my post office in a couple of days if they don't.  I know with the pandemic, organizational changes, and increased demand that the post office is in bad state right now, but it still awfully frustrating not knowing where items are or if they've even been acknowledged.  

[sassykzt]

Print your labels using bulk shipping instead of printing them individually and then print a SCAN form.  When you go to the PO have them scan the SCAN sheet and you will not have the problem of packages not being scanned or scanned  late.  The SCAN form features a master barcode that represents all of the packages in a shipment; it is scanned when the shipment is received by USPS.

[capital_nick]

The lack of timely scanning to due to the PO being dropped into chaos currently.  My packages went from being scanned/shipped the same day to scanned/shipped sometimes a week later.  It's not the worker's fault at least though.