USPS not scanning packages
Over a hundred dollars I have spent refunding sales because the Post Office does not scan. Buyer files a claim, tell me they never got it. Happen to you? Solution?
46 comments
Over a hundred dollars I have spent refunding sales because the Post Office does not scan. Buyer files a claim, tell me they never got it. Happen to you? Solution?
little*blackdog
·3 years agoAll above responses are good ones! I might add, for more costly items, or any other reason where following the tracking is important to you, go to USPS.com and put in the tracking number. Click on "Get tracking info" or something like that... so every time the item is scanned enroute, you get a text or email (your choice) and you can follow the item to its destination.
With this happening, even if the item is late or held up for some reason, you can tell the buyer what the situation is, even send them a screenshot of your email from USPS and ask the buyer to give it a couple more days. Using this feature has shielded me from an impatient/worried/angry buyer on several occasions.
ricmani_0
·3 years agoHere is a tool that may help Ebay has a separate tracking service for there ESUS tracking number. I sell sports cards and always using ESUS when purchase through ebay for small items, but I also think it double checks USPS tracking. It has more details than ebay tracking from the site, you may find it useful, try tracking an old sale and se what info it pulls up.
parcelsapp.com/en/tracking/tracking number
mam98031
·3 years agoWhat some seem to be missing here is that just because there is no acceptance scan doesn't mean there are no scans for any particular tracking number. It is extremely rare that a package goes from point A to point B with no scans at all. Even if it is only a Delivery Scan. The OP has left out a lot of information and is likely misunderstanding something. They may be refunding buyer that should not be refunded. But we need them to talk to us to see if we can help.
mam98031
·3 years agoThere is some great information on this thread. However the OP is not participating for whatever reason they have and what they posted inspires many questions yet unanswered. So I'm unsure how we can help if they won't work with us.
a_c_green
·3 years ago*shrug* I post my answers for the general readership where possible. If the OP doesn't want to answer followup questions, that's on them. 😉
I remember one Community regular who would go absolutely bonkers over any OP who would not post further replies in the thread that he had started, seemingly convinced that the OP would never return to read anything that was posted. At least now we can see when the last time was that an OP logged in (Feb. 9, in this case at the present time), and of course they can read replies without being logged at all. I don't let it get to me. (Not suggesting that it's tormenting you either, of course!)
kicks239
·3 years agoI schedule a USPS pickup daily to have my packages picked up and my front door daily. I know that sometimes my mail lady will scan every package in, and other days she won't scan a single package in. I also don't wait for her every day and ask her to scan each package. I assume somewhere; they will get scanned in. I know, as far as myself, I can say about 98% of the packages I ship are with USPS priority mail and always a scheduled pickup. In the last 12 months, I have shipped just over 2,100 packages, and I have only had 2 times that I know of where my package never received a single scan, and I had to refund the customer. But that is super rare and almost never happens to me.
simply-the-best-for-you
·3 years ago@kicks239 Great. But that is NOT the issue & that is not why we get scans. As I posted previously, several of the metrics on your Dashboard are DIRECTLY linked to the time/date of your Acceptance Scan. THAT is why you need an acceptance scan. The ones down the line, don't matter (for the most part).
mam98031
·3 years ago"THAT is why you need an acceptance scan. The ones down the line, don't matter (for the most part). "
I would argue that point. The most important scan is the Delivery scan.
If a seller does not get an acceptance scan or the scan is late for whatever reason, seller shipping late or carrier late in scanning, and if the delivery scan is within the ETA on the purchase, the seller will not get a late shipment defect.
As well as the Delivery scan will prevent buyers from winning most INRs filed unless the seller shipped to a different address than was on the payment.
simply-the-best-for-you
·3 years agoThat's why I said "for the most part".
To me, the Acceptance Scan is the most important, as my customers are very honest & I have very few INR's. I agree the Delivery Scan is important too BUT there's nothing you can do ensure that one. There IS something you can do to ensure the Acceptance Scan.
sfau
·3 years agoLuckily we live in a small town and the packages are scanned when they are picked up from my mailbox.
mam98031
·3 years agoThere have been a few questions asked of you on the thread. I hope you will consider coming back and answering them. Likely the most important one is about the scans. Even if your local PO is not scanning your packages as received, are your packages getting scans along the rest of the journey to the address on the label? What about Delivery Scans?
Missing the initial scan does NOT prevent other scans from happening as the package moves.
gabesden
·3 years agoI "Never" walk away from the counter without watching the person "Scan" the item right in front of me. Period. Problem is solved right there. It matters, so just do it that way. They don't have to like it, they however do havre to do it. And they know it. So stand there and say, need to see you scan it pls. And even if they huff and puff they will. Usually they do, but if not, stand your ground politely and they will. Ok sometimes a little firmly too.
carlmarxx
·3 years agoI have parcel that a seller I bought from , handed it over and the usps employee scan the package . the scan stopped after it was processed through at the sorting center .that has now been 10 days no scan .
mam98031
·3 years agoThis happens sometimes. Especially at the Seattle, Atlanta and Memphis hubs. You need to go and file for a trace on the package. That will often get the package moving.
1tuna
·3 years agomy post office only scans half of what I drop into the chute
I am OK with it because none of them get lost
I drop off around 10 packages every monday morning and the scans dont start till weds. for many of them
maybe one out of every 5000 packages will go missing
it takes me three years to ship that many
the only packages which I wait in line for are the signature required
I only ship with first class
I dont want to make a pest of myself insisting on scans all the time
@goodtoo*go
simply-the-best-for-you
·3 years ago@1tuna If it works for you, do whatever you like. But I just want to be clear for OP, it has NOTHING to do with whether pkgs get lost or not. Absolutely NOTHING. The problem is that you are rated on 2 different metrics on your Dashboard, that you have to meet minimum standards of. Those metrics are tied (one even interfaces with the USPS) to the Acceptance Scan date & time. If you don't get that Acceptance Scan, your metrics may be a disaster!!! It is crucially important b/c YOUR metrics & ratings are based on that Scan.
Also, for some of us, like me, my sort center is over an hour away. It is totally normal that the Sort Center scan happens AFTER MIDNIGHT, making it the next day. So, if I didn't get an Acceptance Scan for the actual mailing day, most of my pkgs would not meet the metrics.
simply-the-best-for-you
·3 years agoWhile I'm happy for @mam98031 that they have had good response from the complaints, that may not work for you. It does not work here. I have complained through official channels probably 100x over the last 5 years. This is what the Post Office that I use WANTS me to do. It doesn't matter, it never gets resolved. The problem is two-fold as they have repeatedly told me. They hire subs in groups of 60 or so. By 2 months it is typical for only 10 to be left. They can't keep subs & the subs don't have benefits so they don't care.
Last time they explained further, when I talked to the latest in the string of C/S people at my PO (after filing a complain through the official channels as requested). They said the subs now have benefits, but the carriers are Union & will take any time their spvsr files a complaint about them to the Union, so the Spvsr can't do anything without a great deal of filings, meetings with Union Reps, etc. He told me they basically can't be fired unless they hurt someone or steal. I saw the guy the next day & asked if he'd talked to the sub carrier, he had. I asked what the response was. Response was a gesture I can't print here. He didn't even seem a little bit shocked, I was like 'don't you get fired when you use that gesture to your spsvr'? Apparently not if you're Union. I could fill pages here with the details. But some of us have Post Offices that are simply unable to do anything b/c the system is completely broken. Postmaster here is in jail for S. Assault (big news story). Doesn't matter though, his office never responds to messages or answers their phones. I've tried the last 3 Postmasters we've had over 5 years. The most you'll get is a secretary who takes your info & never responds.
This is not some backwoods PO either, it's a good size city of almost 1M people, it's the culture at that specific PO b/c they handle about 5x the packages both in & out bound of any other PO in the city. They feel they are above the rules 😞 & official complaints get closed as soon as THEY feel it's resolved (ie: they've sent someone to pick up the pkgs or they've talked to the sub), then the next day it happens all over again & you complain again & they close it b/c they're REQUIRED to close all cases in 2 days. And escalation only gets sent back to the same PO. Over & over & over again. Sorry, like I said, I could fill a book.
Moral of the story: DIY or watch it get done, it's the ONLY way to ensure that it happens.
oldwestgold
·3 years agoYou use a lot of fluff in your complaint about the USPS. No need to. With any organization or business, there are chains of command and policies to follow. Let me share some when having a problem with the USPS or an employee.
#1. Always file a complaint online. If not, get names and dates for your records of whom you talked to. See, Postmasters and managers all the way to the top get paid bonuses that depend on how many complaints they had filed in a year. File, refile, and file some more until your problem gets addressed. Each electronic complaint also gets seen up the food chain. The chain is Post Offices, POOM Mgr, District, Area Office, and finally DC. Use names and dates in your online complaints to make people stick out to those above as not doing their jobs.
Talk to your local PM or Manager first. Take their name and ask for their manager's name and contact info. Follow the process. Let those people close the complaints online. Include that in your next complaint.
Contact the Consumer Affairs Office at the District level. Need that info, as your local office. Then ask for the Area office contact and number including the Consumer Affairs in DC.
Finally, do not be afraid to contact your Congressperson. All have online contact forms for these things and even spell out complaints against the USPS. If you have a responsible rep they will step in for you.
You are paying for a service. There is nothing personal about scanning. This is business. Take names, dates, and contact info. Keep records. any type of written correspondence is best than phone calls. Make the person know that you are taking names and dates and what they state. Good luck.
simply-the-best-for-you
·3 years ago@oldwestgold IDK where the "fluff" is. I have done everything you have listed here except for the Congressperson & I keep records of it all. I file every complaint with the USPS officially, I have & keep records of all of them. I file, re-file & re-open. Don't know why you would ASSUME I didn't. But I thought that would make for pretty boring reading, so I didn't put it all in my post. Your further assumption that they go "up the food chain" is simply untrue. Many of them are re-routed right back to the PO that is the problem. Even when I specifically instruct that that should not happen, that it needs to go to the Regional level. Almost always, it goes right back to my PO. This is not an assumption on my part, I can see it in the case that is opened. They don't re-open cases, they create new ones & refer to the old ones. Everything is closed within 2 days, resolution or not, which I've been told numerous times is required.
So, no "fluff" here. I have followed chains of command for over 12 years, at 2 different addresses. None of it changes b/c they are required to close all complaints within 2 days, the players change, my PO has had 5 different GM's in 3 years LOL. I have contacted District offices, CA offices, etc. They all eventually simply get kicked back to the problem PO. Of course the 3rd Postmaster in as many years, being in jail does not help their credibility at all.
Additionally, after 12 years of dealing with this, at 2 different addresses with the same PO, I need to consider the valuation of MY time. Since District, Regional, CA offices, have ALL not ever followed through, though I had one great Rep at the USPS for Business Regional Office who was great & called the GM at my PO twice & eventually had to report back to me, that she told him he was not allowed to do what he was doing & he said he knew & didn't care (which I already knew from years of dealing with them), she admitted that there was nothing more she could do either & that she had never seen someone so egregriously breaking the rules & not caring. I have had to stop b/c I can't spend my whole life on this. You do realize, that just getting a phone number, can take an hour, right? I do not have 10 hours in a day to spend doing nothing but this.
BTW, the "fluff" I outlined, were all things I was told to do by the USPS officials I spoke to. So, not "fluff" at all. Actual instructions from my PO Mgmt. The only thing that ever worked was nightly text communication with my wonderful carrier, which I came up with all by myself. As long as he was on duty, I was gold. Until he retired.
Some users just don't get it. There are 'rogue' PO's that knowingly refuse to follow the rules & are supported, however unintentionally, by the bureaucracy. There are occasionally good eggs who try to fix it, but the majority in the system, don't care. Some PO's believe they are above the rules, for whatever reason (in my case, it's the volume they do) & have told other reps, 'unless the Postmaster tells me to change it, I'm not changing it' (of course in my case the PM is in jail LOL). Mine is not the only 'rogue' PO, I read about them on here all the time. It's a real probem & your condescension is not appreciated.
simply-the-best-for-you
·3 years agoThe only solution is to insist upon watching them scan it or use the APC to do it yourself (though that's a provisional scan). I go through great inconveniences to make sure that EVERY SINGLE package is scanned. It's on you to make sure it happens. Some carriers do it, some don't, some PO's do it, some don't. You have to insist they do it & watch them do it. That's the ONLY way to be certain!
My carrier retired, he would have to text me his schedule & we communicated via text every day b/c if he was off, the subs would never scan, despite a giant 3 color, laminated sign, requesting them to. Then once he retired, I got a different carrier every day & sometimes it happened, sometimes not, despite the aforementioned 3 color, laminated sign that the USPS suggested I create & put out. Last time it happened, I not only had the giant, laminated sign, I also made a 2nd sign, all in red & stapled it to the plastic bag with my pkgs. They could not get to the pkgs without seeing the ALL RED sign STAPLED to the bag....yup, you guessed it. They removed the sign, took the pkgs, left the sign & again, no scans. So, once again, I had to quit doing carrier pick up & I take them every day & either use the APC or go to a human & have them scan it.
It sucks. But it's the only way to be sure.
a_c_green
·3 years agoWhile it is indeed a provisional scan, that scan is accepted by eBay as proof of mailing. On occasions when I have dropped off a package using a scan by the Self-Serve Kiosk, within an hour or so later the eBay tracking page will update to show that "The Carrier Has the Package."
The only drawback to this is that the package must fit in the lobby drop chute (I need to measure it sometime, but I think its maximum width is 20"), and the drop chute must actually be functional and not clogged with other packages. (It's a good idea to check that the chute is working before doing the package scan at the SSK.)
simply-the-best-for-you
·3 years ago@a_c_green I agree with everything you said & have experienced same. In fact, sometimes I get an additional automatic scan, that's it's on the truck, I forget exactly how they word it.
I agree absolutely the MOST with checking the chute before you scan your items LOL. At my PO, even during the day, the chute is blocked about 50% of the time. Though during the day, there's an alternate place to leave your pkgs. On the evenings or weekends, we ALWAYS check the chute before using the APC & if anyone walks in, we ask them to wait, JIC the chute locks.
janet9988
·3 years agoYou can use a different shipping company if you do not like how USPS handles your shipments.
inhawaii
·3 years agoNo, this is not happening to me.
My packages get picked up every morning by my mail carrier.
They are scanned on a hand-held device and the pick up is reflected in the tracking minutes later.
714ricki
·3 years agoIf it's an acceptance scan, you have a few options......scan the parcel yourself at the sel-serve kiosk, stand in line at the USPS & have every parcel scanned, or bring a scan sheet with you to have the USPS clerk or USPS carrier scan the sheet which will automatically scan all the parcels assigned to that scan sheet. 100% acceptance scan rate!!!
Good luck!
rugerskick
·3 years agoI have every package hand scanned, and get a physical receipt showing it.
Also when you save the receipts, save them in a closed, dark box, folded over so the ink isnt showing. Light and exposure will otherwise fade the ink away.
moondogblues
·3 years ago"Also when you save the receipts, save them in a closed, dark box, folded over so the ink isnt showing. Light and exposure will otherwise fade the ink away."
Make a copy of it too, that won't fade.
blingfling123
·3 years agoI have pickup with USPS and my carrier scans them in front of me. They have the new scanners so by the time I get back inside and in front of my PC the acceptance scan is already visible on the USPS site.
If you cannot get a carrier to scan the packages, take them to the PO and stand in line for your receipt.
As you have found out, without that scan, trouble can happen.
a_c_green
·3 years agoJust to be clear: you're saying that those missing packages didn't get a single scan anywhere? How many packages have gone lost recently?
Once they clear your post office and before they arrive at the buyer's PO, scans are mostly automated, and the odds of a package evading every single scan along the way are pretty slim. Something should have successfully logged the missing package someplace.
I hate to say this, but is it possible that the label fell off the package(s)? Are you buying the labels on-line via eBay or another supplier, or over the counter? How are they attached to the package?
kandf_vintage_finds
·3 years agoHere's what I do:
1 Take to the post office and wait in line to get the scan and receipt. (Usually no line)
2. Mailman comes at the same time every day. If I catch him I hand them to him and ask for a scan and stand there while he does it.
caldreamer
·3 years agoOnly solution is for you to go to post office and ask clerk to scan every package and ask for a receipt.
Of course, if item is "still in transit" and customer files a "did not receive item" you will be forced to give a full refund (that's just EBAY policy). To win EBAY case you must provide tracking# proving item was delivered to the destination.
dhbookds
·3 years agoGet the acceptance scan at the PO...........if it shows no delivery files a lost report with USPS..... If buyer says he didn't get it, but scan shows he does........ebay will find in your favor and let you keep the $ from the sale.
dhbookds
·3 years agoI should say.........need to mail priority with Ebay label........or add insurance to less mail classes to collect from USPS
moldy5
·3 years agodid the packages have tracking? if so, they should have been scanned at least once along the way. Most have 4+ scans. of the tracking number.
goodtoo*go
OP3 years agoyes. tracking shows waiting for item. took to post. gone.
seashellstyles
·3 years agoI have most of my packages picked up at home by my mail carrier. He scans right in front of me, and by that night, or next day, I see the acceptance scan, and tracking movement to the next city. I've never had a problem in 14 years of selling.
If you go to the post office, and use the automated machine, you get a receipt proving you shipped the package. When I use this method, I've always seen acceptance and tracking by the next day.
Have you tried speaking with your post master or supervisor? Mine is very responsive to questions, and solving problems like yours.
goodtoo*go
OP3 years agothanks sounds like the way to go. post is no help, no tracking scanned np way to find it.
theteamsetguy
·3 years agoWhat you need to do is stand in line and bring your packages to the counter and have them scan it. They will also give you a receipt.
rockyroadtradingpost
·3 years agoThe first time I went to use the automated machine, I got a warning message that my confirmation receipt would not necessarily constitute USPS acceptance. So I wait in line for a human...
a_c_green
·3 years agoThat's true; however, it's talking about USPS Acceptance, not eBay Acceptance. Here is that warning screen:
The USPS cannot offer their own guarantee about anything regarding Acceptance or later shipping until they see an in-network scan of the package, such as a hand scan by a USPS employee when the drop chute is emptied, or any automated scan after that. There's really nothing to stop you from scanning the package, then walking back out with it, so they're not going to honor a Lost Mail claim later on until it gets an in-network scan to show that you really did drop it off.
However, eBay does honor this Provisional Acceptance scan at a Self-Serve Kiosk, logging it in the tracking history as "USPS expects item for mailing (SSK)" and recording its status as "The carrier has the package." Thus if the drop chute isn't clogged and your package will fit in the chute, you can do an Acceptance scan at the SSK, drop the package and be on your way.
I dropped off a package myself just a half-hour ago, USPS.com already shows the Provisional Acceptance notification from the SSK on-line, and the eBay Sold Item page should show the same update within the next hour or so.
a_c_green
·3 years agoJust to be complete, here is the updated tracking as reported by eBay, about an hour after the Provisional Acceptance scan via the Self-Serve Kiosk in the PO lobby:
simply-the-best-for-you
·3 years ago@rockyroadtradingpost Yes, that's what we discussed in prior posts in this thread. But as both @a_c_green & I have mentioned, there are frequently automated updates that come without any manual intervention, simply b/c you used the APC (and of course that you really DID drop off the package).
It's up to you if it's good enough for you. My wait would often be 1/2 hour for a human & since I've only had 2 missing pkgs since 1997, it's good enough for me. YMMV. In fact, I get MORE automated scans, when I use the APC, then when I don't. But everyone has to decide for themselves.
mam98031
·3 years agoOK that just means the shipping label had been created through an electronic method and the information is sent to USPS letting them know you had created and paid for a label.
Now if your carrier, the person that picks up your mail, or the person you are dropping your mail off at the PO is not scanning your packages at the time they get them, that is a real problem and they are NOT doing part of their job that USPS expects them to do.
Calling your local PO and ask for the POSTMASTER of that office and let them know the consistent problem you are having. But you need to talk to the Postmaster, not just a clerk. If this doesn't work out for some reason, then go to https://emailus.usps.com/s/personnel-inquiry and file a complaint. Do not be shy about this. You need to let them know.
It has been my experience they are extremely responsive. I've had to use them before and within a week I had my local Postmaster standing on my front porch and we resolved the issues that was happening with the carrier for my home. It was fantastic. There was another time I had to use them for a different reason and again they were extremely responsive and my problem resolved.
Now with all that said, an acceptance scan, or lack thereof, does NOT prevent scans along the packages path nor does it prevent them from scanning it delivered. And if the tracking gets scanned delivered even though you don't have an acceptance scan, you should not have to refund a buyer that says they didn't get it.
Also you need to check your Seller Dashboard. If you are having so many packages not getting an acceptance scan you will be getting a lot of Defects for late shipment if you don't get a Delivery scan on or before the ETA of delivery on the purchase. And with as many as you are reporting to have had, it is likely you are in the Below Standard ranking and therefore you would be paying 6% penalties fees for every sale on top of your regular fees.
So check your Seller Dashboard.
https://sellerstandards.ebay.com/dashboard?region=US
heckofagame
·3 years agoAre we talking about acceptance scans or delivery scans?
goodtoo*go
OP3 years agoacceptance scans
luckythewinner
·3 years agoStand in line and get the scans.