Ground Advantage packages taking 30-40 days? Buyers complaining, eBay holding funds
Summary: reelworks raised concerns about Ground Advantage packages taking 30-40 days for delivery, leading to buyer dissatisfaction and eBay holding funds. The discussion received several responses, but no further details were provided in the content available.
Since Jan. more than half of the ground advantage packages shipped have taken over 30 days, a few over 60 now. They take crazy senseless routes all over the country before getting on track and being delivered.
Several buyers filed Item not received claims, eBay puts a hold on funds for the total amount, and puts the case on hold. Even after the item gets delivered the hold remains.
Buyers want their shipping back for items delivered.
Its all out of my control, why should I refund the buyer for their shipping, which would more than negate any profit in a $20 item that cost $13 to ship.
Its gotten to the point where I've got 12 items with funds on hold because they're taking the tour of the country.
USPS is a mess, its not just Ground Adv. Priority is just as bad. I give buyers the choice, they rarely go with Priority, if I make it the only option they won't buy, if I offer free shipping, they won't pay the added cost.
It don't give me an option of doing first class mail, can't figure out why? Boxes are 5" cubes, under 8 oz. I've received items I ordered shipped first class for pennies but don't see any such option when I list?
Of course, that likely would be even slower shipping.
The longest so far is one shipped Jan 8, that arrived Mar. 31. after 18 stops around the country and over 5,200 miles traveled for a 1/4 lb flat rate package.
I'm also having problems getting the PO to pickup packages, at least one day a week the carrier refuses to get out of the truck to pickup parcels. There are days when we don't even have mail because they claim they can't find carriers. Yet when I offered I was told they don't do the hiring. None of the carriers are local, they're all driving several hours to work to run a route they've never done before and never will again.
What ever changed at the beginning of the year made it a complete disaster there it seams.
miman751
·6 days agoWelcome to my world. The amazing thing is how many folks who continue to tell us this isn’t happening, or it’s no big deal.
It IS happening, and many of my friends are giving up on eBay as a reliable/quick option, because so many of the sellers offer no options besides USPS Ground Advantage. They simply don’t want to risk a 2 week (or longer) wait, watching their package in “USPS Distribution Center Purgatory”, as it travels in circles around the USA.
ltldpr
·5 months agoYou are probably experiencing issues with "RCA"s or what USPS calls Rural Carrier Associates, when they use their own vehicles and don't wear uniforms.
Here's a 2 yr old post on Reddit where one of those clueless people actually asked what they had been hired as: https://www.reddit.com/r/USPS/comments/1am7e2c/rca_position/
Here's a copy/paste of the job description that someone left as a comment:
Functional Purpose
Cases, delivers, and collects mail along a prescribed rural route using a vehicle; provides customers on the route with a variety of services.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Rural Carrier Associates are non-career employees who provide customers along a rural route a variety of services including delivering and collecting mail and selling stamps, supplies and money orders. Desirable candidates have a vehicle suitable for use and live within easy commuting distance of the facility location.
The job is physically demanding. Work is performed indoors and outdoors in all types of weather. Carriers may be required to load and unload trays and containers of mail and parcels weighing as much as 70 pounds.
Work is available usually on Saturdays, then on an as needed basis to cover the absence of the carrier.
Sorts mail in delivery sequence for the assigned route.
Receives and signs for accountable mail.
Loads mail in vehicle.
Delivers mail to customers along a prescribed route and on a regular schedule by a vehicle; collects monies and receipts for accountable mail; picks up mail from customers' roadside boxes.
Sells stamps, stamped paper and money orders; accepts C.O.D., registered, certified, and insured mail and parcel post; furnishes routine information concerning postal matters and provides requested forms to customer.
Returns mail collected, undeliverable mail, and submits monies and receipts to post office.
Prepares mail for forwarding amd maintains records of change of address information.
Prepares a daily trip report and maintains a list of the customers on the route.
Conducts special surveys when required.
Maintains an inventory of stamps and stamped paper as needed to provide service to customers on the route.
Provides for mail security at all times.
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As for the nation-wide tours that your items are taking, USPS dumped millions into ai to assist in routing.
However, since it's not happening to everyone, and every package, I have to wonder if your packages somehow assist in confusing the overrated, overpriced, infallible clanker aka ai in some way.
Are your pkgs in polybags or boxes?
Are the labels affixed as if the pkg were an envelope (horizontally) or are they affixed vertically?
Do the labels fall off the package (is the barcode going over the edge of the pkg & therefore on 2 different sides of the pkg)?
christworks
·5 months ago@reelworks It is difficult to say what may be going on. If I had to guess, probably multiple issues. You've as much said there are problems with your local post office, including carriers from other areas coming to fill in routes. I imagine they are having people from other places come work the internals at your post office, sorting mail, clerking, etc. Although each USPS should operate the same, I know they don't.
Did you change the shipping labels or tape you have been using - anytime in the past 6 months? If a label comes off or tape comes loose from a package, that can cause delays.
There were a lot of weather delays in late January and February, then again in March. We went ten days without any mail coming in or going out. This caused a significant amount of delays.
When an INR comes through, are you doing what you are supposed to do and update the tracking number?
You may want to familiarize yourself with this policy change that happened last year. It sure would save you some grief.
As far as carriers not getting out of the truck to pick up packages, they are not required to do that when the carrier is not familier with the area. This is for carrier safety, mainly because carriers do not know who has a dog and who does not. My normal carrier is out on sick leave, and we've had a dozen or so people fill in since Christmas. A few will get out to bring a package to the the door. Several won't, because of a safety alert that went out 13 years ago for a dog that was running around a half-mile up the road.
ryry-jj
·5 months agoFirst Class mail is a stamp on an envelope, that isn't an option on eBay, there is no tracking, no scanning, no prove of shipping at all. Plus a 5" cube box cant ship in an envelope.
You also posted about this on the "selling" topics...I have never experienced anything with the USPS like you are explaining. But you stated in the other thread 30# shipped in a wood lined medium flat rate box, and you selected the medium flat rate because that was your only option...we never have only one option. Something tells me, the issues might be before the USPS receives your package. Again, never have I had anything close to what you are dealing with so something is making you unique
bonanza125
·5 months agoHave to say I am not experiencing the problems you are having. I do find it odd that you are have this much problems with Ground Advantage yet I haven't had not one issue when it comes to arriving 30-60 days late this whole year.
tobaccocardyahoo
·5 months agoThere was no major change at the beginning of the year, though there previously were significant changes.
I use USPS Ground Advantage exclusively to ship. I am in one of the 60% of PO's which had cuts in their trips to distribution centers. I am not experienced any issues other than delays in origin scans at the distribution center.
If there is a problem, it is probably somewhere close to your PO or related to your packaging or labeling.