Is it usual for Post Office to not scan packages?

[dinger2013]

Hello, I ordered an item from a seller on the 21st of January. A label was created on the 22nd. It is now the 28th and the tracking only results in this:

January 22, 2020, 9:33 pm
Shipping Label Created, USPS Awaiting Item
FORT WORTH, TX 76137 
A shipping label has been prepared for your item at 9:33 pm on January 22, 2020 in FORT WORTH, TX 76137. This does not indicate receipt by the USPS or the actual mailing date.

I messaged the seller and she replied with this: 

”

You must not get many packages from the post office, the post office totally SUX! I have 5 stores on ebay that I ship out everything thru the post office, as of saturday night about 40 packages had no scan at all, 4 packages that had been scanned were sent to the wrong state, as of sunday about 30 of them had there 1st scan. I have constantly complained at the post office that my packages have are not getting scanned at all when I drop them off and nobody cares. it is an every week thing with me and realy frustrating, you can not put a search on a pckage that has not beem scanned, I have tried, and when u put a search on one that has been scanned, they jhave the exact info that you get on the tracking number. sorry.”

What do you guys think is going on? This is unusual behavior from the Post Office and the Seller.

[eleanor*rigby]

I would say, based on my personal experience and from reading threads about this topic, that it is unusual for a package not to receive an acceptance scan, but not unheard of. It definitely happens.

I'd be more concerned that the package has not been scanned anywhere, anytime. Sort of odd that no post office anywhere along the line has scanned it, but I suppose it's possible.

As for the seller's explanation, it is what it is. S/he might want to look into actually waiting in line to see his/her packages be scanned by a postal employee instead of just dropping them off, but that doesn't help you with this purchase--and it's definitely not your problem!

You didn't mention the estimated delivery date eBay gave you for the arrival of your purchase, but, if you have not received the item by that date, you can file an "Item Not Received" (INR) request in eBay's Resolution Center. The steps beyond that are pretty clear, as long as you follow their instructions and meet all their deadlines.

Good luck!

[mountainmommie]

I had to email three buyers yesterday because the satellite PO I dropped packages at didn't scan them so they moved around unscanned until my city distribution center.

I also saw numerous packages not being picked up until my BUYERS distribution centers over the holidays so I'm beginning to think my local PO stinks. I just moved from POs in Rowlett and Rockwall and hated it because they would put piles on the side and then throw them all in the bin so I'd miss out on the initial scan but pick up the Dallas scan at midnight a day later. 

I cannot guarantee your seller isn't lying but if they are as frustrated as I am ... 

[magbenv0]

I purchased something five days ago that was shipped from CA. It had the initial scan,one more elsewhere in CA,and then nothing till it hit PA. Thought that was different from the norm,but it did arrive today,so all was well. USPS has an automated system you can call into,maybe you'd get something else off there?

[emerald_door]

I've sent packages that weren't scanned at acceptance.  When I asked about it at the PO, the postmaster told me that sometimes larger packages aren't scanned.  

[mudshark61369]

@dinger2013,

Some branch post offices are better than others.  For that matter some carriers are better than others.  I've gotten mixed messages about packages that are dropped off at P.O.s.  Some do scan items dropped in the bin and others do not. Some counter people will not scan pre-labeled items.

  Carriers are supposed to scan items when they pick them up, but sometimes do not or as happened to me in early December, my carrier's scanner battery died on her 3/4 of the way through her route.  That package did not get scanned until it reached the receiving post office in the buyer's town. A few years ago, one very busy Holiday day she accidentally scanned a package I was sending, As delivered but it was scanned at one of the large centers later that night.  Last week a package sent by seller I buy from semi-reguarly only showed a label had been created message until the delivery scan.  It is not always the seller's fault, and there is nothing they can really do about it until a package is late being delivered.

  The answer to your question is, Yes.  for various reasons packages may not be scanned until delivery. I'd say as a percentage of mail delivered it is a low one, but it does happen.

Yesterday I tried to ship a medium large, 12lb. package  going to England. The first one ever that couldn't be shipped International 1st class. or in a USPS Priority box.

First, a substitute carrier decided to run my route in reverse, so Pick Up which usually happens between 2 and 4pm, happened at 10am.  Then because the package is larger than standard USPS boxes, There were two half letter size customs forms that are supposed to go into a clear customs stickem envelope on the box.  No mention of that on the shipping print out.  I called the USPS CS line and after a 45 minute wait, I received my call back from the USPS, and the rep and I working together each at our own computers, took about 20 minutes to find the correct item to put the two customs declaration forms in.  She said that is a standard item that should be available for free at any P.O.. They didn't have any at either of the two offices I went to. One counter person said I should have ordered them, from the USPS site and was quite rude about it. At the other office, the post master had never heard of the envelope, but called to see if something else could be substituted, and was told the customs services would return packages that did not have that envelope.  So today I will have to try a couple of different P.O.s so I can ship the package which has only a "Shipping label was created on X date" message.

[dinger2013]

Thanks for the replies everyone. 

I will take into consideration that it’s not the seller's fault entirely. I hate these pre-label stuff. I would think if you wanted your buyers to get their stuff, since they’re taking your money, that they would take the time to go up to the counter and make sure that packages get sent. That’s what I do when I ship stuff.

Anyways, the expected delivery date is Jan 30th. So, if it hasn’t been scanned or arrive by tomorrow, I will start a claim against the seller.

[emerald_door]

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@dinger2013 wrote:

Thanks for the replies everyone. 

I will take into consideration that it’s not the seller's fault entirely. I hate these pre-label stuff. I would think if you wanted your buyers to get their stuff, since they’re taking your money, that they would take the time to go up to the counter and make sure that packages get sent. That’s what I do when I ship stuff.

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If it takes 15 minutes to drive to the Post Office, and the wait is 15-20 minutes, which is not unusual for where I live, you're talking about 45-50 minutes to mail the package, as opposed to a 10-12 minute round trip to the local blue drop mail box, or a pickup by the mail carrier.  Not everyone has that kind of time, or is available during the hours the PO is open.  In addition, it's not cost effective unless it's a high priced item.  

[dinger2013]

As a buyer, it’s not really my problem if the seller doesn’t have time to ship. There are expected delivery dates to uphold. If they want to run their store professionally they would make time if they want to make money.

[bluelinemetalsllc]

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@dinger2013 wrote:

Thanks for the replies everyone. 

I will take into consideration that it’s not the seller's fault entirely. I hate these pre-label stuff. I would think if you wanted your buyers to get their stuff, since they’re taking your money, that they would take the time to go up to the counter and make sure that packages get sent. That’s what I do when I ship stuff.

Anyways, the expected delivery date is Jan 30th. So, if it hasn’t been scanned or arrive by tomorrow, I will start a claim against the seller.

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Please also keep in mind that for some of us, physically taking packages to the post office is nearly impossible; I am the sole day time caregiver to our disabled child, so I have USPS pick up all of our packages. Having to take my child and the packages to the post office every day, wait in line, etc would be too taxing on my daughter and would break my business. (which I depend on to be able to be home with my child) I'm just saying that sometimes there are reasons why a seller doesn't actually take their packages in to the PO themselves, it doesn't always mean they are negligent or that they don't care. 🙂 

[mudshark61369]

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@dinger2013 wrote:

As a buyer, it’s not really my problem if the seller doesn’t have time to ship. There are expected delivery dates to uphold. If they want to run their store professionally they would make time if they want to make money.

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@dinger2013,

If what the rest of us has written hasn't explained why there may not be any info until you receive an item. Then that is sad. One thing no one else has mentioned is, that ebay's ESTIMATED delivery dates are based on the seller's usual delivery time frames and not always on the shipping services estimated dates. That used to include telling buyers what a seller's handling time is, but does not any longer.  Did you look at the seller's feedback profile to see how experienced they are, and where they are registered?  You might get an explanation by doing that.  The seller could have a fair number of feedback for buying but this is their first sale. New sellers run into lots of issues. They might also give a U.S. location for the item, but it is coming from China.

Also not every seller is running a business, and even some very high volume sellers work out of their garage, after working at their full time jobs. There are many variables that can affect an item having an acceptance scan and further tracking that the seller cannot control, including an item becoming lost in a service's system.   

[dinger2013]

How is any of that a buyer’s problem though? I get that there might be reasons a seller has problems running their EBay stores. Not the buyers problem though. Well, it becomes a problem for the buyer.

[corvettestainless]

It happens; I ship out 1200+ a year for 9 years now and I've seen tracking shown this until it delivers. Then 10 different 'scans' show up, all the way to the 'delivery'. I ship USPS and have everything picked up by carrier. Regular carrier scans at pickup- most others do not. It should be scanned at the main hub (Cerritos CA), but every once in a while I check a package going across the country and this will happen. 

[qatara]

I've had 12 in one day not scanned until they got to Jacksonville, FL.

[dinger2013 · Accepted solution]

I think I’ve found a solution to this. Not the current problem but the problem overall. I will be asking sellers on items I’m interested in, on what their shipping practices are before I purchase. That will determine if I choose to buy from them.