Got a question for USPS postal workers here

[b4b4b4b]

Sorry this post will be a little long.

Got a question for the several postal workers that come here to the boards. When you drop off a package, do you personally ring the doorbell or the apartment buzzer to let the person know they have a package, or is that not in a job description anymore?  I'm just wondering.

Out of probably 375 packages I finally had one stolen on Friday (and of course I realize it is  not the seller's fault and will be giving positive feedback).

I know back in the day postal workers would ring the doorbell and wait for the person to answer it before just dropping it and leaving it.     But now postal workers won't even ring the doorbell/buzzer and leave quickly?  I am just wondering if that is what is done these days.        

For almost 5 years I have lived in an apartment.  Each "building" has about 15 apartments and to go into your apartment you enter the "building," the lobby being about 10' x 6.'  In that lobby are mailboxes and a numbered "buzzer" for each apartment.

Had a purchase delivered 4:30 pm per tracking where it indicates left by mailbox or lobby.  My whole family was home (of course, right now with Covid-19).  Checked tracking and when I saw it was delivered I went out to get it, about 5 pm.  No package there.

I called our local post office to determine GPS tracking and I was told that purchase was delivered 3' from another I made a few days earlier so it was delivered to the "building."

I am just wondering.

( And yes, I considered just picking up packages at the post office and I did have a post office box but after a couple of years I gave it up; had 2 things delivered at one time there but *I* did not get them, don't know who did.  One time I went to the counter to ask about a delivery and I was told the person who puts mail in the mail box has dyslexia and sometimes gets the numbers mixed up.  One delivery ended up in someone else's mailbox but luckily I was finally able to get that one.  The other one? Never found it.)

Thank you so much.

Tammy

New Hampshire

[coffeebean832]

With signature required packages the carriers are supposed to "Avoid ringing the doorbell when possible. They will knock on the customer’s door and avoid areas that may be frequently touched when knocking."

If a signature is not required then the carriers may not be required to knock at all and can instead leave packages at their discretion- I'm sure the USPS employees that post here can probably answer more definitively.

If your carrier leaving packages in the general mailbox area of an apartment complex isn't working then you can have your packages held at the PO for pickup- of course that requires going to the post office to pick them up. You can go to the online tracking for any package and leave "special delivery instructions" which includes requesting the post office hold the package for pickup. I'm not sure how long the PO will hold a package though- 2 weeks?- you can call your local PO to ask.

Write out a note on an 8.5x11" sheet of paper with a sharpie and tape it to the wall in the mailbox area where residents will see it-

One of our packages delivered on Tuesday, April 7th is missing. It was a small brown box with ___ store logo on it (insert description of whatever it was supposed to look like) addressed to (recipient's name).

Please check to see if you picked this box up by mistake and if you have it please leave it outside the door of apartment # 1A (your apartment number here).

Thank you - much appreciated!

[b4b4b4b]

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@coffeebean832 wrote:

With signature required packages the carriers are supposed to "Avoid ringing the doorbell when possible. They will knock on the customer’s door and avoid areas that may be frequently touched when knocking."

If a signature is not required then the carriers may not be required to knock at all and can instead leave packages at their discretion- I'm sure the USPS employees that post here can probably answer more definitively.

If your carrier leaving packages in the general mailbox area of an apartment complex isn't working then you can have your packages held at the PO for pickup- of course that requires going to the post office to pick them up. You can go to the online tracking for any package and leave "special delivery instructions" which includes requesting the post office hold the package for pickup. I'm not sure how long the PO will hold a package though- 2 weeks?- you can call your local PO to ask.

Write out a note on an 8.5x11" sheet of paper with a sharpie and tape it to the wall in the mailbox area where residents will see it-

One of our packages delivered on Tuesday, April 7th is missing. It was a small brown box with ___ store logo on it (insert description of whatever it was supposed to look like) addressed to (recipient's name).

Please check to see if you picked this box up by mistake and if you have it please leave it outside the door of apartment # 1A (your apartment number here).

Thank you - much appreciated!

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coffeebean832, thanks so much for your post, really appreciate it.  

Yes, perhaps having things held at the post office.

But, you won't believe this, but I purchased an inexpensive necklace from a seller on Ebay, I guess all the lockers at the PO were full, so when I opened my mailbox, I basically had a yellow card in there with my PO box # on it indicating PO is holding it.  I took the card up to the counter, after waiting about 15 mins, they never could find it !!  But I will blame that on myself, I waited probably a couple of weeks.   But yes, perhaps I will have my things held at the post office.

Thanks again for your time.

Tammy / NH

[bbravo65]

@b4b4b4b...to confirm what already some posters just responded...

1- Mail Carrier is not ringing your bell or even may not knocking your door if they don't feel safe enough in infecting this China virus...but again, it depends on your mailman...I don't make this statement in any specific circumstances...

2- if you get form 3849, the orange-pinkish note with self-adhesive sticking to your door to notify you for package(s) to be picked-up at local PO, please come at once the next business day...I don't know your local PO policies because it seems liked every PO has their own rules, but here in Riverside, CA, they will hold Express Mail for 2 weeks, any other articles (Priority, First-Class, Parcel Ground, Media packages, Registered Mail, Certified Mail) only 10 days...2 weeks and 10 days in REGULAR CALENDAR, not BUSINESS CALENDAR...

3- some apartment complex has a very helpful landlords that they will hold packages for their tenants...some even bring them to tenant apt.'s door when their tenants be home, but again good luck with that...it's all about safety neighbors or "neighbor's watch"...some carriers have their commonsenses that they would rather leave you that form 3849 so you can safely retrieve your package(s)...and some lack of concerning won't care...USPS have "good" and "bad" apples in their basket...

4- directly contact your mailman to have an honest conversation regarding this issue and trying in compromise of both of you for a better solutions...COMMUNICATION IS THE KEY FACTOR...

5- some carriers even give out their private cell-phone number to trustworthy customers so they can get notices in schedule for pick-up outgoing package(s), vacation hold, customer hold as requested, forwarding mail when moving (this can not be done without a completed Forwarding Address Form Verification from USPS, but customers can give a hint prior their moving...)

(...I don't declare and verify who I am, what I'm doing for living...but if you ever read some of my responses regarding USPS information, perhaps it revealed...)

...willing to answer you more in the level of my capacities...

[gamersbaystore]

Its up to the postal worker to decide whether or not to ring the door bell, and most don't. One of our postal delivery workers always rang the door bell when he dropped off packages, but he recently retired, and the new workers don't do it.

Where you live matters too. Living in an apartment you're more likely to have packages stolen. The only real workaround is to get a P.O. Box. But the problem with this approach is that USPS has a bad habit of not holding onto packages long enough for buyers to pick them up.

[terrycece62]

One of my postal workers ring the doorbell and since the virus restrictions he doesn't do that
None of the others (2 ?) knock unless a signature or postage due is involved
Stay Safe

[bbravo65]

@gamersbaystoreUSPS don't have "a bad habit of not holding onto packages long enough for buyers to pick them up..."(quote from yours)...in REALITY, they are incapacity of having enough spaces to keep holding on all when customers are lack of commonsense in responsibility...also, what would you think for another side, the sellers or senders (as you are also one) eager to know their packages whereabouts...?

(...a package wad held for passing 2 weeks...whatever inside the carton box started leaking and a foul odor vaporized that caused one clerk to be checked-in with hospital...will USPS send the hospital bills to the receiver-buyer of that package because it was the cause...?...also, it can be liability suits to be filed on behalf of that clerk for her medical expenses, lost of wages (with over-time), traumatic injury as PTSD...etc... peoples nowadays are well-known how to seek for legal matters and the lawyers don't hesitate to pick-up the tabs...)

[ekmadonna]

Sorry to hear about your issue. I just had a customer contact me yesterday with the same problem. Package showed delivered but he said it was not there.

 I was talking with my father yesterday and he told me a neighbor 3 streets away walked over to his house with his little girl to give him his meds that were delivered USPS from CVS to the wrong address!!! He also mentioned that the week before he got a package that was addressed to a house 3 houses down!!

 I just shipped a package on Monday that shows Acceptance scan where I dropped it off in Attleboro, Ma shipped to Providence RI Hub then left Providence and is showing s being delivered to MY CITY Pawtucket RI yesterday?? This package is going to Indiana?

 I always rave about the USPS because they have always been the best in all areas, but lately they are dropping the ball big big time!

[gamersbaystore]

My statement was based on my experience as a seller, and yes, USPS does have a bad habit of not holding onto packages long enough for buyers to pick them up. Time and time again I have sent packages to PO boxes, only to have USPS send them back literally the day they arrived.

I've had buyers go to the post office hours after a package arrived only to be told the item isn't there anymore and was returned to sender with no explanation why.

I don't see how buyers are lacking common sense or being irresponsible when the post office workers aren't doing their job. The onus is on USPS.

[bar-29368]

I remember the 'good old days' when posties either walked or rode a bike and blew a whistle when they dropped off mail (not here obviously).

[coffeebean832]

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@ekmadonna wrote:

I always rave about the USPS because they have always been the best in all areas, but lately they are dropping the ball big big time!

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Package volume is up right now and a lot of POs are relying on substitute carriers. I see mis-deliveries in even the best of times because humans make errors. Right now we need to have a little extra patience as the PO is doing the best they can just like the rest of us.

A mis-delivery as you described is usually pretty easy to resolve. Call the PO and they can look up the GPS coordinates of the delivery scan- if your package is delivered to a different address the carrier can usually retrieve the package and re-deliver it to the correct address.

[sg51]

If you would like to be notified that a package has arrived to your porch area, get a ring or arlo camera.  They observe the area, and you get a ding on your phone whenever a package arrives.

[b4b4b4b]

I just wanted to say thank you to all of you for your replies, I really, really appreciate it !!

🙂

All considered, I think I will just have all packages go to my PO Box which I think is still active and just go pick them there 😉

Tammy

NH

[b4b4b4b]

Ohhhhhh and everyone and your families … take care and be safe.

Tammy

[bbravo65]

...then you should contact USPS Postal Inspectors and file a complaint against your PO, the Postmaster whom in charge and his/her Management Staffs...

...your examples raised  more questions because they lack of facts to verify...think about it...!...(the PO Box ...did the box's owner still receiving mail from there or the box is already closed...?...the pick-up..."hours after package arrived..."...arrived where...?...did the receiver got form 3849 notified to pick-up at PO...and when he/she showed up...?..."hours" can be 24 but can be longer than that...)

...so every of your shipments by using USPS to PO box or even residential areas always being send back to senders...?...if so, it's time for you to stop doing business with USPS and spend your extra money wisely to another couriers to get the service you think you should deserve...why you still sticking in dealing with a company that caused you too much negative experience...?...USPS is very bad, stay away from them my dear...

...and I bet your PO will have a deep breath of relax for not seeing uncommon sense customers with aggressive attitudes and verbal abuses when they showed up at the window service, because they only want to get the answers from whatever they believed in their heads without any considerations and...again...common sense...!