How Often Does A Parcel Actually Get Scanned?

[tedster99]

This is kind of a first for me, maybe it is common but I don't like it. Scheduled another carrier pickup thru USPS. The carrier picked it up, but apparently didn't scan it as "picked up" or Acceptance. I did get an email from USPS confirming they had collected the package. How does that work? 

Anyway, at what point going forward will it at least show up in the system? Are parcels maybe scanned on the machines or conveyor at some point? Or is it at Delivery will be the next scan? What if the carrier declines to scan then?

[tedster99]

I can't imagine each individual parcel is scanned at the intervals you list. I mean, I don't know for sure. What I thought happens, is the shipping container has a bar code that gets scanned at certain points, that it is tied to. If for example a parcel has not received an acceptance scan how does it "know"? 

In this example, there's just one (1) parcel. Why would it require a scan form? The scan form is on the parcel, I mean, that's the whole point. 

[tedster99]

What's funny is that I've flat out watched postal workers scan packages when they pick them up and at the post office and it sometimes doesn't show as accepted. Eventually it'll hit the major hub a day or two later and show it's been processed or something. But I do know sometimes the scanners may not upload for some reason or at the post office, whatever sends the data to the main server doesn't happen sometimes. Or it's just not immediate.

Years ago the scanners needed to be placed into a modem like device at the end of the day to upload data. 

The scanner I saw being used the other day looks like a chunky cell phone. Data is available pretty fast. I get push messages within minutes. eBay takes about 20 minutes or so to update from there. It used to be I'd actually get a bit more detailed tracking info from eBay than USPS. I thought that was interesting.

[stainlessenginecovers]

Sometimes they show at the Post Office (when carrier returns)

Sometimes the next day from that same post office

Sometimes not at all from that post office

Sometimes at the next major hub

Sometimes not there either

Sometimes they don't show anything for 2 weeks, then 10 things show in one day, the next day on the truck being delivered.

[tealt]

---

@tedster99 wrote:

Anyway, at what point going forward will it at least show up in the system? Are parcels maybe scanned on the machines or conveyor at some point? Or is it at Delivery will be the next scan? What if the carrier declines to scan then?

---

After reading for years about scans on these boards, I'm convinced that each post office's approach to scans is different.  I'm guessing that you will figure out how your local PO's scanning works as time goes on.

Unless I have a scan sheet with my scheduled pick-up, my carrier doesn't scan (and I hate to ask her for only one package--the poor woman has a long route and is usually delivering my regular mail after 6PM).

My branch PO, which my carrier works from, scans nothing unless I appear personally at the counter.  Packages collected by the carrier are taken to the main PO at the end of the day.

Whether my package gets a same day scan at the main PO depends on the service.  Priority is usually scanned before midnight.  Sometimes 1st class is scanned before midnight, sometimes it isn't (depends on whether the workers have time or not, I guess).  Parcel and Media are never scanned at the main PO.

All my packages are scanned when they reach the nearest sorting center for that class package (for Parcel Select that center for me is 400 miles away.

---

@tedster99 wrote:

This is kind of a first for me, maybe it is common but I don't like it. Scheduled another carrier pickup thru USPS. The carrier picked it up, but apparently didn't scan it as "picked up" or Acceptance. I did get an email from USPS confirming they had collected the package. How does that work? 

That email happens when the carrier scans their list of addresses for package pick-up on that part of their route.  EBay never sees that scan because it is not a scan of the package itself.  I sometimes get that email before my carrier actually picks up the package.

[from_me_2_you]

Case in point... I get RFD (if it still called that) picked up from my porch or at the mailbox depending on size of package. I left 5 small parcels in the box (not very expensive), took 3 expensive coin shipments directly to the PO. and pushed them deep into the counter. I did not wait to see if the post person actually moved them. Got home and later that night checked the status of ALL my packages. The ones picked up at my house were scanned in. The expensive ones did not show...a bit of a panic, but waited until this morning and checked, yep all were scanned, some from my local PO others from PDX (Portland OR). 

[tedster99]

That email happens when the carrier scans their list of addresses for package pick-up on that part of their route.  EBay never sees that scan because it is not a scan of the package itself.  I sometimes get that email before my carrier actually picks up the package. 

Yeah, I got several of those emails "confirming" package pickup, only slightly amusing to me because the parcels were still sitting at home. Item purchased paid for on a Thursday, scheduled a pickup for a Friday. Left a letter to go out hanging from mailbox. Nothing. That kind of torqued me, outgoing mail is supposed to get picked up. So I schedule a Saturday pickup. 

They pickup the outgoing letter, and deliver a parcel. And leave my outgoing parcel. And send out a cheery email again how they have "successfully" picked up the package. 

I think it's straightened out now. And I [i]did[/i] get an "Arrived" scan! Maybe the substitute or split carrier scans packages all at once at the end of the day. Can't see any benefit to doing it that way particularly. 

[simply-the-best-for-you]

---

@tedster99 wrote:

That email happens when the carrier scans their list of addresses for package pick-up on that part of their route.  EBay never sees that scan because it is not a scan of the package itself.  I sometimes get that email before my carrier actually picks up the package. 

Yeah, I got several of those emails "confirming" package pickup, only slightly amusing to me because the parcels were still sitting at home. Item purchased paid for on a Thursday, scheduled a pickup for a Friday. Left a letter to go out hanging from mailbox. Nothing. That kind of torqued me, outgoing mail is supposed to get picked up. So I schedule a Saturday pickup. 

They pickup the outgoing letter, and deliver a parcel. And leave my outgoing parcel. And send out a cheery email again how they have "successfully" picked up the package. 

I think it's straightened out now. And I [i]did[/i] get an "Arrived" scan! Maybe the substitute or split carrier scans packages all at once at the end of the day. Can't see any benefit to doing it that way particularly. 

---

Yup, as I stated in my earlier post, these are often wrong.   They are not triggered by the pkg scans, it's another scan, which IME, 95% of the subs don't know, so you'll get an exception email that says they weren't picked up, even though they really were.  

I've had it happen the opposite too.  Also, when everything goes right, I usually get this email right when my carrier is leaving my driveway, but if it's any sort of exception (including just a count that doesn't match cuz you've added the morning's sales), they seem to do their exception processing at night.  I get those around 8PM.  

[lepke1979]

---

@simply-the-best-for-you wrote:

---

@lepke1979 wrote:

---

@gwens*4saleitems* wrote:

I had gotten a shipping defect, a year or so ago.

I sent out 3 packages, package pick-up, carrier only scanned 2 of the 3 packages. I didn't know that she didn't scan one of the packages UNTIL I GOT the defect and had to look it up to see why. The package only got one scan as far as I could see and that was when it was delivered. So, I got a shipping defect for 'late shipping'.

---

That's what people keep saying. But for some reason in my experience, it doesn't seem to be the case. Even chatted with someone at eBay last year (was debating whether or not to change handling time to 1 day) about it and according to the person, "As long as you are able to provide the tracking details within your handling time, that should be fine." Which to me just means the tracking number was added.

But I don't know. What's funny is that I've flat out watched postal workers scan packages when they pick them up and at the post office and it sometimes doesn't show as accepted. Eventually it'll hit the major hub a day or two later and show it's been processed or something. But I do know sometimes the scanners may not upload for some reason or at the post office, whatever sends the data to the main server doesn't happen sometimes. Or it's just not immediate.

One thing I am curious about though, the scan sheets you can print, I have been told eBay doesn't consider them accepted until they get a real scan later on. Or in the case of the self serve kiosks. You can scan them in there and drop them in the box. But I think they function similarly to scan sheets.

---

@lepke1979  Are you sure you're looking in the right place?  I had 1 pkg scanned late in the last 90 days or whatever & there it is taunting me on my Dashboard.   Esp annoying since the buyer requested me to ship late.  Not worth calling Ebay again though.   It is ABSOLUTELY true that you get dinged if the Acceptance scan is not on time. 

IDK about scan sheets, as I've never used them, but am about to probably start.  IDK why it wouldn't be a real scan though.  The ones at Kiosks are, I do them a lot & they show up the same & the USPS has come out & said they're the same.  

I've never had an Acceptance scan that I know happened, not show up.  EVER.  And I check a lot.  Again, are you sure you're looking in the right place?  Ebay's data is quite delayed, so if there's doubt, be sure to check USPS directly.   The scanners work on cell towers, so sometimes there is a delay depending on cell traffic & where they are when the data uploads. 

---

Pretty sure. But just in case I'm looking in the wrong spot, if you tell me where to look I can verify.

[discountplace]

From your question it appears you scheduled a pickup and the carrier picked up the package but the tracking doesn't show anything happened. So here is what happens every carrier gets a sheet for every scheduled pickup when they complete the pickup they scan the sheet and that confirms in the system that a pickup was made - hence the email about the successful pickup. Many Carriers don't scan individual packages upon pickup they will only scan the scan sheet. Because they do not want to start the clock on the priority mail time. If they were to scan the sheet you will see an acceptance pending untill it receives a scan at a facility usually the first scan will be at the regional facility not your local post office. Shouldn't take more than a day or 2 hopefully unless you used Parcel select or media and it can take a week + if you live in a busy area..

[discountplace]

---

@discountplace wrote:

From your question it appears you scheduled a pickup and the carrier picked up the package but the tracking doesn't show anything happened. So here is what happens every carrier gets a sheet for every scheduled pickup when they complete the pickup they scan the sheet and that confirms in the system that a pickup was made - hence the email about the successful pickup. Many Carriers don't scan individual packages upon pickup they will only scan the scan sheet. Because they do not want to start the clock on the priority mail time. If they were to scan the sheet you will see an acceptance pending untill it receives a scan at a facility usually the first scan will be at the regional facility not your local post office. Shouldn't take more than a day or 2 hopefully unless you used Parcel select or media and it can take a week + if you live in a busy area..

---

[discountplace]

Just to be clear a scan sheet is something you have to create it's not the same paper that they have for scheduled pickups Also regarding scans many scans are auto-generated and they are made up based on where they should have been and when they and they're probable time they left

[simply-the-best-for-you]

@lepke1979   Look on your Seller Dashboard, there are 2 metrics,  Late Shipment Rate & Tracking Uploaded on Time & Validated.   See how I have 1 tx in the 2nd one?  I also had had one tx in Late Shipment Rate, but I called Ebay & got that one removed b/c my buyer requested I hold the shipment.   The other is tied right into USPS & is much harder to get changed for that reason.   So, the rep lied to you (no big surprise), it's all their on your DB in black & white.  

Having 1 or 2 is not going to hurt you, if you click the down arrows, you'll see the breakdown of the criteria (not on my screen shot but on your DB) & can run reports to see the tx's.  You have to meet the standards you see when you hit the down arrow.    Also note that 1 is a 3 month period, the other is a 1 year period.   Hope that helps clarify for you that it is indeed, a real thing 🙂 

[simply-the-best-for-you]

---

@discountplace wrote:

From your question it appears you scheduled a pickup and the carrier picked up the package but the tracking doesn't show anything happened. So here is what happens every carrier gets a sheet for every scheduled pickup when they complete the pickup they scan the sheet and that confirms in the system that a pickup was made - hence the email about the successful pickup. Many Carriers don't scan individual packages upon pickup they will only scan the scan sheet. Because they do not want to start the clock on the priority mail time. If they were to scan the sheet you will see an acceptance pending untill it receives a scan at a facility usually the first scan will be at the regional facility not your local post office. Shouldn't take more than a day or 2 hopefully unless you used Parcel select or media and it can take a week + if you live in a busy area..

---

I'm glad you clarified, this is NOT a 'scan sheet'.  A scan sheet is something YOU create & leave with the pkgs.   FWIW though, your synopsis differs regionally.  In my area, most of the carriers will scan all your pkgs (before this new change to the scanner software) but NONE of the subs know to scan the sheet that says the pickup was completed.  In the last 6 years, I've had that happen a bunch of times, but never the opposite, which is the situation you describe.  It all depends on how/if they've been trained.  

[tedster99]

Because they do not want to start the clock on the priority mail time. 

You know, I wondered about that. When a carrier pickup is scheduled, they want to know how many parcels, and about how many pounds, etc. What they oddly enough don't want to know is the obvious - the tracking numbers! I mean, I purchased the labels either directly from them, or thru eBay. All the info is available from the tracking.

[thesportsmaster23]

we have the same problem with the scan's,they don't scan our items when picked up or at the local post office.sometimes it will be two days before they scan our items.we call about it but no one seems to care at the post office.the items only get scanned when they get to another town.so we had to start shipping a day or two ahead of time.i always put in a lost mail request online with the usps hoping it will help with the scans but so far nothing.