Is my item lost?

[mikec12]

I sent a package out April 24th First Class.  It is worth a lot of money.  Has the USPS lost it?  Here is the tracking, Only going from Rhode Island to Michigan  -

• Apr 29, 2020
• 12:00am

• In Transit to Next Facility
•  

• Apr 25, 2020
• 12:29am

• Departed USPS Regional Facility
• PROVIDENCE RI DISTRIBUTION CENTER

• Apr 24, 2020
• 9:28pm

• Arrived at USPS Regional Origin Facility
• PROVIDENCE RI DISTRIBUTION CENTER

• Apr 24, 2020
• 5:06pm

• Departed Post Office
• GREENVILLE, RI 02828

• Apr 24, 2020
• 3:48pm

• USPS in possession of item
• GREENVILLE, RI 02828

• Apr 24, 2020
• 7:14pm

• Tracking number provided
•  

[luckythewinner]

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@mikec12 wrote:

I sent a package out April 24th First Class.  Has the USPS lost it

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Based on the last tracking entry, I would say it got hung up in RI for a coupel days and is now on it's way to MI. 

I would never assume a package is lost if it has only been 7 days and the tracking is still updating.  

[mikec12]

I mean I hope so but yeah it only got scanned the day I sent it and was supposed to be delivered Tuesday. Just an in transit a few days ago.

[this*old*attic]

Don’t forget there have been shipping delays with Covid.

[mikec12]

I hope that is the case. The buyer hasn't contacted me yet. I really wish now I shipped this Priority. 

[sg51]

Michigan has been big trouble lately.

[mikec12]

Oh really? I didn't know that.

[plymouthsales4165]

General rule, if it is valuable it ships UPS or FEDEX. The reason is exactly what you are running into, USPS postal tracking at best is bad and at worst is non existent.  

[mikec12]

Oh, I've only ever shipped USPS, but this is the most I've sold something for. 

[ifyouloveit]

I suspect it is still moving. I sell on several sites and one of them is having trouble keeping their buyers updated on tracking. They are contacting to me for help, thinking their package is lost.

I'm finding USPS tracking is very unreliable right now. Some show packages not moving and stuck and then delivered same day. Some are coming in as delivered and they aren't (just had one of those this morning). However, every single one has arrived, although some are arriving quite a few days past their estimate.

I wouldn't worry, it's moving along and your tracking looks just like so many I have had to look up. It will arrive, might want to let your buyer know that USPS is slowed up due to Covid, mine have all understood 🙂

[fashunu4eeuh]

Hi, @mikec12 sure you know this, but when you read the tracking, the most current information shows first. The dates are in reverse if you notice. So the most recent info has it in transit to the next sorting station, probably in Michigan. There is no indication that there is anything wrong. It has not been lost.

Some of my packages have taken longer to get out of the local postal stations too, but they are all getting delivered, just taking a little longer due to the pandemic. You can get updates on your smartphone from the USPS. It will alert you when it gets a scan. It might help to ease your worry. Go to the USPS tracking and click the box that asks if you would like to receive updates via text or email. 

Just curious, did you buy shipping insurance? How expensive is the item? When I have had to send pricey goods, I usually opt for USPS registered mail (which can take a little longer but is the most secure) or sometimes send them overnight with FedEx. I prefer the US postal system over the other carriers. They have never let me down. Anyway, try not to worry. Lost packages happen infrequently.

[m60driver]

For, what, an additional extra $2, you could have shipped USPS Priority with some insurance.

[vrie39]

Yes sir, even thou ebay only requires insurance for parcels over $750 I will personally insure anything over $100 just because it's only a few dollars and... While insurance is also no guarantee it does provide one extra step for problem resolution, call it one more possibility for an actual set of eyes to look into the situation (as to whether that actually happens is another story but I sleep better).

It's not just Covid, I've seen an increase in this exact kind of problem in the past year or two... Where it used to be that about 1 maybe 2 packages per thousand misteriously disappeared now that number seems to be closer to 3-5 per thousand... Still far from terrible but definitely noticeable, also many packages lately have been showing up a week or two after the tracking so you really have to give it time and...

Couple more things (to the OP)...

 No news is good news, I don't personally look into anything unless a buyer contacts me / opens a case.

So I don't monitor my parcels, after they leave here I put it out of my mind because there is nothing I can do about it anyway and all it does is stress me out.

Just my own experience, thought I'd share that.

[muttlymob]

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@vrie39 wrote:

Yes sir, even thou ebay only requires insurance for parcels over $750 I will personally insure anything over $100 just because it's only a few dollars and...

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eBay doesn't require insurance on anything.

You may be confusing insurance with Signature Confirmation.  eBay and PayPal require signature tracking on any payment over $750, if the seller wants to be covered by seller protection in case of Item Not Received claims.

[mikec12]

Thanks for the response, and I got a message earlier tonight saying it arrived at the Detroit Michigan Distribution Center, so looking good.