eBay

momfor3 · ‎01-29-2018

I want to state up front that the packge I'm asking about is not an eBay package, but something has happened that in eBay-land would probably result in people asserting that the buyer / recipient was lying and trying to get a free iPhone. However, a legitimate USPS issue has happened and I'm not sure what steps to take next, and this was the best place I knew to seek some assistance.

I sent an iPhone to my daughter who lives two states away via USPS Priority Mail. Mailed Saturday, arrived in her metro area on Monday (today). Her real phone died and while waiting for the fix, she needed an older phone to stick her SIM in so she'll have cell service. She is currently without.

She lives in a large apartment complex that has a bank of mailboxes. There are larger boxes available for situations where a package is too big for a personal box. They leave a key in the personal box, and a note saying they have a package in one of the boxes below.

It appears they attempted delivery at 3:06, but for some reason, they did not put it in a larger box. This is the message that shows online:

We attempted to deliver your item at 3:06 pm on January 29, 2018 in XXXXX, XX ##### and a notice was left because no secure delivery location was available. You may arrange redelivery by using the Schedule a Redelivery feature on this page or may pick up the item at the Post Office indicated on the notice beginning January 30, 2018. If this item is unclaimed by February 13, 2018 then it will be returned to sender.

So... going to the web form about redelivery brings up three options to choose from. 1) Attempt to redeliver, 2) Send it back to the sender, or 3) Pick it up at the post office by presenting the note left in the mailbox at the PO at the address identified on the note.

This is frustrating because there's no explanation for why they couldn't use one of the 'secure delivery' boxes. What's the point of scheduling a redelivery? Will the reason for the inability to deliver today vanish so that it can be delivered tomorrow?

She needs the phone and certainly doesn't want to tell them to return it to me.

Option 3 sounds like a good plan except not only do the post office hours conflict with her work schedule, but there was no note left in her box at all, so she has no clue which post office to go to. She's in a large metro area and there are several nearby.

On her behalf, since I have a phone and she doesn't, I tried to call USPS to see what we could find out, but the wait time was anticipated to be 50+ minutes. I didn't have that kind of time.

The gal at the desk of her apartment complex was not sure which PO delivers to their box bank.

Does anyone have a suggestion for how to proceed?

thallidguy · ‎01-29-2018

wrote:

The gal at the desk of her apartment complex was not sure which PO delivers to their box bank.

Does anyone have a suggestion for how to proceed?

Google the post office for your daughter's zip code. That's the one that handles her mail. That is indeed the place to focus your search.

Good luck tracking down the phone!

fashunu4eeuh · ‎01-29-2018

The post office can tell you where the package currently is by referencing the tracking number. They have detailed info not included in the online description. You need to decide whether you want redelivery or pick up. If it were me, i’d arrange for a pick up. If your daughter cannot slip away to get it herself, perhaps a trusted friend could. Since the carrier left neither the package in the usual place, nor the notice, redelivery would worry me, especially in a large complex as you describe. I like the security in knowing it is safe until pick up. But foremost, i would want to know where the package is. Someone will need to contact the postal service to discover which location it is being held at.

nederlander1 · ‎01-29-2018

If the carrier took it back it's at the station. Save yourself further worry and just pick it up there.

momfor3 · ‎01-30-2018

Thanks, all. She was able to figure out which post office it was taken to, and picked it up this morning.

a_c_green · ‎01-30-2018

wrote:
Thanks, all. She was able to figure out which post office it was taken to, and picked it up this morning.

Good to read a happy ending for once around here.

I would also trust her carrier's judgement in not leaving the package at that address. It may be that the carrier knows of other packages going missing there, as well as what a typical packaged-up cellphone feels like for size and weight, and decided to do the prudent thing and not leave it unattended (regardless of how secure the drop boxes may appear to be).

momfor3 · ‎01-30-2018

wrote:
wrote:
Thanks, all. She was able to figure out which post office it was taken to, and picked it up this morning.
Good to read a happy ending for once around here.

I would also trust her carrier's judgement in not leaving the package at that address. It may be that the carrier knows of other packages going missing there, as well as what a typical packaged-up cellphone feels like for size and weight, and decided to do the prudent thing and not leave it unattended (regardless of how secure the drop boxes may appear to be).

Could be. I'm guessing nobody would've guessed this was a cell phone. It was the ugliest packaging job I've ever done. Had it in a hard box in a cardboard flat rate Priority Mail envelope and then decided it was probably not going to fit in her box, so I ripped open the envelope, cinched it in some (making it smaller), and re-taped it. Ran out of packaging tape partway through and had to use scotch tape in a few spots (not that were holding it closed, but keeping flaps to a minimum so it wouldn't get torn). The phone was wrapped in bubble wrap and in an oddly-shaped box, and then outside that box was a cylindrical-shaped external battery. It looked pretty odd. lol. But, it was legal, well-sealed, and the label was all nicely visible.

I had googled for directions to what looked like the nearest PO, and the google result showed customer reviews for that location were terrible. 2 stars out of 5. Lots of complaints. Had me pretty worried she'd never see that phone again, but fortunately... she got it!

Thanks again!