eBay

robertscleaning2009 · ‎08-08-2022

What does everyone do with media mail that gets lost in shipping? Ours 6 items have been “lost” at the same post office for weeks, and we call usps, refund for the item, and then just 3 or 4 days later item is delivered. We are them out the item and the product. Please help thanks in advance.

1786davycrockett · ‎08-08-2022

There are several USPS distribution centers around the United States that have become notorious for lost media packages (Los Angeles in California and the Bronx in New York, for example).

From what city and state are you mailing, and do you know the USPS distribution center which your post office uses?

If this becomes a regular issue, you may have to bump up to USPS First Class.

thatbooklady · ‎08-08-2022

As soon as I am aware that an item has not been delivered I go to usps.com/help/missing-mail.htm. Works almost all the time.

toysaver · ‎08-08-2022

If items are light enough to go First Class I upgrade.

a_c_green · ‎08-08-2022

@robertscleaning2009 wrote:
What does everyone do with media mail that gets lost in shipping? Ours 6 items have been “lost” at the same post office for weeks, and we call usps, refund for the item, and then just 3 or 4 days later item is delivered. We are them out the item and the product. Please help thanks in advance.

Media Mail travels on a space-available basis, with up to 3 days allowed at each waypoint before it must go out on the next truck. It sounds like your PO is simply forgetting to send them out at all. I would suggest either upgrading from Media Mail to First Class Package, or at least shipping from a different post office.

Media Mail should be used only when there are significant cost savings over scheduled shipping methods (i.e. practically every service above MM), and when the buyer doesn't care when it will eventually arrive.

In other words, I wouldn't say it gets lost any more often than other shipments, but it probably arrives later than estimated more often, since it can be left out along the way if there's no space immediately available on the next truck out.

lakefor94 · ‎08-08-2022

As others have stated, at 1st noticing your shipment is not moving as it should, Complete A Help Request Form for every package and that might get your mail moving.

https://www.usps.com/help/missing-mail.htm

Posting ID

hartungcards · ‎08-08-2022

How many times does this have to happen to you before you just stop using Media Mail? Is the small savings you might be getting worth the headache and bad will from your customers? My local PO actually told me to just not use it at all.

a_c_green · ‎08-08-2022

@hartungcards wrote:
How many times does this have to happen to you before you just stop using Media Mail? Is the small savings you might be getting worth the headache and bad will from your customers? My local PO actually told me to just not use it at all.

I bet they did. They probably got tired of knuckleheads using it for clearly unauthorized items (e.g. the "Media Mail" package was sloshing), having to open the Media Mail package for inspection (which they're authorized to do), and then deal with either the unhappy seller or the unhappy buyer, whoever got stuck with the additional charges.

agun2355 · ‎08-08-2022

It's not just media mail that's stalling. I have a first class package that fell off the radar in New Jersey and hasn't been scanned in 23 days. I initiated a missing mail search 8 days ago but so far nothing has come of it.

2013grotz · ‎08-08-2022

@hartungcards wrote:
How many times does this have to happen to you before you just stop using Media Mail? Is the small savings you might be getting worth the headache and bad will from your customers? My local PO actually told me to just not use it at all.

Problem is the savings often isn't very small, especially if you're talking about books or lots of CDs/DVDs, which becomes a Priority Mail matter. Then, I'm finding with those things, a few cents difference really does matter where you are competitively in terms of where buyers will go, etc, etc. Nothing really is "small" with Media Mail compared to First Class. Fact is I've gotten more "bad will" from customers when I *wasn't* using Media Mail.

albertabrightalberta · ‎08-08-2022

@hartungcards wrote:
How many times does this have to happen to you before you just stop using Media Mail? Is the small savings you might be getting worth the headache and bad will from your customers? My local PO actually told me to just not use it at all.

Not only that but you've issued refunds and the buyers get free items!

Use first class mail! In 20 years, I can count on less than one hand the number of actual losses I've had.

ETA: Actually, there were 2 losses and both were priority mail. NONE of my first class mail has gotten lost.

albertabrightalberta
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