The incompetent USPS

[escuintla]

Another rant on how we, sometimes, are punished by the actions of others, and Ebay blames us for it. 

I have been a friend of the USPS for a long time. But this year alone, they are in their 3rd attempt to make me fall into the category of haters for the way they do business with us.

I go to a specific post office, some clerks know me, I am always joking, and making fun of their "good service". They answer back to me in a jokingly way.

Before last Saturday, April 6, I went in there and joked again about Media Mail making it "there" next day. Then, I disguised my complaint by joking that the last Monday I had dropped a first clase package but it was scanned there 27 hours later, not that evening, no! Next day!

So, I dropped a Priority Mail large box, insured for more than $500 and I joked about it being delivered next day Sunday. They replied jokingly "did you know it will be delivered on Monday"? since it was a 2 days delivery.

I left with the satisfaction that I had shipped hours after being paid.

To make it short. I put a claim for a missing/late delivery package on last Friday. I got a call from Los Angeles PO office clerk that they were looking for it, probably sent to the wrong office, even though it showed out for delivery. They promised to find out what was going on.

Then, last Saturday, a week after I dropped it there, I brought the tracking number with big numbers printed on a piece of paper to the "manager" and he told me the internet there was sooooooo slow he couldn't help me. I left him the information, but he promised me he would look into it. My phone has not received a call from both Los Angeles and San Jose's offices.

What's worse? I tried to fill out a claim, it asked me for proof of value. I tried to upload a picture of the things in the lot, nah! It has to be a 2MB size thingy. Dang it! So much incompetence in only one case!

Apr 10, 2019
23:21pm
Awaiting Delivery Scan

Apr 10, 2019
19:42pm
Arrived at USPS Facility
LOS ANGELES, CA 90065

Apr 10, 2019
09:21am
Out for Delivery
LOS ANGELES, CA 90065

Apr 10, 2019
09:11am
Sorting Complete
LOS ANGELES, CA 90065

Apr 9, 2019
12:39pm
Arrived at Unit
LOS ANGELES, CA 90065

Apr 8, 2019
01:25am
Departed USPS Regional Destination Facility
LOS ANGELES CA DISTRIBUTION CENTER

Apr 8, 2019
01:21am
Arrived at USPS Regional Destination Facility
LOS ANGELES CA DISTRIBUTION CENTER

Apr 7, 2019
00:00am
In Transit to Next Facility

Apr 6, 2019
19:38pm
Arrived at USPS Regional Origin Facility
SAN JOSE CA DISTRIBUTION CENTER

Apr 6, 2019
18:23pm
Accepted at USPS Origin Facility
SAN JOSE, CA 95116

Apr 6, 2019
09:44am PDT
Tracking number provided

[dhbookds]

How many have you had delivered with no problem?

[mypostingid15]

Their computers are either slow, down, or they don't have one. I think they have 7 million terminals connected to a Radio Shack computer in D.C. somewhere.

[thecollegefund]

A family member of mine who lives in California had a similar situation with a USPS priority package becoming MIA within the system.

When her customer finally received the package they were told it had probably been held up for drug inspection along the way just because it was coming out of California.

I doubt the USPS is ever going to officially admit that they do this to packages, but it might be a possible explanation for packages "falling off the radar".

[jason_incognito]

My big issue is getting stuff scanned, or shipped out quickly.

I had a few things to ship Friday. Missed the post office. Set up pick up. Handed them to postman. Did not get a scan. They were finally scanned as accepted at 9pm monday.

This was the explanation from USPS. 

My carried returns from his route around 8 pm. There is no one at my post office that late on a Saturday. He unloads his truck to bins at the Post office.

Nobody is there on Sunday. 

Monday when they get there, first priority is outgoing. Getting all the delivery trucks loaded. They don't do anything about the stuff waiting to go out because there is not enough to bother with. When the PO closes at 5, they round up all the outgoing and send it to the next stop. My stuff gets scanned there.  had it gone out on Friday it would likely be delivered on Monday. Instead, it is just starting it's journey.

I was also told that I have a route that does not have a carrier, so I either get a sub who is picking up hours or I get a new carrier. Both tend to make mistakes..... not even a sorry.

I can drop stuff at the PO and stuff still only gets scanned at the regional facility. They just refuse to scan acceptance (even sometimes if I wait in line) 

I've gotten good at buyers asking why their stuff still shows the PO awaiting...... I can't tell you how many I have had that ... then the first scan is arrival at their post office.....

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

I have handled probably 20k packages in the last two decades, coming and going. I remember fewer than a handful of issues. Maybe a dozen if you add in the days I had a fill in mail carrier who didn't pick up my outgoing packages and the cookie jar sellers who used to throw it in a box with one square of bubble wrap.

I think it is amazing that they can get a package kittycorner across the country to be delivered in 2-3 days. I've had several packages lately in the region that were delivered next day. One buyer bought mid afternoon and it was in her mailbox at 10 am the next day. It was even in a different State! 

[helloandgoodmorning]

@jason_incognito- File a complaint at the USPS website.

[a_c_green]

---

@helloandgoodmorning wrote:

@jason_incognito- File a complaint at the USPS website.

---

Absolutely, with names, dates and places. 

A carrier pickup absolutely should be doing the Acceptance scan on the spot. That's the whole point of the Acceptance scan.

Similarly, a Pre-Paid Mailpiece Acceptance at the front counter should be an absolute no-brainer: it's about the fastest possible front counter transaction that can be made, as it requires no payment transaction. It's right there on the first screen of the terminal: middle row, left end icon: Pre-Paid Mailpiece Acceptance. (I once timed the woman ahead of me in line as she dropped off 7 packages at the USPS Chicago post office downtown in the basement of Willis Tower, and the clerk had them all scanned in less than sixty seconds, without even rushing.)

Finally, if you drop the package in the deposit chute in the lobby, they should be scanning that when the drop box is emptied. There's no reason why they can't log the Acceptance of your package one way or another as soon as they take possession of it.

[hyperrush]

Postman forgot to scan the parcel.

[jason_incognito]

I had a carrier pickup scheduled. 

Came home and found them still there with the page the carrier gets to pick it up. They were heavy. 

The page had handwritten "sorry" with an upside down face. No joke.

[escuintla]

---

@dhbookds wrote:

How many have you had delivered with no problem?

---

This year?

I dropped 5 packages at the post office, 3 media, they show scanned 3 days later. I got a ding for it. 

2 weeks ago, again, a first class package was scanned 27 hours later. Fortunately it was for a town close to me. 

The issue with the latest package is that I got a call from Los Angele's office saying they knew of "my problem" and that they were checking it. Probably they routed the box to a wrong zip code office, whatever they meant. Since Tuesday, the box seems to have vanished from earth.  They had it, somebody had it in their truck, so easy to find out, right? 

I left a note last Saturday at the Post Office where I dropped this box and I am still to hear a call from them. 

They will pay for it, a $500 dollar item, insured. 

My concern is that this scenario is making me and every Ebay seller bad. Real bad.....

This is from me, who has a profound respect for my mail carrier. 

[tunicaslot]

Guy I hear ya - but no mail service is infallible - that's why I get more upset with Ebay when we're dinged because of the carrier we picked. 

[jason_incognito]

It looks to me like they put your box on the wrong truck. That carrier couldn't deliver it since you were not on their route and it was likely set aside to be dealt with later......

It might be sitting on a shelf waiting for the person to pick it up?

[jason_incognito]

When an item is scanned onto a truck for delivery, you see "out for delivery"

the USPS can see "scanned on truck 56g533yh." They can then cross reference what route that truck was delivering and see that it was not your route.......

[riricc3]

ive never had a package lost by them ...weather i sold it or was the buyer.. ive had smashed cases allot, ive had cases supposed to go to the west coast be shipped to the east coast the back again lol..also had tracking say something like dangerous animal no entry or something like that but nothing to this day has been lost...but.as for my friends and family thats another story lol they have..