USPS Label lost in transit

[lggrandmom]

We took a  large package which had to be shipped Ground by USPS.  The clerk measured, weighted and, we assume, affixed the label purchased.  It arrived at its destination with no label, and the buyer was required to pay additional postage of $210.00 to claim it.   Two months later the Tracking Number indicates  "In Transit". 

We agreed to refund the money paid by buyer who provided us a copy of the receipt.

USPS has been of no help in our efforts  to recover the cost of the shipping we paid.  We have retained our receipt. 

Would appreciate any suggestions, steps to take to recover the USPS postage we paid.

[kensgiftshop]

@lggrandmom 

If it didn't have the shipping label, how did it reach the buyer?

[dbfolks166mt]

     Since you have the tracking number obviously you paid for the shipping and depending on how you paid it should show up on your CC or debit card or cancel check. If you paid cash that could be a problem. Following is the timeline you have to file a case with USPS regarding lost packages and insurance claims. 

[ten_o_nine]

Good Luck. No way to recover a penny from USPS. 

[inhawaii]

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@lggrandmom wrote:

It arrived at its destination with no label

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How did it arrive at its destination with no label?

How would they know what the destination was?

[lja440]

Color me confused. I have been delivering mail for 21 years. I have delivered several loose labels but never a package without a label. 

Besides that I used to ship horse saddles, large and heavy I never had one cost even $100 to ship let alone over $200. What in the heck would cost more than a 35# Billy Cook show saddle from Ohio to California ?

[kensgiftshop]

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@dbfolks166mt wrote:

     Since you have the tracking number obviously you paid for the shipping and depending on how you paid it should show up on your CC or debit card or cancel check. If you paid cash that could be a problem. Following is the timeline you have to file a case with USPS regarding lost packages and insurance claims. 

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According to the OP, the package made it to the buyer.

It was the shipping label that didn't.

[inhawaii]

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@lja440 wrote:

Color me confused. I have been delivering mail for 21 years. I have delivered several loose labels but never a package without a label. 

Besides that I used to ship horse saddles, large and heavy I never had one cost even $100 to ship let alone over $200. What in the heck would cost more than a 35# Billy Cook show saddle from Ohio to California ?

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You would have been mail carrier of the year for pulling that one off!   😃

[alltheprettylittlethings]

It was delivered WITHOUT a label?  The postal delivery guy must be telepathic unless you hand addressed the package and the post office just didn't affix the label.

And the receipt for the additional postage look legitimate? 

I'd go to the post office where it was mailed with the address of where you sent it, proof of your label purchase and the tracking number AND the receipt of the postage due that was paid for by the receiver - hopefully the receipt has the address the package was delivered to.

[dirk12955]

Tagging on:

This does not pass the smell test.

GREAT question.   How does a package with no label get delivered to the buyer?

How does the OP know for a fact,    That the buyer is being,   Ahem,   Truthful??

[fern*wood]

I’m guessing the op wrote out an address label to attach and it survived but the postage paid sticker that the po attached didn’t.🤔

[dbfolks166mt]

According to the OP, the package made it to the buyer.

It was the shipping label that didn't.

     According to the OP the tracking still shows the item in transit. Which may make perfect sense if there is no label to scan. You are correct there is some missing information in the OP's initial posting. The only item I can see that they have sold is a $1.5K piece of artwork. However I cannot see that being all that "heavy". The OP also never stated why it had to go ground, what it was they shipped where they shipped it to and what the eBay projected date of delivery was. I find it hard to believe that the buyer waited two months to do anything especially if this was in fact the $1.5K piece of artwork. 

[uncseniorsportsfan]

Since it had a tracking number and it still indicates "in transit" then it had to have a postal label attached initially.  Since the buyer received the package and was required to pay postage to claim it - that should prove that the USPS label disappeared during it's journey or the tracking number would show that it was delivered.

If you have contacted the supervisor at your local post office and they could not resolve the problem - you should file a complaint online, and they are required to investigate.  Do not be afraid to go as high as you need to go up the postal chain of command to get the issue resolved. 

[alltheprettylittlethings]

It appears the painting was quite large - 28 x 32.5" - and was most likely properly crated for shipping which would account for the weight and size - thus, ground shipping.

It most likely had an address on a label for the crate but required a postage label and tracking number via the postal clerk after determining it's weight, etc.  That's the only thing that makes sense. 

I'd be at the post office with all the pertinent documents and let them know their glue sticks are faulty. 

[kensgiftshop]

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@dbfolks166mt wrote:

According to the OP, the package made it to the buyer.

It was the shipping label that didn't.

     According to the OP the tracking still shows the item in transit. Which may make perfect sense if there is no label to scan. You are correct there is some missing information in the OP's initial posting. The only item I can see that they have sold is a $1.5K piece of artwork. However I cannot see that being all that "heavy". The OP also never stated why it had to go ground, what it was they shipped where they shipped it to and what the eBay projected date of delivery was. I find it hard to believe that the buyer waited two months to do anything especially if this was in fact the $1.5K piece of artwork. 

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I hope they come back and give us a little more information.

That one item is all I see that they sold. It's probably not that heavy, but the dimensions after it's packed would probably be pretty good size.