USPS - Texas by way of Washington State???

[kiraalt]

Ugh.  Just venting more than anything.   Sent a package - same day as paid for - last Saturday.  USPS Priority.   Should have arrived for buyer by Tuesday according to post office when I shipped it.    As of yesterday, still hadn't arrived.   It seems the USPS screwed up.   The tracking shows it first went to Kent, Washington - when the address is in Texas!!  WHY?!!!  Now it IS in Texas and appears it should be delivered either today or tomorrow.    I tried calling USPS to get some explanation but their system is the worst of any automated phone system I have ever encountered - you cannot reach a live person!   I tried calling the local post office as well, but couldn't get a live person there either - kept putting me back in the message loop.   I am beyond frustrated.    I offered free shipping.   Do you think I should give the buyer a small partial refund for the inconvenience?   I sold the item dirt cheap in the first place but feel bad.   I want to ask the USPS for a refund of my priority shipping charges since they messed up and I did not get Priority delivery - but doubt they will do that.   My assumption is that it just got misrouted somehow.   But geez.   

[thenobletuckylife · Accepted solution]

Morning,

I hear you on the crazy trips some of our packages take. Sometimes I wonder if the USPS simply send things the "long" way just to see if it makes it...lol...actually I do think it is simply a messed up scan and/or an error by someone entering some of the info...then when the package gets to the other corner of LaLa Land something/someone catches the error and dumps it back into the system to head back off to the correct location.

We live in Caldwell Ohio...there is a Caldwell Idaho...I digress.

As far as reaching out to your buyer...I used to be proactive about this but many times it simply made a cranky person more cranky and the good folks remained good folks and understood so the only thing was I was prone to having more problems. I also do not think you owe them any refund if they didn't upgrade their shipping and paid more for a faster service.

If they did upgrade the shipping then there is merit to reach out to them but otherwise why take responsibility for the USPS and offer a partial credit? It makes you look like you had some control over it. Hopefully it will be delivered soon and all goes smooth with the buyer.

Mr C

[duchess-at-speakeasy]

Zip codes in Texas begin with "7" and those in Washington begin with "9." Very easy to mis-read or mis-key a digit. Or sometimes packages simply get tossed in the wrong bin and put on the wrong plane.

Don't fret about discounts. Your buyer probably doesn't even care about the delivery date. And Priority Mail is not a guaranteed service.

Bottom line: Relax.

~~C~~

[Anonymous]

The Post office should start stamping the packages as they pass through diffrent states So when the package arrive we have a colorful package.And something else for my daughter to collect . LOL 

[vintage_sterling_spoon_rings]

Y'all must have missed "MIIB - Men in Black 2"... The post office doesn't really touch much of anything anymore. ☺ The good news is after 1500+ mailings the USPS has only misdirected (sent to the wrong end of the country) twice.

And with USPS Tracking you're covered and your customer will know where it went and should understand... eBay will so there's no need to worry.

[vintage_sterling_spoon_rings]

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@thenobletuckylife wrote:
As far as reaching out to your buyer...I used to be proactive about this but many times it simply made a cranky person more cranky and the good folks remained good folks and understood so the only thing was I was prone to having more problems. I also do not think you owe them any refund if they didn't upgrade their shipping and paid more for a faster service.

If they did upgrade the shipping then there is merit to reach out to them but otherwise why take responsibility for the USPS and offer a partial credit? It makes you look like you had some control over it. Hopefully it will be delivered soon and all goes smooth with the buyer.

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I agree with you and the points you make but I've been lucky and only had the 'good' ones.

This is partially because 'cranky people' don't tend to want or buy what I sell… And partially because I keep an eye on the package until it's been delivered. That way I can reach out to them before they screech out to me.

[thenobletuckylife]

Very Good Points there Vintage Sterling.

If sales are slow enough then tracking can actually become a hobby to make us think we are busier selling at ebay than we really are...lol!

Mr C

[*eponymous*]

You don't owe any concessions to the buyer.  This  circumstance is the reason why acceptance scans are vital, though...

[vintage_sterling_spoon_rings]

Good points back atcha Mr. C But for some of us tracking isn't the hobby... Selling on eBay is! Reminds me of The New Yorker cartoon with Einstein in bed saying, "To you it was fast."

I intentionally keep sales slow. By doing so I can retain my 'Retired Gentleman' status AND walk 9 every morning Monday thru Friday (imo weekend golf is for people with jobs.)

And to think today is Friday so I get two days away from shooting bogie golf.

Steve K

[vintage_sterling_spoon_rings]

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@*eponymous* wrote:

This  circumstance is the reason why acceptance scans are vital, though...

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You've got that right eponymous... That's why I have "PLEASE SCAN" taped to the inside of my mailbox. The regular carrier knows (and the $20 in December helps too) BUT there are occasional subs and as you say, "acceptance scans ARE vital."

[kiraalt]

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@duchess-at-speakeasy wrote:

Your buyer probably doesn't even care about the delivery date. 



~~C~~

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Well, after immediate payment they asked if I could ship that same day.  I was able to so did.   They messaged me concerned the package could be lost.  So, yeah, they are one of those that do care.   

[timemachine777]

An people wonder why postal fees are so high. There's one of a myriad of reasons. Taking the long way around the block.

[thenobletuckylife]

Thank You Kiraalt for choosing my comments as the answer...I will admit it is nice to know when you have helped folks.

Best to you...enjoy selling as much as you can!

Mr C

[banana-posts]

The process might have changed slightly. The main thing is you want to get to Tracking and pound 0 as the tracking number until you get transferred to a rep. I just called them the other day and it took me 5 minutes and 37 seconds to get to the call back prompt. They called me back in about 20 minutes.

Phone Number
800-275-8777   
Talk to a Human
For the 5 digit zip code – 00000 or say “No.” 1 to confirm, then say “No”. At the next prompt say “No” to skip the privacy policy. Then select the first option. Say Tracking. Keep entering 0 when they ask for the tracking number. After 2 or 3 times you'll be transferred to an agent after 30 or 45 minutes sitting on hold or they will ask if you want to be called back. They do call back.

I would argue that USPS's auto attendant system is by design the worst technology in the western world and is designed to keep people from talking to reps. Reps by the way that are very helpful and pleasant once you reach them.