USPS doesn't have the package

[generatorservices_217204]

On July 31 I shipped out three packages. Two of them are on their way to the buyer, but one of them has not been accepted at the post office yet. When I checked the tracking, it said that USPS does not have the package yet. The delivery date stated is August 2-5, and I'm worried that the package has gotten lost or stolen. As a new seller, I am very worried about getting a negative review. What should I do? 

[tdl_collectibles]

A scan should pickup along the way, usually when it gets to a regional distribution center. Give it a few more days and you will probably be OK.

[spreadlovelikefire]

In the future, make sure you get all your packages scanned in when you drop them off to prevent this from happening.  

[sextons-sweet-deals]

If your dropping packages off at USPS without a receipt of being scanned and accepted, that is the risk you take. 

[johnrj1226]

In the future suggest you get  an acceptance scam from your carrier or the counter person at you local PO.  Alesys di - never  had an issue.

[slippinjimmy]

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@generatorservices_217204 wrote:

On July 31 I shipped out three packages. Two of them are on their way to the buyer, but one of them has not been accepted at the post office yet. When I checked the tracking, it said that USPS does not have the package yet. The delivery date stated is August 2-5, and I'm worried that the package has gotten lost or stolen. As a new seller, I am very worried about getting a negative review. What should I do? 

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Were all three packages using the same service? your three recent sales all look like they went Ground Advantage but one of them was probably over 1lb  which would mean that it would have been Parcel Select before July 9th, the other 2 would have been First Class Package.

It's likely the heavy one is getting the slow treatment, perhaps even being sent to a different facility for processing. If this is what happened then the first scan for the heavy package can take an extra day or two.

[kandf_vintage_finds · Accepted solution]

This also happened to me this week.  My regular postman is on vacation (He always scans and is rewarded each Christmas for this)  and the "substitutes" will not scan, even when asked.  4 Packages were picked up on Tuesday of this week.  None were scanned @ Pick-up.  

3 were scanned early Wednesday morning at the first distribution center.  1 no scan.  Wake up today and the one with no scan is out for delivery (First Scan)   Hopefully my regular postman will be back next week.  If not I will be trekking to the post office and waiting in line for my scan.  I do have to say after 4 years of selling the USPS HAS NOT lost one of my packages, scanned or not at pick up.

Be patient, keep an eye on it and chances are its on its way to its destination

Good Luck!

[generatorservices_217204]

I shipped all three using Ground Advantage. You're probably right, it likely will be on its way soon it's just making me nervous.

[generatorservices_217204]

Thank you, it's good to know that this has happened before. Most likely everything will work out just fine

[mybigsale]

@generatorservices_217204 

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@johnrj1226 wrote:

In the future suggest you get  an acceptance scam from your carrier or the counter person at you local PO.  Alesys di - never  had an issue.

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Most USPS offices with the self-service kiosks allow customers to self-scan prepaid postage (eBay labels). This can be a lifesaver, especially with the Christmas rush when 1st Scans can be missed for days sometimes. Saves you from late shipping defects (as long as there is another scan along the way).

-Seller with 1-Day shipping and 100% on-time shipping (largely because of the ability to self-scan postage).

[parts-n-pieces-usa]

When I drop off, I take the time to wait in line instead of just dumping the packages at the designated counter. When I get to the window, I say "Just a receipt, please". Generating a receipt forces them to scan right there in front of you. I've never had an acceptance scan issue, thus any undue stress since I started doing it this way.

If your circumstances require you to schedule pickups, you're going to get the occasional no-scan scenario. The VAST majority of these will turn out OK.

[generatorservices_217204]

I appreciate all of the advice, but most of it is about what to do in the future. Is there anything I can do now if USPS doesn't scan it at all and I can't track it?

[inhawaii]

If  there is no acceptance scan and it's not tracking at all then as far as ebay in concerned, it was never sent and you're on the hook.   You would lose a INR case.

[johnrj1226]

Sometimes you have  just wait.  On Ocassion (just  a couple times) no scans were posted until the items were delivered or posted as out for delivery.  USPS wil not go search for an item for at least three weeks from the eta (might  be  later).

[slippinjimmy]

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@generatorservices_217204 wrote:

I appreciate all of the advice, but most of it is about what to do in the future. Is there anything I can do now if USPS doesn't scan it at all and I can't track it?

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If there is no scans of any sort at any time there is nothing you can do except wait to see what happens.

Never getting any type of scan is very rare but it can happen. I had a shipment a few months ago that never received an initial scan, not at the receiving post office, not at the regional facility, not at any point in the chain. Somehow 3 weeks later it received a scan in Chicago, a 1000 miles from where it was sent from and a 1000 miles from it's destination, from that point it proceeded as normal and was delivered in a few days.

How and why this happened is a mystery but all's well that ends well and I was fortunate that the buyer never noticed how late it was.

The only other time I've had a no scan at all anywhere it simply vanished forever, the buyer eventually  inquired and of course I refunded them. This was only the 2nd time in 40+ years of mailorder using USPS that this had occurred for a domestic shipment.