USPS refusal to scan in items

[bluekrystal1987]

Who has the issue with their local post office refusing to scan in items and making you drop them in a box? I have tried multiple times to have the clerk scan in my items and they get snippy and state that because "we" (USPS) give you (eBay sellers) discount shipping you need to drop off without scanning in. Mind you, they have no idea who I am, what I do, or what type of pricing I pay. I am trying to find the policy within the USPS that corroborates this and haven't found anything. This issue has led to multiple items being considered late shipment and I am just about fed up with having to defend myself for something that shouldn't even be an issue. If I didn't print my label and used the QR code... they would have no choice but to accept the package, thus I am being penalized for making their job easier. Someone shed some light on this without telling me to use the QR code. 

[rosszonebricks]

Tip:  Use the SCAN form so the clerk only has to scan *once* for ALL your packages.  You'll get a lot less push back if you have the SCAN form along with your packages.

[albertabrightalberta]

Another option that assures you'll get a receipt is instead of printing a label, use the QR code and have the postal clerk generate the label. They have to do the acceptance scan when they print the label. 

General comments: 

re  @evry1nositswindy comment and question -  "My PO gives some excuse of 'not getting credit for it'.  Isn't the USPS one team--who is the 'we'?  I ship a package and the USPS as a whole gets credit," that was explained to me by the more friendly clerks at my regular PO when I asked about it after being given a hard time at another location. 

Post offices are "rated" by the amount of business they do and it's the location of where is was sent from - the zip code in the return address that gives them that information. So if you take your package to another town (same zone, same price of shipping), that location doesn't get credit for handling the item, thereby making them appear to be doing less volume and if layoffs or closures are being considered, the less busy locations are the ones to go. 

[dhbookds]

---

@rosszonebricks wrote:

Tip:  Use the SCAN form so the clerk only has to scan *once* for ALL your packages.  You'll get a lot less push back if you have the SCAN form alone with your packages.

---

YES!!!! should have mentioned that

[albertabrightalberta]

---

@epowerbargains wrote:

Finally, something happened, and we now have a new mail carrier who is a gem - always picks up packages and scans right away. I really appreciate mail carriers who are dedicated customer service. 

---

I find that several times a year, Dunkin gift cards are a small investment to show my appreciation for the great carrier and counter clerks at my regular p.o.

[12345jamesstamps]

My mailman gets a bottle of champagne every Christmas and chocolates.

And I when I am mailing something I always say hi to the clerks even if I am not using their service but just dropping off letters in the mailbox inside the post office.

Sometimes a little kindness will be remembered when in the post office.

[chevymontecarlo88]

showed me how to use the machine located in the lobby that scans in the package and gives you a receipt. Then you either leave the package on the counter or in an open package collection cage. I had the impression that there is a push by some entity to get people to use the machine to scan -vs- waiting in line.

From what i understand, the self service Kiosk does offer scans of your package but it is not the same as the clerk scanning the item. When the clerk/postal courier scans your package, it is officially in USPS possession. That being said, I have used the Kiosk when the line is to long and never had an issue with a missing package.

FYI

[wastingtime101]

Hi @bluekrystal1987 . Sorry to hear your PO is being such a pain. Based on your sales volume from this account it appears you aren't headed there with tons of packages, just a couple at most. (Granted, you may be selling on other accounts/venues.)

A few suggesttions:

- File a complaint here: https://usps.my.site.com/emailus/s/postal-facility-inquiry

- Does your PO have a self-service kiosk (SSK)? If it does, you can scan packages yourself at the SSK. That will give them a provisional scan which will satisfy eBay's late shipment criteria. It's not a formal acceptance scan and does not count for USPS insurance claims if the package gets lost.

- If you have more than a couple of packages, as others mentioned you can consider using a SCAN sheet. Available through eBay exclusively with bulk labels. Just like the SSK, it's just a provisional scan, but it means the clerk would have only 1 barcode to scan. SCAN sheets cannot be scanned by the SSK.

- You can consider going to a different PO or speaking with your postmaster directly as others have suggested.

Hope there's something in here that helps. Good luck!

[kandf_vintage_finds]

Stand in line, have them scan your packages and get your receipt that states USPS is in possession of your package. If anyone gives you a hard time tell them you need a receipt. PERIOD

My post office used to try to get me to throw them in the box.  No I need a scan & receipt.  Then they said to scan them myself in the lobby.  No I need an USPS is in possession receipt NOT a drop off receipt.  That did the trick.

I am very fortunate.  My post person picks up each and every day at my residence.  He agreed to scan each and every package and he does.  I'm thinking the cash I give him at Christmas time helps.

I ALWAYS get / have an USPS scan regardless if I drop off or if my packages are picked up.    Some buyers track their packages on a daily basis and I do what I can to show USPS has their package.  

[jrmom44125]

You've been very lucky. I am sure you'll understand when you drop off a package and it never arrives in your buyer's mailbox. Your buyer contacts you to inquire about their purchase. You discover their package that you left in the drop box was never scanned. Your buyer files a claim with Ebay. You can't provide a tracking number showing delivery or any movement within the USPS pipeline. You will lose the case and provide a 100% refund to your buyer. In addition, your metrics will earn a ding for not mailing the package. Ebay doesn't count printing the label. It must show accepted and scanned by USPS. How do I know this? It happened to me and many other sellers. I do NOT leave the post office without a scanned receipt. If they were to deny service, I would speak to the Postmaster. If need be, I would escalate to my Zone Postmaster general (usually located in a large city near you) and finally the Postmaster General.

[jrmom44125]

Yes! I do the same! I always give each clerk a gift card for Christmas and a smaller gift card during the summer. I appreciate them! Heck, once I arrived late to the post office due to traffic. The doors were locked. They unlocked the door and accepted and scanned my packages. Well worth thanking them with a couple gift cards each year. 

[worldcoinauctions]

Do trim off anything that says ebay on the shipping label.

Tell them you are only standing there because you need a receipt, so please scan this and give me one.

I have excellent results just dropping it in the box outside the PO, convenient because I can do it from the car.  Still some folks prefer a scan at turnover and frankly if I parked and went inside I would want one.

[monica-sells]

Usually, your observations and remarks are pretty "spot=on"...but I am falling of my chair laughing at this:

"...It generally slows down the service of customers buying stamps, money orders, sending packages that need to be weigh and such by customers..."

I have stood in lines (up to 20 people long) and observed clueless customers...

5 minutes to pick out a stamp style

5 minutes to argue with a clerk about USPS prices for different services

5 minutes for taping an unsecured box for mailing...

5 minutes for explaining you can't ship a FedX label from here....

5 minutes explaining Ground Advantage and Priority Mail time/price differences....

7 minutes for a money order....

don't even try to get me started on "this address is wrong" or "look it up on my phone" 

my point is....drop off for an acceptance scan is probably a welcome sight for these overworked clerks after dealing with ignorance and unpreparedness (is that a word?)...

(they are always nice to me anyways)

as far as 'weight/dimension" errors, it is not detected at the scan acceptance (as I understand it)...we (the sender) get billed after the fact for miscalculations.....the receipt shows the weight, but not the size...(unless your box has a size scan code on it)

ever since I had 6 orders not showing any scans prior to delivery (all same day, all put in the lobby bin, but they were all delivered) and taking the hit on my metrics...I stand in every line....

[a_c_green]

---

@bluekrystal1987 wrote:

Who has the issue with their local post office refusing to scan in items and making you drop them in a box? I have tried multiple times to have the clerk scan in my items and they get snippy and state that because "we" (USPS) give you (eBay sellers) discount shipping you need to drop off without scanning in. Mind you, they have no idea who I am, what I do, or what type of pricing I pay. I am trying to find the policy within the USPS that corroborates this and haven't found anything.

---

@bluekrystal1987 : Here you go. You are right and the clerk is wrong:

"There is no charge merely to scan parcels at the retail counter at a local Post Office, for prepaid eBay packages.

Every item accepted at the retail counter at a local Post Office that has a USPS Tracking number must be scanned, whether the customer requests it or not."

-- Roy Betts
U.S. Postal Service
Corporate Communications (quoted in a letter to eCommerceBytes)

Ref: https://www.ecommercebytes.com/C/letters/blog.pl?/pl/2014/4/1396456422.html 

The fact that you purchased the postage on-line is irrelevant. The Acceptance scan is the second half of that transaction, showing that the USPS has taken possession of the package. (Notice that the receipt issued describes the package, not the postage, which is simply shown as $0.00.) You have an on-line receipt for your payment, and an (optional) printed receipt for the package.

Regarding how the post office gets "credit" for handling the package, that is done by scanning it. It's to their benefit to actually do so as required. The "Ship from ZIP" is not for "credit" purposes, but to show the source ZIP used for calculating the postage paid. While that is usually the same as the originating post office, it does not have to be. (Generally speaking, if the first three digits of the ZIP match those of the PO, the postage is correct.) In some urban and city areas, more than one post office serves the same ZIP Code anyway.

The Return Address is also irrelevant; that simply specifies where the sender would like the package returned in case of problems.

Scanning the package yourself and then dropping it in the lobby chute is okay as an alternative (I do it myself if the post office lobby is either crowded or closed), as eBay will accept that provisional scan as proof of mailing. As others have already said, that provisional scan is technically not accepted as proof of mailing for insurance purposes (since you could conceivably scan it and then walk out with it); full Acceptance does not take effect until it gets an in-network scan by the USPS themselves, but it will most likely be scanned when the drop box is emptied, or (worst-case scenario) when it passes under an automated scanner for the first time at the origin sort facility.

I know it's not much fun to have to argue with clueless clerks, but if this continues, you should ask for a separate meeting with the postmaster. The clerk(s) need a bit more education on how Acceptance and tracking work.

[rugerskick]

There is no such official usps policy as described by your postal clerk.

The clerk doesn't want to do their job.

Talk to the postmaster.  Also get on his/her radar in case the clerk "loses" any subsequent packages of yours in retaliation.

[sextons-sweet-deals]

you crack me up in a good way!

I have seen the same thing with people who are anywhere from their teens and into their 70's that act like they have never been in a USPS office and have no idea what to do. 

I love the ones who come in with an item completely unpacked or in an open box and expect the clerk / USPS to package it and seal it.