USPS

[hardwkinman]

WHAT IS EVERYONE DOING ABOUT THE POSTAL SERVICE.  WE SEND OUT PACKAGES AND THEY DON'T ARRIVE AND OUR CUSTOMERS ARE GETTING UPSET.  WE PUT THROUGH A LOST PACKAGE REQUEST.  DON'T HEAR ANYTHING.  THE CUSTOMER CAN'T WAIT ANY LONGER SO THEY WANT US TO SEND THEIR ITEM AGAIN.  SO THEN THEY GET TWO PACKAGES!!!  SO WE END UP LOSING MONEY.....POSTAGE AND OUR PRODUCT!!  WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE POSTAL SERVICE??

[chapeau-noir]

eBay is just a portal, though - if there are problems with the label or delivery, you'd still take it up with the USPS. eBay is out of the picture.

[12345jamesstamps]

Readings the posts here sometimes...sellers say it's a Shipping Company problem...such as label purchased through eBay using USPS, FedEx, UPS, etc. will say it's an eBay problem.

eBay says it's the shipper problem because of who it was shipped with.

I read about this all the time...here...about frustration with a seller's package who to blame...

[north-by-northeast-finds]

They've rolled out new football field sized sorting  hubs called RPDC's with new bigger sorting  machines in Indianapolis,  Atlanta,  Houston ect...more to come supposedly . List is available.  

[a_c_green]

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@chapeau-noir wrote:

Clear tape over the barcode is fine - I used to do that before I got a label printer

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I remember some big discussion about this a while back, and it turned out that eBay and the USPS were diametrically opposed on their instructions about whether you could tape over the bar code. I can't recall at this moment which way each one was going (except that the eBay instructions on that point were in SCREAMING CAPITALS as printed on your label receipt), but common sense told me to split the difference and just cover the lower half of the barcode with clear tape.

That way, any scanner that would have a problem reading through clear tape (none that I have ever seen) would be able to read the bare paper portion, and in the event that the label got wet and the inkjet barcode got smeared, the lower half and the printed tracking number would be protected. (I also put clear tape over the Return Address and the delivery address; one strip is wide enough to cover both.) No problems over the years.

[oaklandmaryland]

A few months ago I read that a big change for shipping is planned by Ebay. It stated that for tracking to be good all shipping will have to be via the Ebay shipping-eliminating pirate shipping.

[chapeau-noir]

The clear tape is similar to using a shipping pocket, i.e., customs, etc., so I never made the distinction. But any method that gets the package to our customer in good order works!

[jopirel_inc]

No problem with caps locks, I like to emphasize my words also.

Other than that, we do shipping from Northern New Jersey, 5 miles from NYC, and yes, certain areas of country have a ''stolen/lost'' problem, with me its the Southeast region. Other areas have days in delivery issues, with ''no tracking updates & still in transit issues'', with me its the NYC area, started in December 2024. (Online ecommerce: Ebay, Poshmark, Etsy and Mercari)

It seems internally the USPS undergoing strife and dissent among various unions divisions, we see it in the Northeast, the Bronx/Manhattan areas of NYC; the Englewood/Teaneck/Hackensack/Tereboro/Fort Lee areas of New Jersey. 


In the area of customer request, direct them to USPS site to request receiver claim. I would NEVER send a second item for compensation. Allow the USPS to compensate you first, before dealing with customer compensation.

Currently I add insurance to certain areas of the U.S. and get a scanned receipt of item, a confirmation of delivery for items greater than $80 , copies of sold items pages/order details for my claims process.

Already since January 2025 we have had 4 claims processed and are awaiting a 5th for a delivery to NYC.

In particular the Northern New Jersey region is seeing branches w/o money order forms,
stamped business envelopes and certain shipping boxes.

From where I am, I would believe this is due to the recent USPS administration changes.

[dogofwar777]

I used to work at the PO in a big mail processing plant and they don't care about your packages. The ONLY packages I saw handled with care were those with high insurance on them. They were put in a special place for processing, but everything else was literally thrown in boxes for each zone they are going to. I once found a priority mail box, that was mailed a month, before just laying under a desk. 

[lakefor94]

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@inhawaii wrote:

Don't worry, the new administration will have it fixed on day one.

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So pathetic. You have to be better than that.....

[lakefor94]

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@chapeau-noir wrote:

Clear tape over the barcode is fine - I used to do that before I got a label printer, though I'm morally certain some knuckleheads duct tape the label on and then can't figure out why their package is returned.

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Copy that. Covering the complete shipping label with clear tape is the way to go if a shipper likes consistent deliveries. 

Have to be on at least 5000 straight, no problem deliveries via USPS and USPS. Just tape that SOB down well and see it delivered. 

If you really like 100% deliveries, use solid boxes, works every time with an appropriate tape job over the complete label.

No rocket science involved for consistent deliveries. 

[reallynicestamps]

Are you using tracking?
Have you given the customer the tracking number and shown how to track through USPS?

Does tracking show the shipment being delivered?
What is the last estimated date for arrival?
Has that date passed?
Has the customer opened an Item Not Received (INR) dispute?

[reallynicestamps]

 This was the last time around.

[bandrhome · Accepted solution]

Im my 15 years of shipping items on other platforms, Ive had very little issues with USPS in all those years.

All you can do is communicate with a buyer when they reach out. You'll look into it, give it a few more days, etc. Do what you can instead of just refunding/sending another.

[hardwkinman]

We have had nothing but good experiences with USPS until now.  Indianapolis, IN is remodeling their hub and we are starting to really have problems.  We had 3 packages last week.  We had already did like you said.  Tried to hold off as long as we could with customers but they will only wait so long and can't blame them.  I would be the same way.  Don't want to go to UPS or FEDEX.  Prices are higher.  Hope Indianapolis gets their problems figured out soon.

[buyselljack2016]

I can attest to the fact that time was when some scanners would have a bit of an issue with the tape "reflecting" depending on the angle of the scan, but covering with "clear" tape does not seem to be a "present day" issue.