When a buyer says...

[shirtmile]

When a buyer threatens bad review because you wont send another package? They say they did not recieve it and the tracking says delievered?  We pulled all of our items on ebay and decided not to sell here anymore because of silly problems like these.

One guy says " I did not read the description and though all those items came in it "

Disgusting.  Do you guys just increase your price to make up for these problems?

each time we took the loss to satisfy the customer. eBay still gets their full fees and the item gets their item ( Sometimes twice).

[missjen831]

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@tellmemamawrote:

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@tunicaslotwrote:

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@tellmemamawrote:

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@the*dog*ate*my*tableclothwrote:

With all due respect, I've had a package show delivered this month that wasn't and a buyer of mine had to file a USPS Search request before her package showed up a few days later.

Perhaps if you tried to help the buyer figure out where the package WAS it would turn out better. Many times it was delivered to the wrong house and gets delivered a day or so later or is still on the truck. That's why so many times it just "shows up". You cannot ASSume a buyer is deceptive from that timing.

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I was on the receiving end of a package that showed delivered but wasn't.  I certainly didn't contact the seller for a solution because what could he possibly do to solve it?  My issue was clearly with the carrier and once the tracking shows delivered, it is now legally in my (the buyer's) possession.  So it's up to me to find out what happened.  Turns out I have a lousy carrier who scanned it but didn't leave it anywhere.  I called my post office several times and they had no idea where it could be.  I finally did a lost/rifled search online.  Coincidentally it was delivered the next day.  Box was smashed but the contents were fine.

If I buy a new car and it gets stolen an hour after I drove it off the lot, do I go after the dealer who sold it to me?  Of course not.  But in this brave new world of people shirking all personal responsibility, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if someone did try to put some blame the dealership.  I mean, McDonalds settled with that woman whose hot coffee was too hot...

Funny how the OPs buyer didn't open an INR but went with "send me another or get bad feedback".   Why do you suppose s/he chose that route?  The MBG is going to fully protect the purchase.  Especially if the package isn't delivered.   But thanks to plenty of sellers who intimidate easily, are overly protective of their "perfect" feedback, or just prefer to throw money at a problem to make it go away, it could be this isn't the first time the buyer sent that message to a seller in hopes of getting a refund or an additional free item. 

I guess we'll never know.

<edit: spelling>

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But you as a seller know where to go and what to do because that's our business especially if we don't use tracking and post it where the buyer can see it. Even then - some people just don't know what to do except call the place they bought the item from. A package from QVC didn't get delivered to my mom - she calls QVC and they were nice enough to look into it and called back explaining the carrier scanned the package delivered but he actually wouldn't be making the delivery until 4pm. She never thought about asking a neighbor or calling the carrier. 

I use standard delivery as my shipping preference - my buyers have no clue which carrier was to delivery it if I didn't put in the tracking numbers - so I would expect them to contact me. 

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I highly doubt there are this many "babe in the woods" buyers who are so clueless as to figure out what to do about it.  Again, as I mentioned this exact thing has happened to me but I knew what to do.  As I'm sure the OP's buyer knew as well instead of threatening to neg without getting a freebie.

As a seller, I've gotten a couple INR claims in the last few years.  But I specify the shipping method, upload the tracking immediately so the buyer has instant access to it, and therefore knows exactly as much as I do after they say they didn't get it.  I email the boilerplate "check with your mail carrier/neighbors/postal inspector" and finally suggest filing a lost or rifled package claim online.  None of which are secrets only known by sellers.

I can't help you if you refuse to help yourself.

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FWIW the fact that there are a lot of other retailers/websites who will send a replacement if the buyer says they didn’t receive the item, has in my honest opinion, caused buyers to expect the same on eBay. In fact many of them have complained that the river sends them a replacement so why won’t ebay? In one of the FB marketplaces I sell on which is for a specific brand, at least once a week someone complains that the fedex tracking for their order from the brand says it was delivered but they didn’t get it. No one ever suggests contacting fedex or the neighbors. Everyone says just call the brand. They will refund you or send a replacement! And I’m noticing more and more are claiming their neighbors opened their package & took the contents! And of course the brand rollers over and sends a replacement if the item is still available or a refund. So I think some of the buyers here are accustomed to getting a replacement or a refund from other places based solely on their word that they didn’t get it and they have the same expectation that the same will happen with an eBay purchase. And that is why they are shocked when they lose an INR. 

[tunicaslot]

jen - I didn't realize that was becoming cpmmon place these days - but I don't buy like I use to. I never contacted a manufacturer  unless there was a real problem with an item - bolt missing, product spoiled even tho the exp date is far in the future - but then I'm into taking what I don't deserve.

[missjen831]

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@tunicaslotwrote:

jen - I didn't realize that was becoming cpmmon place these days - but I don't buy like I use to. I never contacted a manufacturer  unless there was a real problem with an item - bolt missing, product spoiled even tho the exp date is far in the future - but then I'm into taking what I don't deserve.

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I didn’t realize it either until I joined other venues and starting reading all the chats. I didn’t know that you could call the retailer and get a free replacement just by claiming you didn’t get your order despite your tracking—it wasn’t until a friend told me that a bag her husband ordered her for Christmas from J.Crew was supposedly delivered but they didn’t get it so they called and another one was sent out! I was shocked by that. I always thought you were out of luck when the tracking said you got the item and you really didn’t.  I have never contacted a manufacturer either. I did call the river last summer when ontrac falsified their tracking. Had package out for delivery one Saturday. Checked the tracking at 8:30pm because it hasn’t come yet and it was still out for delivery. Never got it. The next day I checked the tracking and it said delivered at 2pm the day before! We were out front all day and it was not delivered. And porch pirates didn’t take it either. On trac never drove down our street. So I called and complained and they offered me a replacement or a refund which I gladly took. 

[retrose1]

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@itsjustasprainwrote:

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You choose not to put in a tracking number - if you did this - you wouldn't receive all these requests. I've had 2 INRs in 20 years.

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That may be true but since tracking is not a requirement, what difference does it make? 

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I have long suspected that retrose actually enjoys the confrontations. Otherwise it would be easy to simply upload the tracking up front. Im not sure if that would be enough to qualify for discounts or TRS as well but it would probably make 90% of the INR scammers go away - which i suspect is not what she wants. But hey - we are allowed to get our kicks however we like if it doesnt hurt anyone else so I say she can just carry on that way.

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Actually rose doesn't have a printer.  And when she did, she didn't like paying $30 for in cartridges that only lasted a month.  ebay isn't giving me enough profit to pay for that anymore.

90% of the buyers don't even noticethere is no tracking.  And the 10% scam attempts are just easy ways to flush a scammer and put them on my buddy list.

[retrose1]

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@missjen831wrote:

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@tunicaslotwrote:

jen - I didn't realize that was becoming cpmmon place these days - but I don't buy like I use to. I never contacted a manufacturer  unless there was a real problem with an item - bolt missing, product spoiled even tho the exp date is far in the future - but then I'm into taking what I don't deserve.

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I didn’t realize it either until I joined other venues and starting reading all the chats. I didn’t know that you could call the retailer and get a free replacement just by claiming you didn’t get your order despite your tracking—it wasn’t until a friend told me that a bag her husband ordered her for Christmas from J.Crew was supposedly delivered but they didn’t get it so they called and another one was sent out! I was shocked by that. I always thought you were out of luck when the tracking said you got the item and you really didn’t.  I have never contacted a manufacturer either. I did call the river last summer when ontrac falsified their tracking. Had package out for delivery one Saturday. Checked the tracking at 8:30pm because it hasn’t come yet and it was still out for delivery. Never got it. The next day I checked the tracking and it said delivered at 2pm the day before! We were out front all day and it was not delivered. And porch pirates didn’t take it either. On trac never drove down our street. So I called and complained and they offered me a replacement or a refund which I gladly took. 

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The company may send out a replacement, but some places will only allow a buyer one replacment and then they will not allow the buyer to complain anymore and refuse to do so again and or not allow shipment to the same address.

People may not want to believe it, but there are plenty out there that take advantage and if they get away with it once, they will continue to do so until someone puts a stop to it.

I don't have nearly the problems on other sites that I have on ebay.  Recently i was out with a friend and she checked her emails at lunch and she sighed as there was one from an ebay buyer and she really didn't want to deal with a problem away from her computer.  It was just a Got it- Thank you message.   But that is how ebay has most sellers thinking - that if they get a message after the shipment, it's not something you are going to want to read.

[jason_incognito]

who contracted with the postal service? the seller did.

[muttlymob]

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@retrose1wrote:

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@itsjustasprainwrote:

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You choose not to put in a tracking number - if you did this - you wouldn't receive all these requests. I've had 2 INRs in 20 years.

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That may be true but since tracking is not a requirement, what difference does it make? 

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I have long suspected that retrose actually enjoys the confrontations. Otherwise it would be easy to simply upload the tracking up front. Im not sure if that would be enough to qualify for discounts or TRS as well but it would probably make 90% of the INR scammers go away - which i suspect is not what she wants. But hey - we are allowed to get our kicks however we like if it doesnt hurt anyone else so I say she can just carry on that way.

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Actually rose doesn't have a printer.  And when she did, she didn't like paying $30 for in cartridges that only lasted a month.  ebay isn't giving me enough profit to pay for that anymore.

90% of the buyers don't even noticethere is no tracking.  And the 10% scam attempts are just easy ways to flush a scammer and put them on my buddy list.

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A printer is not needed to get tracking from the PO, or UPS, or FedEx.

A printer is not needed to add tracking to the eBay transaction details.

[a_c_green]

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Actually rose doesn't have a printer.  And when she did, she didn't like paying $30 for in cartridges that only lasted a month.  ebay isn't giving me enough profit to pay for that anymore.

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I don't quite see what the tracking has to do with printing labels, since of course you'll be getting a tracking number for free with your over-the-counter label purchase anyway, but how many labels are you printing in a month in order to drain a cartridge? What brand and model of printer was that? 

I've been happy with the ink consumption on my HP DeskJets. In particular, the 5650 that serves as my primary label printer will pretty much print on fumes from its #56/57 cartridge pair; I can't remember the last time I replaced them, and I print... let's see... looks like about a label a day on average over the course of a typical month. HP rates their black #56 cartridge for ~520 pages and their color #57 at ~500, and even if taking their page estimates with a grain of salt, that's a lot of eBay sales (the eBay packing slips and shipping labels are predominantly whitespace), especially if you do as I do to conserve ink and paper.

I print the packing slip on half the page, snip it off, pack the item, then stick the remaining half-sheet back in the input tray and print the label on the other half. The printer will be able to fit the USPS label on the paper that it has, and when it detects that it's reached the end of the sheet (before printing all the packing instructions and other unnecessary stuff), it simply stops.  I think the current cartridges in mine were new back in mid- to late-2017.

You might also consider picking up a used LaserJet at a garage sale or estate sale. They're relatively cheap, and you can print a test page before purchase by just plugging it in; no computer required. A good toner cartridge can last for years.

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90% of the buyers don't even notice there is no tracking.  And the 10% scam attempts are just easy ways to flush a scammer and put them on my buddy list.

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Well, the INR attempt really isn't much of a scam, is it? If they really want to scam you out of whatever item they purchased, they'd go the Not As Described route, I would think. (Are you actually saying that 10% of your buyers are claiming INR issues? Is there a particular kind of item you're selling that's attracting them?)

[retrose1]

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@muttlymobwrote:

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@retrose1wrote:

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@itsjustasprainwrote:

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You choose not to put in a tracking number - if you did this - you wouldn't receive all these requests. I've had 2 INRs in 20 years.

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That may be true but since tracking is not a requirement, what difference does it make? 

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I have long suspected that retrose actually enjoys the confrontations. Otherwise it would be easy to simply upload the tracking up front. Im not sure if that would be enough to qualify for discounts or TRS as well but it would probably make 90% of the INR scammers go away - which i suspect is not what she wants. But hey - we are allowed to get our kicks however we like if it doesnt hurt anyone else so I say she can just carry on that way.

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Actually rose doesn't have a printer.  And when she did, she didn't like paying $30 for in cartridges that only lasted a month.  ebay isn't giving me enough profit to pay for that anymore.

90% of the buyers don't even noticethere is no tracking.  And the 10% scam attempts are just easy ways to flush a scammer and put them on my buddy list.

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A printer is not needed to get tracking from the PO, or UPS, or FedEx.

A printer is not needed to add tracking to the eBay transaction details.

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When I get back from the PO, I have to prepare dinner for my 87 year old father and get him settled for the evening. 

Many posters like to point out that if I printed shipping, tracking is automatically uploaded.

Here is a fine example of the buyer mentality.  This afternoon I got a message from a buyer with over 100 buying feedback wanting to know when I would ship their item they bought on the 2nd. 

I  shipped it on the 2nd with a 3 day handling time, which means that ebay shouldn't even be telling them it's late, I still have a day to ship.  But according to the PO it was delivered to their parcel locker a couple hours earlier today.  So either they got the package and is now testing to see if I can prove delivery and if not they will file for their freebie OR they would rather complain about delvery BEFORE they find out they have it - either way, they are on the buddy list.

If tracking was so important to buyers, I would have negs, but instead I have loads of positive feedback saying fast shipping.   The minute you enter tracking, ebay puts your package on a clock.  No tracking and the buyer is pleasantly surprised when it comes in the expected time allowed.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

Omg have they changed the forum notifications? Nothing like getting home from Lowe’s with a zillion emails that I have been responded to

[shirtmile]

It not about customers being honest or dishonest. It's more like the way it happens.

For example the most recent one I had. Said "I need this item ASAP KK. or I can just file a complaint with eBay it's up to you.hurry up let me no kk."  The item was a smallin value $10 or so. I just sent out another item to spare myself the negative feedback. So in this case it doesn't really matter if they were being honest or dishonest. They still got their way.


I've been ordering stuff online for the past 10 years or so and maybe one or two packages of actually been lost and that both times it was my job to discover where the package was not the sellers. I don't see how they get away with threatening like that .

About the post with multiple items, it was a single item with a front and back view completely labeled in red. It was obvious to a blind person. In that case I sent out another item aswell to spare the negative feedback.

If you haven't sold on eBay and dealt with these hassles then you are not in a position to defend the customer or even make a suggestion. As a seller I take every precaution my item is well packaged to withstand a rough beating. Label is clear and adhered well onto package. If the item makes it to the person and is "out for delivery" I have did my job even if it never makes it. So why may I still get negative feedback for a usps mistake?

It's just much easier to mark up everything and sell things of lower value on eBay or get a third party insurance of some sort.

[a_c_green]

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@retrose1 wrote: 
Here is a fine example of the buyer mentality.  This afternoon I got a message from a buyer with over 100 buying feedback wanting to know when I would ship their item they bought on the 2nd.

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Did you mark it as Shipped when you shipped it?

[lintbrush*]

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@shirtmilewrote:

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About the post with multiple items, it was a single item with a front and back view completely labeled in red. It was obvious to a blind person. In that case I sent out another item aswell to spare the negative feedback.

If you haven't sold on eBay and dealt with these hassles then you are not in a position to defend the customer or even make a suggestion. As a seller I take every precaution my item is well packaged to withstand a rough beating. Label is clear and adhered well onto package. If the item makes it to the person and is "out for delivery" I have did my job even if it never makes it. So why may I still get negative feedback for a usps mistake?

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I'm not really sure who you are directing your reply to, but if it was me (or another poster without seller feedback), there are many posters here with a lot of selling experience but also are generous enough to spend their time helping other people here fairly regularly.  To prevent selling interference and protect our accounts, we use a posting ID.  Not everyone likes the advice given and there are some crazies out there.

Also, to dismiss a member because they may not sell is kind of foolish too.  Getting a buyer's perspective is great.  I want to know what buyers think and how to appeal to them.  What will make them buy my item.  I read the buying board as well.  It makes me a better seller.

Again, extortion is prohibited.  Report the member and follow up with a call.  If they do leave negative, it will qualify for removal.

Here's the policy:

https://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/feedback-extortion.html

[tadpoletrading]

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@retrose1wrote:

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@the*dog*ate*my*tableclothwrote:

With all due respect, I've had a package show delivered this month that wasn't and a buyer of mine had to file a USPS Search request before her package showed up a few days later.

Perhaps if you tried to help the buyer figure out where the package WAS it would turn out better. Many times it was delivered to the wrong house and gets delivered a day or so later or is still on the truck. That's why so many times it just "shows up". You cannot ASSume a buyer is deceptive from that timing.

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If the package has been delivered to the wrong address - that is not the sellers problem....it is the buyer's.  And the buyer should be the one doing most of the work finding out why this is happening to them and their address and doing somethig to solve the problem.

If they have a slipshod delivery person - and this happens often to their address - they should be the one reporting their lax habits to the PO.  If they have items stolen off their porch, then they should supply a secure location to deliver to.  If it happens often or can't be fixed, then they should get a PO box.

This is not something that the seller has to be responsible for - and yet ebay puts it all on the shoulders of sellers who do not know better because a happy scammer is a buying scammer.

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100% agree! I have a nightmare carrier!  As a buyer I've had packages misdelivered, said it was left on porch, yet he claimed he didn't feel comfortable doing that (I do have a doorbell) held packages over weekend, or the USPS has taken a week to get mail delivered to me from address in state.  I called usps, filled complaints, tracked down my purchases.  I don't trust them, and know seller is not responsible once it says delivered.  I even think they shouldnt be after first scan (as far as delivery time) f it never shows delivered, insurance covers buyer, and refund customer.  I have told buyers to track through paypal, as they direct you straight to USPS.  eBay always behind.

As a seller I stress watching tracking, seen my packages in addressees state, but get moved back to different state!  So frustrating!  I've thought of PO box, but why pay them more money!! For a half "donkey" job. 

Yes, the buyer should have responsibility after delivery.  The main USPS does take it seriously.  Locally..not so much.

[retrose1]

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@tadpoletradingwrote:

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@retrose1wrote:

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@the*dog*ate*my*tableclothwrote:

With all due respect, I've had a package show delivered this month that wasn't and a buyer of mine had to file a USPS Search request before her package showed up a few days later.

Perhaps if you tried to help the buyer figure out where the package WAS it would turn out better. Many times it was delivered to the wrong house and gets delivered a day or so later or is still on the truck. That's why so many times it just "shows up". You cannot ASSume a buyer is deceptive from that timing.

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If the package has been delivered to the wrong address - that is not the sellers problem....it is the buyer's.  And the buyer should be the one doing most of the work finding out why this is happening to them and their address and doing somethig to solve the problem.

If they have a slipshod delivery person - and this happens often to their address - they should be the one reporting their lax habits to the PO.  If they have items stolen off their porch, then they should supply a secure location to deliver to.  If it happens often or can't be fixed, then they should get a PO box.

This is not something that the seller has to be responsible for - and yet ebay puts it all on the shoulders of sellers who do not know better because a happy scammer is a buying scammer.

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100% agree! I have a nightmare carrier!  As a buyer I've had packages misdelivered, said it was left on porch, yet he claimed he didn't feel comfortable doing that (I do have a doorbell) held packages over weekend, or the USPS has taken a week to get mail delivered to me from address in state.  I called usps, filled complaints, tracked down my purchases.  I don't trust them, and know seller is not responsible once it says delivered.  I even think they shouldnt be after first scan (as far as delivery time) f it never shows delivered, insurance covers buyer, and refund customer.  I have told buyers to track through paypal, as they direct you straight to USPS.  eBay always behind.

As a seller I stress watching tracking, seen my packages in addressees state, but get moved back to different state!  So frustrating!  I've thought of PO box, but why pay them more money!! For a half "donkey" job. 

Yes, the buyer should have responsibility after delivery.  The main USPS does take it seriously.  Locally..not so much.

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It sounds like a lot of your problems are with your carrier.  Which is why a PO Box is perfect, your mail is not touched by your carrier, it is sorted and delivered to you right there in a secure location at the station.  No bad scans.  And if something is misdelivered, it can be dropped off at the counter to be put in the right box.

We had one great carrier for years and when he retired, we got dozens of replacements and somedays we are lucky to get mail at all.  If you have a repeat problem, go to the PO and talk with the postmaster.   Unlike most businesses, the USPS knows that they can not really start slacking on a steady basis.  I have been pleasantly surprised at what they can and will do if a customer has a complaint.