"IN TRANSIT ARRIVING LATE" Is This A New Postal Service?

[etvideo1ataol]

What going on with the Post Office?  For the second time this month I have been notified by a buyer that the item has not arrived.  When I check Tracking, it says "IN TRANSIT ARRIVING LATE".

This does not sit well with the buyers and once I give the package to the Post Office, I as with all Sellers, have no control over it.

Where does eBay's buyer or Seller protection come in?

The first package did finally arrive and I even got some positive feedback.  The second is still IN TRANSIT, for about 9 days.

When I asked at the local Post Office, the clerk said that Media Mail now goes by truck and if there is no room, it waits until there is.  It this some kind of attempt to force sellers to use Priority mail?

If I do what I am supposed to do and the buyer does what they are supposed to do, them eBay should be responsible for any cancelled sales of items not delivered.  eBay is who guaranteed delivery by a certain time, not I.

[hillbillymedia]

I have been seeing this a lot with my purchases lately. As you said though....most are being sent media mail as far as I can tell and delivery time has always been sketchy when using media mail.

As a seller, I don`t use media mail. Many that I purchase from do though. Whether they are supposed to or not is another subject entirely. Sometimes I get media mail fast and sometimes it takes forever. It`s definitely a low priority for them.

[southern*sweet*tea]

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@etvideo1ataol wrote:

When I asked at the local Post Office, the clerk said that Media Mail now goes by truck and if there is no room, it waits until there is.

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That's how Media Mail has always been handled. It travels by truck on a space available basis.

[creekcoyote]

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@etvideo1ataol wrote:

What going on with the Post Office?  For the second time this month I have been notified by a buyer that the item has not arrived.  When I check Tracking, it says "IN TRANSIT ARRIVING LATE".

This does not sit well with the buyers and once I give the package to the Post Office, I as with all Sellers, have no control over it.

Where does eBay's buyer or Seller protection come in?

The first package did finally arrive and I even got some positive feedback.  The second is still IN TRANSIT, for about 9 days.

When I asked at the local Post Office, the clerk said that Media Mail now goes by truck and if there is no room, it waits until there is.  It this some kind of attempt to force sellers to use Priority mail?

If I do what I am supposed to do and the buyer does what they are supposed to do, them eBay should be responsible for any cancelled sales of items not delivered.  eBay is who guaranteed delivery by a certain time, not I.

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I am not surprised what with all the snow and flooding that has been going on the last couple of weeks.   Some major roads, in the Midwest, have been flooded and impassable.  Some have been washed out.  Any mail truck that needs to use those routes is going to have to find an alternate route.

[ohnojoey]

Not just media mail;

The last three small packages that I sent First-Class Package, scanned at the counter,  moved uncharacteristically slow or not at all; normally delivery is 3-4 days, two were delivered 4 days later than the expected date, and one that only traveled 600 miles was sent Monday the 18th, arrived the following Monday, the 25th-

This is a message: 
(March 21, 2019
"In Transit, Arriving Late
Your package will arrive later than expected, but is still on its way. It is currently in transit to the next facility."

No weather issues, or labor strikes, fortunately the customers were OK with it. I had my faith in the USPS shaken!

[castlemagicmemories]

When I asked at the local Post Office, the clerk said that Media Mail now goes by truck and if there is no room, it waits until there is.

AFAIK that has always been their procedure and it isn't anything new as far as Media mail goes.  Although some report that it can be every bit as timely as Priority, there is no guarantee and I've heard that some things have taken weeks to get there.

As far as the in transit, arriving late, that seems to be a new designation in the tracking by USPS, and I, too, have noticed packages being delivered late frequently.   I had one that was almost a week late, and it sat on out for delivery for 4 or 5 days.  

[escuintla]

When was it? I think in the middle of January, I went early to the post office, nobody around but a clerk pulling one of those bins you put your packages in because they don't like you to put them on the counter. So, I placed the packages in it, and I left. I was 10 minutes from them opening. 

I got a late ding on one of them, a media package. By checking the tracking, it stood there for 3 days, it wasn't even scanned for 3 foxing days! 

So, I agree, "Ebay protection for small sellers/businesses is in their DNA" is a bunch of bullchit. It has been one of the "stupid statements" from Ebay I laugh about, you know, we being responsible for natural disasters or the incompetence of the carriers or the laziness of the mail carrier.  Jesus! 

[monster-deals]

I've had two in the last month as well, arriving past estimation date.

One customer was a real pain about it, the other didn't care.

[castlemagicmemories]

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@escuintla wrote:

When was it? I think in the middle of January, I went early to the post office, nobody around but a clerk pulling one of those bins you put your packages in because they don't like you to put them on the counter. So, I placed the packages in it, and I left. I was 10 minutes from them opening. 

I got a late ding on one of them, a media package. By checking the tracking, it stood there for 3 days, it wasn't even scanned for 3 foxing days! 

So, I agree, "Ebay protection for small sellers/businesses is in their DNA" is a bunch of bullchit. It has been one of the "stupid statements" from Ebay I laugh about, you know, we being responsible for natural disasters or the incompetence of the carriers or the laziness of the mail carrier.  Jesus! 

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[castlemagicmemories]

I don't doubt what you say, but it boggles the mind that buyers are contacting you about the in transit, arriving late message.  It's not like you can actually do anything about it, and I think most lose sight of the fact that it is an estimated delivery timeframe because most times, the package does get there on time..  

[etvideo1ataol]

The one that sent me a message indicating they were about to give up on ever receiving it said they would wait a couple more days.

They are in Ohio and the package left Pittsburgh on the 23rd.  On the 27TH it still says In Transit.

I was also told that the Post Office uses the same message when there has been truck crash.

[cka197818]

I have had the same exact experience, like you, with First Class packages. And like you, I have received the same messages. One of these packages left Los Angeles and for some reason, a few days later,  came back to the distribution center and left again. Customers aren't too thrilled and there goes my guaranteed delivery. 

[dazzlecity]

Thought I'd share a recent experience I had.  Buyer bought item on the 11th of March - shipped via USPO first class to Georgia from Vegas - shipped on the 12th.  Was tracked in Vegas when they accepted it at the counter.  On the 15th the buyer contacted me and said it had not arrived.  I check the tracking and got your same message - delayed. Sent the buyer a message which she could have checked herself. I explained it shipped in my usual 24 hours and that I have no control over the item.  No reply.  This was kind of a St Patty's day item so I was now expecting a return.  Item arrives on monday. She leaves me glowing feedback. Nice. 4 days later I get a message that she has filed for a return.  Ebay informs me that under the "Guaranteed arrival date I must now accept the return.

Huh?

I call eBay and yes they confirm that I must accept the return because they say I am in the Guaranteed Delivery program.

Huh?

I try to do a little pleading with them that it was shipped in 24 hours and that I could not possibly be responsible for the actions of 500,00 postal workers and if they are actually doing their jobs. I could use an alternative shipping service but let's face it with $10-$20 items it gets a little dicey and if you don't actually turn a profit why stay here?

Anyway I give up and accept the return - wait for the tracking and never get it.  Several more days pass and I simply get a case closed notice so it turned out ok for me. Buyer gave some vague reason for not returning it. I think this is a case of ebay training the buyers that they will simply get a refund for any little reason. Buyer goes on my blocked bidder list.

Back to the agent - he helped me walk thru the Guaranteed Shipping program which is where I opted out.  Since I don't ever recall opting in - I guess I did - I opted out.  I now know where that page is and check it daily just to make sure no one opted me back in.  I still generally ship within 24-48 hours which I now love because I can skip the dreaded Monday shipping. I determined long ago that most packages where lost or late on mondays.

More over - which is kinda interesting - there was no tracking along the way until I asked for the delivery notification from the USPO.  All this baloney about they track it all along the way - well I think some folks at the PO are not doing their jobs. I'm hoping that opting out of the  guaranteed program won't affect my sales. It's a really slow time of year now so hard to judge. Bottom line is the ebay computer does not take into account blizzards, hurricanes, tornado's, floods, tsunamis and earthquakes along the way. Neither do I - I'm still giving them excellent service I just hope this specific issue doesn't rear it's ugly head again especially if the PO isn't doing their job.

[dazzlecity]

Castle said - I don't doubt what you say, but it boggles the mind that buyers are contacting you about the in transit, arriving late message.

Could it be that buyers now confuse ebay with Amazon? Been waiting to see how much their fees are going up as the divorce concludes - lol.

[jokabofe]

This is nothing new. I ship packages first class on a daily basis because the items I sell are cheap (and so are my customers lol) so no one wants to pay for Priority Mail. Of course, even when I ship packages well in advance of the expected date given to me by eBay, once a customer sees that message it's all over. Items might be arriving "late" by postal standards but still more than a week early according to eBay. But that doesn't matter to the customers, the post office says it's late so it's late.

I had a guy accuse me of not even sending his package - even though it had been scanned several times, in 2 different states.