Handling Lost Packages and other Shipping Mishaps

[vffan]

Greetings,

So I am going to save everyone a novel from my latest shipping fiasco with USPS (god only knows where the package will finally find itself)  I have now learned the hard exhausting way USPS does not care, nor will put any effort into helping you (but that's not why I'm here)

I ship everything USPS Ground Advantage and only to the U.S, I have since added UPS as an option, but I want my buyers to be satisfied with the transaction, and want them to receive it quickly, So I don't go through many sales but all of them shipped out the very next business day and I pride myself on that. 

Though when the USPS takes your package on a country wide tour and can't give any indication as to where it might land, what do you do in regards to the Customer?  In this latest affair, the customer paid on Sep 5th, it's now the 23rd and reasonably I just feel I can't hold out anymore wondering and waiting, and I don't think it's fair to the customer so I just refunded the $25, called it a day and if he does eventually receive it great!

My concern is the uptick in issues with USPS this year and packages, and I can't just regularly be handing out refunds to keep buyers happy as I am not selling in any sort of Volume that would justify that as the cost of business, I assume there is reasonable guidelines and expectations for both sellers and buyers (or proper resolution etiquette) but frankly I'm not to sure what it may be?

How long do others wait to resolve a shipping problem before giving a refund? The buyer never opened a case or complained, but I have been sending updates nearly every other day so they know I am aware of the situation and working on it, and I pray no negative feedback comes from it, but I also can't keep over exerting my time and efforts scared of the feedback when the price of the product is far less than effort to retrieve it?  

I hope that makes sense, or you can see what I'm getting at here.

Thanks for your time & consideration

[octa-hex]

It all depends on the buyer. Some buyers will go and open a case item not received. They don't care if it is delayed by the carrier and they know that seller has no control over it. Sometime you can have buyers who understand and are willing to wait. I would say contact the buyer and let them know about the delay. If it has been more than 2 weeks, I would file a missing mail claim with USPS. If its been 3 weeks or more and USPS shows no sign of recover of the package, I would do a refund.

[vffan]

So Essentially "feeling" the situation out is your suggestion, I can relate to that as that has been kind of what I was doing. As for Filing a claim it states on their page that a missing claim for USPS Advantage cannot be filled until 45 days from time of shipment?

[martin2001]

I can jut ell what I have done. Buyer purchased an item on 9/6. I mailed it on 9/7. It got several scans until several "on the way to next facility" or something of that nature.

Buyer sent a message about the non-receipt. I asked him to wait 14 days, which he did (without filing a case). If he does not receive it, I will refund. He did not receive and I did refund. On day 16, yesterday, I filed for insurance with USPS. Of course, a lot of depends on the price of the purchase. Mine was $14, so I won't lose sleep if he gets it, before USPS sends a check (and denies the claim). I will consider it a cost of keeping a buyer not totally upset.

[carlmarxx]

That is odd  about the 45 days  ,when it is 21 days after  shipping  all though  I have read  and seen case's  where USPS has started  lost  insurance  case's after 15 days from time of shipment .    I'm not a fan of USPS ground shipping  and  will pay for Priority mail  ,FedEx and ups    to avoid it. 

[carlmarxx]

Go to your  P.O. and ask for a internal tracking scan done on your parcel  ,you will get  more information.  The USPS website  has  shipping container scan's  .    Also when you go to your P.O. Ask for  the district  customer affairs   phone  number  not the 800 . they can check  for photos  from the sorting machines .  

[tobaccocardyahoo]

Here I go again.

I use USPS Ground Advantage all of the time. I have few problems. No one and no shipping carrier is perfect.

How you pack often affects the problems you experience. Some of those lost packages are really destroyed packages, some of those misrouted are misrouted because of your labels.

Some sellers continue to print labels after their printer has told them to add ink or toner. Some sellers use thermal labels which are not stored properly or are exposed to bright light after printing. And there are even still some sellers inkjet printing labels with no protection against rain or snow.

I do not babysit my shipments, and if I contact my buyer about a shipment which has not arrived on time, I tell them to open an INR case. I do not engage in progress reporting and other activities which delay the inevitable. If it is not time to open an INR case I do not contact the buyer. If they message me, I report the status and tell them when they can open an INR case.

[carlmarxx]

I don't  ship  USPS  Ground  Advantage  do to the unexplained delays  and  loss's    .Also   with  USPS's  new  surcharges   on 19K  of zip  codes   UPS  Sure post  and  smart mail  will be the better   deal  for ground    shipping  .   USPS  isn't charging their new surcharge  on their Priority  flat rat  shipping services  to those Zip codes .       

[steady2304]

@carlmarxx 

I doubt UPS Sure Post or Fed Ex Smart Post will be any cheaper since the Post Master General announced they are taking the discounts away from the shipping consolidators.

USPS ending discounts for shipping consolidators – NBC New York

[vffan]

I have been to 3 Post offices in the area, and called the 800 Number, Escalated etc. The only thing I have figured out is not a single one of them appear to have any clue what is going on, nor do their fain the slightest interest in solving the issue. I got one guy who went in the back and looked it up and said the tracking history was absolutely Crazy and told me what would happen next (big surprise that is not at all what happened) 

The Post office across town the clerk straight up said "bro the postal service isn't what it used to be, it's total garbage, Here's a number for consumer affairs but good luck ever getting anyone to contact you"  So with that I went online and filled out a Missing package form, and I see now in the tracking history it left Queens NY, went back to NJ (It's 4th time there) I live in Oregon, and it has a note about my Claim on the status so crossing my fingers.

[vffan]

So it appears you just utilize the system and buyer to do the legwork opposed to stressing over it. That's an interesting approach (not saying it's not a good approach) Just against my nature I supposed as I would think this would put me at a higher risk of negative feedback). 

I use a laser Printer, my labels all look good, I can even test them with a hand scanner as I have one next to my PC, shipping is always packed in brand new boxes with bubble wrap, and in this particular case it was just sent back out in the made for shipping box it came to me in. 

Though As I am overly stressing over $25 that's not worth my time, and looking for help I am up for the suggestion, Though one part I am curious about you state "I report the status and tell them when they can open an INR case." What do you mean by that? Where do you report this status at?

Thanks for the feedback!

[vffan]

I had an issue with a package that went to an Address and they held the package making the customer come in and pay more for shipping? I send the same exact boxes out each time, so the measurements are always the same, all packages are checked for weight and fall between 8~12oz and I always put in 1lb. 

I wonder if this "surcharge" is responsible for that incident...

[carlmarxx]

FedEx  doesn't  use  USPS  for smart post  since they didn't renew the contract  . USPS signed a new contract  with UPS to use their planes  .   I will tell both Sure post and smart mail is cheaper then the garbage Ground Advantage . 

[carlmarxx]

Well from what the USPS rep at the 6th district office of consumer affairs  for Southern Ca. my neck of woods   told me to expect  a high rate of ground advantage  delay's  and  loss's during holiday session .  and  to use  priority mail  and other carriers  UPS and FedEx   for ground .    Yes  you and all  US   seller's will be babysitting the shipment's  if ground advantage is used .

[tobaccocardyahoo]

I report the status to the buyer in a response to his message. Making it clear that if it does not arrive the next step is the INR claim and when the time is appropriate/

Most buyers are not children. When treated with respect they behave as adults. Negative FB occurs when you insult them and their intelligence. Not being perfect, there are times I deserve negative FB, by treating the buyers as responsible grownups, I have historically gotten fewer negatives than I deserve.

Living in fear of negative FB is unhealthy and may be a sign of existing or impending mental health or physical health issues.

Behave like other game sellers and obsess over being scammed. Or better yet, find a lower pressure item to sell, like fashion clothing or auto parts.

🤣