INR case question

[fern*wood]

Last night I had a buyer open a INR case on me for a package shipped Dec 18th.  Upon checking the tracking it appears to be waiting for pickup since the 21st at the post office.  My dilemma is the post office is a different town and zip than what was on my label.  They are about 30 miles apart, but I assume I still will lose if I enter the tracking into the case.

I plan to attempt to call the post office this morning to try to locate the package, but have little hope of success.  Is there anything else I can or should do?

tks

[1tuna]

I would tell the buyer to get the package.I am sure that the buyers knows more about this,do they know that the package is waiting for them to pick it up?

[Anonymous]

I have seen large metropolitan areas do that but 30 miles would be a bit far, did your buyer actually receive a notice for pickup?
You'd be right about losing as soon as the confirmation shows delivery to the wrong zip and since the tracking no longer shows movement I'd doubt calling eBay for a delivery extension would help either.
Good luck trying to call the backend of the receiving post office, how was it shipped? after 15 days priority can be considered lost.

[mr_lincoln]

@fern*wood   If you shipped to the address on file AND eBay's Tracking History shows an "attempted" delivery then you are covered because the Ebay Support Team has stated that an "Attempted" delivery is the same as delivered for an INR claim.  Upload the tracking.  Worst case, if you call eBay they will extend the INR claim window UPTO 4 days ... again, that is per the eBay Support team (Trinton if memory serves me correctly).

[Anonymous]

@fern*wood said the package is awaiting pickup at a completely different zip code, the last time that happened to me and the delivery date was passed I was refunded immediately.

[fern*wood]

I was able to reach a nice lady at the post office and she found my package on a shelf.  I asked about the address not being for her city/zip, but she didn't really respond and instead said she would forward it on to that city.  I was thankful for that at least and now my tracking has a big red alert and states forwarded.   Very odd that a post office that was not on the address would do this without noticing my address was a different location.   I doubt my buyer was left a notice since it didn't get to her area for delivery.

I still haven't responded to the case, since I'm sure my tracking is still a loser, so hopefully, it will show delivered to the correct po/zip quickly.  Then I will respond.  I have contacted my buyer with this information, but received no response from them.

[Anonymous]

Good deal, then as I and Mr. Lincoln have stated you can call eBay to have any INR extended for a few more days since the package is now moving.

[labs118]

Stinks that happened 
you know the drill , even if you contacted the buyer you should make the dreaded CS call so it doesn't get closed in the buyers favor
If you call they may extend the INR now that it is showing movement on the tracking
Best of luck 

Edit to say off to slow typing 
repair already posted to call CS about extending 

[Anonymous]

@labs118, I beat you by 4 seconds - feels almost as good as a snipe.

[fern*wood]

Snipe--those were the days!!

Thanks everyone--I'll make the dreaded call tomorrow even though I really don't like csrs being anywhere near a case.

[uniwarehousewares]

post office now adays too high making so many mistakes, i have faced this situation 4 times in one week , example i shipped package to FL and they took it to PA and buyer opened INR so i provide tracking which was showing package is stuck, i told buyer to wait 7 days more, i cannot process refund because package is with carrier and there is movement but slow movement , and after few days the package was delivered to buyer and case was closed.
another INR by customer, package was in another state rather then what was on label, after few days package was returned back to us by saying its not deliverable i filed claimed and get paid.
Here is what you need to do, ask buyer to hold for 4 to 5 days more and tell buyer if there will be no movement in next 5 days then you have to give refund to buyer but also tell buyer to return the item back to you if tracking later shows two are delivered if item is expensive, if item is not expensive then its up to you.

unfortunately seller has to be penalize for the fault of carrier, this policy of eBay make no sense to me, at first eBay has contract with USPS and fedex and UPS and if seller choose any carrier from these then ebay do not protect seller. i guess eBay need a lot of coffee to look in to this matter.

[fern*wood]

Actually, I've shipped thousands of items with USPS and had only a very small number of problems.  That's partly why this one surprised me since it was so unusual an occurrence.  I just hope to get it straightened out and my buyer is satisfied. 

[Anonymous]

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@fern*wood wrote:

Actually, I've shipped thousands of items with USPS and had only a very small number of problems.  That's partly why this one surprised me since it was so unusual an occurrence.  I just hope to get it straightened out and my buyer is satisfied. 

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There's no rhyme or reason why some things happen, even people like me who have spent 40 years programming machines just so human mistakes can't happen - still happens. @fern*wood you made no mistake and was just unlucky this time.

For those that wonder what goes on behind the scenes, most post offices have a machine with an articulated scanner that the employee passes each package by, it then loudly announces in a human-robot voice to what postal route hamper to place it into. If no address is found it should be placed in a 38 backflow cage for return to the sorting center. (my hamper is R9).

Unfortunately, backflow can happen more than a few times in a row especially if the error was caused by conflicting label information, meaning the address didn't align with the zip or the bar code was corrupted.

The biggest cause of the so-called infinity loop is because of handwritten zip codes that mistakenly transposed two numbers or the barcode label was smeared by a single drop of water. A crinkle in the tape or a label zoned on two different surfaces can also cause it.

Also with the sheer number off packages coming down the line when a Gaylord for a particular zip is full and the stop arm comes out the momentum of the load may push a box over the edge into another zip codes box. Lots of things can happen when billions are a number...

If the problem continues to happen with the same customer it is more likely a problem with the shippee rather than the shipper and they should look into other resolutions - professional sport teams do this when an entire defensive line keeps screwing up, and firing one player at a time doesn't seem to help but when they fire the coach it all comes back together - Go Packers.

[fern*wood]

Thanks for all of that info!!  Now you have made me wonder why I haven't had more problems.

Go Packers!!!  I had to give up on the Steelers this season.

[Anonymous]

Greenbay is 13-3 against your Steelers 8-8. Regardless of what the disenchanted naysayers say, I am making Cincinnati Chili for dinner tonight. Obviously with over cheesed garlic bread.