Is USPS having problems?

[justforposting_1960]

Is anyone else noticing problems with the USPS delivering packages as a buyer and/or seller?

I ordered an item on Sunday, 1/7; the seller shipped it Priority on Monday; USPS tracking shows USPS "in possession of item" at 2:32 the same day. It was scheduled to be delivered on Wednesday, the 9th. On the 9th, tracking still showed "In possession", on Thursday morning it still hadn't moved so I requested email updates and received an email stating "Your package will arrive later than expected, but is still on its way. It is currently in transit to the next facility." 20 minutes later I received another email stating, "Your item arrived at our USPS facility in PITTSBURGH PA NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER on January 10, 2019 at 8:21 am."

Ever since that, tracking has had no estimated delivery date and shows the item is "in transit to the destination." This morning there were 2 more emails saying the same as above. So it is now 3 hours short of 2 days overdue.

On Wednesday, my letter carrier picked up a package at 11:42 am which tracking verifies. Estimated delivery is by 8 pm today. But since 12 am today, tracking has showed it "in transit to the destination." It never shows it arriving at any USPS facility. Granted, it's  only 2 pm there now, but experience makes me doubt the status is going change in the next 6 hours and so it too will probably be overdue.

The package I sent out is going coast to coast so some extra time is understandable. But the one I am waiting for is only from Pennsylvania to Connecticut. I could have driven there and back in under 9 hours!

Is anyone else seeing this?

[goldguy22k]

I hear you, tracking packages can be very frustrating!  Yeah, I can tell some stories about USPS delivery, tracking, etc.

What shocked me when I looked into it, was that in reality the dates USPS gives as "estimated" delivery dates are just that - estimates!  Also those advertised delivery times for Priority Mail are not set in stone either.    

Apparently, no USPS package is guaranteed for delivery, regardless of the "guidance" given, except for Express.  So why advertise 3-day delivery with Priority - maddening!

When tracking shows a package appears to be "stuck" I often trundle over to the local carrier station and talk to the Supervisor, who goes in the back and checks the progress.  He usually comes back with the same info I found on line, but it seems like his "looking into it" does something to break the package free.

Also if it has been over 7 business days one can go on the USPS website and file Missing Mail Search.  Often that gets things moving through the system too.

https://www.usps.com/help/missing-mail.htm

But read these threads over time and one will see that occasionally USPS packages take a tour of the USA, instead of a direct route.  Shouldn't be that way, but I guess USPS hires those inefficient "humans" who are well known to occasionally make mistakes.  

Hold on, it will eventually find its way to you!

[savedbygrace7192]

As a online buyer, I am seeing that my incoming packages from USPS have no estimated delivery date planned at all. It is almost ghost like tracking too. Never scanned in at Atlanta, GA but shows up 2 days later in  Greensboro, North Carolina? I think it is due to the government shutdown and just a taste of things to come if they cant reach an agreement soon!  

[muttlymob]

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@savedbygrace7192 wrote:

I think it is due to the government shutdown and just a taste of things to come if they cant reach an agreement soon!  

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The USPS is not part of the federal government partial shutdown.

[savedbygrace7192]

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@muttlymob wrote:

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@savedbygrace7192 wrote:

I think it is due to the government shutdown and just a taste of things to come if they cant reach an agreement soon!  

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The USPS is not part of the federal government partial shutdown.

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Thanks for clarifying that but something is definitely up. My package was supposed to go South towards my direction but instead ended up 2 states North instead with no estimated delivery date in sight. It's very strange..

[justforposting_1960]

Update:

As of Sunday evening neither package is showing a delivery date. The one I was supposed receive last Wednesday finally arrived at my regional distribution center Saturday morning and left this morning with no stated destination. Hoping it's being sent to my post office and not back to Pennsylvania.

The one I shipped to California last Wednesday arrived at the same regional distribution center as above Saturday evening and is currently "in transit to next facility."

Something has to be going on. I've never seen 2 packages take so long. For a package that started only 225 miles from it's destination to take this long really is unacceptable. Not that there is any recourse available. But it seems to me that if we are paying for 2-3 day service, that is what we should receive.

I suppose that a lot of my worry is that the package I am expecting is glass lamp shades. The more it bounces around, the bigger the chance I will receive a box of broken glass instead. The other one is glass also, but I know I packed it securely!

[savedbygrace7192]

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@justforposting_1960 wrote:

Update:

As of Sunday evening neither package is showing a delivery date. The one I was supposed receive last Wednesday finally arrived at my regional distribution center Saturday morning and left this morning with no stated destination. Hoping it's being sent to my post office and not back to Pennsylvania.

The one I shipped to California last Wednesday arrived at the same regional distribution center as above Saturday evening and is currently "in transit to next facility."

Something has to be going on. I've never seen 2 packages take so long. For a package that started only 225 miles from it's destination to take this long really is unacceptable. Not that there is any recourse available. But it seems to me that if we are paying for 2-3 day service, that is what we should receive.

I suppose that a lot of my worry is that the package I am expecting is glass lamp shades. The more it bounces around, the bigger the chance I will receive a box of broken glass instead. The other one is glass also, but I know I packed it securely!

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I totally understand! My online order was being shipped from 295 miles from me but it went 335 miles North in the opposite direction instead! I order online a lot and I ship with USPS a lot and this is very strange indeed! I still do not have any estimated delivery date for my package that is on it's way to me. I got an update that it is currently in transit to the next facility but nothing showing when/what day I can expect delivery. Guess we just have to wait and see.. Hope your package arrives safe and sound! 

[gew6463]

There does seem to be a lot of reports of packages taking an extra long time lately. And some sellers are getting dinged for it in their metrics. I know one who lost their TRS rating because of it. 

It's true that if I were to walk into my local post office and ask concerning a late package, they would most likely say "give it more time". At least, that is how it has always worked in the past. However, I've never gotten an email saying my package would be late. 

I feel a lot of sympathy pains for my fellow sellers having problems with this, and the buyers as well. I hope your packages arrives soon, safe & sound. 

[automotivepartsrecyclrs]

We have more than half of our shipment that went out on the 7th showing the basic same thing. Then on the 9th a couple of others also. It maybe weather related.

[savedbygrace7192]

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@automotivepartsrecyclrs wrote:
We have more than half of our shipment that went out on the 7th showing the basic same thing. Then on the 9th a couple of others also. It maybe weather related.

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My shipment went out on the 9th also when this happened. I noticed that the OP had one leave out on that day also. I wonder if there is a correlation with the days of the 7th-9th that has something to do with it. It is a strange coincidence but there could be something to it. Hopefully if anyone else has also seen this happen on days other than the 7th-9th they can chime in and let us know..

[Anonymous]

I have a Priority mail package late was shipped on the 7th was due on the 10th  Not here yet..

• Jan 13, 2019
• 13:06pm

• Arrived at USPS Regional Destination Facility
• NORTH HOUSTON TX DISTRIBUTION CENTER

• Jan 12, 2019
• 00:00am

• In Transit to Next Facility

• Jan 8, 2019
• 00:51am

• Arrived at USPS Regional Origin Facility
• GRAND RAPIDS MI DISTRIBUTION CENTER ANNEX

• Jan 7, 2019
• 16:32pm

• Departed Post Office
• HASTINGS, MI 49058

• Jan 7, 2019
• 11:52am

• USPS in possession of item
• HASTINGS, MI 49058

[savedbygrace7192]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I have a Priority mail package late was shipped on the 7th was due on the 10th  Not here yet..

• Jan 13, 2019
• 13:06pm

• Arrived at USPS Regional Destination Facility
• NORTH HOUSTON TX DISTRIBUTION CENTER

• Jan 12, 2019
• 00:00am

• In Transit to Next Facility

• Jan 8, 2019
• 00:51am

• Arrived at USPS Regional Origin Facility
• GRAND RAPIDS MI DISTRIBUTION CENTER ANNEX

• Jan 7, 2019
• 16:32pm

• Departed Post Office
• HASTINGS, MI 49058

• Jan 7, 2019
• 11:52am

• USPS in possession of item
• HASTINGS, MI 49058

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Wow, Something is definitely up.. Thanks for posting this and verifying!

[justforposting_1960]

Definitely something major going on with USPS. I've found the same issues posted in Facebook and Twitter.

My package going to CA finally both arrived & departed Oakland in the wee hours of this morning. So I am hopeful about that one.

My lamp shades, however, departed the regional facility less than 50 miles from me at 6:00 yesterday morning and hasn't been seen since. That's almost 27 hours to go 50 miles. RIDICULOUS!

I am thinking about making the seller aware of the problem knowing full well that it is not their fault. I really need/want these lamp shades and am hoping to have them replaced should my package never arrive. Wednesday will make 1 week since the estimated delivery date. Would any of you contact the seller at this point hoping they'll set aside a replacement pair if they have them in stock or just wait 2 more days. I don't know if the seller follows tracking, but I doubt it since they are fairly high-volume. I will definitely wait to file a formal INR 'til Thursday if necessary.

I confess, I am really anxious to get the shades. DH broke one on our floor lamp a couple of weeks ago and it looks terrible with a bare bulb! I also want to order some other things, but not until I know the USPS has straightened out their issues!

[savedbygrace7192]

With your package being that close to you today I am willing to bet that it will show up either today or tomorrow by the latest. I finally got an estimated delivery date update on my package this morning when it showed it had arrived in my town. It is now showing out for delivery. My package was First Class Mail. I don't know what happened or is happening but I sure hope that they (USPS) get things going smoothly again. 

I would give it a couple more days to see if your lamp shades arrive before contacting the seller and only then would I contact them if they arrived broken or didn't arrive at all since this was a Priority Mail package. He/She might tell you to contact your local P.O. for more information and they can run a more thorough investigation on their end into the where abouts of your package. My local P.O. is very good about this.

However, if your lamp shades arrive broken I would contact the Seller ASAP.  Hoping for the best for you! Please keep us posted..

[justforposting_1960]

I sure hope that's the case. My shipment to CA is out for delivery today (yay!) So at least my customer is (hopefully) happy!

My letter carrier delivered the mail about 2.5 hours ago and no sign of my lamp shades! Tracking has updated that as of midnight last night it was "In transit to next facility."  Same message, new time. There is still no delivery date shown though. It has now taken 32.5 hours to go 50 miles, lol!