Let's investigate! - Two separate buyers, two separate labels, USPS attached same tracking number

[butacska2011]

Okay, I am totally lost here!

I sold two items. Different buyers. Bob and Mark. (plus 6 other packages, all different buyers)

They paid, I packed, printed labels. 02/03/2019.
Mark (8 oz First Class) - 6165
Bob (10 oz First Class) - 0490 .

I went to USPS, 02/04/2019,  had them scan each box, got receipt, put in purse, forgot about it.

Yesterday Mark sent a message if I had a tracking number, so I start digging.

Mark's tracking number... Pre-shipment status, USPS awaiting item.

Get receipt. Marks tracking number is NOT on the 02/04/2019 receipt.

BUT Bob's tracking number (0490) is on the receipt TWICE. With two different  weights. 

Look up tracking number (0490), says it was delivered. Where is 6165?

So I download a bar-code scanner to the phone. I print out the labels again. I scan each bar-code. They are correct. Bob's comes up 0490, Mark's comes up 6165.

But on my receipt I have 8 label numbers, 0490 twice one with 10 oz, one with 8 oz, plus the 6 other labels.

How on Earth could this happen? 

I attached receipt, and 2 labels.

Please HELP!

Mark's Label: I blacked out the whole bar-code but it scans correct (6165)

Bob's label also scans correct:

[orangehound · Accepted solution]

There are two possibilities I can think of:

1. The USPS counter person scanned the same label twice ... once while the proper package was on the scale, and once while the other package was on the scale.  If this happened, the tracking for Mark's package will soon show updates.
2. You printed out two copies of Bob's label, and put one copy on Bob's package and the second copy on Mark's package.  If this happened, Bob will get both packages, Mark will be upset, and you will get a USPS notice that you have been charged for the second shipment.

[butacska2011]

Thank you.

The only thing that also comes to my mind is that when I handed  the first package to the USPS person is that she reset her scale.... And Bob's packed was first, Mark's was second....

UGH! 

[berserkerplanet]

Pretty much what orangehound said except it isn't possibility number two.

The labels show different tracking numbers weights, and destinations - no problem with the labels themselves.

The receipt shows the same tracking number, same destination, and different weights. The different weight values on the recipt came from the scale, not the label scan, and reflects actual weights of the 2 pkgs, but the other info on the receipt (tracking number, destination) came from the label scan(s).

Looks like the clerk scanned one label twice (or it was an odd, not seen before USPS system glitch).

Only Bob's pkg entered the USPS system with an acceptance scan. The tracking on Mark's shipment should update when it gets a first scan at a sorting center at some point soon, if not already.

Only potential issue here is the lack of acceptance scan for Mark's pkg. If it gets a scan at a sorting center within your handling time it is not an issue at all. If it doesn't, it could incur an eBay late shipment ding if it is delivered late or buyer indicates late if asked.

[a_c_green]

I hate to say this, but I think Bob got both packages, both with the same label, and he's not talking. 

It is entirely possible that two packages bearing the same label could go through the system together to the same destination. In fact, the closer together they are, the more likely it will be that they'll escape unnoticed, because a second scan of the same number coming so soon after the first one will probably get discarded as a duplicate scan (e.g. a double trigger-pull on a hand-held scanner, or a tumbling package going through a 360° belt scanner), and not flagged as a second package. The carrier (or any other person handling packages) will most definitely not be looking to see if one package has the same label number as another.

I would consider sending a carefully-worded message to Bob to ask him if he's received an unexpected order recently. No need to mention the one he was supposed to get, as tracking presumably indicates that he got it, but just say that you're trying to locate a misdirected shipment of a [name of item here], and if he received it by mistake, you would be more than happy to cover the return shipping. Leave it at that. If he does send it back, send a gift back his way, pronto.

[berserkerplanet]

The labels are addressed to different cities, and have different tracking numbers - look at the screenshots of the labels.

The ID10T error was at the PO counter, and the only fail is on the printed receipt - one pkg scanned twice for both pkgs, other label not scanned at all, physical pkgs with their distinct (correct) labels will go where they need to, and tracking that says "Pre-shipment status, USPS awaiting item" will update when the pkg not scanned at the PO counter gets a scan.

I received 2 pkgs with duplicate labels a while back (seller was ignorant or more likely trying to cheat the system) and the discrepancy was noted on the tracking. That isn't what is happening here though.

[be_4101]

Magician appears to take a card off of the deck, but actually thumbed two cards instead. As well the USPO counter clerk: Shot the first package, then shot that again while pretending to reposition the scanner to shoot the second package now being weighed on the scale.

[a_c_green]

---

@berserkerplanet wrote:
The labels are addressed to different cities, and have different tracking numbers - look at the screenshots of the labels.

---

Right, but as the OP states, those screenshots are of the reprinted labels, generated during the OP's investigation later on after Mark asked where his package was. Those are not the labels that went on the packages. 

The ID10T error was at the PO counter, and the only fail is on the printed receipt - one pkg scanned twice for both pkgs, other label not scanned at all, physical pkgs with their distinct (correct) labels will go where they need to, and tracking that says "Pre-shipment status, USPS awaiting item" will update when the pkg not scanned at the PO counter gets a scan.

---

While it is possible that the clerk weighed one package (10 oz.) while scanning the other (8 oz.), that seems kind of unlikely, since one package has to be lifted off the scale before the next one can be placed on it, and that next one would be the center of the clerk's attention. It's all routine; they do that maneuver dozens of times a day. What I think is more likely is that the first label (for Bob) was printed twice and applied to both packages for shipping; the second label (for Mark) never came out of the printer. The clerk scanned an 8 oz. package for Bob, followed by a 10 oz. package also addressed to Bob. Also note that this all happened back on February 4, and Mark's package number has not been seen on-line at all since then, not even once.

[berserkerplanet]

Yes, I overlooked that, didn't look at the dates and think though the implications, and you make good points - I shouldn't have questioned your analysis.

If it was duplicate labels I wonder if that will ever show up as such on USPS tracking as it did in my case.

[no_zero369]

All I can add to the excellent discussion above is this....

Would it make sense to create and implement a "checklist" one can follow for label printing, affixing and then scans/receipts at the post office?

My point is that there was some kind of "Oh Sh * T!" in the process, so rather than just chalking it up as a "one-off" issue, take some kind of steps to make sure it doesn't happen again?

Hope this works out for you!  Good luck!

[butacska2011]

Thank you so much for all your help!

Well, it was the most likely scenario... my fault. 

My wonderful buyer,  Bob, got back in town and let me know that he did indeed receive two packages.

My other wonderful buyer, Mark, told me not to stress about it  everybody makes mistakes. 

Bob agreed to mail the package to Mark, I sent him a new, prepaid label and he will stick it to Mark's package.

I offered both parties some kind of compensation, either discount or some free items, which they both declined but I think I'll send it anyway...

I appreciate all the responses!