PSA: Avoid USPS for shipping to and from the Houston area until backlog is resolved

[ecoogie]

If you're not aware, the USPS in the Houston area is a complete disaster area right now. It started around Christmas when the people in charge decided to update their systems in the middle of the busiest shipping season and there are warehouses full of packages just sitting there for weeks without anybody moving them to their next destination.  Congressman Al Green is supposed to visit the Missouri City distribution center to see what can be done as well.  https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/houston-mail-delays/285-908f01a8-859c-4855-b614-7db45857031a 

I am an occasional Ebayer and don't have a warehouse or inventory and usually just sell rare/hard to find parts that I know someone else might need and shipped an item on Wednesday with priority mail and it's still sitting at that Warehouse and I honestly don't know what to do if it's delayed for another week or two or it's lost completely. I might not just lose the money that I'll refund but might have to end up eating the shipping cost and if the part actually ends up making it, return cost and then take a ding on my record on here.  My buyer seems to be patient but I'm sure that patience has a limit.  I wish ebay would warn people when there are shipping issues to a particular area. 

[jjddmwi]

I can empathize.  I have one stuck in Houston, too.  (Had 2 and 1 was delivered... so I am hopeful.)   I filed a missing mail claim, but it hasn't helped.  Likely because it isn't missing... it is just sitting in Houston.

Hopefully Ebay will help sellers out if INR's are filed (but I'm not holding my breath.)  I also feel for the buyers in this situation.

[haterofspam]

I am concerned as well, my buyers have been patient so far, is there someone we can email at EBAY to warn  buyers that Houston is having issues? I am switching carriers until this is resolved but that doesn't help the packages that have been sent already 🙁

[jsfantas-16]

I've already had to refund 2 of my buyers. They both promised to mail it back whenever it gets there, but I don't know. I know of another seller that has refunded several $100's of product from buyers complaining. I truly hope Ebay can do something! 

[toomuchstuffagain35]

I had one mailed from Spring TX on the 12th, headed to Dallas, landed in Missouri City on the 13th and nothing heard until it resurfaced on the 27th 'in transit, arriving late', then today tracking updates to it being back in Missouri City. It's a disaster for anything going through Missouri City/Houston.

[ecoogie]

If it makes people more hopeful, My package was delivered in about 11 (so over a week late) days after I filed a missing mail report on it. Most of that time it was sitting in Missouri City.  It seems like they're at least moving the newer packages along even if it's late. 

[frankenhobbit]

Just a data point.

The recent stuff I have ordered (I live in Houston) has arrived in a reasonable timeframe, maybe a day or two

late. No more than that. 

That's the data point.

Now for the cynical, possibly 'conspiracy theory' stuff.....

However, that is likely because those are 'new' packages.  If you are trying to keep your overall 'average numbers up', you deal with the new packages first. The late packages are already late.  But if you can process the ones arriving into Missouri City (and the North Houston) facility today, today? Well, you average 'on time' metric goes up. 

[ekmadonna]

I have a package I shipped out on Jan. 14, still not delivered. It is sitting in MISSOURI CITY TX since Jan. 22! This is crazy and not right.