Package "In Transit"

[sophia_olivia]

I mailed a package Priority mail from my post office in Pennsylvania on the 10th of April to be sent to Sacramento, CA to arrive on the 13th of April.  I do realize with all what has been going that maybe there would be a slight delay for the buyer to receive his package.  I started checking the tracking number and I saw that the package arrived on the 13th of April--in San Jose, CA.  and then it said on the 15th the package was "In transit" (possibly enroute to Sacramento and other parts of CA). I thought to myself okay the package will reach the buyer on Friday, April 17th. I checked the tracking and the tracking said package was still "In Transit"--on the 17th of April. I called Customer Service and waited two hours on line to explained my "problem".  A service number was given me and they would research the package. I got an email from Sacramento, CA  (to sum up the email) that they apologize for the delay, but the package was not scanned at Sacramento.  (I knew that from the tracking number), but the "form" letter said my case was resolved!!!  How can it be resolved when the package is still "In Transit",  and the buyer still hasn't gotten the package.  I again called Customer Service on the 21st and waited three hours to reopen another service number--once again I got an email saying the package was not scanned in Sacramento, but that the case was resolved!!!  It is now the 25th of April--package is still "In Transit". I have messaged the buyer twice and explained to him what I am writing to you all. I haven't received any correspondence from him. Do I wait for him to contact me to refund him or does he go through ebay for ebay to initiate the process of refunding the buyer?  I am new to selling and I am unfamiliar with this problem.  I just don't want to get a negative from this buyer when he can check the tracking and he knows the package has been mailed. I did mail it Priority with insurance. The post office website said I can file a missing package claim 15 days after the date of mailing the package. I know mail must be very slow with the coronavirus, but I don't want the buyer to think I am not on top of this. Please advise and truly thank you for all who will answer this. Many thanks.

[myboardid]

Go to the USPS website, search the tracking number. You will then be able to sign yourself and your buyer up to receive emails whenever the package is scanned on its trip. For some reason this seems to shake packages loose and get them delivered, even if you never get any more notices of the package being scanned. I am finding that the intermediate scans are not happening most of the time since staffs at sorting facilities have been cut to allow for social distancing and are at the same time experiencing holiday-level volumes. I can't guarantee this will solve the problem, but it seems to help me when I have a slow-traveling package.

[blijeolifantje72]

Instead of calling in. It is best to fill out form here

https://usps.force.com/emailus/s/

Click on where is my package and fill out that form. It will start a research on package and contact those who last scan it in not the final destination to reply . or find. You are calling it in and they are only speaking to the final destination Sacramento so they just mark it close because it is not in their hand. This is the best way to do it and it is on record.

I usually get response within 24hrs. and package will state researched on delivery tracking to alert them.

Another thing is California is the worst for delivery even when all is normal. My pkgs even priority usually about 2-3 days after under normal circumstance in many of ca region.

[sophia_olivia]

Many thanks for the quick responses.

All the suggestions posted was done and completed before Wednesday the 22nd of this week. I did receive the standard form letter both times in an email saying the package is "In Transit" it hasn't arrived in Sacramento we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and then both emails said the service numbers were closed/resolved.

I knew that just by pulling up the tracking number and seeing the places where the package was unloaded, scanned and loaded.

I am hoping since I did inquire about the package maybe the Sacramento distribution warehouse and Consumer Affairs will "rattle" the researching of the package.

I did work in a FED/EX warehouse several years ago and I am aware of how packages are transported from the unload side of the building and how it advances to the load side of the building. I did take in account the situation with what is happening in California (the coronavirus), but to see the tracking number the package is still "In Transit" from the 13th/14th enroute to the next destination.....??? 

San Jose is situated (from looking at the map) under Sacramento....pony express and/or walking the package would have reached its designated address by the 24th of this month--from San Jose to Sacramento.

You constantly hear the USPS is going bankrupt, but  you can see why people are hesitant to mail packages, letters....

I agree social distancing is taken in consideration and a skeleton crew is probably in effect.

I don't know the work hours of USPS, but I worked at FED/EX  and the warehouse was open 20 hours a day seven days a week and packages were constantly moving during that period of time.

The package I mailed was approximately  24in x 23in x 20in and weighed about three pounds.

The item was well packed with air pillows/popcorn so I don't know what to think.

I am grateful I did mail it Priority mail at my expense--(I figured the postage cost wrong), but "tuition paid lesson learned" as a seller.

I hope it does get delivered because it is worth a lot more than what the buyer paid for.

I bought it for a relative because he used to hunt and fish, but he died before I was able to give it to him for a present--it was new.

I guess I will wait for Sunday to update the buyer on what I have done and see what he wants to do I guess.

The buyer hasn't said anything and I haven't gotten a message from ebay about me refunding his money.

Whatever happens I will come back and ask follow-up questions.  Lol 

Thank you once again for the responses.

[7198dave]

had a package go to Sacramento then went on its way to Michigan, but it took 15 days for package to be delivered.

[sophia_olivia]

Was it too sent Priority mail?

When I was going to mail the package, I thought I would send it first class and add insurance, but the clerk said it would be cheaper sending it Priority because sending it "cheaper" was actually not cheaper because to add insurance my cost to mail it at the "cheaper" choice was not actually cheaper and that it would take longer for the person to receive the package.

I thought by adding insurance and sending the package Priority mail that it would be an extra assurance the package would be delivered. Boy was I ever wrong.

I really feel sad about what has been happening around the United States, but there has never been any problems of me receiving packages from California so needless to say I didn't think there would be a problem me sending a package to California especially since I mailed the package Priority--so wrong so wrong.

[buyselljack2016]

"in transit" is just USPS speak for we have not made a scan anywhere since the last scan.

[buyselljack2016]

Not sending it "retail ground"  was a good choice. 

Beyond the insurance reason, there is also postage charged to get the item back if it is returned for any reason.

Was the box really that big?  The zone 8 shipping cost would be out of sight for that size package as it would be charged at the 58 lb. rate.

[a_c_green]

---

@buyselljack2016 wrote:

"in transit" is just USPS speak for we have not made a scan anywhere since the last scan.

---

Right. You will see a maximum of three "In Transit" updates posted to the tracking history, 24 hours apart, beginning 24 hours after the last in-network scan of the package.

Note that signing up for email or text notifications of new package scans has absolutely no effect on movement of the package itself; i.e. it does not get a package "un-stuck" in any way, shape or form. It's a good idea to sign up for notifications anyway, though, because what it does is set a notification flag on the tracking history of the package in the USPS database, and whenever the tracking is updated with a new scan, you will get an instantaneous notification, generally within minutes of the event itself. Good luck.

[sophia_olivia]

I did pay $20.00 for the package to be sent Priority.

The weight of the package at the post office was 2 pounds 3 ounces (I am looking at the USPS receipt).  I was guesstimating the measurements, but my husband did say the package wasn't that large--MAYBE no bigger than  10 x 10 x 15....the package was large enough that someone couldn't put it in their back pocket or under their shirt.

I do understand about "In Transit" but I was hoping that by getting a notification for each stop it would be bought to the attention of USPS.

Before responding to this message I checked again the tracking and there is no change--"in transit" on the 17th of April.

A suggestion was mentioned about me possibly calling San Jose and have a service number to see if they can research the package. I am assuming I will get an email saying the package is in transit--and I already know that. 

Tracking number did say it arrived in San Jose and when I checked on the 15th it said it was in transit and I checked the 17th and it said in transit. The tracking number showed in was in transit on the 17th. It is now April 25th and the last tracking scan still says April 17 in transit.

[stuff4divas]

i have the same situation, Chicago to Brooklyn

Tracking details

Apr 17, 2020 12:00am In Transit to Next Facility

Apr 13, 2020 9:59am Arrived at USPS Regional Origin Facility  

CAROL STREAM IL DISTRIBUTION CENTER

Apr 10, 2020 3:57pm USPS picked up item 

CHICAGO, IL 

I opened a 'where's my package' case and got a call from the Brooklyn office saying they can't tell where it is by the tracking info and all their packages are delayed due to the Virus. They then closed the case stating it was 'resolved'.

Today is 4/25 and no further tracking info.

So far I have an understanding customer, but am still worried. Item is over a $100 sale.