eBay

swizz-mizz · ‎01-20-2018

I sent a package to a buyer and after much shuffling around (and almost reaching him) it was returned to me. I took a picture of the label and the buyer confirmed the address was correct.

So now what? Will USPS refund the shipping fees? Do I print out a new label and send it out again?

Here's the tracking info if it's helpful:

January 20, 2018, 7:22 am
Arrived at Post Office
ISSAQUAH, WA 98027
Your item arrived at the Post Office at 7:22 am on January 20, 2018 in ISSAQUAH, WA 98027.

January 20, 2018, 2:26 am
Departed USPS Regional Facility
SEATTLE WA NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER

January 20, 2018, 1:14 am
Arrived at USPS Regional Origin Facility
SEATTLE WA NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER

January 19, 2018, 12:12 pm
In Transit to Destination

January 18, 2018, 11:12 pm
Departed USPS Regional Destination Facility
WARRENDALE PA DISTRIBUTION CENTER

January 18, 2018, 11:07 pm
Arrived at USPS Regional Destination Facility
WARRENDALE PA DISTRIBUTION CENTER

January 18, 2018, 11:09 am
Forwarded
PITTSBURGH, PA

January 18, 2018, 10:19 am
Return to Sender Processed
PITTSBURGH, PA 15235

January 18, 2018, 9:26 am
Out for Delivery
PITTSBURGH, PA 15221

January 18, 2018, 9:16 am
Sorting Complete
PITTSBURGH, PA 15221

January 18, 2018, 7:16 am
Arrived at Post Office
PITTSBURGH, PA 15235

January 18, 2018, 4:58 am
Arrived at USPS Facility
MONROEVILLE, PA 15146

January 18, 2018, 4:01 am
Departed USPS Regional Facility
PITTSBURGH PA NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER

January 17, 2018, 10:19 am
Arrived at USPS Regional Destination Facility
PITTSBURGH PA NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER

January 15, 2018, 12:04 pm
In Transit to Destination

January 14, 2018, 12:04 pm
In Transit to Destination

January 13, 2018, 12:04 pm
In Transit to Destination

January 12, 2018, 11:04 pm
Departed USPS Regional Origin Facility
SEATTLE WA DISTRIBUTION CENTER ANNEX

January 12, 2018, 10:19 pm
Arrived at USPS Regional Origin Facility
SEATTLE WA DISTRIBUTION CENTER ANNEX

January 12, 2018, 4:43 pm
Departed Post Office
ISSAQUAH, WA 98027

January 12, 2018, 4:41 pm
USPS in possession of item
ISSAQUAH, WA 98027

January 12, 2018, 1:58 pm
Shipping Label Created, USPS Awaiting Item
ISSAQUAH, WA 98029

jasperscouture · ‎01-22-2018

Hi, I just wanted to show you what tracking looked like for me when I sent a package to a wrong address that was provided to eBay:

Departed USPS Regional Facility

Dec-23-17, 07:49 AM, JACKSONVILLE FL NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER

Unable to deliver item, problem with address

Dec-20-17, 08:38 AM, OCALA, FL 34471

Out for Delivery

Dec-20-17, 07:44 AM, OCALA, FL 34471

Sorting Complete

Dec-20-17, 07:34 AM, OCALA, FL 34471

Just wanted to show you the "unable to deliver item, problem with address" tracking. The P.O. wasted no time turning that package around and shipping it back to me. I asked my P.O. and they confirmed when the address is not correct, they do not hold on to a package. I really appreciate their efficiency and willingness to return the package. And they will never pay for one to be resent. Crazy part is that I contacted my buyer several times and no response. So, as soon as the package arrived, I had to refund the money- Out shipping and reversal fee. You can ask your P.O. to look up the address to make sure it is a deliverable one. Good Luck.

muttlymob · ‎01-22-2018

@thallidguy wrote:
My bet is on one of three possibilities:

1) Someone at that address other than the buyer refused the package.
2) Carrier — possibly a relief carrier who was unfamiliar with the route — tried to deliver it to the wrong address, and someone there refused the package.
3) The buyer formatted his address in a way that does not correspond to USPS' database. This does not cause problems if an experienced carrier who knows the route recognizes it and can say, "Oh, I know where that is." But a relief carrier or a new carrier might not have that knowledge, so an address that used to work doesn't anymore.

If the timeline of scans the OP posted is actually when the scans occurred, and not when one or more of the scanners were docked, then some of the scans were too close in time for the package to actually have made it to anyone's door.

It looks like all scans were made in office and the carrier never took the package to the street.

swizz-mizz · ‎01-22-2018

Thanks for the continued comments. I'll post an update as it progresses. Going priority mail so it "should" be getting there Wednesday or Thursday. I checked Google Earth of sh*** and giggles and it certainly is a valid address. Hopefully things will work out this time or at least result in a better description of an error.

thallidguy · ‎01-22-2018

@muttlymob wrote:

It looks like all scans were made in office and the carrier never took the package to the street.

Hmm.... All the more reason why the next step needs to be the buyer getting on his local PO.

muttlymob · ‎01-22-2018

If you are still in contact with the buyer, you should confirm that he is going to contact his own post office or carrier to see what/if the problem with his address and this package is. Before the package actually hits his PO.

a_c_green · ‎01-22-2018

@ed8108 wrote:
Yes , buyer did confirm the address, sorry I should have been more clear buyer could suddenly have moved, after confirming the address as correct, possibly someone informed the carrier the buyer was no longer there, package goes back to sender.

If you get the package back but the buyer is insisting that the address is correct as shown, ask your PO to try putting it through again. It can travel on the same label and tracking number (although they might slap a new $0.00 label and barcode on it, in which case you'll want to write down the new number), and they shouldn't charge for that.

I had first-hand experience with that when a coffee mug went all the way from Chicago to California and back for no apparent reason. The label had been printed on eBay/PayPal, complete with 9-digit ZIP, the buyer confirmed that it was correct, and that he was home all day on the day it was supposedly turned around as undeliverable. My PO sent it again at no charge, and it was delivered normally a few days later. We never did get to the bottom of that little mystery.

swizz-mizz · ‎01-28-2018

Well here's the update - kind of hilarious... My wife watched how frusted I was and wrote "Address is correct, deliver this" on the package in sharpie. Guess what...it was delivered in 2 days without issue. Oh USPS.....