Packages stuck in Pre-Shipment

[miss-sellaneous]

I have sold nearly 2 dozen trading cards in the past few weeks and all of them have either been scanned at some point or delivered except for the last two that I sent. I purchased the shipping label for bother items on April 21 and dropped them in a post office box on April 22. It's now April 29th, and both tracking numbers are still only showing "Pre-Shipment" which indicates that I bought the labels but that the post office hasn't received them yet, which after a full week wouldn't be accurate. Both items should have been delivered to the buyers already but of course, neither buyer believes I actually sent them.

I paid extra for insurance on both orders but that does no good if it appears that USPS was never even in possession of the items.

What would be my best course of action in this situation? If the tracking doesn't update then I can't realistically prove that I DID send them. 

As someone who is also a buyer, I have had this happen to myself recently on items being sent to me, but even then it started updating in 5-6 days. Now I'm on day 7 of these two orders, buyers reaching out to me, and I don't know how to put them at ease long enough to hopefully allow the tracking to start updating.

[blankauctions]

There is nothing in place to protect the seller, if it doesn't show up. If a buyer files an INR , you will have to refund on it and if you wait it out, they can ding you which can affect your sales performance.

 You can try doing a trace on the package through USPS,l to locate it, but they will most likely tell you that due to covid shipping is delayed (Yes, we already know that!)

Im dealing with several of these right now. I might suggest limiting any high end sales for the time being until this clears up.

I wish you the best.

[johnrj1226]

1.  You can go to  your local PO with both tracking numbers in hand and they can run an INTRA USPS tracking report (much more detail than what you see on the internet) that might shed some light as to the status.

2.  Strongly suggest you do not drop your packages or envelope w/tracking numbers in those blue boxes but take them inside your PO and have a counter person scan them in and get a printed receipt for each of them.  Best way to avoid a situation like you have.

[blankauctions]

Try something like this for the buyer:

Hello [name] I apologize that you haven't received your [item]. The tracking shows it is still in transit. The USPS is taking a little longer to deliver packages due to the pandemic. If it doesn't show up in a few more days please let me know. Sorry again for the delay. I have asked usps to check on the package tracking to locate it, and they should respond Shortly.

[rixstuff]

Im seeing the same thing.  In the mean time, the PO I dropped them at CLOSED.  It went from the usual 5 employees to 2 then only 1 and now it is closed "indefinitely".  Other POs Ive used don't seem to move the packages as quickly as mine and my own purchases are taking a while longer to arrive.  Not sure where the carrier works out of.

But normally, I have had packages that arrived with NO tracking at all, gotten feedback on packages the PO doesn't even show shipped, and of course packages that take the scenic route (from Virginia to Maryland - right across the river - by way of ARIZONA on the other side of the country.