Post Office Causing Late Arrival?

[thesouvenirfront]

I've had a very large increase in late deliveries lately. I've recently hit the 7% mark. I believe I was at or below 1% at the beginning of July.

I discovered most of the packages I've shipped since the start of August haven't been processed until 2 to 4 days after I drop them off, thus causing late arrivals. I always ship within my handling time, with the exception of 2 that were legitimately my fault.

Is there anything I can do apart from increasing my handling time in order to ensure I don't have packages that arrive late? I would have to increase my handling time to almost a week in order to ensure every package arrived on time, and that would deter buyers.

Has anyone encountered this issue or anything similar?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thank you.

[couldabeenworse]

Either drop them at a better post office or ask the manager at yours why the delay.

[atikovi]

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@thesouvenirfront wrote:

I would have to increase my handling time to almost a week in order to ensure every package arrived on time, and that would deter buyers.

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Increase handling time to a week but make a note in the listing that you ship in 24 hours. I rarely buy based on handling time and if you have the best deal, one week won't put most buyers off.

[dhbookds]

There have been various problems with a number of local Poffices.  Talk to the Postmaster about the late scans.......if you take in a scan sheet, it will be easier on the clerks..... don't take excuses.....not only ebay, but the PO says 1-3 day delivery on priority.  If nothing improves, call the complaint line on the USPS internet site....  THAT will definitely get the attention of the local unit.  For no hard feelings, I would give the local postmaster to solve the problem...but I wouldn't hesitate to contact the national office, if he didn't "deliver"....

[tiramisu41]

@thesouvenirfront, are you just dropping them off or are you standing in line at the counter, having the clerk scan them in, and then giving you a receipt? If you are doing the former, then you might start doing the latter.  Pain in the you-know-what, I know.

But, if you have proof in the form of your receipt of when you turned them over the the PO,  keep an eye on them online at the USPS website and see they are still sitting at the PO with no movement, then I would go in and have a friendly chat with my Postmaster, showing him/her the evidence, and ask what in heck is going on?  If you don't get any satisfaction there, then I would buck it up the food chain and file a complaint with the USPS online/800# as others have suggested.

[thesouvenirfront]

Yes, I am just putting my packages in the good ol' dropbox, which has worked fine until now.

I was sort of asking this question with what you stated about getting them manually scanned at the desk in mind. I think that's going to be my next move for now. It's a pain, but so are neutrals/negatives. 

I will also add, I did have a conversation with an individual at my post office, as well as a manager. And they simply told me it's standard processing time. I'm not sure how I failed to leave that out of my original post.

Anyhow, thank you for taking your time to reply. 🙂

[yuzuha]

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@thesouvenirfront wrote:

Yes, I am just putting my packages in the good ol' dropbox, which has worked fine until now.

I was sort of asking this question with what you stated about getting them manually scanned at the desk in mind. I think that's going to be my next move for now. It's a pain, but so are neutrals/negatives. 

I will also add, I did have a conversation with an individual at my post office, as well as a manager. And they simply told me it's standard processing time. I'm not sure how I failed to leave that out of my original post.

Anyhow, thank you for taking your time to reply. 🙂

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It's definitely not standard processing time.  Anything I drop off at any one of the three local post offices I use is at the sorting center by 10 or 11 PM that evening.

[fashunu4eeuh]

Hi. The level of service chosen for shipping (First Class, Priority, Media mail etc) can effect speed.  I see you ship primarily First Class. Is that correct? If so, you might consider using the Priority Flat Rate Padded mailer for your clothing items (if you are not already doing so). It will bump up your shipping costs of course, but the trade off is Priority’s (usually) more timely delivery.

Unless you surmise the problem is unique to your particular Post Office. In that case, i’d talk to your Postmaster as others have advised.

[dhbookds]

with an individual at my post office, as well as a manager. And they simply told me it's standard processing time.

Don't take that as an answer......call and ask the POSTMASTER if that if that is true..if so, contact the national number.

One thing tho......if you are putting them in the blue box, there should be pickup times noted.....if you deposit after that last time, it probably WILL wait for the next day, but certainly shouldn't wait longer than that.    That last time means that's close to the time the pickup is made on the truck to take the packages to the next stop.....

[penguins_dont_fly]

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@thesouvenirfront wrote:

Yes, I am just putting my packages in the good ol' dropbox, which has worked fine until now.

I was sort of asking this question with what you stated about getting them manually scanned at the desk in mind. I think that's going to be my next move for now. It's a pain, but so are neutrals/negatives. 

I will also add, I did have a conversation with an individual at my post office, as well as a manager. And they simply told me it's standard processing time. I'm not sure how I failed to leave that out of my original post.

Anyhow, thank you for taking your time to reply. 🙂

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@thesouvenirfront

If "standard processing time" was the answer ... I would be going up the food chain.

Write a professional, polite and precise letter, fax or email (put it in writing) to your Area Consumer Affairs Department.  Tell them what has been happening, what branch and who you spoke to. Give dates, times and examples.  The USPS CAD will look into it and they will give your local PO "guidance" about it 🙂

You can find your Area CAD contact info here:

 https://ribbs.usps.gov/locators/find-cam.cfm

In the meantime ... use a SCAN form, schedule pickups or stand in line .... good luck!

[itsjustasprain]

@thesouvenirfront wrote: 
I will also add, I did have a conversation with an individual at my post office, as well as a manager. And they simply told me it's standard processing time.

Of coursse it isnt. In my selling account i have 1st class packages DELIVERED in 2-3 days. Routinely. 

So if you look at the tracking history of your delayed packages you should be able to see where the package took the most amount of time. That will tell you where the bottleneck is. Take a look at some of yours and tell us what you see.

[ed8108]

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@thesouvenirfront wrote:

I will also add, I did have a conversation with an individual at my post office, as well as a manager. And they simply told me it's standard processing time. 

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I am really not surprised at the answer you have been given.

Since a manager gave you this response, that appears to be the standard at that particular post office. 

[inspirational-fabric]

I have had the same problem and have been disappointed with Ebays' response. I have provided proof of postage evidence to show item was sent on time, Ebay have refused to accept saying it wasn't clear enough. As most of my items are low value, large letter and I offer free postage I cannot afford signed for postage. I  feel this is an example of Ebay penalising small business sellers when they should be supporting us.

Another item which was also late was accepted as being posted on time, because it had tracking- I feel that this shows Ebay is trying to push sellers into sending signed for even when this is not affordable.

I have asked at the post office, and been told it is the sorting offices fault, and that althought their target is 5 days, it is not considered late for 10 days.