Priority Mail package tracking shows "arriving late" for almost 2 months

[iamalwaysright]

I just got a message from a buyer who told me they haven't gotten their package yet. I checked and they are correct and apparently SUPER patient because the tracking shows on Oct 17 that the package is "in transit to next facility, arriving late." 

They didn't mean 2 months late, did they? I've never seen a domestic package with that tracking status take this long. So I went to USPS' website to file that Help Request form thing. The one that you file and wait 7 days before actually filing the Missing Mail form. Anyway, you have to enter your tracking before that form link opens up for you.

But when I do that, I go to a page that says "Your package will arrive later than expected, but is still on its way. It is currently in transit to the next facility. This tracking number is not eligible for an inquiry, but is eligible for a postage refund." 

So what now? Why can't I continue with that form, is it because of the "arriving late" status? Can I just directly file a Missing Mail Search without going thru that Help Request Form?

[mybigsale]

I would go straight to a USPS claim. According to the USPS, you need to file BEFORE 60 days of mailing. Hopefully you can beat the deadline. Your package will show up OR you will get a refund.

File a Claim | USPS

[iamalwaysright]

Oh so I just realized the buyer is in American Samoa. Does that change anything?

[chickadee8618]

I've had this happen a few times. The buyer gets the package but the tracking never updated. I would be careful here. Buyer could have the package already and is trying to pull a fast one on you. Why would they wait two months to message you? Why wouldnt they just open an Item Not Received ? So tread carefully is all I can say. 

[nobody*s_perfect]

---

@iamalwaysright wrote:

Oh so I just realized the buyer is in American Samoa. Does that change anything?

---

That might explain why the buyer has been so patient, accustomed to slow shipping, BUT it doesn't override the USPS deadline for filing your claim for a lost package.

Two months seems excessive for Priority Mail, though it might have been plausible if you had shipped via Ground advantage, which would probably travel by ship.

This page about USPS insurance claims shows the 60-day deadline. (Click to expand the section on 'Check filing periods".) Perhaps the reason you can't put a track on the package is that the tracking process requires 7 days but you have less than 7 days left in your 60-day limit to file your claim, if indeed you haven't already missed it. 

https://www.usps.com/help/claims.htm

[fewrprfct]

I feel ya! USPS is horrible!  I bought something from ca should have been delivered Nov 20.    it has not scanned since nov20.  Fighting with eBay right now for a refund. So much for the eBay guarantee!  Then I sold something and shipped to sc, it is stuck in a dc in SC for 10 days with no tracking.  I have filed missing mail searches on both items, crickets " so far. I will never us USPS again!

[iamalwaysright]

Thanks all. I’ll get right to filing that Missing Mail claim form asap. Hopefully their system would let me do it, I haven’t clicked into it yet.

In the event usps won’t let me, can I just end up filing an insurance claim to get some money back as long as I’m within my 60 days? The payment was $50 so I think Priority Mail has free insurance for that amount. I haven’t filed for USPS insurance in eons. I’m assuming it’s a different form than this Missing Mail form, correct?

[nobody*s_perfect]

When did you purchase the postage? You have to file your insurance claim within 60 days of that date.  October 17, when the package stalled,  was 55 days ago so you must be getting close to 60 days, if you're not already past it.  

IMHO you should skip the missing mail step and go straight to filing a claim.  Priority Mail and Ground Advantage automatically include up to $100 in insurance, plus with a lost package you will also get a postage refund. The image you posted already says you're eligible for a postage refund. 

[legalbeagle52]

I've had that happen a few times.  Both were media mail though. Tracking kept saying delayed in transit for far too long, so I emailed the buyer & she already had it for a week. Didn't leave any feedback so I thought it went missing. That's obviously not the case with your buyer.

The other time it happened, the buyer did not receive it & tracking just got stuck on "delayed in transit"  So it can be hard to determine what it means. In your case, buyer says he didn't receive item. He may not necessarily be scamming you. With the slow shipping to his location, American Samoa,  it's possible he just forgot about it.   Especially if he orders a lot, it can be hard to keep track sometimes.  It's hard to say.   But my guess is that it is probably missing.

But yes, a claim should definitely be opened.  Good luck!

[iamalwaysright]

I just checked and I made the postage on 10/13, 59 days ago. Welp, gonna try and file that claim. Wish me luck!

[iamalwaysright]

So I filed the claim. After that I tried to file for a refund and clicked that link and filled out the tracking field.

"The following tracking number(s) is not eligible for a refund"

Booooo. What a tease.

[iamalwaysright]

So I got back the response to my insurance claim and it got denied because it says "Insufficient Evidence of Value."

I uploaded the generated order receipt and packing slip from ebay for this. Is that not enough? What do you guys include for this? I haven't filed a USPS insurance claim in decades aside from one time last year I think but I don't remember what document I used for this part.

[wastingtime101]

Hey kyle@ebay - I know this discussion from 2022 (link below) is somewhat lengthy, but would you mind reviewing it and seeing if you can find out what happened with the request? Tyler, Brittanie and Velvet are no longer on the Community team and didn't have a final update before they left.

I still see sellers all the time that are running into this problem like @iamalwaysright above who was denied on a lost package claim.

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Shipping/USPS-claims-Managed-payments/m-p/32780795#M411981

[booji_girl]

I agree with legalbeagle52 that he's most likely not scamming you. I know this is a single anecdote, but I once had a package I ordered accidentally go to American Samoa. I filed a reroute request immediately which was shown in tracking within a few days (reasonable in my experience) and then it stayed put for over 2 weeks... before going to a different post office a few miles away for about the same amount of time. The updates didn't populate after the fact all backdated the way it does when there's some problem with the tracking system itself so I think they did file the tracking updates correctly but then take a mysteriously long amount of time. It did eventually get rerouted to me. I'm not sure if it's a logistical or cultural thing or what, but I would not be surprised if your customer is used to USPS moving very slowly. It's not that extreme where I live (Hawaii) but most people here definitely "stay on island time" to varying degrees. 

Also, I'm sorry to hear about your issue with the refund. I have skipped the 1st step and gone straight to the missing mail request and it did not seem to cause any issue, so that is definitely something you can do if needed in the future; in fact even when the suggested 1st inquiry didn't let me fill it because "item is not eligible" I was still able to successfully file the missing mail request.