So that is where all of my packages go..

[lgonzalez28]

I came across this article from April while researching a package that has been accepted at the distribution center in the recipient's city days ago, only to have the post master tell me 'it's here somewhere, but we can't find it yet". 

I never really thought about where they end up months later, just figured it was a literal blackhole. 😋

This would be interesting to attend. 

https://local12.com/news/nation-world/the-secretive-facility-where-usps-sends-and-sells-your-lost-ma...

[pink.fish.rule]

Hard to believe there are THAT many parcels with no clue at ALL to either the sender or receiver.

Nice little money earner there USPS.

[dhbookds]

Nice little money earner there USPS.

depends on how much they paid out in insurance claims........

[pink.fish.rule]

Most likely not nearly as much as the items are worth.

And many, like the handmade quilts referenced in the article - are irreplaceable.

[nobody*s_perfect]

I find it easy to believe, considering what I've seen at the PO regarding how other customers pack   using office tape to hold the  label on and  flimsy boxes that IMHO shouldn't be accepted in the first place. Once those packages are rolled around in the sorting machines, there's probably ripped labels and spilled stuff everywhere all the time.  The other side of the coin is: How much USPS staff time and effort should be expended in tracking down these items that were "lost" due to improper packaging?  The fact that both quilt packages went astray points to the sender's packing technique being flawed.

[nobody*s_perfect]

Here's an example of a ripped label that easily could have ended up at that facility.  I had been following the tracking because it cost several hundred dollars and would need a signature. Imagine my surprise when it went from "Arrived at PO" to "Undeliverable" instead of "Out for delivery"!  I printed out the tracking info and scurried to the PO, where the package was retrieved from a bin that was undoubtedly going to the lost package facility.  As you can see, the only info that survived on the sender's label was the last 3 letters of my name, the last 2 letters of my street name, and the ZIP-Plus-4.

[pink.fish.rule]

But the tracking # appears to be intact?

[mebuck1234]

Isn't all the info they would need to deliver contained in the barcode? How can they claim its undeliverable when all they would have to do is scan it for the info.

[lacemaker3]

@nobody*s_perfect,

FYI, the zip+4 narrows the shipping address to just a few buildings in most cases. Often less than 10 houses. So, if they had a few letters of your name, they could probably have been able to identify the house without much trouble. Even if the bar code didn't scan. (You should probably remove the picture ... you can delete it from your picture album if it's too late to edit.)

[nobody*s_perfect]

In spite of all those clues, it was deemed undeliverable, so apparently that PO wasn't much into doing detective work, or maybe there's some specific process.  Thanks for the advice about removing the pic, but I don't live there any more.

[lgonzalez28]

I don't know about you, but I rarely add extra insurance for items selling not much over the $50 or $100 included. Only if it is an exceptional amount over that. And I have never been returned my shipping costs although I need to refund the buyer's that amount. Seems that usps would clearly benefit as a whole.
Imagine the amount of insured FC packages that usps just says "oopsie, you're SOL" too.

[nobody*s_perfect]

USPS insurance policy says that if the package is lost you should get a refund of the postage.

[lacemaker3]

---

@mebuck1234 wrote:
Isn't all the info they would need to deliver contained in the barcode? How can they claim its undeliverable when all they would have to do is scan it for the info.

---

The picture shows the 1-D barcode, which only has the tracking # encoded in it I believe. That would only get them the same informtion as the tracking # does, although the PO can probably get more info from the tracking # than is posted publicly.

Some shipping labels have 2-D barcodes as well (don't see one in the picture) which have more information. But I've never tied to find out what info is in the 2-D barcode. Since the package was addressed by hand, it probably didn't have a 2-D barcode anywhere.

I remember reading that undeliverable mail was sent to the Dead Letter office (or that's what they called it then) and that they would try to figure out where to deliver it or return it to the sender. But I think the investigation was done after it was sent there.

[lgonzalez28]

I have only had claims through Mercari for lost items. The amount refunded is the sold price minus the fees. They must pocket the shipping then.
2 Claims for "damaged items" here years ago, I may have been refunded shipping costs but I don't believe so. Maybe it was a total of more than the $50 included? I am not a tRS and don't get $100 included. May be why? Don't know.

[nobody*s_perfect]

USPS insurance currently will only refund postage for packages that are lost.  Up to a few years ago they'd also refund postage if an item was "totally destroyed" but they apparently got tired of arguing about it.