USPS Major Delivery Issues to Customers

[lbab0921]

Hi,

I am sure my fellow Ebayer’s are having major delivery problems with USPS even with Priority Mail.  Packages bought from Mid December are not even being delivered to the customer.  Tracking says in transit.  Customers are opening cases as they should for item not received.  Has EBay management posted anything on its website to notify customers of shipping delays due to the problems at the USPS.  
I hope they would or there will be a lot of cases opened.  I hope EBay works with us sellers as the USPS just published an article how they are 4 weeks behind due to employees out with COVID.   Will not be shipping USPS going forward until a later date.  Thanks.  

[outdatedrecreated]

You should read the "announcements" section of the eBay community. Many of the questions asked are answered there. In my opinion, eBay has done an absolutely horrible job handling this whole situation. That being said, if I depended on others to solve all of my problems in business, I would've been out of business a long time ago. 

[lbab0921]

I agree.  Saw the posts of others just wanted to start a fresh look at this issue.  
Ebay needs to post a banner on its website to customers about delayed shipments to avoid unnecessary cases being opened.  Thanks. 

[vintagecraze50]

The shipping nightmare is apparent on all websites including people with their own websites. I read an article today from a Baltimore newspaper online with a seller there who had hundreds of packages sitting in the great inbknown and massive not received claims. USPS is in a lot of trouble and their services will be Down the tubes a long time . Anybody with half a brain will refuse to ship with them and use expedited services for everything now until this clears up.

[stylesetteratl]

There is a huge missing piece here that isn't being spoken about by USPS. I'm in the Atlanta area and everything package/mail related came to an abrupt stop due to election mail in voting. The total delay issues are due to a combination of those who are quarantined due to Covid ordering everything online, holiday online ordering, some staffing issues due to employees being out with Covid and election mail in voting. Georgia had a special runoff election that ends today and just today I've seen packages start moving. It's difficult to be patient but packages will be delivered. Sellers aren't obligated to assist their buyers with shipping issues but if you can stay in touch with your buyer and let them know you care and have looked into their specific package this will go miles toward good will with your customer. A lot of people don't know that every postal location has a regular phone number and that number can be found if googled or such and you can call and ask about a specific package with the tracking number. Now..whether they answer the phone is another matter but you can let your customer know you're making the effort to get their package moving. I've found that the earlier in the day you can call the better chance you'll have in somebody answering the phone. And try to be nice. They're under a lot of pressure and work long hours. I remember when people would wait years just to get on a list for a chance to work at the post office. It was considered one of the best places to work but since online orders everything has changed. I know they try to hire younger employees but have trouble retaining staff because it's not an easy job. And regarding waiting for a call from eBay..they will call back. Just today I left a call request and waited about an hour (kept my phone close by so I wouldn't miss their call) but they did call back. I hope some of this helps. 

[moeent92]

I highly recommend anybody who sends packages NOT use the Post Office as it is incompetent. I have stopped selling on eBay (probably for good!) as it is just not economically feasible to sell there and make any money. The last two items I sold on eBay had issues due to the Post Office incompetence and their laziness. Don't assume they are having issues because they are not prepared for the amount of mail they have. I have a comment I kept form a "employee" of the Post Office. He said they are just sitting around smoking weed and laughing at all the mail piling up. He said they wanted more money. More money??? They are probably overpaid to begin with. SMH.

Goodbye Post Office!

We will replace you and it will be better!!!

[pooh333piglet]

It doesn't help to tell people to call the post office. They cant do a thing to get your one in a million package moving. 

If seller wants to file missing package case, etc online that's a choice although again nothing is actually done to retrieve your package. At least it's a legit trail on tracking and the package. Insurance claim would be next if priority mail used.

My opinion its bad advice to tell people to call. As stated USPS may not even answer. It's going to get a caller no more of an answer than USPS is backlogged due to covid. Blah blah blah. Dont waste your time and theirs.

[glasser]

ebay had minor extensions of time to scan delivery like two days beyond the normal time before sellers get hit with delay dings. Totally useless.

I only use USPS now if the buyer asks and with warning that delays are substantial. 

ebay's UPS and FedEx rates competitive and some times better the USPS. Fewer delays reported.

[dr.kenzo.tenma]

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@glasser wrote:

ebay's UPS and FedEx rates competitive and some times better the USPS. Fewer delays reported.

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That is not true if you ship lightweight items (like video games) or media.

[angwjea]

usps workers are  sitting around smoking weed and getting high and drinking 40s with there buds

[pooh333piglet]

Now we know what is going on! Such a relief. My downstairs neighbors must work for USPS.  I keep hoping they become more hard core users and then drop ****. 

Its not nice thoughts. Reality...

[outdatedrecreated]

There are plenty of areas where eBay has attempted to remind buyers of shipping delays. The vast majority of buyers don't even bother to read the description of an item they're purchasing so thinking they'll read anything else is a stretch I think. The whole thing is a mess all the way around. 

[no_zero369]

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@vintagecraze50 wrote:

The shipping nightmare is apparent on all websites including people with their own websites. I read an article today from a Baltimore newspaper online with a seller there who had hundreds of packages sitting in the great inbknown and massive not received claims. USPS is in a lot of trouble and their services will be Down the tubes a long time . Anybody with half a brain will refuse to ship with them and use expedited services for everything now until this clears up.

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Interesting the conundrum with the service.  I just shipped something on the 4th going across the country and it is out for delivery today!

Doesn't look like their service is down the tubes, but perhaps they are keeping new stuff moving as they work off the backlog?  Interesting.

[yuzuha]

I have had zero problems with shipping delays with anything shipped after Christmas. I have one package from the 18th that still in transit, but everything else has been delivered in a totally reasonable time frame. The new stuff seems to be moving along just fine, it's just the backlog that's still having issues.

[freebirdtim]

What's the logic of delivering packages shipped after Christmas, but ignoring those shipped weeks ago? Wouldn't common sense tell them to ship them in the order received? I've also had zero problems with anything I've mailed since Christmas. But I still have two packages in the Twilight Zone that were shipped weeks ago! One is stuck at some USPS warehouse in Florida, while the other was something I bought on December 8th! That one went from Florida to Connecticut and now it's in Missouri! I kid you not! Time for some new upper management at USPS. They are totally clueless right now.