USPS Stuck in Transit?

[alphaheat]

My package has been stuck in transit since May 6th and its not updating at all. The buyer has emailed me a few times about it and just recently opened a claim on PayPal. I provided the tracking number to PayPal as a response and I just have to wait now. I've called USPS numerous times about it and the simply told me to give it a few more days. 

Has anyone experienced this before? I've used USPS to ship my packages for a very long time now and this is the first time anything like this has happened. Is there anything else I can do? 

[giftcloset]

Yes , I have a item in transit for over a month. Went to the post office where I mailed it and was told to go online and fill out a complaint. I refunded the buyer her money because I am no good on computers. I had one item completely destroyed , smashed beyond recognition and was told the same thing. fill out a complaint on line.

[duchess-at-speakeasy]

I recommend that you request e-mailed tracking status updates via the USPS tracking screen. The initial response generally comes within about 4 hours and future updates follow.

This process starts an exception report, which means real live humans actually see the request and try to obtain fresh information. Sometimes small packages simply fall off a conveyor belt or remain in an otherwise empty bin and go unnoticed. Other times small packages -- especially bubble envelopes -- hitch a ride on another package and don't get scanned until someone happens to see it, which may be many miles away at the destination of the other package.

Some people scoff at the idea that requesting tracking status "shakes loose" a package. But it does work -- I've experienced it several times!

~~C~~

[kensgiftshop]

I had a package shipped a couple months ago using UPS mail and it was moving fine until UPS dropped it off at my customers post office. UPS says the package was dropped at the post office, USPS told me they never got the package. After about a week of dealing with UPS and USPS, I just refunded my customer and never did find out what happened to the package.

[olde_time_values]

Yes, you need to go to USPS.com and file a missing mail search (you may need to register a free USPS account). Provide tracking#, Buyer's name/adress, description of item, etc. If you shipped Priority mail then you may havesome  insurance coverage if package is lost.

[b.comm]

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@giftcloset wrote:

Yes , I have a item in transit for over a month. Went to the post office where I mailed it and was told to go online and fill out a complaint. I refunded the buyer her money because I am no good on computers. I had one item completely destroyed , smashed beyond recognition and was told the same thing. fill out a complaint on line.

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If the buyer is refunded, you can do a package intercept to have it returned to you before it is delivered. There is a cost for this so depends on how much the item costs if it is worth it.

https://www.usps.com/manage/package-intercept.htm

[a_c_green]

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@duchess-at-speakeasy wrote:
I recommend that you request e-mailed tracking status updates via the USPS tracking screen. The initial response generally comes within about 4 hours and future updates follow.

This process starts an exception report, which means real live humans actually see the request and try to obtain fresh information. 

---

Um, no, I think you're thinking of a missing package report, which requests a whole lot more information from you, and promises you some kind of investigation as a result.

Tracking status update emails are just a standard option of the tracking system. Signing up for emails gets you a notification whenever the package is scanned, but that's all. It sets a flag on the package record in the database to trigger an update whenever the record has a new entry. There's no human intervention resulting from it. There is a similar option for texts if you want the news that way instead.

[b.comm]

I see you received a negative for a $160 item not received.  I would do the mail intercept https://www.usps.com/manage/package-intercept.htm for the possibility of getting the item back as it could still be delivered to the buyer. USPS does not charge you if the intercept is not successful and the charge would be worth it for that item.

I dislike USPS because of their inconsistent tracking. I have had more than one item delivered(buyers confirmed) that never showed delivered by USPS tracking.

[fastfixitlady]

I too have encountered this problem, mostly on items that are coming from China. Alot of buyers complain about items from China and Southeast Asia taking to long to get here, but I have found that most of the time their postal service is a whole lot more efficient than ours! I had one package sit in a container at the port of Los Angeles for over a month waiting for US customs to release the container and all of its contents. I too had checked with the seller and tracked it to entering the US in Los Angeles and was last scanned there and then it stopped. Luckily I have a friend at the postal service who helped track it down for me which is how I was able to find out that it was still in customs hold., and even once it was released it still took another 16 days to be delivered to my home (did I mention that I LIVE in Los Angeles?)There is a reason us Americans have adopted the phrase "going Postal" because the us postal service can be amazingly inefficient  at times.