USPS Tracking - unreliable for others... or just my area?

[erikstuff]

It doesn't ALWAYS happen... but it's becoming more common.

Someone will purchase an item.  I pack it and mail it at my postal station the next morning for pick-up around noon.   Then, though it's been picked up it it's not scanned in for a day or two... long enough for me to wonder if it's been stolen or my customer to think I'm a slow shipper.  The scan shows up with "ORIGIN ACCEPTANCE at my city" with a time like 11:54PM TWO DAYS LATER.  Sure... as if I'd be at the Post Office at midnight.

I mailed two packages on 6/26 A.M.,  before the USPS truck arrived.    Now... Tuesday night ONE of the packages was just scanned in "Pickup 6/27 4:18". The other shows "USPS AWAITS ITEM."  Huh?

The packages usually arrive quickly, so it's not as they haven't been in the system.

Is this somewhat erratic scanning everywhere or just in central Florida?  Does Ebay consider this late mailing?

[greatmidwestcoin]

And what have you done to try to fix this? Have you gone to your local Post Office and talked to your Postmaster? Have you opened a trouble ticket online at USPS.com? It could be how you are looking up the tracking info.  Different sites show different tracking scans for some reason. Always, check using the USPS website. Your local Postmaster has enhanced software that gives greater detail. I would first start by following USPS procedures. Open a delivery issue online. This ticket will be transferred to your local PM who has to act on it within 24 hours. You should not have to accept subpar service, as you described.

I have my carrier make pick-ups almost daily. Once he scans, it alerts me by text within a few minutes that my pick-up was completed. Give your local PO a chance to work the problem. If this fails, go up the food chain. Your next step is your District Consumer Affairs Office. You should be able to obtain their contact info from your local PM or by Googling it. If they fail, your next step is the Area Office. Be specific with dates and tracking info and whom you have communicated with. If you need further assistance, just message me and I will try to help out.  I am a retired Postmaster of 33 years. Good luck!

[postcardcountry]

Do you hand you package over the counter or put it in a bin?

I have found that when they get busy (especially around Christmas) my PO does not scan anything that went in the bin.  Instead, the first scan appears at the sorting center.  They accept as if they were the PO and then 20 minutes later, it gets scanned as received at the sorting center.  (I know both are done at the same place and not PO because it takes more than 20 minutes to get from one place to the other. (and yes, this has been approved up the chain of command)

Our rural carries may pick up your package but they don't scan it.  It goes in the same shipment with the bin, to be scanned at a later time.  (and yes, this has been approved up the chain of command)

The only way I can guarantee an acceptance scan is to hand it over the counter.

[erikstuff]

Until my sales dropped to the worst in my 20+ Ebay years, I had been making trips to the PO on Mondays (I had lots of auctions ending on the weekends) and gotten them scanned in.  I've since switched over to BIN and almost never have more than one package/envelope to mail at one time.  So... I don't drive the 8+ miles to the PO.   The scans DO eventually show up... it just seems so erratic.  On the "plus side" the PO has only lost one package in my 20+ years on Ebay and only destroyed one (the guy actually folded a box labeled "Do Not Bend" to fit in a mailbox.  It was a record.)

[az93]

I mailed an item january of this year that still reads as shipped. It actually says shipped, positive feedback received. Ebay claims only usps can confirm delivery. If the item does not get scanned as delivered thats the end of the story. I did complain to usps which was a waste of time.

[yuzuha]

Your area. When I drop something at the post office, it will show a scan at the local sort center later that evening.

[lepke1979]

It varies. My area it's rarely a problem. But it happens. In my case it's usually poly bags where the label is kind of weird because if what's inside so the machines probably miss the barcode to scan.

If you can get them scanned by waiting in line. Do it. Can maybe try a scan sheet if you have a lot of packages. Even better if your post office has a self service kiosk. Can scan them there and then drop them in the bin. Self service kiosk will not work with everything. But it's only when it's showing going to Canada or media mail to Guam for some reason.

[mam98031]

You need to take that up with your local PO.  They aren't suppose to be doing that.  Call and talk to the manager not one of the clerks.  Tell them about the late scans.  It is part of their jobs to get them scanned in right away.

If that doesn't work, then go to USPS.com and file a complaint.  It is helpful to do this if you aren't getting the action from your local PO.

[fashunu4eeuh]

I can leave my package at the counter of my local post office, and know it will get scanned there within a short time. But that isn’t a guarantee so i wait in line to get an acceptance scan. This is for my peace of mind to insure the package will not be overlooked, or scanned too late to meet eBay’s policy.

eBay policy requires a scan within your stated handling time. Otherwise one’s account can get a possible defect for late shipment. The policy states:

“With tracking, we'll count an item as late when:

• The delivery scan is after the latest estimated delivery date AND
• There is no carrier scan within your handling time.”

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-policies/seller-standards-policy?id=4347

It can be a great help to cultivate a working relationship with one’s local postmaster. (I also extend this practice to those who man the counter as well. Many of them have been there years, and i have found it is always a pleasure to go there. Have seen them go out of their way to help me when a rare issue arises.)

[inhawaii]

No problem here.

My packages get picked up every day by my mail carrier.

They are immediately scanned on the truck.

They show up on tracking a few minutes later.

Love the USPS!

[dbfolks166mt]

     In some ways it is amazing the way things move through the postal system and visiting a regional center is an interesting experience. I live less than a mile from my closest post office, 4 miles from a regional distribution center and about 12 miles from the USPS airport center. These days I drop everything at the post office and obtain a scanned receipt but the PO is close and generally I only have to ship one day a week. 

     When I used to have packages picked up or dropped them in the bins at the PO the tracking and scanning used to be interesting to watch. With the pickup it is hard to know what time the items actually got back to my local PO and whether they were ever actually unloaded let alone scanned there. Those that were dropped in bins, depending on what time I dropped them may or may not get scanned there. In a lot of cases items I had picked up or that were dropped at my local PO either got their initial scan late in the evening or early in the morning at either the regional distribution center or the air transport hub indicating that my local post office just sent the bin or the pickup directly to the distribution center which runs 24 hours a day and bypassed the scanning at the local post office. 

     So yea I have had a LOT of packages with non-prime time scans at a lot of regional distribution centers and air transport hubs. I don't find it to be so much erratic as I do the post office attempting to operate in the most efficient manner possible. I remember once having several packages picked up at around 2 PM and then realizing I had forgot to ship one which I took to the post office later in the day. The one I took later in the day received the initial scan when I dropped it off and was scanned at the airport facility late in the evening. The ones that were picked up did not receive their initial scans until the next day and did not make it to the regional center until the next. The one I dropped arrived at the west coast destination 1 day ahead of the ones that were picked up and had east coast destinations. 

[*trekkie]

Same thing is happening to me here in Louisiana with USPS and FedEx. Days will go by with no info or "in transit to next facility" with no US city & state listed.  I currently have an impatient buyer that keeps messaging me. I keep sending them the tracking number & keep explaining the current situation. Just hoping their package will arrive, but I'll be receiving some negative feedback, more than likely. My own purchases have been getting held up at a Mississippi facility, for whatever reason & one has been missing since May with just an "in transit" message.  

[mam98031]

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@*trekkie wrote:

Same thing is happening to me here in Louisiana with USPS and FedEx. Days will go by with no info or "in transit to next facility" with no US city & state listed.  I currently have an impatient buyer that keeps messaging me. I keep sending them the tracking number & keep explaining the current situation. Just hoping their package will arrive, but I'll be receiving some negative feedback, more than likely. My own purchases have been getting held up at a Mississippi facility, for whatever reason & one has been missing since May with just an "in transit" message.  

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@*trekkie 

Like the OP of this thread, you need to contact your carriers and complain.  They are suppose to be scanning when they get the packages.  It is part of their job.  So talk with a manager and get the issue resolved.

As far as the current one you are having issues with.  If it is a USPS package, then file for a Trace on the package.  That will get some attention to the matter.  Sitting back and just waiting is not a good plan.

https://usps.my.site.com/emailus/s/

[postcardcountry]

I went from 1 day to 2 day shipping.  It hasn't hurt sales and the TRS+ fee discount wasn't enough to cover the cost of gas.  

[mam98031]

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@postcardcountry wrote:

I went from 1 day to 2 day shipping.  It hasn't hurt sales and the TRS+ fee discount wasn't enough to cover the cost of gas.  

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I did the same thing a long time ago.  It gives me a bit of a cushion if something comes up here at home.  I also changed my return policy to 30 days buyer pays shipping.  I did that because I was getting INADs for Buyer Remorse and a rate that concerned me and was costing me money.  Since I've changed, this has significantly slowed down.