USPS delays, tracking not updated, numerous orders

[gotclubs]

Hello All,

I know the pandemic is messing a bunch of things up lately but I am curious to see if others are noticing longer than normal delays with USPS priority mail. This week I have had (that buyers have brought up to me) 10 packages drop off of tracking. It seems they end up arriving but instead of 2 days it is taking 8-10, with a 4 day drop off in tracking updates.

Is anyone else experiencing this right now or am I somehow getting very unlucky?

[threshold.sales.group]

I agree. Adding only a single day to the estimated delivery time is ridiculous. IMO, conservatively an extra day at the origin to just get the package into the system and then two more days added for transit is more realistic. 

[gwens*4saleitems*]

I live in Michigan. And yes the USPS is running slower than normal. The Covid19 has the economy almost shut down.
I sent out 3 packages on the 13th, they were scanned at pick up. One (first class package) was delivered in 3 days the other two were "in transit" for 4 days til the 17th, arrived at some distribution facility.. Both packages were scanned at least twice at every movement after that. Finally delivered today 21st.
Here's what I believe is happening …. the smaller post offices are only trucking the mail twice / three times a week right now. Which can possibly explain some delays. (but that's just my take on this, I haven't been to the post office myself in 4 weeks and I always talk to my post master)

[membersinceaug2001]

The small post offices around here are still having mail picked up daily.

Detroit is backed up with 70+ trucks of mail because so many workers are out sick.

[escuintla]

Well, same here!

I bought a set of 10 masks, from Los Angeles to San Jose CA. Shipped April 5. wandered around LA for 4 days, left on April 9. It has been in "transit" mode since that date. 

I have been pestering the seller to find out or send me another set, but he or she doesn't get the idea that it may be lost. 13 days is way too much! Parcel Post may take 6 days, not 13. 

Who knows. 

[moondogblues]

My jar of capers that went east to Pensacola Florida finally made it back to the west coast and to me yesterday. It obviously was on a plane both ways, but what a waste of resources....

[gotclubs]

No, you need to not pester your seller as if they are somehow at fault here. Parcel *should* only take 6 days not 13. Call USPS phone number and choose option 1 and listen to the recording.

Sure, it's possible your item may be lost, but most likely it isn't. Entire truckloads of packages appear to be sitting at distribution centers, because all 7 items I had sent out on April 10th had the exact same tracking through the April 14th (for reference just replace the 7 and 11 below with 10 and 14) and didn't update until I opened a missing mail search for each item, then all of the sudden, all of the tracking updated a day later.

For reference this is tracking from a case I had opened against me, priority mail, not parcel post.

Wednesday, Apr 22, 2020 7:10 AM PORTLAND , OR Out for Delivery, Expected Delivery by 8:00pm

Wednesday, Apr 22, 2020 5:30 AM PORTLAND , OR Arrived at Post Office

Wednesday, Apr 22, 2020 3:17 AM PORTLAND , OR Arrived at USPS Destination Facility

Saturday, Apr 11, 2020 12:00 AM N/A In Transit to Next Facility

Tuesday, Apr 7, 2020 2:09 PM BURLINGTON , CT Departed Post Office

Tuesday, Apr 7, 2020 2:03 PM BURLINGTON , CT USPS picked up item

Please don't be a pest to your seller as, if they are like me, they are inundated with missing items and spending a ton of extra time searching for them, replying to emails, refunding people, and paying to reroute packages back to themselves. You're just as frustrated as we are, believe me.

eBay needs to step up on this and add something either at checkout or on the homepage that explains that shipments are facing heavy delays at no fault to the sellers and that buyers need to factor that in to their purchasing decisions.

[catzrule7]

As I previously mentioned, I put my store on indefinite vacation until the USPS is able to get their act together.  I will say, that I'm sleeping a bit better knowing I won't have unhappy customers and be refunding a good portion of what I sell....but, then again, I have no money coming in.

I would greatly appreciate it if one of you sellers who is continuing to sell and ship packages would kindly keep this thread updated as you see that/when things are getting back to normal and you think it may be "safe" to start shipping again.  Thanks in advance!

[escuintla]

I wouldn't pester anybody if I knew they were in NY or any other state far away from my town. I am in CA, and I believe these sellers are receiving orders while the merchandise is on its way from China. I bought the item on April 5, shipped on the 9th and in transit since that day. 

This is where you as a seller stand out, don't tell your customers to call the USPS. I have enough with worrying about going out to buy food, which I do every 3 weeks, but no masks. My health, and maybe my life depended on these masks showing on time. 

The other thing? Because Ebay took down the listing, I can't start anything in the resolution center. I get the roundabouts because the item number doesn't exist anymore. I can't get my money, nor the masks. Great! 

[gotclubs]

But you said the tracking for the item wandered around LA so it is not an item that is coming from China. I would understand your frustration if the seller was drop shipping an item from China and it wasn't expressed in the listing. As described though, you're pestering your seller for something they have no control over. 

If eBay took down a listing, the listing should still be in your sold items page, or at least you could always file a case with paypal for an item not received.

[gotclubs]

I'm still shipping packages, I still think it's "safe". There appears to be no rhyme or reason when delays happen, but they seem to happen by the truck load. Some of my items arrive in 3 days, some have an extra day or 2, a few fall in to the 1-3 week category, but it is not the norm.

[tulipsandteacups]

I spoke to my mail man from the window, since I leave packages for him and asked if needed anything, always offering coffee, cold water, whatever he may need.  Asking him how long Priority Mail is Delayed, he shook his head, and said, we are short of help, many are out sick. Yes, he had 2 masks on, and 3 pairs of gloves. Yes, I agree New York and New Jersey are hit very hard. I have even contacted my customers, when I see something in Limbo, that was shipped 5 days ago, not moving,  you don't know, when you get no response from your customers, I pray they are not sick, and let them know, I shipped the item out, on time, within 1 day, Priority, and Apologize for Mail Delays. It's just common courtesy on my end, to make my customers comfortable, and know I am watching all my items I have shipped. One item I noticed headed to California, was so delayed, I shipped another out, luckily I had one left. I also emailed them, they will get two, and just keep the second one, for delayed shipping. As long as they will work with me, I will work with them. I am selling non essential items, yet they paid, and deserve to be responded to. To the person who could not get a mask to go to the grocery store, since she did not have a mask, Kindly let me know, I can help You.  We all need to Pay Forward, I am disregarding the Price Gauging.  Self Quarantined in New Jersey. 

[threshold.sales.group]

Yep, occasionally now having multiple accepted packages arrive at far off sort centers for what appears to be their actual intake into the USPS system for processing. My guess is that if USPS has an origin distribution center that's overwhelmed they simply just route entire unprocessed truckloads out of the area.    

[gwens*4saleitems*]

That's what I said. I had 2 priority mail packages (priority takes 2-3 days normally) "in transit" for 7 days and were finally delivered on the 21st.

[sd-brightis]

I have same issue a week and a half 2 packages not moving nor tracking updated. They closed the cases severaldays after I opened them. Im waiting on phone with consumer affair may have to wait til mon.

[borntodeal]

I am also experiencing these delays.

I prepared a spreadsheet (attached) showing the first 100 shipments, showing delivery times, after the LA County shutdown was ordered. This may be useful data.