eBay

aron68 · ‎05-09-2020

I'm a small time book seller and many book orders I've shipped out 3 weeks ago, via USPS media mail, have still not reached their destination. I've already had several cases stared against me, even though I print ebay labels with tracking and go the book. I've even stared contacting buyers with a message thanking them for their patience. When I check the tracking # on orders, it's just "in transit" with no updates for, in some cases, 3 weeks. Don't get me wrong, I love the USPS and I know their having a tough time right now, I just can't afford a ton of refunds right now. I'm reaching out to buyers who haven't received their orders yet and telling them to contact me instead of starting a case. That's the best I can come up with at the moment.

Anybody else in the same boat?

toysaver · ‎05-09-2020

I'm waiting on DVD's that were last scanned April 24th and still remain in transit. I heard shipping Media Mail is like flying stand by. If there is no room they stay behind and there is never any room as the amount of shipping is soaring. Media Mail can't be signed up as a missing package, at least I couldn't get a search started.

The USPS needs to address this issue.

orangehound · ‎05-09-2020

@toysaver wrote:

The USPS needs to address this issue.

We're in a pandemic. Many USPS postal workers are sick and in quarantine, they are slowed as they try to do their jobs with social distancing, and about 30-40 have died. Facilities are being closed to disinfect. And, this is happening at a time when package volume has been steadily at the levels of the Christmas season. Exactly what do you want them to do?

Media Mail is the welfare package service of the USPS ... they lose money on every package sent. Everyone knows that Media Mail is only handled when there is excess capacity. And, with an overall system that has both reduced capacity and significantly increased volume, Media Mail is going to suffer massive delays.

So, it is sellers and not the postal service that need to take responsibility and address the issue. For example, until the current environment clears, either (a) upgrade to Priority Mail or (b) suspend selling of Media Mail products.

therogue-trader · ‎05-09-2020

@toysaver, "Media Mail can't be signed up as a missing package, at least I couldn't get a search started."
Yes it can be, I've done it once in the past couple weeks for a package I sent out in early/mid April. It just turned up at the Jersey City USPS distribution facility a couple days ago.

at thread,
I noticed books I was sending out in mid/early april getting stuck in transit for much longer than usual, but the delays have since cleared up. I ship from MA

yuzuha · ‎05-09-2020

@toysaver wrote:
I'm waiting on DVD's that were last scanned April 24th and still remain in transit. I heard shipping Media Mail is like flying stand by. If there is no room they stay behind and there is never any room as the amount of shipping is soaring.

Yes. The trade off for the cheap price is the fact that Media Mail is at the absolute bottom of the totem pole priority-wise. It can take weeks even under regular circumstances. Priority and First Class get loaded first, and if there is any space left on the truck, THEN Media Mail will be loaded.