What does this mean?

[inhawaii]

Package way late.  Package going from HI to CA shipped 12-2.   It ended up in Memphis, TN somehow. I initiated a trace on 12-19.  Today it  says the trace is "closed"  what does that mean?

[lamber9347]

@inhawaii To which city in CA was the package intended for? 

[inhawaii]

Long Beach, CA

[lamber9347]

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@inhawaii wrote:

Long Beach, CA

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I'm wondering if the reason they closed the research case is because they tracked it to Long Beach but still not delivered? Have you selected email updates for this? I looked it up and it only says still in transit, arriving late. This is really late too, I'm so sorry about that. Hang in there....

[southern*sweet*tea]

Package research closed means they found the package and the case is closed.

[1tuna]

that is exactly what I thought...........people do a research case and it was found...end of story.........

 I would guess a package reserach case is not magic..........does not sound like a delivery search.

 if I was a buyer it might make me feel a tad better

[68barbie]

Not necessarily. I had one of those messages recently on a buyer's package. When the buyer saw that in his tracking he demanded a refund right NOW. I refunded the buyer in full and filed for a refund from the PO. The refund was recently received so I doubt they'd issue one if the package was found.  I took the message to mean "we are too busy to look for your package, so sorry for your luck." 

-C

[powell-memorabilia]

Just that the package isn’t lost - had a successful scan when leaving the Memphis location.  I feel for you - that is a severely delayed item.  The majority of my items are running late, but none as delayed as this one.

[evry1nositswindy]

If they send an email acknowledging the case, they seem to be able to close a case.  I have an outstanding package from 12/4, priority from Ohio to California.  Case opened and closed a day later.  Last scan was 12/19 in Chicago.  How is that resolved?

[ame4548]

An email response from a postal employee being "enough" to close the case has been my experience too in the last week.  One case a buyer filed and just wanted to keep me updated, the other I filed to have an official postal employee say that the package is not lost, just delayed. Once the response was given, the case was closed. 

It is misleading for buyers to have it closed with no real resolution. But the case gets routed to the destination post office, and for many of these packages those post masters have no more idea where the package might currently be than we do.

I feel for you. I have had a couple of packages take a month to arrive, even from the central U.S.  So much depends on which sorting centers the package goes through.

[oldwestgold]

The USPS probably used a FedEx plane which they have under contract from HI to Ca and ended up in Memphis as that is the FedEx hub.

[va-8501]

The package movement in Memphis has nothing to do with the search case being closed, it's just a coincidence.  USPS requires all search cases to be closed within 3 days, regardless of the package being found.

Notice the package research case was referred to the destination post office Long Beach CA.

Long Beach CA Post master should have either called you or sent an email, based on what method of contact you provided when you filled out the online search request.  I've been through these.  I just had one very similar.  It was referred to the destination post office whose post master sent me an email with her name and phone number.  email  said case closed and resolved.  It  still hasn't been delivered.  I called her and she told me USPS refers all search requests to the destination post office, which  is stupid because the package hasn't gotten to the destination, that 's why the seller opened the case.  She told me she has no more info than what I  see on the tracking history.  And she said the destination post master is required to close the case within 3 days regardless of finding  the package and they have been instructed to say, 'it's in transit and delayed due to COVID employee shortages', which in USPS opinion resolves the issue.  

USPS still has hundreds of thousands of packages clogged up in their nationwide system.  You really think a local  post master in Long Beach CA was able to get your one package tracked down in Memphis TN, give me a break, it's just a coincidence.

[va-8501]

Here's the tracking history of mine, notice search case opened then closed 3 days later, without the package being found or moved:  This has happened to many sellers, the fact that yours happened to move within the 3 days is just a coincidence.

[buyselljack2016]

OK, here is where I get confused.

What is a "package research case"?

I go to USPS, and open a "missing mail search" on my late items.

That does not create a "event code" on the tracking. (looks like I would not want one, as it alarms buyers when closed)

Missing mail search stays open until "delivered", or the just get tired of updating it each month, and close it with a  "too bad, so sad" "we were not able to locate the item",  message.  Have had several such messages  after the tracking has shown successful delivery.

[anthonydelillo]

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@southern*sweet*tea wrote:

Package research closed means they found the package and the case is closed.

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This is false. When an individual opens a Package Research Case, the destination Post Office is notified and responsible for the case. However, if the package is in transit and has not yet arrived at the destination Post Office, there is nothing they can really do. Therefore, they will often close the case without having "found the package". Or, they may leave it open until it automatically closes when it is finally delivered.

I discovered this after opening a multitude of Package Research Cases this month.

One case was closed a day after I opened it. I called the Post Office associated with the case and asked the Post Master in charge of the case why it was closed with no resolution. He informed me that there is really nothing they can do as the package shows it is still in transit and thus has not arrived in their facility. Therefore, he closed the case.

I opened another case for a package and received an email from the destination city's Post Office stating:

"We are extremely sorry for the issue you are having with this item. As of  12/17/2020 there has been no movement  from your package. The day it arrives at the Piedmont PO we will deliver it immediately. If you have any other questions please contact me at the number listed below. "

Another case was left open for several days. I called the Post Office responsible for the case and the Post Master told me that since the tracking showed the package was processed through the Denver, CO distribution center, all he could do was email them to ask if they knew anything else, but warned me that they don't typically answer the emails. He chose not to close the case. Eventually, 15 days later, the package began moving again and was delivered. THEN the case was closed, automatically, I assume.

In summary, Package Research Cases really don't do much of anything unless the package is in the destination's city. And when a case is closed before delivery, it certainly doesn't mean they found the package.