Another Post Office Rant

[Lakewood90712]

Ordered something under $20 on e-bay from a vendor about 20 miles away. The vendor shipped the next day, 1st class with tracking. The package tracking shows " Accepted" on 01/30 , then "Departed" from the acceptance P.O. later on 01/30 . It never made it to the main P.O. sorting facility.

I go to my local P.O., the clerk says " It's still in transit" . I say it's lost, please start a lost mail case. Clerk "we cant, it's still in transit". I ask for the postmaster , "Oh, she's not in, but you can call back at 10:30" .

Call the P.O. after 11, ask for the postmaster , "What is this about " it's about lost mail. On hold for about 5 minutes, got someone who says he is a supervisor , not the postmaster( the same clerk I spoke to at the counter ). To make a long story short, unless something is insured, the USPS will not make an effort to find a package lost in their custody. I asked why this postmaster is afraid to speak with customers ... very long pause... " Uh, I can't answer that". Ok , I want to start a lost mail case , " Oh, we can't do that, you have to cal the toll free number". I say, You mean the one with a hold time of an hour or so ? Reply " Yes". Ok, what happens then, " Well, they start back at this post office , and ask the carrier about it" ?

1st class mail doesn't mean squat to the USPS anymore., unless you pay for signature on delivery, then they can't " loose" mail without consequences.

Rant suspended , may continue in the future.

 

[cathy63]

You can fill out the same form that the agent at 1-800-ASK-USPS would do for you at their website. It'll start the same investigation without the pain of waiting on hold forever. They don't contact the submitter with the results unless they decide there's mail theft involved. https://emailus.usps.com/emailUs/iq/usps/request.do?forward=emailUs

If there's no actual mail theft occurring, your package was either damaged and the address is now unreadable, or it will probably turn up eventually. I had one item on its way to me that arrived in Memphis last October 19th. The next scan was Bell Gardens, CA on November 15th, about 3 weeks after the sender and I gave it up as lost. Pony Express would have been faster than that! When it arrived here a couple days later, the wrapping was pristine. All I can think is that it fell behind a counter or got stuck in a mail bag somewhere in Memphis for a month.

I also had one thing I mailed returned to me in a plastic bag with a "sorry" letter. The package was completely covered in what smelled like a Starbucks Mocha and the only readable thing on the label was my return address. I took it to the PO with a new label and said I wasn't paying to send it again, and they did reship it at their own expense.

 

[Lakewood90712]

Thanks for the link. took all of 3 minutes to submit online.

Even more disgusted, as there is no way the postal clerk didn't know about submitting the case online.

Me thinks I am going to have a nice chat with postmaster after all

 

[Sunset]

Well just think about mailing something important to another country

 

[Lakewood90712]

Well just think about mailing something important to another country

FEDEX , UPS or DHL

 

[COcheesehead]

I am not sure why the post office even exists. Anything important is now emailed or digital to us. 99.9999% of all the mail I get is junk.

 

[aja8888]

My incoming Priority Mail package message:

USPS 9405515901965736048913, Delivered, In/At Mailbox 02/01/2017 11:08am CONROE TX 77384

Really? It wasn't there at 5:00 PM? Call PO - no one answers.

Package is on our patio two days later. Why pay for Priority Mail when you get it 5 days later - and NOT IN THE MAILBOX!

 

[RetiredGypsy]

Here, USPS is handling about 90% of the packages we've gotten from Amazon. I guess I've been lucky in that my only complaint is the tracking feature is useful on the USPS site.

 

[CaliforniaMan]

Twice we have filed a temporary change of address with the USPS, and both times we have still had mail and packages sometimes show up at our house while we were away, the same thing happens when we put mail on hold. Luckily we have neighbors who check our mailbox. While we still use the USPS to send packages and mail, anything important, especially documents sent overseas goes by DHL. It is expensive but at least we are sure it gets there. One tracked USPS package sent to us was listed as received at our local post office, but never sent out to be delivered. After a week we went to the post office and they eventually found it sitting in some pile there. It is sad to see what has happened to the USPS, one would think that all the competition would have made them better, but alas, it seems not.

 

[aja8888]

Here, USPS is handling about 90% of the packages we've gotten from Amazon. I guess I've been lucky in that my only complaint is the tracking feature is useful on the USPS site.

Here, Amazon apparently gave up with USPS deliveries (see my post above although it was not an Amazon package). Now Amazon delivers here in their own white, two person vans.

 

[brucethebroker]

If a purchased item is lost, and PO shows the tracking, contact ebay. (Both buyer and seller are protected by ebay on this).

Here’s how to get your money back from ebay (per website)

Go to My eBay
If your item hasn’t arrived or isn’t as described, go to My eBay, find the item in your purchase history, and select return or item not received within 30 days of delivery.

Not resolved? Let us know.
If your issue’s not resolved in 3 business days, contact us.

We’ll get your money back fast.
You’ll hear from us in 48 hours.

NOTE: you only have 30 days to claim.

 

[brucethebroker]

I too get frustrated with long lines at our Post Office and have an occasional customer service problem but....

We ship hundreds of packages a year, 90% with USPS, about 20% of those first class, the rest are Priority Mail, all use tracking. We print shipping labels at home and put the Priority Mail packages on the front porch (USPS will pick up Priority Mail that way if contacted) which avoids the lines at the PO. My neighborhood mail delivery person is polite and helpful. And 99% of our packages arrive without a problem (a few are "late" but that is usually during the holidays).

Tracking is a godsend. Scammers no longer have the "I did not get it" excuse. Occasional damaged packages have been handled quickly via the website, in our experience. We save thousands a year (for our customers) on shipping charges using USPS vs. FedEx, UPS.

 

[davismills]

When we leave town, we deal directly with our local delivery person. In the past, we filed online to stop our mail and she never gets the word about our desires. We spoke with her and she reluctantly revealed this deficiency in communication. Since we've started dealing with our local carrier, we've never had a problem. Thank God for the "last mile" people.

 

[Lakewood90712]

Like Magic, the package arrived today. No damage to the package, label was just fine. The tracking doesn't show any trip from the sorting center, just turned up at the local P.O.at 8:30 this am. So maybe they actually do look when a lost mail report is officially filed.

9 days to go < 20 miles first class.

 

[PandaBear]

A friend of mine mailed a package to me July 15. Basically a bunch of hand me down clothes for my daughter. Mid August it was acknowledged by USPS it was lost. I received the very damaged package December 11!

 

[meierlde]

I too get frustrated with long lines at our Post Office and have an occasional customer service problem but....

We ship hundreds of packages a year, 90% with USPS, about 20% of those first class, the rest are Priority Mail, all use tracking. We print shipping labels at home and put the Priority Mail packages on the front porch (USPS will pick up Priority Mail that way if contacted) which avoids the lines at the PO. My neighborhood mail delivery person is polite and helpful. And 99% of our packages arrive without a problem (a few are "late" but that is usually during the holidays).

Tracking is a godsend. Scammers no longer have the "I did not get it" excuse. Occasional damaged packages have been handled quickly via the website, in our experience. We save thousands a year (for our customers) on shipping charges using USPS vs. FedEx, UPS.

Note that the UPS store among others will ship USPS if you ask. So no real need to wait at the post office. Also if concerned about packages you can get a private mailbox there and receive packages there. (I did this when I lived in the big city and packages were left fully visible on the front porch)

 

[travelover]

A friend of mine mailed a package to me July 15. Basically a bunch of hand me down clothes for my daughter. Mid August it was acknowledged by USPS it was lost. I received the very damaged package December 11!

The postman's kids out grew them.

 

[CaptTom]

Sorry, but I'm a long-time fan of the US Post Office. We're in an area where they now deliver for Amazon, as well. We order a lot on amazon.

They deliver ALL the mail they get, that same day. UPS/FedEx will leave your package in their warehouse until the day it's due. If the sender paid for 7-day shipping, and it gets to the local warehouse the first day, it sits there for six.

We've very rarely had any problem receiving mail. Given the huge volume they do, and knowing that trucks and even planes full of mail must crash sometimes, I find it remarkable how few things get lost.

We've been very happy with how quickly things we've sent are delivered. It's slowed down somewhat in recent years, as they've consolidated distribution centers. But still, for the money, they can't be beat.

Which is another thing. The shipping companies have retail rates and wholesale rates. Senders often charge you the retail rate, but actually pay much, much less. I avoid any business that tries to add retail shipping rates to a purchase, unless they have an option for USPS.

Our local PO staff is very helpful, and the lines don't get too long.

That said, they have made mistakes. We had one package with a status of "delivered" that didn't show up for three weeks. We've received a few letters for an address on another street, but the same house number. I suspect that's what happened with the missing package. But seriously, what other business never makes a mistake?

 

[W2R]

I am so glad that some people who live in more favored areas get good mail service. After Katrina, they even wanted to permanently suspend house to house mail delivery in New Orleans and only resumed after massive protest by the citizenry.

About 40%-50% of the time, I get mail for my next door neighbor (not Frank, the other next door neighbor) instead of my own mail. Then I have to deliver it to them myself. This is despite the fact that my house is clearly numbered, and the 6" high numbers are located about 4 feet from my mail slot by my front door.

A lot of my mail just never appears.

The mail is not actually delivered 6 days/week in our neighborhood; I'd say 3-4 days/week, although that really doesn't bother me if I would just get my mail eventually.

I do get a huge handful of junk mail and advertising flyers every Wednesday, though, like clockwork!

(Edited to add: Granted, I have never gone to the post office to complain, but then everybody around here has the same complaint, many DO complain at the post office, and nothing is ever done, so I just don't see the point.)

The USPS package delivery for Amazon is MUCH better. Never had a problem with it. They do that separately from the regular mail delivery, here, in a different truck with different personnel. Almost all Amazon deliveries in my neighborhood are by USPS.

 

[target2019]

Local PO has long lines and several unfriendly people behind counter.
For delivery, it's obvious they put aside some articles for delivery when there is nothing to deliver. Most could get by with every other day delivery.

 

[Walt34]

My experiences with USPS have been more akin to CaptTom's. While the P.O. in the city usually does have long lines and not enough staff we go to the "small town" P.O. that is actually physically closer. Normally there is no line and if there is, it's one or two people, and the staff is friendly and helpful.

While we have on occasion received misdelivered mail that is rare, perhaps once every two years.

 

[CaptTom]

Wow, I'm so disappointed to hear how awful the USPS has become in some places. I'm sure if I lived there my opinion of them would change pretty quickly!

Still, I root for underdogs, and the USPS has been beleaguered from all sides lately. I hope they get their act together, and get the funding they need to get back on track. Not likely, but I can always hope.

 

[W2R]

Today, after writing that post, the mail was delivered.

I only got one piece of mail, and it was junk mail for a man who has been dead for about 10 years. I bought the house from his widow, who I am sure did all she could to stop his mail.

Then I met Frank (my SO who lives next door) for lunch. He gave me 4-5 pieces of mail addressed to me that were delivered to his house today. His house has a big street number on the front of it, as does mine.

 

[Lakewood90712]

Sorry, but I'm a long-time fan of the US Post Office. We're in an area where they now deliver for Amazon, as well. We order a lot on amazon.

They deliver ALL the mail they get, that same day. UPS/FedEx will leave your package in their warehouse until the day it's due. If the sender paid for 7-day shipping, and it gets to the local warehouse the first day, it sits there for six.

We've very rarely had any problem receiving mail. Given the huge volume they do, and knowing that trucks and even planes full of mail must crash sometimes, I find it remarkable how few things get lost.

We've been very happy with how quickly things we've sent are delivered. It's slowed down somewhat in recent years, as they've consolidated distribution centers. But still, for the money, they can't be beat.

Which is another thing. The shipping companies have retail rates and wholesale rates. Senders often charge you the retail rate, but actually pay much, much less. I avoid any business that tries to add retail shipping rates to a purchase, unless they have an option for USPS.

Our local PO staff is very helpful, and the lines don't get too long.

That said, they have made mistakes. We had one package with a status of "delivered" that didn't show up for three weeks. We've received a few letters for an address on another street, but the same house number. I suspect that's what happened with the missing package. But seriously, what other business never makes a mistake?

Every business makes errors. It's the evasive culture of the USPS in response that is the problem.

 

[Walt34]

Today, after writing that post, the mail was delivered.

I only got one piece of mail, and it was junk mail for a man who has been dead for about 10 years.

When I bought the house near D.C. I was getting occasional junk mail addressed to the previous owner for all of the 16 years I was there. And I'll wager the current owner is getting that and junk mail addressed to me.

We bought this house brand new so we don't have that issue.

At least in the places I've lived USPS has done a fine job. I wonder what accounts for the differences in other locations?