Third Lost Package (rant)

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bitshird

bitshird

Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2007
Messages
10,236
Location
Adamsville, TN, USA.
This is starting to get monotonous as well as expensive, since early October the Post Office has misplaced three of my tools, all 3 were done with Click and ship through the Post Offices website, fortunately they were all single tool orders and one had a handle. For some reason the trail stops at my local Post Office, I have my receipts for the postage in my files, but when I pull up the delivery confirmation it just says the post office was notified electronically Blah Blah and so forth. When ever I take a package for foreign shipment they have to manually enter the intake by hand, their scanners don't work. Most of the time the first notice of the package is at the Memphis sorting station, The odd thing is it's never happened on a PayPal shipment just those using the Postal click and ship system, my postmaster is a pretty cool gut and the girls that work the counter are wonderful, but somewhere between Adamsville and Memphis my packages get disappeared. I shouldn't be so surprised with all I've heard about the P.O. but I ship about 15 to 30 or so packages a week, and untill recently haven't had any go missing.
I thought about just requiring all packages particularly the tools be insured but as was explained to me that in a case like these where there is no scanned trace, it wouldn't help.
I'm not going to say well the money doesn't matter but it does, what matters more is my customers expectations, I wish I knew a better way but it would slow things down and cost more as well as tie up things at the post office, like they don't have enough trouble.
Any one have any suggestions?? other than retire!!
 
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I am sorry to hear this. I'm glad I got mine!! Will the USPS make good on the money lost?

bitshird said:
This is starting to get monotonous as well as expensive, since early October the Post Office has misplaced three of my tools, all 3 were done with Click and ship through the Post Offices website, fortunately they were all single tool orders and one had a handle. For some reason the trail stops at my local Post Office, I have my receipts for the postage in my files, but when I pull up the delivery confirmation it just says the post office was notified electronically Blah Blah and so forth. When ever I take a package for foreign shipment they have to manually enter the intake by hand, their scanners don't work. Most of the time the first notice of the package is at the Memphis sorting station, The odd thing is it's never happened on a PayPal shipment just those using the Postal click and ship system, my postmaster is a pretty cool gut and the girls that work the counter are wonderful, but somewhere between Adamsville and Memphis my packages get disappeared. I shouldn't be so surprised with all I've heard about the P.O. but I ship about 15 to 30 or so packages a week, and untill recently haven't had any go missing.
I thought about just requiring all packages particularly the tools be insured but as was explained to me that in a case like these where there is no scanned trace, it wouldn't help.
I'm not going to say well the money doesn't matter but it does, what matters more is my customers expectations, I wish I knew a better way but it would slow things down and cost more as well as tie up things at the post office, like they don't have enough trouble.
Any one have any suggestions?? other than retire!!
Click to expand...
 
PAPenman said:
If you buy postage with delivery confirmation and they can't prove delivery then you have proof of loss. http://www.usps.com/insuranceclaims/
Click to expand...

Not if the post office doesn't scan it when you drop it off. I am going through this right now. The local post office when you drop off a package doesn't scan it because the postage is pre-paid. If the package is damaged or lost before it reaches a sorting station and is scanned, then you have proof that you purchased postage but no proof that you ever gave it to the post office.

I am sorry to hear your problems Ken. If anyone has any way to remedy this problem or no scan, please let Ken and I know. It sounds like his local post office is like mine.....
 
Even with click-n-ship, I take any packages that are important to the post office and ask that they scan it right in front of me. I have never lost one doing it this way. A little extra effort but the peace of mind is worth it. As was said, until it shows a location scan, the only thing you have is an electronic record of the shipment but nothing to prove that you actually tendered it to the PO.
Good luck, maybe they will turn up once the holiday season dust settles.
 
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While waiting on some items coming in from eBay sellers... the sellers sent the tracking #, well (LMAO) these items were purchased just prior to Thanksgiving. yet the tracking info showed that the USPS received the info on Oct 8th.... Go figure.

here is what I a talking about

1760899184
syiUSPSlogo_30x18.gif
Delivered, Dec-04-10, 11:32 AM, ALBION, MI, 49224
Notice Left, Dec-01-10, 08:37 AM, ALBION, MI, 49224
Arrival at Post Office, Dec-01-10, 08:35 AM, ALBION, MI, 49224
Processed through Sort Facility, Nov-30-10, 00:47 AM, KEARNY, NJ, 07032
Electronic Shipping Info Received, Nov-28-10, 00:00 AM
Processed through Sort Facility, Oct-08-10, 13:43 PM, ROMULUS, MI, 48174
s.gif

 
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1. How about not paying in advance. Pay with credit card at the post office. This produces a record that the post office received your package.

2. When you deliver the package, ask the counter man to sign a receipt form that "Received from _______ package Tracking Number _________
Signed _____________ Employee # __________ Date ____________"

3. Explain to them that you have had problems with packages getting "lost", and you would like them to scan the package in your presence.
 
PTownSubbie said:
Not if the post office doesn't scan it when you drop it off. I am going through this right now. The local post office when you drop off a package doesn't scan it because the postage is pre-paid. If the package is damaged or lost before it reaches a sorting station and is scanned, then you have proof that you purchased postage but no proof that you ever gave it to the post office.

I am sorry to hear your problems Ken. If anyone has any way to remedy this problem or no scan, please let Ken and I know. It sounds like his local post office is like mine.....
Click to expand...

Our postmaster told us to always ask them to scan prepaid packages otherwise they won't. We've had a few problems, so now we always ask...
 
randyrls said:
1. How about not paying in advance. Pay with credit card at the post office. This produces a record that the post office received your package.

2. When you deliver the package, ask the counter man to sign a receipt form that "Received from _______ package Tracking Number _________
Signed _____________ Employee # __________ Date ____________"

3. Explain to them that you have had problems with packages getting "lost", and you would like them to scan the package in your presence.
Click to expand...

Then you have to deal with the long lines at the Post office. I don't know what yours are like this time of year but ours are out the door all day.

Also, paying online is cheaper than paying in person at the Post Office.
 
Alot of good suggestions here, Ken. I think the key is you being there to make sure what needs to happen, happens! I know it's not ideal and may add time to your day and to the shipping time, but I don't think your customers will mind and I know you'll feel better knowing that if the item still gets lost, you'll have proof that the postal service is the one who did the losing! Either that or buy insurance. Whatever is cheaper and more convinient for you.
 
Did your folks not get the items?
I ordered some supplies from a supplier and kept checking the tracking number. It always said that they had received electronic notification. Never any tracking. 2 days later it showed up on my doorstep.

Lee
 
Sorry, but not sure that even that works ;(

I sent a package through the USPS..paid for delivery confirmation and also insurance...thought i would have no problems.

After many conversations with the PO, they said it had been delivered, the customer said they never received it....sorry, no proof of where the package went, no insurance claim because the PO said it was delivered, customer said they never received it..!!..???
My opinion that 'delivery confirmation' and 'insurance' ONLY is a waste of money UNLESS you also add 'signature required'...just my humble opinion..


glycerine said:
Alot of good suggestions here, Ken. I think the key is you being there to make sure what needs to happen, happens! I know it's not ideal and may add time to your day and to the shipping time, but I don't think your customers will mind and I know you'll feel better knowing that if the item still gets lost, you'll have proof that the postal service is the one who did the losing! Either that or buy insurance. Whatever is cheaper and more convinient for you.
Click to expand...
 
Check with the Dept. of Homeland Security. They have more to do with mail shipments than you would ever believe. The USPS tracking system has had this problem for at least three years. DAMHIKT!
 
If you are having the carrier pick it up at either your residence or place of business, they should have a scanner and be able to scan the packages into the system It may not show up until he gets back to the office, but it should at that time show they received the package.

But then that is what I was told by a carrier, and I have a new one almost every day. I think they play Chinese fire drill with who gets to carry this route.
 
Here in Phoenix, the mail trucks carry scanners and scan the click n ship packages as soon as they come out of my mailbox. They show the time and date the label was printed and the time and date the mailman took it into his truck. I can call and have them picked up, or put them in my outgoing mailbox. (I bought the biggest mailbox I could find!)

Sharon
 
I've read too many bad things re USPS insurance claims and USPS tracking is very inconsistent to the point of being worthless.

I use UPS when I'm sending something worth insuring and their tracking is accurate in my experience.
 
Sounds fishy to me,seems hard to believe that it happened three times in such a short period of time.Maybe someone at the office???Sorry to hear your issues I have never had a package lost and shipped who knows how many thousands.I have had plenty of them get dropped kicked by the post office and show up missing things but something always gets to the client.Victor

I've read too many bad things re USPS insurance claims and USPS tracking is very inconsistent to the point of being worthless.
Key word is inconsistent,the most inconsistent company I have ever deal with.Every office will give you a different story.
 
A package that was sent in July made it to the intended recipient last month. We filed a lost package claim. The day after the claim UPS called my recipient and asked for a deliverable address. How did UPS get the package??? Where was it all this time???
 
Ken, I sent a $900.00 order off to a customer in Texas today. All I could think of as I was dropping it off was "KEN'S LOST 3 PACKAGES SINCE OCT!". Especially since his own PO branch lost one I sent him last year. Fortunately for me He had me overnight him more pens and when they found his package he decided to keep the extras!
Not to hijack the thread but on another note I ordered a flat panel TV from New Egg the week before Thanksgiving and they shipped UPS. On the day it was scheduled for delivery I was hanging around the house and happened to walk out the front door as the UPS driver was unloading it. Told me he was glad I was home as there was no signature required and he would have had to leave it on my porch....couldn't believe this...what kind of company doesn't require a sig on an item this expensive?
 
mick said:
Ken, I sent a $900.00 order off to a customer in Texas today. All I could think of as I was dropping it off was "KEN'S LOST 3 PACKAGES SINCE OCT!". Especially since his own PO branch lost one I sent him last year. Fortunately for me He had me overnight him more pens and when they found his package he decided to keep the extras!
Not to hijack the thread but on another note I ordered a flat panel TV from New Egg the week before Thanksgiving and they shipped UPS. On the day it was scheduled for delivery I was hanging around the house and happened to walk out the front door as the UPS driver was unloading it. Told me he was glad I was home as there was no signature required and he would have had to leave it on my porch....couldn't believe this...what kind of company doesn't require a sig on an item this expensive?
Click to expand...

Residential deliveries do not require a signature. UPS policy.

My postman at work says the state postmaster general for Washington State said that anyone caught not scanning a package will be disciplined and/or fired. So his supervisors ride their *** and make sure everything get scanned.
 
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