Remember when!!! (Postal problem)

[ed4copies]

Before widespread use of computers we put mail in the mailbox and the person on the other end received it!! We had faith it would arrive.
Well, our local post office has, involuntarily, returned to the old days---there is no tracking on a large number of packages we delivered to them
on Nov 30 and Dec 1.

To quote the local postmaster, "...we have experienced some random glitches in our system that have been effecting the acceptance scanning of parcels here in Racine." On the good side, he continues, "Rest assured your packages are moving throughout the postal system".

So, we are pleased to report the packages are moving and, in at least one instance our customer reports having received the package BEFORE ANY tracking became available. (Our local postmaster confirmed that this is quite possible, until they clean up the "random glitches")

Because I expect some people will not believe me, the postmaster agreed to send me an email confirming the situation along with his contact information which I am allowed to give to customers if required. I found this to be an amazing amount of co-operation from a Postal employee!!!

We had an unprecedented volume over the weekend with the "free freight" promotion-- THANK-YOU to all who ordered!!

Dawn & Ed
aka ExoticBlanks.com

 

[goldendj]

Never had any trouble with orders from you before, and I have full faith you'll do whatever you can to get my latest order to me. Running low on peanut m&ms!

 

[dogcatcher]

I had packages that were not scanned when they were sent by the sending post office, show up with tracking ID at the next stop and then show up on tracking until delivered.

Computer glitch? I doubt that, most likely operator error, human mistake.

 

[socdad]

I long for the 'old days'. Things might not have gone faster, however I think there was far less frustration. I currently have 2 items with USPS & 1 with FedEX randomly traveling the country. Two of the three are 'arriving later than expected' (both have traveled to & from the same city several times) and the third looks to be lost at the Chicago airport …

 

[jamfishpens]

Definitely feel you there. I ended up sending a pen a month ago that got picked from my house, but never arrived (or never registered as being picked up). Sadly I think I might have to start sending them Priority just to make sure they get there (as I haven't lost one shipped through that yet).

 

[montmill]

I wonder what the volume increase has been? Systems break down, I'm remembering the old Lucille Ball show when she and Ethel were on a cake assembly line.

 

[MRDucks2]

Having once worked for Siemens (which had systems handling all US Mail) I doubt it is equipment throughput/capacity issues as much as it is limitations on physical space and ability to move the mail by the people.

Few people dependent processes could scale up quickly for the additional volume these facilities have seen. Not trying to defend the issues, but think of your local post office getting 5-10 times or more packages routinely for a period of weeks or months. Even if they knew it was coming for 90 days, the effort to scale up would be tremendous. Now multiply that by 31,000 locations.

I sell 6-12 pens a years. When making pens right now, I make as many as 4-6 in a week. Selling 60 pens a year would be nice. Getting an order for 60 pens for this month or this week? Not so fun anymore for me.

 

[PreacherJon]

My son had ordered some stuff... he tracked it and found out it was coming through Kentucky. Found out that some mail and packaged get held and quarantined before they'll move it on... if it is coming in or going out of State. Don't know if that is the case with all States.

 

[stolicky]

My package went from virtually no information for days to an expected delivery of 12/8. It is what it is. Thanks, Dawn & Ed.