USPS Insanity

rld14

First they lose a 97-O Barber Half that they then miraculously find over 3 weeks later........

Now here's a new one, I mailed a coin out on January 7th, and on Saturday afternoon I got an email from the buyer asking where his coin was. Odd, I'm in Jersey and he;s in PA that should be a 2-3 day trip at WORST.

Guess what... tracked it... shows it wasn't even accepted until Jan 14th!

Anyone seen this before?

notwilight

Yes, that has been seen before. The buyer assumes that the seller printed the label out on Jan 7 but didn't ship until Jan 14. --Jerry

RYK

Here's one for you.

As esteemed forum member mailed a coin to me on 12/23 with tracking and insurance. The tracking indicates that the coin is at my post office, and has been since 12/31. I never received a slip at the home to pick it up and was not following closely. Finally, last week, the forum member informed me that the coin was at my post office. I assumed that the slip was lost or shoved in a catalog (which is occurring with mail with increasing frequency such that it is dangerous to discard an unwanted catalog or magazine without shaking it out).

I visited the post office on Thursday and was told that somewhere along the way, someone delivered the coin to the post office of zip code xx01x, rather than xx10x, and that the coin has been trapped in some small hamlet in my state and that there is nothing anyone can do about it. I called USPS (btw, don't guess the phone number and dial 1-800-800-USPS) and was told that they would look into it. My guess is that when it is time for the USPS to pay the insurance claim, the coin will be mysteriously found and delivered.

LindeDad

Yes I have had a coin show up at the customers house twenty-five days after I gave him a refund. I have another that I mailed five days ago that still only shows label was printed.
But it was a holiday weekend for them so I am not too worried yet.

roadrunner

I've had 2 REG mail shipments that sat in Jamaica Plains, NY for 4-5 days each. Can't say what is so special about that place other than it must be a central depository for incoming packages. So it wouldn't surprise me that it takes several extra days to go through NY. If a holiday weekend is involved, tack on another couple of days.

roadrunner

SeaEagleCoins

There seems to be only one type of mail that the USPS is capable of delivering on time all the time...ADVERTISING...

I truly wish there was a viable alternative... UPS in my area is just as bad, if not worse... and FedEx is just a PITA if you are not receiving the shipment at a 9-5 type of business address...

Barry

I mailed a USPS Prio Mail small box recently. It was a care package for my daughter in college, put together by my wife. Got a receipt in my mailbox from the mailman, as I scheduled carrier pickup. The trail ended there. DC never logged in, never made any intermediate stops, etc. Hope he enjoyed the cookies, candy, etc.

SLQ

A few months ago a package took over 3 weeks to get to me in NY from Indiana.
The tracking number eventually showed it had been to Anchorage Alaska.
btw, the Anchorage to NY part took only ~2 days.

tahoe98

<< <i>I've had 2 REG mail shipments that sat in Jamaica Plains, NY for 4-5 days each. Can't say what is so special about that place other than it must be a central depository for incoming packages. So it wouldn't surprise me that it takes several extra days to go through NY. If a holiday weekend is involved, tack on another couple of days.

roadrunner >>



...i understand they have a lot of employees named newman working there.

Tdec1000

<< <i>A few months ago a package took over 3 weeks to get to me in NY from Indiana.
The tracking number eventually showed it had been to Anchorage Alaska.
btw, the Anchorage to NY part took only ~2 days. >>



I live in Anchorage and they won't even scan my packages at the front counter. What should I do? Eleveate it to the Post Master?

RedHerring

Not coin related but USPS related.

I sent my brother a birthday card in September 2008. It was returned to my mailbox in July 2010! He said his AZ P.O. was being rebuilt in 2008 and many things were delayed/lost.

Glad it wasn't my 1804 Class III Bust dollar!!

coindeuce

I'm presently waiting for Newman to report back to me on an incoming parcel that has been AWOL in my city for over a week. The trail ended at a sort facility in "the hood", where I expect there are an inordinate number of temps with sticky fingers. This is the 2nd incoming U.S.P.S. parcel to go AWOL for me in less than a month.

NotSure

I bought an HK19 from a seller ATS, who lives in NY (I'm in Mass). Paid via Paypal on NOV 9! After not receiving the item after 10 days (it was sent on the same day I paid for it), I run the sig confirm #. It arrived at my local carriers facility on NOV 12th! Never got a slip, the medal, nothing, and someone was home all day. It shows 'Delivered' and 'signed for'. I request a copy of the signature, and it turns out (thanks to info from the Boston regional office) that a manager at the carrier facility signed for it at 9:14pm (she signed her real name!...I know opening someone else's mail is against the law....I wonder, and am requesting, what their policy is when a postal employee signs for a package when they are not specifically authorized to do so...I want the woman that signed for it, and who apparently has my medal to get the boot...an insurance tag obviously IS a red flag for those postal employees easily tempted). The local USPS claimed they had it at the facility where 'pink slip' items are brought, and left to be picked up. The rep at the Boston office gets the OIG involved, and I'm ASSURED it would be brought to me on the 15th. 15th comes and goes. 16th comes and goes...still nothing. Call the local regional office, and they tell me to file a claim. Filed electronically, it automatically gets declined, due to a signature being found. File an appeal on Nov 23rd. No news till last Monday, when I have to call the local office again. Was told they were waiting for proof of item description, and payment (both of which were attached in the appeal). I'm told 'they are still waiting for these items'. The USPS has 30 days on an appeal, to make a decision..it takes another call to get them to tell me they need these 'proof of's'..they send me a letter specifically requesting copies of these 'proof of's'. After 30 days, you would think they would notify me that they need these things, but NO. The letter shows up today...I have 30 days to mail them in, or appeal will be denied. The letter was generated on Jan 5, I get it on the 18th!!! I'm sending the copies to them via FedEx, with everything possible to prove they get them, along with a memo stating why the letter went FedEx (that I don't trust the USPS to get it there on time)....the USPS is just AWFUL!

As an aside, my regular carrier, who takes extra special care of my packages, took a few days off, and, yep, this happened when he was off. Since then, ANY package to me, whether a $30 coin with delivery confirm, or one with sig confirm...any package with a tracking number, gets brought by a van, and requires a signature by me, personally, or a family member...it's a single family home, so no mistaking apt numbers or box numbers. They are simply awful.

fishcooker

live in Anchorage and they won't even scan my packages at the front counter. What should I do?

Would it not solve the problem, to pay at the counter? You'll receive a receipt with the tracking number.

BG

Most of us have had these bad experiences. I actually drove after my carrier looking for a package when they gave me a pink slip when I was home. She didn't have the package and gave me a bunch of BS why. Picked it up at the PO the next day. This is not a random incident in my rural area. My 14 year old Grandson can do a better job than this outfit does.

FedEx and UPS are no better.

yellowkid

I remember a package a couple of months ago, other than that I don't have any issues with my small town PO. If I have anything that needs a signature they call me. Last week on a visit all I had was large bills for an under ten dollar package, she said "pay me next time your in."

ebaybuyer

just because a package is dropped at the post oiffice does NOT mean that it will be scanned at THAT post office, ive been involved in situations where the FIRST scan is three states away. buyers should NOT assume that because it was first scanned on say jan 14th that it was sent on jan 14th, it means someone finally scanned it on the 14th. could have been traveling for a week at that point.

pakasmom

"Might" be having my first bad experience with USPS...

Package has been MIA long enough that I just told my husband today, "If it shows up, do NOT accept it without opening it in front of one of the post office employees." Bummer.

RWB

How many billion pieces of mail did you handle today?

RYK

<< <i>How many billion pieces of mail did you handle today? >>


If they cannot do the job, they should not accept the assignment and payment that goes with it.

SeaEagleCoins

<< <i>

<< <i>How many billion pieces of mail did you handle today? >>


If they cannot do the job, they should not accept the assignment and payment that goes with it. >>




True that... and if they are gonna lose anything, I do wish they would lose some of the junk mail... really... although I do realize that is probably the primary income source they have these days...

RYK

<< <i>

<< <i>

<< <i>How many billion pieces of mail did you handle today? >>


If they cannot do the job, they should not accept the assignment and payment that goes with it. >>




True that... and if they are gonna lose anything, I do wish they would lose some of the junk mail... really... although I do realize that is probably the primary income source they have these days... >>



I agree. I seem to get all 10 of the monthly Pottery Barn and Land's End catalogs without fail.

ColonialCoinUnion

<< <i>I remember a package a couple of months ago, other than that I don't have any issues with my small town PO. If I have anything that needs a signature they call me. Last week on a visit all I had was large bills for an under ten dollar package, she said "pay me next time your in." >>



This is similar to my own experience with my local PO -

Barry

<< <i>I agree. I seem to get all 10 of the monthly Pottery Barn and Land's End catalogs without fail. >>


Nope. They sent 11.

DoubleEagle59

<< <i>I've had 2 REG mail shipments that sat in Jamaica Plains, NY for 4-5 days each. Can't say what is so special about that place other than it must be a central depository for incoming packages. So it wouldn't surprise me that it takes several extra days to go through NY. If a holiday weekend is involved, tack on another couple of days.

roadrunner >>



Yes, it must be a central depository as all my packages leaving Canada to the US, get the 'ole "Package cleared Customs, now in Jamaica Plains NY".

I remember the first time I saw that, I almosted fainted as I thought the package got re-routed to the 'real' Jamaica (no offense to those living in Jamaica Plains NY).

WaterSport

What about that weather people. And by the way, they outsource most of this mail handling these days. In fact those priority mail envelopes we send are shipped Fedex and UPS as they have the contracts for overnight and priority mail.

WS

coindeuce

<< <i>What about that weather people. And by the way, they outsource most of this mail handling these days. In fact those priority mail envelopes we send are shipped Fedex and UPS as they have the contracts for overnight and priority mail.

WS >>



Weather and outsourced labor haven't got jack to do with my parcel going AWOL for over a week from a U.S.P.S. processing facility just 4 miles away from my branch office/P.O.Box. That parcel went out the door in someones back pocket.

RYK

<< <i>What about that weather people. And by the way, they outsource most of this mail handling these days. In fact those priority mail envelopes we send are shipped Fedex and UPS as they have the contracts for overnight and priority mail.

WS >>


I could see the weather adding a couple days to the delivery time, but a package was mailed to me on December 23 and not yet received, and I mailed a package on December 30, and it has not yet been received. Certainly, there has not been continual snowfall everywhere since December 23.

While this just be a run of bad luck on my part, I truly believe with the downsizing of the post office that the service has been reduced to often deplorable levels. It is getting to the point where I am hesitant to buy/sell coins by mail, which could certainly put a crimp in my coin transaction activity (including sending coins for grading, stickering, and photography).

deltadimeman

usps service is really bad lately ! they have lost two packages to my ebay buyers ( delivery confirmation ) , one cost me a negative feedback ! also, have had several packages that took over 20 days to deliver ?

usps needs better management ! they are just turning their head and don't care about all the misconduct of employee's ! just give us the service that we are paying for !!

pendragon1998

I once had a package that I was mailing to someone end up at QVC for some reason. A couple weeks later, it shook itself out and made it to him.