USPS delays
opportunity
Posts: 1,054 ✭✭✭✭
Every December, of course there is the usual 1-2 day delay, but everything is reliable still. I've never seen things like they are now. I have about 30 coins coming and going, and about 25 of them are in limbo after a week, with maybe 4 in the 2-3 week range now. I refuse to send anything important until after Christmas!
Early American Copper, Bust and Seated.
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Mailed two out to our host on Thursday and they arrived 20 minutes ago. Pennsylvania to California; not too bad.
You're lucky!
Early American Copper, Bust and Seated.
It has been so hit or miss lately that I’ve just been buying local. Don’t even want to deal with shipping or receiving coins by mail now. Of course, if something pops up on the BST forum that I like...all bets are off.
MY GOLD TYPE SET https://pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/complete-type-sets/gold-type-set-12-piece-circulation-strikes-1839-1933/publishedset/321940
Dropped a PM package to PCGS in the mail Thursday afternoon, arrived at PCGS PO Box this morning. Waiting for a package from Amazon over a week late and tracking disappeared......
Best, SH
I have received four packages in the last five days... no delays enroute. One came two days after I ordered. Cheers, RickO
I don't have as big of a sample size as @opportunity but I've had a much higher percentage of packages drop off tracking recently and get stuck in distribution centers. I also had an incoming parcel that was shipped Priority from 72 miles away that took 4 days to arrive.
Nothing is as expensive as free money.
I sent a new submission to PCGS via USPS yesterday morning priority mail. It was delivered this morning. Hasn't been "received" into our host's system yet but it's there. overnight. No complaints obviously.
Went to the PO yesterday to drop off a package. This was the line. I joked to the people in line behind me that there was probably only one person working inside. The joke was on me. When I finally got inside 35 minutes later, there was indeed only one person working. It was 3:45 PM and the employee told me he hadn't been able to take his lunch break yet:
It might help to know where the OP is located. It could be a local/regional problem.
My PO had a covid outbreak. One of the folks died. They had to bring people in from other areas. We are getting mail sporadically now. Sometimes they just deliver packages and no mail
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https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wusa9.com/amp/article/news/local/virginia/west-springfield-post-office-employees-covid-19/65-46a08dfe-62da-4619-a805-ea52b3ad99e8
100% positive transactions with SurfinxHI, bigole, 1madman, collectorcoins, proofmorgan, Luke Marshall, silver pop, golden egg, point five zero,coin22lover, alohagary, blaircountycoin,joebb21
Usps makes lots mistake recently
I guess it all depends on where you live.
I’ve had slow USPS shipping lately too, most recently a package was a week late.
I have had a package arrive and depart the St.Louis PO for three days now, arrives early AM Departs midmorning and returns later that afternoon, cycle repeats over and over, maybe stuck on the belt. hopefully it falls off and someone sees it and throws it in a mailbag....
Might be an addressing problem.
Its a disaster currently. I normally drop off a bunch of ebay packages on mondays, the clerks will not scan them in at drop off time at my local po. They usually do them later. One guy who has been there several years, i always dont mind leaving them with him as he will get them done sometime during the day. Well last monday, he didnt, and then went on a vacation for like week half. When he got back this wed, i asked him what happened, he casually said, didnt have time, i just dumped em. I still got two missing, most got scanned some point day later down stream, penalized by ebay, people screaming becuase tracking not showing anything. Lines are getting longer by the day.
On top of that, got a package that belongs to a customer coming back from an auction company showing it arrived at my post office, but they cant find it. Had both the postal supervisor and inspector looking (rather expensive package) still no luck. Was told, that they have had numerous employee turn over the past month or two, nobody coming to work , thier very short handed.
Not to mention, lines are really starting to get long, and longer with like one clerk working usually, Last thurs, went i went in, line was out the door , down to the next block.
Oh another thing, two weeks ago, had a package going to chapel hill, nc which is about 1 hr from me, go to greensboro, then New jersey back to greensboro , then to new york, then back to my home town, back to greensboror and then after 2 weeks finally to chapel hill.
The shipping services are overwhelmed with packages. Expect slow delivery for the next few weeks.
We have around 70 packages we shipped out that have been stuck at the USPS sort facility in Springfield, MA since the Tues/Wends before Thanksgiving. Never seen delays like this before, and buyers are (rightfully!) getting very worked up...
Justin Meunier
Boardwalk Numismatics
That’s where I’ve been having trouble as well. Packages go cross country in 2 days then get stuck in Springfield for a week.
MY GOLD TYPE SET https://pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/complete-type-sets/gold-type-set-12-piece-circulation-strikes-1839-1933/publishedset/321940
For a variety of reasons the USPS has made a lot of internal changes to optimize (yeah, that's the word I'll use) it's equipment and processes.
Many of these changes have had a negative impact on service. For example our carrier is now delivering so late (we're towards the end of the route) that I have to check the mail after dinner cleanup
It's also made it much easier to visit the local PO since you no longer have to wonder if you will get the slow clerk or the fast one. It's now one size fits all.
ANA 50 year/Life Member (now "Emeritus")
I’d think that service is largely unpredictable, pretty much anywhere, these days.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
Here in the NY area I have had a number of usps snafus. Priorities seem to be the slowest. Parcels end up a week in limbo, no updates, they just show in transit. I dropped off a first class parcel a week and a half ago for a buyer, it did not show as scanned like most others I have dropped off. I had to refund the customer. I had a priority where I refunded a customer and it showed up a few days later and he paid a second time. It is a dysfunctional system by any reasonable measure. FedEx and UPS are much better with tracking. I dread situations where parcels are in limbo for days.
USPS service is currently the worst I've ever seen it overall. It's a combination of being short-staffed due to the virus spike, and new policies that were decreed earlier in the year. The stimulus bill that was to include emergency funding for the USPS has been stuck in limbo for months.
Most of what I ship doesn't get scanned and I'm getting plenty of "fast shipping" feedbacks. Maybe scanning is causing problems?
It does seem like 1st class goes through better than packages or priority. I've noticed this all year. The only package delays I've seen are tracked. I don't know that it is the tracking step itself - a lot of that is automated. But it may relate to how different classes of mail get handled.
I'm considering just shipping everything priority express to save on shipping.
They are 0/6 in the last couple of weeks in getting the item there on time. Lots of refunded shipping.
Obviously, scanning requires more effort than not scanning. Beyond that, who knows?
I chatted with somebody higher up at USPS in their logistics department who told me the following.
They sometimes have to deal with these three things;
Events out of their control, like Covid-19.
The Holidays.
Politics.
She said in her 40 years there (She retires in 3 years) she has never had to deal with all three of those things at once like they have to right now. She has never seen things as bad as they are at this time.
Everything is completely screwed, and will remain so until the first or second week of January, by her estimate.
"It's like God, Family, Country, except Sticker, Plastic, Coin."
these problems are mostly regional. I haven't had any issues at all. Priority mail with tracking is excellent in socal. regular 1st class mail no problem. post office well staffed and managed. no complaints. remember, there was a shuffling at the top prior to the election that affected or threatened to affect mail in ballots. sorting machines put out of order, cuts in overtime, etc.
There's probably a residual effect that is still in play. Sorry to hear so many horrific stories.
I don't think the handing is much different. 1st class goes through a scanner that reads the address and puts a routing barcode on it. Packages go through an automated scanner that does pretty much the same. The machinable letter scanner probably has a higher throughput since the item shape is more uniform which is why they were decommissioning a bunch of those in the Fall,
Only God knows for sure...
Probably not. I'm just reporting that the things I've mailed without tracking are getting delivered promptly. If others are having trouble, I sure can't explain it.
I have three packages coming out of SoCal right now. All are late.
"It's like God, Family, Country, except Sticker, Plastic, Coin."
I have two packages stuck. One cheap one from Texas to NC is stuck in Greensboro NC since 11/29. Another expensive one from NYC to NC is stuck in NJ since 11/29. Both ebay purchases.
On the other hand. ALL Amazon packages are arriving on time or +/- one day.
And another thing - ALL Fedex packages are running on time or maybe a day late. Same for UPS.
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
My digital cameo album 1950-64 Cameos - take a look!
I'm in Buffalo. So was the package at one time
Tracking History
December 5, 2020
In Transit, Arriving Late
Your package will arrive later than expected, but is still on its way. It is currently in transit to the next facility.
December 3, 2020,1:28 am
Arrived at USPS Regional Facility
NASHVILLE TN DISTRIBUTION CENTER ANNEX
**November 30, 2020,8:10 pm
Arrived at USPS Regional Facility
BUFFALO NY DISTRIBUTION CENTER **
November 30, 2020,4:16 pm
Arrived at USPS Regional Facility
SYRACUSE NY DISTRIBUTION CENTER
November 30, 2020,10:39 am
Departed USPS Regional Facility
JERSEY CITY NJ NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER
November 29, 2020,8:05 pm
Arrived at USPS Regional Facility
JERSEY CITY NJ NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER
November 29, 2020,6:49 pm
Departed USPS Regional Facility
TRENTON NJ DISTRIBUTION CENTER
November 28, 2020,6:20 pm
Arrived at USPS Regional Origin Facility
TRENTON NJ DISTRIBUTION CENTER
November 28, 2020,5:05 pm
Accepted at USPS Origin Facility
NEW CASTLE, DE 19720
November 27, 2020,11:59 pm
Shipping Label Created, USPS Awaiting Item
NEW CASTLE, DE 19720
I recently had a package sit in BIRMINGHAM, AL for four days without moving.
DPOTD-3
'Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery'
CU #3245 B.N.A. #428
Don
I’m waiting on over 20 packages none of which have been scanned in the last six days(a couple have been updated to say “in transit”), sent an express mail 30 miles away seven days ago that hasn’t arrived, And have two registered mail packages I sent over 12 days ago insured for a total of 70,000 that have not been scanned since leaving the post office. I thought the post office was bad earlier in the year but it is so much worse right now.
First Class
.
Priority
I had a coin slabbed investment grade low dbl digit pop world early 20th century silver piece bought in auction for $40 very high potential do real well on. Tracking said it delivered to my POB last Monday not there until Wednesday (3rd trip pick it up) - drove me nuts. So glad get it went home poured me drink crown n Coca Cola.
Yes holidays delay mail, a bummer. Glad when holidays over. Stop any auctions just do retail biz only.
if you mail a package to the New England area, they are very short on drivers, here is the response when i put in for a investigation of a package
This is in response to your inquiry regarding the delivery of a package. Please accept our sincere apology for any inconvenience this matter may have caused you.
The Postal Service is aware of the frustration and disappointment caused when we do not live up to our commitment of safe and reliable mail service.
Due to the current pandemic, our transportation and processing networks are delayed nationwide. I will monitor the tracking of the item and expedite delivery when it arrives.
An apology is no substitute for good service, but I want to offer one on behalf of the Postal Service. We appreciate your reporting this matter to us. It helps to know the kinds of difficulties our customers have so we can work toward improvements. The information you have provided will be shared with management as they continue their efforts to improve service performance in your area.
Thank you for the opportunity to address this matter with you. If you have any questions, please contact me.
Everything I have sold on BST lately has been delayed and most have taken circuitous routes to their new homes.
November 28, 2020
In Transit, Arriving Late
Your package will arrive later than expected, but is still on its way. It is currently in transit to the next facility.
November 24, 2020, 7:30 pm
Arrived at USPS Regional Origin Facility
BALTIMORE MD DISTRIBUTION CENTER
November 24, 2020, 6:15 pm
Accepted at USPS Origin Facility
COLUMBIA, MD 21046
November 23, 2020, 4:51 pm
Shipment Received, Package Acceptance Pending
COLUMBIA, MD 21045
Same here. They must still be delivering Biden votes.
This has been one of my favorites lately. For some reason, it decided to stay and be scanned over and over for 2 days...
I had one of those one time, it was Portland also. My local P.O. had to call the Portland P.O. and tell them to move the package.
DPOTD-3
'Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery'
CU #3245 B.N.A. #428
Don
hurray
I have a misdirected package, too.
this has to be a forum record.
On top of everything else ebay is not picking up correct information. I've got 1 that ebay says the USPS is waiting on the item and that's showing on USPS processed out of the area and is going to be late. It's been 7 days since the USPS took delivery from me.
yes, I know UPS is not USPS but the story is indicative how busy it is out there.
UPS places shipping limits on some retailers as holiday shopping heats up, report says
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/02/ups-places-shipping-limits-on-some-retailers-as-holiday-shopping-heats-up-report-says-.html
KEY POINTS
Taking the long route here also. Live in Eastern Oregon.
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Tracking details
USPS tracking #9402108205496926728228
One clear downside as an ebay seller if a parcel gets lost for a week or enough for the customer to complain, you either have to refund them or you could get a defect which I have seen happening.
Is that Automatic? Or only if the buyer complains? I won't even ask for a refund or submit a request until over 40 days have passed, and I always indicate the shipment arrived on time, as it is out of the sellers hands once USPS has it.