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Delivery Confirmation May Actually Be Worthless...2 "Real-life" Examples!!!
OK...I will try to keep this as simple as possible...and try to avoid the confusion found in a thread earlier today...the one with the PayPal problem...
First issue...I won a lot on ebay last month from a seller who is also a Forum member (no...I will not give his name as it is irrelevent...I completely trust this individual...we've had past business). The lot was only $50. He sent it promptly by Insured Mail w/ Delivery Confirmation...so far, "by the book".
Well, I was patient due to the Holidays...but when it got to almost 2 weeks, I got the tracking # and went online to see where it might be. This was on 12/24...and what do I find? It shows as "Delivered" on 12/21!!
I have no idea where it was delivered...certainly not to me.
I filed a complaint with my local PO as well as the USPS 800#. I'm on a friendly basis with the folks at my PO and they have made every effort to locate the package with no luck. My delivery person can not remember the exact package ( I do get many).
So, now a claim needs to be filed...but has to be filed by the sender (who bought the insurance)...yet it shows in their system as delivered.
FOR CLARITY...no signature is needed for Del. Conf. or "Black Label" Insurance...
If this had happened with a seller I did not know...I could well be SOL...PayPal would see Delivery Confirmation in system so how could I prove I did not receive it. Luckily, I do know the seller and he will file a claim...but only time will tell how the USPS will handle it.
Now for the second issue... On 12/9 a bidder won two coins from me...he paid promptly with PP...and I shipped on the 10th...Insured for $100 and with Delivery Confirmation...again, by the book...
On-line it shows as processed on the 12th from a main depot in the winners home state...but nothing shows after that...it "has disappeared"...
So, this past Monday, the seller emails me...somewhat irate (I later calmed him down...good communication and excellent FB helps
). Seems that the package had not made it to him and he wanted the situation resolved.
After calming him down, I contacted my PO and began a claim process. Even though they often tell you to wait 30 days...the claim form plainly states "21 Days" for insurance claims.
So that was yesterday...the woman who took my claim called me this morning to let me know the following...
In their system the Delivery Confirmation shows the package in "limbo" and not yet delivered. BUT...the insurance # has been scanned into their system as "Delivered"...
She went on to tell me that in her opinion, Delivery Confiramtion is worthless...she recommends nothing less then Signature Confirmation...it seems to be the only REAL way to know if something was delivered and to whom.
In this situation, if the buyer files a claim with PP and they want online confirmation of Delivery...I am SOL. This woman at the PO is sending me all the info from their system but the only way I can provide it to PP would be thru scans or the mail...as I understand it, that's not good enough for them.
So, now I have to email this buyer...and try not to infer that he might actually have the package...and ask him to go to his local PO and have them run the Del. Conf & Insurance #s as they would have the same info as my local PO...
Where this will end up is anyone's guess...
And, YES...this is an awful lot of hassle for not alot of $ (of course, that is just relative anyway... $ is $ after all)...
sooooo...it looks like the packages I send from here on in will be with Signature Confirmation...regardless of the value...
as for the ones I receive...I guess I could ask for (and pay for) Sig. Conf. ...I don't know...
For those of you who can remember the original SNL and "Rosanna-Danna" ... It's always something!!!...
First issue...I won a lot on ebay last month from a seller who is also a Forum member (no...I will not give his name as it is irrelevent...I completely trust this individual...we've had past business). The lot was only $50. He sent it promptly by Insured Mail w/ Delivery Confirmation...so far, "by the book".
Well, I was patient due to the Holidays...but when it got to almost 2 weeks, I got the tracking # and went online to see where it might be. This was on 12/24...and what do I find? It shows as "Delivered" on 12/21!!
I have no idea where it was delivered...certainly not to me.
I filed a complaint with my local PO as well as the USPS 800#. I'm on a friendly basis with the folks at my PO and they have made every effort to locate the package with no luck. My delivery person can not remember the exact package ( I do get many).
So, now a claim needs to be filed...but has to be filed by the sender (who bought the insurance)...yet it shows in their system as delivered.
FOR CLARITY...no signature is needed for Del. Conf. or "Black Label" Insurance...
If this had happened with a seller I did not know...I could well be SOL...PayPal would see Delivery Confirmation in system so how could I prove I did not receive it. Luckily, I do know the seller and he will file a claim...but only time will tell how the USPS will handle it.
Now for the second issue... On 12/9 a bidder won two coins from me...he paid promptly with PP...and I shipped on the 10th...Insured for $100 and with Delivery Confirmation...again, by the book...
On-line it shows as processed on the 12th from a main depot in the winners home state...but nothing shows after that...it "has disappeared"...
So, this past Monday, the seller emails me...somewhat irate (I later calmed him down...good communication and excellent FB helps
After calming him down, I contacted my PO and began a claim process. Even though they often tell you to wait 30 days...the claim form plainly states "21 Days" for insurance claims.
So that was yesterday...the woman who took my claim called me this morning to let me know the following...
In their system the Delivery Confirmation shows the package in "limbo" and not yet delivered. BUT...the insurance # has been scanned into their system as "Delivered"...

She went on to tell me that in her opinion, Delivery Confiramtion is worthless...she recommends nothing less then Signature Confirmation...it seems to be the only REAL way to know if something was delivered and to whom.
In this situation, if the buyer files a claim with PP and they want online confirmation of Delivery...I am SOL. This woman at the PO is sending me all the info from their system but the only way I can provide it to PP would be thru scans or the mail...as I understand it, that's not good enough for them.
So, now I have to email this buyer...and try not to infer that he might actually have the package...and ask him to go to his local PO and have them run the Del. Conf & Insurance #s as they would have the same info as my local PO...
Where this will end up is anyone's guess...
And, YES...this is an awful lot of hassle for not alot of $ (of course, that is just relative anyway... $ is $ after all)...
sooooo...it looks like the packages I send from here on in will be with Signature Confirmation...regardless of the value...
as for the ones I receive...I guess I could ask for (and pay for) Sig. Conf. ...I don't know...
For those of you who can remember the original SNL and "Rosanna-Danna" ... It's always something!!!...
Re: Slabbed coins - There are some coins that LIVE within clear plastic and wear their labels with pride... while there are others that HIDE behind scratched plastic and are simply dragged along by a label. Then there are those coins that simply hang out, naked and free 
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Comments
edited: Anything over a certain amount I always use signature confirmation. It is really a joke that they don't combine the service.
I ordered a 2007 Legacy set from the mint for my wife in October. It, of course, went directly to "backordered" status. It was then shipped from the Memphis facility on 12-20 with a DHL. parcel post tracking #. Another package was also shipped in the same exact fashion on the same day and arrived on 12-28-07. I have talked to the mint three times, DHL once and the USPS twice. The mint told me three different things...the last being that it was shipped Registered(which I did not believe).
Well, today it arrived, via the USPS mail system, in the usual mint box, not needing a signature and with a delivery confirmation label which contained the DHL label. Only yhe government could screw something up this badly and remain in business.
Already thinking the worst. Why?
Looks like to me you're jumping the gun here. Relax and go through the process and see what happens.
<< <i>I got the tracking # and went online to see where it might be. This was on 12/24...and what do I find? It shows as "Delivered" on 12/21!! >>
This has happened to me a few times. In every case, the package was sitting at my local post office because the idiot carrier punched it in wrong and failed to leave a notice. In one case, I was here when he said he delivered. I should note that this crap only happens when my regular carrier is off and they rotate in monkeys from the local zoo. I can't remember my regular guy ever screwing up.
Russ, NCNE
San Diego, CA
<< <i>2 real life examples that have not ended yet.
Already thinking the worst. Why?
Looks like to me you're jumping the gun here. Relax and go through the process and see what happens. >>
1st...the biggest PITA about all this is that they "have not ended yet"
2nd...I'm not thinking the worst...just relating the facts and somewhat obvious possibilities and the info shared with me by a Postal "troubleshooter" who handles all the local claims re: lost/misdelivered mail
3rd...actually, I am relaxed...even after over 10 phone calls...5 or 6 emails over one situation and another 5 or 6 over the other... and 30-45 minutes in the local Post Office... and nothing yet resolved...and all this over two rather small ticket items...
it was that just after getting off with the woman from the PO and hearing what she had to say about the uselessness of Delivery Confirmation...well...I just thought I'd share this with you all...
<< <i>OK...I will try to keep this as simple as possible...and try to avoid the confusion found in a thread earlier today...the one with the PayPal problem...
First issue...I won a lot on ebay last month from a seller who is also a Forum member (no...I will not give his name as it is irrelevent...I completely trust this individual...we've had past business). The lot was only $50. He sent it promptly by Insured Mail w/ Delivery Confirmation...so far, "by the book".
Well, I was patient due to the Holidays...but when it got to almost 2 weeks, I got the tracking # and went online to see where it might be. This was on 12/24...and what do I find? It shows as "Delivered" on 12/21!!
I have no idea where it was delivered...certainly not to me.
I filed a complaint with my local PO as well as the USPS 800#. I'm on a friendly basis with the folks at my PO and they have made every effort to locate the package with no luck. My delivery person can not remember the exact package ( I do get many).
So, now a claim needs to be filed...but has to be filed by the sender (who bought the insurance)...yet it shows in their system as delivered.
FOR CLARITY...no signature is needed for Del. Conf. or "Black Label" Insurance...
NOT TRUE!! Black labels have to be signed by person whom receives item is value is over $101.00 anything for insurance up to $100 does not have to be signed for.
The black label insurance form must be signed on anything over $101.00. I had 2 shipments recieved today, one in Texas from Maryland and the other in California. both priority boxes went out on Dec 2 /08 at 10:30am. I think the problem is the you must use PRIORITY MAIL FLAT RATE BOXES FOR SHIPPING. Parcel post gets thrown around like Rodney King did back a few years ago.
I never once had a problem with my local mail postal service. I would complain to your post master, because someone is f-ing up at your expense. Good Luck
It's now anything over $200.
Delivery confirmation is cr@p.
I have a mail slot & packages with less than $201 insurance and/or delivery confirmation is routinely left on the porch.
I have also had a package years ago that had someone standing on my porch sign for! Went to the P.O., they told me the package was signed for & showed me the signature. Did not even spell my name right!
When you use two different tracking services for the same package it looks like the PO will not always use both so in this instance DC will not be much good in a PP dispute since a PP rep must be able to track it from the comfort of his computer instead of gettin off hizazz and goin on down to the PO. In a way I don't blame them, since the USPS reserves the right to charge a fee for lookin this stuff up and if you do it too much they probly will. If the buyer is astute and dishonest and realizes this he could still screw you though you could initiate postal fraud threats.
What oh what is a soul to do? Dammed if you do and dammed if you don't.
edited to add that the gal at the PO said this morning that packages with ins of $200 or more MUST be signed for; looks like they raised the limit from $100 to $200.
BTW - I think it helped that this same person's mail was delivered to me weeks earlier and I drove it over to them.
<< <i>looks like they raised the limit from $100 to $200. >>
Yeah, eight months ago.
Russ, NCNE
<< <i>
<< <i>looks like they raised the limit from $100 to $200. >>
Yeah, eight months ago.
Russ, NCNE >>
better late than never