CAVEAT to shippers using the P.O.
MCMLVTopps
Posts: 5,035 ✭✭✭✭✭
No doubt I am not the only person this has happened to, but I think it bears repeating...
I purchased 2 cards from a well-known seller. The cards were both 1975 Hostess PSA 10s...purchase price, $50.00, so far so good.
The seller provided me with the USPS tracking number. I check the # and see that the piece is "out for delivery at 9:52AM" yesterday. Good so far.
For whatever reason my normal carrier is not running the route yesterday, as my mail almost always comes at about 1PM. My mail came just after 5PM yesterday, telling me a sub or whatever they call them ran the route. So, I see my little flag up and eagerly go out anticipating the bubble mailer with my 2 PSA 10s...NOT. About 7PM last night I search again on the tracking # and see that it was "delivered at 5:13PM"...WHAT?? The only way that delilvery info could get into the tracking system is if the carrier actually scanned the piece...so, the mystery now is where is the piece? What is even a bit weirder is that is the time my mail was delivered, so the scanning must have taken place right at my mailbox.
I print out the tracking document and am first in line this AM when the P.O. opens. A supervisor attempts to help me...tells me the carrier from yesterday is off today (gee, how nice), and that she won't be able to talk with her till Monday. They cannot find the piece in the "back room". So, I ask is there any possible way that delivery info could have gotten into the tracking system unless the piece was actually scanned...she assures me there is no other way. There is now silence...I look at her and ask, "so, it's possible the piece is gone for good?" She just nods her head and points to my paper saying, "it shows it was delivered". I try to keep my cool and ask what time the Postmaster comes in on Monday AM...8:30, and I'll be there. She takes my phone number and says she'll try to contact the carrier at home to see if she can remember what happened. Yeah, that's gonna work.
So, what's the point of all this? If you have not yet had the unpleasant experience with the P.O. with the "it was delivered", "no it wasn't", "it was delivered", "no it wasn't" scenario, I can assure you it will not make you happy, not one little bit to know that once they scan a piece as "delilvery confirmation", that is IT you are now officially screwed by the P.O. and there is little you can do other than get kinda angry and vent.
If you are a shipper DO NOT...DO NOT use delivery confirmation. It means absolutely NADA...that's the kinda lime green tag. DO USE use the pink tag which is signature required. At least this way the carrier has to come to the door and get a signature, not just scan the piece and call it a day.
You only have to experience the incompetence of the Post Office once in a situation like this to truly know how helpless and disgusted you will feel. Trust me, it ain't a good feelin'.
It's only $50, but the 2 PSA 10s would have added nicely to my two Master Sets. Should a miracle take place and I get the cards I'll post a follow-up.
Pissed off in Atlanta !!!!!!
I purchased 2 cards from a well-known seller. The cards were both 1975 Hostess PSA 10s...purchase price, $50.00, so far so good.
The seller provided me with the USPS tracking number. I check the # and see that the piece is "out for delivery at 9:52AM" yesterday. Good so far.
For whatever reason my normal carrier is not running the route yesterday, as my mail almost always comes at about 1PM. My mail came just after 5PM yesterday, telling me a sub or whatever they call them ran the route. So, I see my little flag up and eagerly go out anticipating the bubble mailer with my 2 PSA 10s...NOT. About 7PM last night I search again on the tracking # and see that it was "delivered at 5:13PM"...WHAT?? The only way that delilvery info could get into the tracking system is if the carrier actually scanned the piece...so, the mystery now is where is the piece? What is even a bit weirder is that is the time my mail was delivered, so the scanning must have taken place right at my mailbox.
I print out the tracking document and am first in line this AM when the P.O. opens. A supervisor attempts to help me...tells me the carrier from yesterday is off today (gee, how nice), and that she won't be able to talk with her till Monday. They cannot find the piece in the "back room". So, I ask is there any possible way that delivery info could have gotten into the tracking system unless the piece was actually scanned...she assures me there is no other way. There is now silence...I look at her and ask, "so, it's possible the piece is gone for good?" She just nods her head and points to my paper saying, "it shows it was delivered". I try to keep my cool and ask what time the Postmaster comes in on Monday AM...8:30, and I'll be there. She takes my phone number and says she'll try to contact the carrier at home to see if she can remember what happened. Yeah, that's gonna work.
So, what's the point of all this? If you have not yet had the unpleasant experience with the P.O. with the "it was delivered", "no it wasn't", "it was delivered", "no it wasn't" scenario, I can assure you it will not make you happy, not one little bit to know that once they scan a piece as "delilvery confirmation", that is IT you are now officially screwed by the P.O. and there is little you can do other than get kinda angry and vent.
If you are a shipper DO NOT...DO NOT use delivery confirmation. It means absolutely NADA...that's the kinda lime green tag. DO USE use the pink tag which is signature required. At least this way the carrier has to come to the door and get a signature, not just scan the piece and call it a day.
You only have to experience the incompetence of the Post Office once in a situation like this to truly know how helpless and disgusted you will feel. Trust me, it ain't a good feelin'.
It's only $50, but the 2 PSA 10s would have added nicely to my two Master Sets. Should a miracle take place and I get the cards I'll post a follow-up.
Pissed off in Atlanta !!!!!!
0
Comments
Jeff
nope.. lost $150 bucks because it showed delivered..
Good luck,
Scott
Always plenty of PSA-graded cards in my ebay store -- https://ebay.com/str/thelumbercompanysportscards
scammers within the Postal ranks is an issue you can take up with a supervisor or a person of authority at your local P.O.
if you are persistent about this particular issue, i would bet that by Monday a supervisor will be able to help you locate your package which may have been "misrouted" or placed in a "wrong drawer".
i've had a package destined for me "misdelivered" and subsequently "recovered" and then safely received....it was a nice group of cards from Starx, wasn't gonna give up on those.....i harrassed my local P.O. until they "found" my damn package.
had another which i shipped that wound up in "wrong drawer" in a P.O. in another state.......harrassed the $hyyt outta them, too.......found and delivered.
don't give in once you get connected to the carrier in question, and eventually you'll get the truth.
just for kicks, check with your neighbors if you haven't already......good luck.
The guy delivering the mail yesterday was a sub from another Post Office. He was not even remotely familiar with the route. When my normal lady showed up this PM, she had a nice grin and said "I found it, I found it". In the course of our discussion, she said she was finding all kinds of mistakes made by this guy yesterday. Sad commentary on the P.O. that such INCREDIBLY INCOMPETENT" are employed or continue to be employed there.
As for DC...be warned, once the scanner hits the bar code and the "system" says it was delivered, the P.O. is off the hook and you can do ZERO about it. It then becomes "he said, she said". You will not win this battle. While sig confirmation provides more relief, it is possible for the carrier to sign the piece him/herself and then you are also screwed.
I tried to post the pics of the two cards, but I guess my photobucket skills have been toasted. If anyone cares to PM me and enlighten me on what I've done wrong, I'd appreciate the pointers.
The only true resolution to this problem is to simply open a Post Office box, which in many situations is probably just not easy to do. I am seriously pondering if I should do this or not. This is the ONLY way to keep the mail from hitting the road via the carrier, who in my experience has on occassion been beyond abysmal.
The Gods were with me...the guy at Willow Way put the piece back in his mailbox for redelivery. He could have taken a 5 minute walk and delivered it, but who knows why people do or don't do whatever they do. I'm just grateful I have my 2 cards and the guy had the decency to put it out for redelivery.
Big kudos to Dan at JustCollect for helping me with info to help solve the riddle.
If you use DC...watch your backside, it's just a matter of time before you get the royal screwjob from the P.O. You only need to experience this once...TRUST ME !!
I've gotten signature confirmation packages delivered with no signature, so that is not always going to be the answer, either. DC works 99% of the time, but with all the cut backs and budgetary problems at the post office, it's a wonder they do as well as they do..
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
i sat near the front door just a little while ago, waiting on a card......a real nice card i've been eager to see.
the carrier was running late, but he finally showed up about an hour and a half ago and i received my prize.
he was a substitute carrier.
Always looking for Vintage Yankees & NASCAR
Eric