A little nervous with the USPS going forward

[Seven]

For those of you (and there were many) who commented on my recent situation involving the misdelievery USPS, The card I ordered never turning up, then being relisted by a completely new seller an entire state away from me, I wanted to thank you all for the helpful advice. As an update to the entire situation, I still haven't seen the card, I don't think I ever will which is unfortunate, so I'm in the process waiting to hear back from Ebay after filing a claim with them.

However this entire situation has made me lose all trust in the USPS. To the point where I'm kind of afraid to order anything of significant value ever again. Does anyone have any suggestions concerning this? Normally many things are listed on ebay using USPS for shipping. Additionally I've seen it used by board members here many times. Should I contact sellers on ebay of potential things I'm considering buying and ask them if they would ship them through UPS, where I would obviously pay for that of course?

I appreciate any and all opinions. Thank you again for all the help over the past week and a half.

[bobbyw8469]

Mistakes happen. To err is human. The seller, even though it is not his fault that USPS mis-shipped the card, he still should have sent it with delivery confirmation. I would direct him to the person selling the card you bought, tell him to file a police report, and do a charge back like yesterday.

[BabyRuth]

Not so sure other carriers are any better - the other day I picked up a T213 Cobb from the B/S/T(thanks sportscardpete). Card was shipped with FedEX. I checked the FedEx website and it said delivered on time. Hmm.. No one came to my door or front porch. My son was pulling into my driveway and noticed a package out in the street, 3 feet from my mailbox. Lo and behold Mr. Cobb was out in the middle of the street. Luckily I live on a cul de sac and there is not much traffic or the Georgia Peach could have been the victim of a hit and run!!!
The moral of this story - America has gravitated toward being a service industry with lousy service. Trust No One Mulder!!!

[yanks87]

I'm a small fish collector, but apparently I have a whale of a card that I am thinking about selling with the values increasing every time one hits the market. One of the things that has held me back from selling it is the shipping. I have never shipped anything valued over $10k, let alone a single card. Is there a preferred method for shipping something like this? I almost feel like buying a plane ticket and hand delivering it, if and when I decide to sell it.

[Seven]

Mistakes happen. To err is human. The seller, even though it is not his fault that USPS mis-shipped the card, he still should have sent it with delivery confirmation. I would direct him to the person selling the card you bought, tell him to file a police report, and do a charge back like yesterday.

Another good observation. I did direct the seller to the other one that was selling the card that I bought. And I already got in contact with my bank. Thanks for all the advice again.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

I'm a small fish collector, but apparently I have a whale of a card that I am thinking about selling with the values increasing every time one hits the market. One of the things that has held me back from selling it is the shipping. I have never shipped anything valued over $10k, let alone a single card. Is there a preferred method for shipping something like this? I almost feel like buying a plane ticket and hand delivering it, if and when I decide to sell it.

Registered Mail is the only way to go with an item like this. Literally everyone who touches it along it's route has to sign for it and scan it. It is a slower service but the closest you will get to 100% accuracy.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Another good observation. I did direct the seller to the other one that was selling the card that I bought. And I already got in contact with my bank. Thanks for all the advice again.

I know other people have claimed problems even with a PO Box, but I have to imagine they are much fewer. I have never had a problem since switching to one and I do a lot of business in both directions through the USPS.

[Kingcobb]

I had a package (priority mail with $2500 insurance)sitting in the St Louis distribution center for 12 days. A local postal employee said they were short staffed there due to protest. It did arrive safely on Monday but I will probably wait and see if things get better before making a big purchase. Be safe Daryl

[buymycards]

I have mailed over 1000 items so far this year, about 1/2 with tracking and 1/2 without. I have had 2 people claim that they didn't receive their item, and all of the people received their tracked items.

I have received nearly 200 packages, some of them took longer than normal, but they all arrived safely.

USPS delivers 20 million packages a day. So, if the PO is 99.9% accurate, that means that 20,000 packages per day are damaged, lost or misdelivered. We never hear about the 19,980,000 packages that arrive safely, only the ones that have a problem.

Also, I would venture to say that of the 20,000 packages with problems, 1/2 of them are caused by the sender or the recipient, with crappy packaging, reducing the size of the label which results in the machines not being able to read the bar-code, customers who have moved but not notified USPS, PayPal, or eBay, etc.

I have had major slowdowns with Fed Ex and UPS packages, plus 2 delivered to the wrong address, but again, I would guess that both of those companies are over the 99% accurate delivery range.

Plus, I totally agree with Scott about using Registered Mail for expensive items, and I agree with Scott about using a Post Office box. The drawback with using a PO box is that it is only for USPS mail. You cannot send a Fed Ex package or a UPS package to a PO box.

[bobbyw8469]

Registered Mail is the only way to go with an item like this. Literally everyone who touches it along it's route has to sign for it and scan it. It is a slower service but the closest you will get to 100% accuracy.

100% agreed. I only use registered for high dollar cards.

[x2drich2000]

Personally, I would highly consider just refusing the sale if the buyer insisted on using fedex/UPS. Since I never use either, I just feel it would likely be more of a hassle then it would be worth.

[hcv123]

I have mailed over 1000 items so far this year, about 1/2 with tracking and 1/2 without. I have had 2 people claim that they didn't receive their item, and all of the people received their tracked items.

I have received nearly 200 packages, some of them took longer than normal, but they all arrived safely.

USPS delivers 20 million packages a day. So, if the PO is 99.9% accurate, that means that 20,000 packages per day are damaged, lost or misdelivered. We never hear about the 19,980,000 packages that arrive safely, only the ones that have a problem.

Also, I would venture to say that of the 20,000 packages with problems, 1/2 of them are caused by the sender or the recipient, with crappy packaging, reducing the size of the label which results in the machines not being able to read the bar-code, customers who have moved but not notified USPS, PayPal, or eBay, etc.

I have had major slowdowns with Fed Ex and UPS packages, plus 2 delivered to the wrong address, but again, I would guess that both of those companies are over the 99% accurate delivery range.

Plus, I totally agree with Scott about using Registered Mail for expensive items, and I agree with Scott about using a Post Office box. The drawback with using a PO box is that it is only for USPS mail. You cannot send a Fed Ex package or a UPS package to a PO box.

My numbers are a bit smaller. but still significant. Thankfully have had no delivery or receiving issues. Do almost nothing with Fred ex or UPS - so can't comment there. Agree with registered mail. and PO box - I have my box set up as a "street address" - costs a few bucks, but allows delivery of FedEx and UPS packages to it.
Re making purchases - I would make sure either the items you are purchasing qualify for Ebay money back guarantee, that the seller's are insuring them and that you pay for them with some form of credit card backed payment (so you have immediate recourse).

[ullmandds]

I'm a small fish collector, but apparently I have a whale of a card that I am thinking about selling with the values increasing every time one hits the market. One of the things that has held me back from selling it is the shipping. I have never shipped anything valued over $10k, let alone a single card. Is there a preferred method for shipping something like this? I almost feel like buying a plane ticket and hand delivering it, if and when I decide to sell it.

I have always paid the price for overnight deliveryw/signature conf on high dollar items...and I never ever tell the shipper there are baseball cards in the package!!!!! Never had an issue.

[Luke]

Your situation really sucks, but it is definitely an outlier. I've sent/received somewhere in the neighborhood of 30,000 packages since I've been collecting and a total of 4 of them have been lost.

[bnorth]

Your situation really sucks, but it is definitely an outlier. I've sent/received somewhere in the neighborhood of 30,000 packages since I've been collecting and a total of 4 of them have been lost.

^^THIS^^ I have easily sent/received 15,000 packages over the last 25 years and have only lost one. Luckily for me it was a $10 card and I had another one and sent it to the buyer.

[ctownboy]

Seven, I still don't see why you are only dealing with eBay and not also having the postal inspector look into the matter. It seems a crime has been committed somewhere and you are likely to get further with the USPS than you are with eBay.

David

[Seven]

Seven, I still don't see why you are only dealing with eBay and not also having the postal inspector look into the matter. It seems a crime has been committed somewhere and you are likely to get further with the USPS than you are with eBay.

David

You know I never even thought about that. With everything going on, I'm going to give them a call. Thank you, David.

[chalupacollects]

I'm a small fish collector, but apparently I have a whale of a card that I am thinking about selling with the values increasing every time one hits the market. One of the things that has held me back from selling it is the shipping. I have never shipped anything valued over $10k, let alone a single card. Is there a preferred method for shipping something like this? I almost feel like buying a plane ticket and hand delivering it, if and when I decide to sell it.

Registered or overnight...Registered takes longer as there is a chain of custody... Overnight because less hands touch it...

[Baseball Rarities]

Plus, I totally agree with Scott about using Registered Mail for expensive items, and I agree with Scott about using a Post Office box. The drawback with using a PO box is that it is only for USPS mail. You cannot send a Fed Ex package or a UPS package to a PO box.

This is how I do it also. Anything expensive goes Registered Mail and I have everything that I can sent to my PO Box.

My Post office allows me to use their street address in conjunction with my box # so that I can use for Fedex and UPS in lieu of my PO Box.

https://www.mymoneyblog.com/po-boxes-real-street-address.html

[tedzan]

DITTO.....to what Scott, Rick and Kevin have said.

For over 40+ years now, I have everything of value sent to my P. O. BOX.

I have had only two problems in all those years (20, 000+ transactions), and both resulted in "happy endings" (Thanks to the postal people at my Post Office).

Furthermore, I mail all my cards via 3-Day PRIORITY US Mail (packaged in a box). And, I can happily say ZERO defects.

It's worth the slightly extra cost to go this way, since you can Track the package all the way to it's destination.


TED Z

T206 Reference (http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=237816)
.

[ValKehl]

Ted, FYI, you can track a First Class Package all the way to its destination, just like you can track a Priority Mail Package. And, a First Class Package costs less, but usually (but not always) takes longer.

[notfast]

I'm a small fish collector, but apparently I have a whale of a card that I am thinking about selling with the values increasing every time one hits the market. One of the things that has held me back from selling it is the shipping. I have never shipped anything valued over $10k, let alone a single card. Is there a preferred method for shipping something like this? I almost feel like buying a plane ticket and hand delivering it, if and when I decide to sell it.

I’ve had good luck with Priority Express. 48hrs delivery time to get just about anywhere on the east side of the Mississippi. Less than a day for stuff within a few states.

Registered is nice but it’s a lot slower. I feel like the faster services allow me less time to worry. :D

[Fuddjcal]

I'm a small fish collector, but apparently I have a whale of a card that I am thinking about selling with the values increasing every time one hits the market. One of the things that has held me back from selling it is the shipping. I have never shipped anything valued over $10k, let alone a single card. Is there a preferred method for shipping something like this? I almost feel like buying a plane ticket and hand delivering it, if and when I decide to sell it.

I had a card delivered last month for just under 10. It was sent with insurance from Chicago and the package was $60.00. It was a bagged box with signature confirmation, next day. They just left it in my mailbox and I got it fine. I routinely have multiple gold coins delivered from APMEX and nothing has ever been lost. Still, it can be worrisome.

As my buddy Tom Petty would say, "Most things I worry bout', never happen anyway".

[Ronnie73]

I understand not trusting the post office but like others have said, the number of successful packages compared to lost items is huge. I'm currently dealing with a lost package also right now. It shows that it was delivered to my P.O. Box but never got it. $75 value. I also had another package disappear along the way to me last year. $120 value. It sucks but I try to forget but I can't. To top things off, a couple days ago I had a package totally destroyed and had like black tar all over it like it was ran over with a forklift. Even with the hole in the package, somehow the contents were still inside and safe. It was a coin but if it was a card, it would have been damaged. Currently I'm extra nervous about getting all my packages and it sucks because I shouldn't have anxiety using the post office.

[Seven]

Seven, I still don't see why you are only dealing with eBay and not also having the postal inspector look into the matter. It seems a crime has been committed somewhere and you are likely to get further with the USPS than you are with eBay.

David

David, just as an update, I called the USPIS and spoke to someone they opened a case for me. This has been a big help thank you again.

I understand not trusting the post office but like others have said, the number of successful packages compared to lost items is huge. I'm currently dealing with a lost package also right now. It shows that it was delivered to my P.O. Box but never got it. $75 value. I also had another package disappear along the way to me last year. $120 value. It sucks but I try to forget but I can't. To top things off, a couple days ago I had a package totally destroyed and had like black tar all over it like it was ran over with a forklift. Even with the hole in the package, somehow the contents were still inside and safe. It was a coin but if it was a card, it would have been damaged. Currently I'm extra nervous about getting all my packages and it sucks because I shouldn't have anxiety using the post office.

I commented this in the other thread concerning someone having their package get lost in shipping through USPS, I think it's the perfect storm at the moment, with the USPS being pretty mismanaged, combine the fact that the Coronavirus has probably increased ordering and put even more of a strain on them. Rough situation all around. I don't think I would be as angry or as distrusting if it was something of lower value in my case.

[bmattioli]

Since 1984 that includes Overseas shipping while in the Military I've had Zero packages lost or misdirected. The odds I would say are extremely low. They, USPS do a great job in my opinion.. Go the registered mail route if concerned as suggested..

[thatkidfromjerrymaguire]

It was exactly because of this thread that I made sure I stayed home from work when the mailman was due to deliver a pretty expensive card the other day.

It was sent with signature required, but sure enough when I got to the door my mailman was already leaving it on my porch...and to make it worse it started pouring rain about an hour later. If I had not made a point of being home, I would have had a very pricey card sitting outside in the rain for hours.

I definitely understand WHY they aren’t having people sign. And I care about the safety of our mail delivery people. But I feel like they should just hold those items at the post office until the recepient can come sign.

[Jewish-collector]

Everyone has a different idea about "high value", expensive", "valuable", etc,.. Since I'm a low end buyer, $100 is an expensive card to me. Others, that's pocket change.

Sometimes you just gotta say WTF and send it registered mail.

[lowpopper]

I sent 4 priority flat rate packages all to the same
place 2 weeks ago. Two of them are still in transit.
The tracking updates every 3 or 4 days to say where
they are. Very nerve racking.

[judsonhamlin]

My office shares a building and address with a branch of the local PO. Every now and then, I'll see a delivery marked as "delivered to PO Box", even though the package always says '3rd floor', and my office doesn't use a box. That's usually when the fun begins. There's one woman who regularly works ther who is great and holds the card for me, knowing I'll wander down. The other woman acts like it's a surprise each time and doesn't understand why the delivery scan doesn't mean that I have the card. In that case, it's usually 3 days to a week before the card makes it the last 75 feet from the PO to my desk.

[bigfish]

I have mailed over 1000 items so far this year, about 1/2 with tracking and 1/2 without. I have had 2 people claim that they didn't receive their item, and all of the people received their tracked items.

I have received nearly 200 packages, some of them took longer than normal, but they all arrived safely.

USPS delivers 20 million packages a day. So, if the PO is 99.9% accurate, that means that 20,000 packages per day are damaged, lost or misdelivered. We never hear about the 19,980,000 packages that arrive safely, only the ones that have a problem.

Also, I would venture to say that of the 20,000 packages with problems, 1/2 of them are caused by the sender or the recipient, with crappy packaging, reducing the size of the label which results in the machines not being able to read the bar-code, customers who have moved but not notified USPS, PayPal, or eBay, etc.

I have had major slowdowns with Fed Ex and UPS packages, plus 2 delivered to the wrong address, but again, I would guess that both of those companies are over the 99% accurate delivery range.

Plus, I totally agree with Scott about using Registered Mail for expensive items, and I agree with Scott about using a Post Office box. The drawback with using a PO box is that it is only for USPS mail. You cannot send a Fed Ex package or a UPS package to a PO box.




I use a P.O. Box for all packages. I know FedEx and ups say they won’t deliver to a P.O. Box but If you just put box number xxx and the address the will deliver it to the PO. Check with you’re postmaster. It’s great. They are always there to sign and I have had no issues.

[Jcosta19]

Just had 3 large packages delivered to my front door that were for a completely different address and person.

Fortunately mail carrier returned and picked them up after awhile in this case.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[PhillyFan1883]

USPS Registered mail is under lock and key at all times. Safest way with USPS,
and maybe any of the carriers for that matter. P.O Boxes also add a another layer of protection. Some people complain when they hear registered mail, because it takes longer, but the card will make it to its destination. Theres always the exception I guess, but I have had zero issues..

[bigfanNY]

It was exactly because of this thread that I made sure I stayed home from work when the mailman was due to deliver a pretty expensive card the other day.

It was sent with signature required, but sure enough when I got to the door my mailman was already leaving it on my porch...and to make it worse it started pouring rain about an hour later. If I had not made a point of being home, I would have had a very pricey card sitting outside in the rain for hours.

I definitely understand WHY they aren’t having people sign. And I care about the safety of our mail delivery people. But I feel like they should just hold those items at the post office until the recepient can come sign.

I had the same issue twice.So I asked Mailman and he said with Covid and no contact Mailman has some discretion. He knows me well and knows I am retired and get my mail soon after it is delivered.
Like Ted Z I only ship via Priority mail 3 day and Overnight if card is over 5k. ( only used 3 or 4 times).I have not had any issues shipping this way. And stats show that Priority boxes are safer than First class packages.
Sorry you had an issue and hope it works itself out.
J

[seanofjapan]

I used to sell used video games internationally (from Japan) and about 80% of the stuff I sent to the US was without tracking and every single one of them reached their destination. So the USPS is pretty reliable compared to other countries (sending stuff to Mexico without registration in contrast was just asking for a package to go missing).

That said, right now the US is one of the few countries I can't ship stuff to because the postal system there for some reason just isn't capable of handling international mail. I can send stuff to Canada no problem. I can even send stuff to Mexico no problem. But the US is basically closed to international mail (at least from Japan), which is weird.