USPS bogging down again

[Fballguy]

It seemed like things got better for awhile after the USPS summer time drama, but in the last week or so they are starting to Fubar again. I've got 5 packages either coming or going and all have the dreaded "your item while arrive later than expected" tag and tracking has stopped, in some cases a week ago.

Hard to pinpoint a specific problem area as I have packages being sent from both coasts and I sent one from Humble, TX to Conroe, TX...a whopping 30 miles and they've all slipped into the void.

Anyone else noticing this?

[bnorth]

Luckily no, I have sent and receive easily 15 packages in the last 2 weeks with zero problems. Used USPS for all of them, sent with PWE, first class package, and flat rate boxes.

[Jstottlemire1]

Originally Posted by Fballguy

It seemed like things got better for awhile after the USPS summer time drama, but in the last week or so they are starting to Fubar again. I've got 5 packages either coming or going and all have the dreaded "your item while arrive later than expected" tag and tracking has stopped, in some cases a week ago.

Hard to pinpoint a specific problem area as I have packages being sent from both coasts and I sent one from Humble, TX to Conroe, TX...a whopping 30 miles and they've all slipped into the void.

Anyone else noticing this?

I’m in the same boat dealing with receiving packs and in sending I now just do priority instead of first class for a little better turn around time.

[nebboy]

It may have to do with the HUGH amount of junk mail during the election season. My old route can go from 20-25 feet of mail A day to over 40 feet of mail during a presidential election year.

[joejo20]

I ship at least 50 parcels a day and have seen a lot of delays with first class mail since the end of August. Quite a few show sitting in one location for up to two weeks or more before moving on. It is a very frustrating time to be shipping right now. The good news is that I have only seen one lost package this year and priority mail seems to be moving fine. The long extended delays have been overwhelming at times though.

[Yankees1964]

It is busier but I am not having any issues at all. I shipped out about 15 in the last week and only one had a one day delay. I had my last two arrive a day earlier. My wife, who works for USPS has been working lots of OT (12 1/2 hours on Sunday night) of course I am not complaining, that's card$$

[Fballguy]

24+ hours later. No deliveries. No updates. Really weird because everything was flowing nicely for me over the last 4-6 weeks. Now it's come to a record screeching stop.

[Fballguy]

Checking for status updates right now is like watching paint dry. Another day, another no updates.

Really puzzling as I bought an item on Sunday. Coming from NY and it's "out for delivery" today. How did this one zip thru? It's like every USPS facility is doing their own thing.

[jakebeckleyoldeagleeye]

I have two. One was stuck in Penns. for 4 months but it came yesterday and another stuck in Hazelwood, Mo. since early Sept.

[Santo10Fan]

No USPS issues in Illinois but UPS air almost cost me my fancy bananas this month

[bnorth]

I got a good one to add. I sent a package to a fellow member in California, I am in South Dakota. I just checked if it will be there tomorrow like scheduled. It decided to take a vacation and is in Honolulu Hawaii at the moment.LOL

[Fballguy]

Fun and games with your US Postal Service:

PS...At least it's moving again. But 11 days to move 22 miles in a straight line.

[jchcollins]

I would agree and would also guess the huge amount of election mail is to blame. I had a single vintage card take two solid weeks to come from CA to NC recently - at least twice as long as that's ever taken before. Some from the west coast actually used to arrive faster because they had obviously gotten put on a plane. Not sure if those days are over...the USPS has some big challenges (as always...) for sure.

[glynparson]

That’s what happens when ass kissing is the number one qualification for a promotion.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by glynparson

That’s what happens when ass kissing is the number one qualification for a promotion.

What. Did you post an answer to a completely different question in the wrong thread?

[bnorth]

Figured I would bump this old thread. I have 2 with the dreaded "in transit, arriving late" updates.

One is a group of 10 Randy Johnson Marlboro error cards. I sent these in a small flat rate box. A couple days later the same Net54 member buys a few more cards. I sent them in a bubble mailer and those arrived on time.

Then the one that is coming to me. I had Louisville Slugger make me a awesome custom bat. It was sent out 14 days ago.

Venting over, have a great evening everyone.

[ZiggerZagger]

Seeing this as well, for sure. Significant delays as well as unusual lack of updates during tracking recently. 3 of my 5 USPS First Class packages in the last 7 days were delayed.

Had to start a case on one package that shipped 11/03 from CA, no updates for 11 days. I opened the case and it then popped up in Detroit before stalling again. Started a second case on the same package after no movement for 4 further days, which then got it to Columbus, OH. Delivered today.

FWIW, one CSR said USPS has reduced access to transport recently. Also wonder if they're down staff from positive tests/contact quarantines as well.

Weird stuff. Very much not business as usual.
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[LincolnVT]

I have yet to not have cards delivered or have cards arrive. I often overpay to have packages arrive safely and secure. Always pay to insure whatever I'm sending just to be sure. So thankful for all of the men and women who allow us to makes trades and sales through good times and bad.

[Mike D.]

I've seen a slowdown the last two weeks for sure, although oddly only on some items. About half of the things I've ordered this month has arrived very quickly...within 3-4 days of order. The other half have been bouncing around, disappearing from tracking, etc. for 7-10 days and still aren't here yet.

[vintagebaseball]

wanted to bump this up and just curious if anyone else has the same shipping issue as above?
I have been waiting on 3 cards without any update for over 2 weeks now.

[jchcollins]

Yeah it's definitely bogging down again in NC. I've had several things now 3-4 days overdue because they just sit at the hub 30 miles down the road for a long time before anyone gets to them. Frustrating, but as long as the cards eventually show up I'm not truly complaining.

[wazoo]

Originally Posted by vintagebaseball

wanted to bump this up and just curious if anyone else has the same shipping issue as above?
I have been waiting on 3 cards without any update for over 2 weeks now.

Yup. Package off to SGC sent out 2 weeks ago priority, still "YoU PaCkAgE iS iN TrAnSiT"

[Throttlesteer]

Maybe they should contract with PSA. That way they can just assign QA2, QA3, Prepare for shipping, Almost Shipping, You almost had it again, Here it comes, etc...on a little progress bar for you to check. If your package is deemed to be worth more than the stated insurance, they'll hold it hostage and call you to get more fees before shipping.

[ASF123]

My local post office here in Chicago has pretty much entirely ceased to function for the entire zip code: https://blockclubchicago.org/2020/12...gressman-says/.

We haven't received any mail whatsoever in more than a week, and the post office is literally 2.5 blocks from our house. I see the trucks drive down our street multiple times a day, and yet, nothing. I have about 10 card packages that are being held...somewhere, hopefully? I called our congresswoman's office yesterday and was told they send the postmaster at least 50 new complaints a day from our neighborhood. I did get a form email acknowledgement from the postmaster, so, yay? Certainly haven't seen any improvement due to the alleged new hires. Who knows when or if I will see my cards? At least I'm not waiting on medication, I suppose.

I really wish eBay sellers would give you the option to select UPS or FedEx.

[Jim65]

I signed up for informed delivery, I get an email with scan of items scheduled to be delivered that day, 3 out of 6 days, something is missing. Usually, the missing stuff comes in a day or so but a few things have never shown up at all. Very frustrating.

[prestigecollectibles]

It's not only the USPS. UPS and FedEx are experiencing delays due to increased shipping from online orders and workers that are out because of Covid-19.

United Parcel Service Inc. imposed shipping restrictions on some large retailers such as Gap Inc. and Nike Inc. this week, an early sign that the pandemic-fueled online shopping season is stretching delivery networks to their limits.

[jchcollins]

I'm increasingly just beginning to think the USPS is absurdly inefficient. A delay of a day or two around the holidays is to be expected, but I'm seeing horror stories and 2020 being what it is, it's not the first time this year. It would be nice if just one aspect of our lives could work normally again. I know, I know - major first world problems. And yes I'm thankful I'm not lying in a hospital bed on a ventilator right now.

[slantycouch]

Originally Posted by jchcollins

Yeah it's definitely bogging down again in NC. I've had several things now 3-4 days overdue because they just sit at the hub 30 miles down the road for a long time before anyone gets to them. Frustrating, but as long as the cards eventually show up I'm not truly complaining.

Definitely finding this as well. I just had a package arrive 6.5 weeks after it was shipped from Pennsylvania. Mostly just happy it arrived!

[ASF123]

Funnily enough, about half an hour after I made that post, I did get a single package delivered, with an E90 Chief Bender and a beautiful 67T Mays, so that made me happy. No news as to the other several packages that are purportedly "out for delivery."

[Oscar_Stanage]

On Monday, I sent a package to SGC via registered USPS. It was supposed to arrive today, but does not look like it will. Based on what i am reading, I'll be happy if it arrives at all.

[Tyruscobb]

Originally Posted by jchcollins

I'm increasingly just beginning to think the USPS is absurdly inefficient.

This, and I have the perfect real-life example.

I recently sent Bobby W., who lives in Raleigh, NC, some cards for his piggyback PSA submission. The cards arrived a full week after the anticipated delivery date. I checked the tracking history to discovery why.

The cards initially arrived in Raleigh right on time. Great, no problem, right? Wrong. So, despite the cards sitting in the Raleigh distribution center, which is located in the final destination city, the USPS, for some reason, then ships them to the Greensboro, NC distribution center which is over an hour and 15 minutes away.

The cards then sit in Greensboro a few days before the USPS ships them back to Raleigh and delivers them. Why?

[carlsonjok]

Originally Posted by jchcollins

I'm increasingly just beginning to think the USPS is absurdly inefficient. A delay of a day or two around the holidays is to be expected, but increasingly I'm seeing horror stories and 2020 being what it is, it's not the first time this year. It would be nice if just one aspect of our lives could work normally again. I know, I know - major first world problems. And yes I'm thankful I'm not lying in a hospital bed on a ventilator right now.

It is really quite shocking that a private sector logistics executive like Louis DeJoy hasn't fixed the Post Office yet.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by Tyruscobb

This, and I have the perfect real-life example.

I recently sent Bobby W., who lives in Raleigh, NC, some cards for his piggyback PSA submission. The cards arrived a full week after the anticipated delivery date. I checked the tracking history to discovery why.

The cards initially arrived in Raleigh right on time. Great, no problem, right? Wrong. So, despite the cards sitting in the Raleigh distribution center, which is located in the final destination city, the USPS, for some reason, then ships them to the Greensboro, NC distribution center which is over an hour and 15 minutes away.

The cards then sit in Greensboro a few days before the USPS ships them back to Raleigh and delivers them. Why?

Only a hour and 15 minutes away is pretty close for USPS lately. Here are a few recent ones for me.

I live in South Dakota.

Sent frog skins to a fellow member in California it went by way of Hawaii.

Sent cards to a member in New Jersey by way of Alabama.

Bat sent from Kentucky to me. Takes a month with only real updates being received by PO in Kentucky and arriving here.

[Seven]

Thought I was going to have a repeat of what happened early this year. I purchased a Sandy Koufax RC, Wednesday before Thanksgiving, It was marked as Delivered on December 2nd. I received no mail that day, I thought it might have been brought to the wrong house, and I was going to be out of another card again. Thankfully it was brought with the mail the following day.

Safe to say, I'm holding off on any purchases until after the holidays. Can't chance these things with the USPS so bogged down, during the Christmas season.

[Al C.risafulli]

There's no question they're slow - we had auction catalogs, which get sent via Priority Mail (2-3 day delivery) on the 19th and 20th, that took two weeks. Now, with outgoing packages, same deal - shipped on Tuesday, dropped off directly at the post office myself, all Priority Mail, still showing up as not having even left town.

In their defense, they've been crushed all year with packages, and like every business with a lot of employees, have obviously had more people out sick than usual. I don't know how you plan for that, so I just try and be patient and understand it (and give my letter carrier a bottle of hand sanitizer once in a while).

-Al

[RL]

Sent a priority package on 11-28
Arrived at Distribution center on 11-29

Address I am shipping to is 120 miles away, same state (Michigan)

Package is still at the distribution center as of today, 12-5
Called the postmaster on 12-3, and that was a waste of time.

[Jayworld]

Been ordering a few things here and there for Christmas from amazon.com and via eBay. The amazon orders are all arriving on the given arrival date; the USPS packages via eBay are hit and miss. I'm seeing mostly "miss" on all packages originating in, or going through Illinois for some reason... Ordered a lot of cards on eBay and paid for on Nov. 24. They were marked shipped on Nov. 25, and as of Nov. 29 (last updated date) they still have not left Illinois...

[hammertime]

I had a package sit in DC for 2 weeks, then go to Greensboro NC (it shouldn't have) before coming back to DC and finally being delivered. I also have another incoming package that's been sitting at a local PO since November 25. Things are definitely screwy right now. It seems like things get where they need to go eventually though.

[Natswin2019]

I guess I have been lucky but I haven't had any real issues with the post office. Everything takes 3-4 days to get to me pretty consistently. I'm very surprised seeing as how my cities post office has a reputation for being slow.

Now that I've said something obviously it's gonna get bad haha but hopefully not.

[TigerMike]

I live in Greensboro. I have mutliple packages sitting at the distribution center, supposedly, for multiple days. I am literally 15 minutes from the center. Frustrating.

[T206BrownHindu]

Originally Posted by Al C.risafulli

There's no question they're slow - we had auction catalogs, which get sent via Priority Mail (2-3 day delivery) on the 19th and 20th, that took two weeks. Now, with outgoing packages, same deal - shipped on Tuesday, dropped off directly at the post office myself, all Priority Mail, still showing up as not having even left town.

In their defense, they've been crushed all year with packages, and like every business with a lot of employees, have obviously had more people out sick than usual. I don't know how you plan for that, so I just try and be patient and understand it (and give my letter carrier a bottle of hand sanitizer once in a while).

-Al

I received your catalog a day after the auction closed!

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by T206BrownHindu

I received your catalog a day after the auction closed!

Did you see how amazing Al's online catalog was? I don't think I've ever seen a more interactive AH site laid out with so much creativity.

[T206BrownHindu]

Originally Posted by Casey2296

Did you see how amazing Al's online catalog was? I don't think I've ever seen a more interactive AH site laid out with so much creativity.

Yep, it's always top notch.

[Mike D.]

I don’t have the weeks long horror stories others have had, but will say that EVERY package I’ve ordered from eBay has run 3-4 days late the last 3-4 weeks.

[BRoberts]

Originally Posted by Casey2296

Did you see how amazing Al's online catalog was? I don't think I've ever seen a more interactive AH site laid out with so much creativity.

What was amazing about it?

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by TigerMike

I live in Greensboro. I have mutliple packages sitting at the distribution center, supposedly, for multiple days. I am literally 15 minutes from the center. Frustrating.

I hear you; I'm in Winston-Salem. All my stuff has to come through Greensboro. Everything is backed up. All my recent stuff coming to me is delayed, as is all stuff I sell and ship that goes through the same city. The distribution center is a joke, the postal employees in my local PO's can't even call them. They've flat out lost 2 packages - probably about $300 worth of cards in the last year - that were coming to me. One ebay covered me on, but the other was a trade with Mantle and Maris cards in the package that for all I know are still sitting on the floor under a conveyor belt in Greensboro somewhere. And they absolutely could not care less.

[ASF123]

This worries me. I’m recently back in the hobby after a long hiatus, and I’m of course very enthusiastic and haven’t had anywhere near the discipline to forego buying cards until USPS gets its shit together. Am I taking a major risk of lots of packages just disappearing, never to be found?

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by BRoberts

What was amazing about it?

The graphics, the page flip, choice of group lots vs single lots, good AH software, the internet only teaser. I produced music festivals for 25 years so I tend o appreciate the small things in a customer experience, plus I know how much it costs to produce a color catalog like that and it's expensive. There's really no need for paper catalogs anymore, you can literally loop a card online with good AH software. I'd rather see a smaller buyer/seller premium instead of paying for four color catalogs plus shipping.

[BRoberts]

Originally Posted by Casey2296

The graphics, the page flip, choice of group lots vs single lots, good AH software, the internet only teaser. I produced music festivals for 25 years so I tend o appreciate the small things in a customer experience, plus I know how much it costs to produce a color catalog like that and it's expensive. There's really no need for paper catalogs anymore, you can literally loop a card online with good AH software. I'd rather see a smaller buyer/seller premium instead of paying for four color catalogs plus shipping.

Lol. OK.

[Natedog]

Originally Posted by TigerMike

I live in Greensboro. I have mutliple packages sitting at the distribution center, supposedly, for multiple days. I am literally 15 minutes from the center. Frustrating.

I hear you. I live in Cary, and have been expecting a couple of packages that are stuck in the Greensboro Distribution Center. They were supposed to arrive right after Thanksgiving.