Any advice about a "lost" package

[Brian]

So here's another tale of a lost baseball card...

I won a card on eBay, a 1927 Zeenut Weinert, and USPS tracking said that it was "out for delivery" on 9/21. I am still waiting. I contacted the seller, who told me to contact the P.O., which was no help whatsoever. So I contacted eBay, who was equally helpful. The seller, understandably, does not want to/cannot do anything else, and since it was insured, it really should be a matter for eBay and USPS to sort out.

So, my question is: do I (1) just wait for eBay to refund my money, (2) file a police report, (3) file a complaint against the PO, which did absolutely nothing, all of the above, or just #1?

While it was not a high-value transaction, I'm bummed because I have been after that card for a while. On the other hand, this is the first time the USPS has ever lost one of my packages, so I guess I should just count myself lucky, and move on.

Anyone have this experience, and what did you do? Does the USPS even investigate in cases such as these, since they deal with over a billion packages a year?

Thanks, Brian

[Aaron Seefeldt]

My suggestion would be to hold tight if you can. I’ve been through this 2 times with USPS, once as a buyer and once as a seller. The card I purchased arrived a full 2 weeks after its “scheduled” delivery date and the supplements I sold (in a poster tube) arrived a month late. They both had tracking #’s and both were lost (temporarily). They both made it but I won’t use usps (for valued items) ever again. It’s my understanding that some items get stuck in the bottoms of the sorting process then all of a sudden just show up. I’m not familiar with eBay’s policy so I don’t know if there’s a time factor before you have to make a claim.

[sb1]

Contact the Postmaster at your local Post Office it went thru. They can provide additional internal tracking and will give far more information than a window clerk.

Also go to the USPS website and signup for alerts for the particular tracking number. Sometimes signing up for the alerts seems to get it back into the mail delivery system.

You can file thru ebay for "item not received" and get a refund, then should it show up down the road, you can let the seller know and make him whole. He would have to file a claim thru the USPS on his end.

[Brick442]

I would definitely go down to your local post office and ask to speak to the person in charge. Apparently, they can look up your tracking number in a more detailed manager and escalate from there. I've had to do it a few times unfortunately.

It seems easier to get info from the PO in person rather than email or phone.

[Exhibitman]

I am in this exact situation right now. I sent some SI magazines to CGC just before that hurricane last month and the mags disappeared in route from one facility to the next, into the dreaded 'your package is en route to the next facility' excuse. Go online to the USPS and initiate a lost package search, and sign up for the free delivery alerts on the package. I finally did that a few days ago and within 48 hours the package was found and has departed the facility where it was stuck for a month. I suspect that anywhere that got hammered by bad weather has a PSA-level backlog of packages and prioritizes the squeaky wheels, so squeak away.

[Brian]

Thanks for all of the advice, guys. I can always count on sage advice from fellow collectors.

I have indeed gone down to the PO to talk to the manager AND supervisor. Both were "out of the office," and when I asked for a direct phone number, they said I could not have it! I also left a written message and got no response. That was an hour I will never get back. I have also signed up for tracking alerts through USPS, and unfortunately, it does not provide any new information.

This may be the longest time a package has been "out for delivery" in order to get from zip code 10011 to 10011!

I had the same issue but sending a card with a tracking number. I went to the Post Master General at the Post Office she went through everything and checked. The person got got their card after a few week weeks it was a mishap on the USPS with the barcodes and or tag coming off thru the sorter

[RL]

Brian, the seller gave you the correct info. At this time, there really is nothing he/she could do. A visit to your delivering post office should have resolved the issue.

Through ebay 1 day after expected delivery date, file a inr, if it does not show delivered, you will get your money back.

In addition, since your post office does not seem very helpful, since tracking shows out for delivery, file a stolen mail case with the usps. On the case make sure to say "appears like usps employee stole the mail" I've done a few of those, you may be surprised that after you file your local p.o. may become more helpful.

[jcmtiger]

This happen to me with some signed baseballs. Sent the money back to the buyer. Balls showed up a few days later. Buyer sent money back. Crazy.

[Brian]

Thanks, all.

Randy, yeah, I have done everything short of filing a stolen mail claim as I did not want to be accusatory. However, the fact that (1) no one at the PO was helpful, (2) it was 'out for delivery,' with no delivery, and (3) there have been so many complaints about this particular PO branch, suggests to me that I should file such a claim.

The wacky thing about my eBay experience is that I had opened up a claim and then I went in circles with them explaining, with someone there telling me robotically that I should open up a claim after October 3! Well, isn't that what I have already done? Since i was apparently in an infinite loop with them, I gave up.

[nwobhm]

Why are you doing this to yourself? Just file through ebay that it wasn’t received and wait it out. If it doesn’t show you will be refunded.

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by Brian

Thanks for all of the advice, guys. I can always count on sage advice from fellow collectors.

I have indeed gone down to the PO to talk to the manager AND supervisor. Both were "out of the office," and when I asked for a direct phone number, they said I could not have it! I also left a written message and got no response. That was an hour I will never get back. I have also signed up for tracking alerts through USPS, and unfortunately, it does not provide any new information.

This may be the longest time a package has been "out for delivery" in order to get from zip code 10011 to 10011!

At my PO, with inexcusable service levels, they both would be found back in the mail room drinking coffee and eating donuts. And perhaps watching internet porn.

[chalupacollects]

Go back to your PO and get their names. Then call DC or KC headquarters and have them light a fire…


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[jimq16415]

Originally Posted by Brian

(2) it was 'out for delivery,' with no delivery.

There's no real "out for delivery". After the clerk is all done sorting packages, they scan a bar code saying they're done and that generates the out for delivery message. It's possible your package got missorted, or lost in the equipment they were using, or stolen by a clerk or carrier. For an inept carrier to do it by mistake he would have to drop it off at the wrong address AND forget to scan it.

Like everybody said, file with ebay. Sucks for the seller. Hope he had insurance!

[Brian]

The package was insured, thankfully.

I will escalate on Monday, of that you can be sure.

It's crappy that a card may have been lost, but what really gets my goat is the endless litany of excuses for incompetence and, possibly, dishonesty. I don't abide by that, and even though it amounts to extra aggravation, hopefully, escalating will help prevent it from happening again, to me or others. Unlikely, I know, but for me it's just as much about the principle as the card.

Thanks again, everyone--very helpful

[jamest206]

I would leave ebay a nasty review when they email you to ask how it went. That gets their attention. As mentioned above, make ebay do their job. They seem to be in the grading business now, and too lazy to update their own systems. Ask for a refund. Make ebay work for their money. Do not cut them slack

[Brian]

Success! The package finally arrived, heavily duct-taped. Probably went to the wrong address, and the PO had to track it down. The squeaky wheel and all that.........

Ironically, the USPS tracking still says "out for delivery." LOL

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by Brian

Success! The package finally arrived, heavily duct-taped. Probably went to the wrong address, and the PO had to track it down. The squeaky wheel and all that.........

Ironically, the USPS tracking still says "out for delivery." LOL

Duct tape? Did the seller package it this way or did USPS apply the super-sticky universal repair tool?

[rjackson44]

Originally Posted by Brian

Success! The package finally arrived, heavily duct-taped. Probably went to the wrong address, and the PO had to track it down. The squeaky wheel and all that.........

Ironically, the USPS tracking still says "out for delivery." LOL

great brian i had a greatest moments reggie i got two months later not fun ,,

[Brian]

I actually asked the seller if he used the duct tape. He said he would never do that, so I am guessing it was the PO or the recipient.

Another update: USPS just informed me that they could not find my package because I had not provided them with enough information. I guess that telling them that it was a "1927 Zeenut baseball card" didn't cut the mustard!
You cannot make this stuff up.........

[RL]

nice that your package did show up

[Brian]

Yes, very pleased!

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by Brian

I actually asked the seller if he used the duct tape. He said he would never do that, so I am guessing it was the PO or the recipient.

Another update: USPS just informed me that they could not find my package because I had not provided them with enough information. I guess that telling them that it was a "1927 Zeenut baseball card" didn't cut the mustard!
You cannot make this stuff up.........

I realize you didn't do anything wrong here. However, USPS has their own language when looking for lost packages. For example, when I've initiated a missing mail search, I've been the seller. So, the seller could have (and perhaps should have) provided USPS something along the lines of:

8" x 6" x 4" white cardboard box, weighing 12 ounces, with a pre-printed shipping label and the tracking number 1234 5555 6666 7777 89. The contents included packing peanuts and a black-and-white baseball card within a plastic card sleeve.

The seller should be able to submit this search.

[Brian]

That is a good point. I should have asked the seller. The only information I had was in regards to the contents, which they asked me to describe (and I did). But I will keep this in mind the next time it happens. Thanks!

[Exhibitman]

FWIW, my lost item came back to me as well after I initiated a search for it.

I once had a card shown as delivered but never made it to me. It got delivered to the wrong address, same # but one street over, and took six months to make it to my mailbox after the neighbor gave it to the mail carrier. That was a nice surprise when it did arrive. When I get a neighbor's mail now, I just walk it over and drop it off.