Lost package through LA USPS sort facility

[D. Bergin]

......and sometimes packages to Canada get stuck in Customs for a couple months at a time. There's still a possibility that it shows up, I think.

[zljones]

Originally Posted by D. Bergin

......and sometimes packages to Canada get stuck in Customs for a couple months at a time. There's still a possibility that it shows up, I think.

I hope that doesn't mean I have to give the money back to ship cover, because I already refunded the buyer in full.

[thecatspajamas]

Originally Posted by D. Bergin

......and sometimes packages to Canada get stuck in Customs for a couple months at a time. There's still a possibility that it shows up, I think.

Yes, quite possible. Also keep in mind that USPS doesn't truly track 1st Class packages to Canada. The "tracking trail" will always die at the sort facility immediately before crossing the border to be handed off to Canada (or any other country's) postal system. Here in the southeast, all international packages go through Miami, FL, where they get scanned and then "disappear" for a week or more before finally being delivered to the buyer. Even after delivery though, if you check the tracking, it will still show the last scan as being in Miami, FL. For this reason, I quit giving tracking numbers to international buyers because I got tired of them e-mailing me a week after I shipped it and asking why their package had been sitting in Florida for the last few days and could I please call them and check on it. It sounds mean, but it's easier to just let them know when it shipped and not give them any tracking info at all.

I have no idea how eBay would handle an insurance claim for a package that was eventually delivered. Unless the buyer has a strong conscience, most probably won't complain about getting a full refund and the item too, so it's unlikely that eBay would ever know.

[jerseygary]

I ship USPS First Class very often, at least 8 packages a week, and most often the packages get there in 3 days or less. There is the odd exception like 2 weeks ago when I needed to get a time-sensitive document to a county in NJ in order to settle my Mother's estate (estate - now that's and over statement!) and paid the extra money for the priority envelope and deliver confirmation and tracking. The stupid thing sat in Kearney, NJ for more than a week before they decided it was time to move it on. Figures the one time I lay out the extra for the special service and that's when they decide to screw up!

But seriously, for all the times I have used USPS in the past 3 years they come through much, much more than they don't. Now if we could get the workers at the post office service desk to move at a normal speed instead of slow-mo...

[Wite3]

The LA USPS facility is an entryway to Canada (I have a feeling that they gather it all together at the LAX facility and either fly it or truck straight through the border) and have noticed that some of my mail to Canada gets stuck there. Been told by USPS employees that customs slows it down and the tracking trail ends in the US. So no tracking once it hits Canada.

Joshua

[HANKCADDY]

kearny USPS was closed for about a week due to SANDY, lucky anything made it out of there, it was a real mess.

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by thecatspajamas

Yes, quite possible. Also keep in mind that USPS doesn't truly track 1st Class packages to Canada. The "tracking trail" will always die at the sort facility immediately before crossing the border to be handed off to Canada (or any other country's) postal system. Here in the southeast, all international packages go through Miami, FL, where they get scanned and then "disappear" for a week or more before finally being delivered to the buyer. Even after delivery though, if you check the tracking, it will still show the last scan as being in Miami, FL. For this reason, I quit giving tracking numbers to international buyers because I got tired of them e-mailing me a week after I shipped it and asking why their package had been sitting in Florida for the last few days and could I please call them and check on it. It sounds mean, but it's easier to just let them know when it shipped and not give them any tracking info at all.

I wait for them to ask for the tracking number and then give them the customs# and let them know it can't be tracked on-line once it leaves the U.S., but that their local Post Office could probably let them know where it is, once it has entered their country.

[HasselhoffsCheeseburger]

I live in Los Angeles and have had hundreds of card-related packages sent to me ni the past few years. The service is a joke. They literally DO NOT deliver anything that requires a signature to me. I've met my carrier dozens of times and he just handed me a filled out "Sorry we missed you slip." When I said, hey, I'm here, where's my package? He just shrugged his shoulders. And that's when I'm lucky enough to actually receive a slip notifying me that I have a package. Most occasions I don't even get that. What usually happens is I never receive a slip and then eventually get a message from whomever was mailing something to me that it was returned to sender, even though no attempts were made or notifications left.

I've had probably 7 or 8 packages "lost" at the PO. I go down there and they look it up, shows it should be there, they can't find it. There's usually a line of 5 or 6 people waiting to chew someone out. I will gladly pay 2-3x S/H to have whatever I'm buying sent UPS.

I wish you the best of luck in all aspects of this - finding the package, getting any information about it, you name it.

[zljones]

Originally Posted by HasselhoffsCheeseburger

I live in Los Angeles and have had hundreds of card-related packages sent to me ni the past few years. The service is a joke. They literally DO NOT deliver anything that requires a signature to me. I've met my carrier dozens of times and he just handed me a filled out "Sorry we missed you slip." When I said, hey, I'm here, where's my package? He just shrugged his shoulders. And that's when I'm lucky enough to actually receive a slip notifying me that I have a package. Most occasions I don't even get that. What usually happens is I never receive a slip and then eventually get a message from whomever was mailing something to me that it was returned to sender, even though no attempts were made or notifications left.

I've had probably 7 or 8 packages "lost" at the PO. I go down there and they look it up, shows it should be there, they can't find it. There's usually a line of 5 or 6 people waiting to chew someone out. I will gladly pay 2-3x S/H to have whatever I'm buying sent UPS.

I wish you the best of luck in all aspects of this - finding the package, getting any information about it, you name it.

That is horrible, and even worse that the largest city in the U.S (New York). is more efficient than the second largest city.

In my experience, I have only had 2 packages go through USPS Los Angeles facilities and one time the package was delayed and the other was lost, those odds are horrible, 0 out of 2 for horrible service is not good. I have not had any other lost packages either until I dealt with L.A!

[deebro041]

I am from Ontario, Canada and I collect baseball memorabilia. I have acquired most of my collection from a group of great sellers throughout the U.S.A. My normal waiting period is usually 2 weeks from payment to delivery. I have found though that some of my fastest deliveries have come from California. I don't usually follow the tracking numbers, just to make sure when it ships out.

[Ease]

I love the usps. 45 cents to have a letter hand delivered from my mailbox to yours, anywhere in the country, in just a few days. Best bargain out there imo. I know it sucks when there is a delay etc., and I've had a few problems myself, but overall the usps rocks. Thank your local postman over the holidays with a gift card or something, they deserve it. (I don't work for usps btw)