USPS Horror: Phantom Delivery Confirmation

[T206Collector]

"don't google usps delivery confirmation, because you won't be able to sleep at night and will turn into those people on doomsday preppers."

+1

I always have cards delivered to my office, which is required to log all incoming packages of employees. Never had a problem and I've known the mailroom guys for over 10 years. They looked at their log for that day and confirmed the mailman didn't deliver anything to me that day. And nothing under the tracking number.

I'm guessing it got scanned as delivered as it went on the truck and then didn't make it to my office because it either got delivered someplace else or fell through the proverbial cracks in the system.

BTW - Seller offered a full refund, but I refuse to take it. I didn't ask for insurance and the USPS says that I got it.

[sbfinley]

I use a P.O. Box for this reason. It's helps that I live in a small town and have a good relationship with the post lady who runs the office. (Not that good.) She knows what I collect and sell and is kind enough to not even put bubble mailers in my box because she doesn't want to inadvertently damage something. This means that I have to get there during business hours if I have a package incoming, but I'd rather have to do that then the alternative.

[2dueces]

It's happened to me twice in the last few years. Delivery conformation but I never received the packages. 2 out of 100's. I guess that's not too bad a record. Still sucks not to receive those two though.

[autograf]

I'm a homer but..........UPS Store mailboxes are about $15/mo. You can have packages from any carrier delivered there because you have a real street address. PO Boxes are cheaper but you can't have FedEx, UPS or DHL deliver to them. ONLY post office. In addition to the deliver perks, you can actually call the UPS Store and they'll tell you if you have mail in your box or not. And they're always there typically from 8-8 M-F and about a half day Saturday. They sign for everything and you have a record. Plus they actually get to know you. Had one since 2000 or so. Oh, yeah, and I had a UPS Store for about 3.5 years of that. I know Rob D has (or had) one too.

[Rob D.]

Originally Posted by autograf

I'm a homer but..........UPS Store mailboxes are about $15/mo. You can have packages from any carrier delivered there because you have a real street address. PO Boxes are cheaper but you can't have FedEx, UPS or DHL deliver to them. ONLY post office. In addition to the deliver perks, you can actually call the UPS Store and they'll tell you if you have mail in your box or not. And they're always there typically from 8-8 M-F and about a half day Saturday. They sign for everything and you have a record. Plus they actually get to know you. Had one since 2000 or so. Oh, yeah, and I had a UPS Store for about 3.5 years of that. I know Rob D has (or had) one too.

Getting a UPS Store box was one of the better collecting-related decisions I've made. Whenever a package is delivered, I receive an email and text notification. There are three guys who work at the store, they've all been there at least four years, so the trust level is high.

The sooner a package of mine gets out of the hands of the USPS, the better.

[T205 GB]

Mr. Adkins sent me a M Brown Chicago on shirt for my daughter melodys collection and it never arrived. It's sad how much of our stuff disappears thanks to the PO

[jonincleve]

as an ebay seller i have been having the other problem. i have dropped off packages at the post office or had driver pick up and the packages have not been scanned. i have had 2 customers in the last month screaming at me, calling me a liar saying i have not mailed packages, when i know i did. once delivered, the tracking number just shows the delivery date. i had a package leave ohio the day after mlk day, the first thing that showed on the tracking was delivered branson, ms on 2/5. why have delivery confirmation if it is not used properly?

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by jonincleve

as an ebay seller i have been having the other problem. i have dropped off packages at the post office or had driver pick up and the packages have not been scanned. i have had 2 customers in the last month screaming at me, calling me a liar saying i have not mailed packages, when i know i did. once delivered, the tracking number just shows the delivery date. i had a package leave ohio the day after mlk day, the first thing that showed on the tracking was delivered branson, ms on 2/5. why have delivery confirmation if it is not used properly?

This is happening to me a LOT lately...I have about 300 packages a week that I drop off and it seems that every few weeks a whole load of my packages are not getting scanned at all. I also believe there are more than a few ebay buyers out there who get their item, but still decide to scam me because their package doesn't show as delivered on the USPS website. I almost never have a package lost that gets scanned into the system, but it's funny how many of those packages that don't get scanned seemingly never show up.

In January the USPS scanned over 100 packages that I dropped off as "DELIVERED"...I can't tell you how many ebayers emailed me in a panic that day.

I'm pretty sure my complaints about their crappy service is now the reason that they don't allow me to drop my packages off at the back dock anymore....they also refuse to pick up from my store because they say they don't have anyone on my route that can handle that many packages.

[jonincleve]

Originally Posted by slidekellyslide

they also refuse to pick up from my store because they say they don't have anyone on my route that can handle that many packages.

nice to know that their wages are paid for by packages that they process but they will not pick up packages because 'it is to hard' ie, not enough room in the truck. i have given up trying to get usps to pick up packages.

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by jonincleve

nice to know that their wages are paid for by packages that they process but they will not pick up packages because 'it is to hard' ie, not enough room in the truck. i have given up trying to get usps to pick up packages.

My sister-in-law took my packages to the post office yesterday and they are supposed to bring out carts to put them in (since they no longer allow me to drop them off in the back on the dock)....they made her put every single package into the drop box individually. Starting to really get fed up with this location. When I was working out of my home and used a different post office I never had a problem, all of the employees were friendly. This new post office near my shop is a nightmare.

[Runscott]

The only post office that ever gave me a problem was one in lower Queen Anne. If shipping from Seattle, avoid the place. They would not insure packages mailed in re-used USPS boxes. Their reasoning was so ridiculous that I can't even explain it in writing.

[Ronnie73]

I've had three problems with the USPS lately. The first one the card was delivered from Michigan and after a transfer to the next location, it just stopped. I called those locations and had no luck. 61 days later, it shows up at my house in Connecticut with no explaination. The second problem I had was the tracking showed a package was delivered but I never got it. I'm sure someone else got it since i'm always getting mail of others. Third problem was for a missing postal money order. Had to cancel it and wait 60+ days for a refund and still had to replace it with more money out of my pocket before I got the refund so I payed double for about two months.

I hope it works out for you.

[deadballfreaK]

I feel lucky to live in a small town of 800 people. I actually live 4 miles out in the country, but I know every single person at the post office (all 4) pretty well and never a problem. On the other hand twice rather than come up my driveway FedEx has left packages balanced on top of my mailbox 150 feet from the house. Once in the rain. Luckily no damage.

[SMPEP]

A while back I had a package confirmed (which I could see thru Ebay) that I had never received.

Fortunately in my case ... it went to a neighbor's house ... and the neighbor walked it over 2 days after the "confirmation".

Love that the USPS confirmed delivery to the wrong house.

Cheers,
Patrick

[johnmh71]

I once bought some cards on ebay from a seller in Georgia to be sent to me here in Massachusetts. He sent the package with a tracking number, and next thing I know, the scan online showed the location as Puerto Rico. Fortunately, someone down there caught the issue and then sent it in the right direction. I got the package a few days late. Freaked me out to say the least.

[tolstoi]

I get a little worried about a lot of the recent stories I have read but I did have a card I bought off ebay from a somewhat reputable seller never show up. It was frustrating and the dc said it had been delivered...My fiance had purchased it for my birthday and tried to surprise me and was devastated. The seller was a jerk to her and unfortunately because the package said it had been delivered there was no resolution through ebay or the post office.

Usually my father in law is helpful about searching for lost packages through the post office since he works there. Now, the post office includes tracking on all packages and if you know someone who works there and are very nice, they just might look it up for you w/o having to pay for the dc#...not recommended though because you have to wait till there is a problem before you can do anything.

[cobblove]

This actually happend to me on monday. DC said it was delivered. But tuesday it was in my mail box. This is the 2nd time this has happend to be. But everytime it was just because the package was forgot in her truck. But everytime it was delivered the very next day.
Best of luck. Give it a few days. And also ask your mailman.

[tschock]

Has anyone had experience with receiving the insurance from a package that wasn't delivered even though there was a DC saying it had? I thought that from the PO perspective, if it says it was "delivered" (via DC) that you could not file an insurance claim since it was "delivered". Or can you file the claim but it is just a bigger hassle?

I was under the impression that the only "guarantee" of an insurance claim was if the package had signature confirmation and it was never signed (meaning it was never delivered).

[autograf]

My post office will not scan my dropoffs in front of me when I go there. Therefore, I go there and do it ALL BY HAND. That way I have confirmation they've received them when I get a receipt. It is a pain in the arse but if you don't get a receipt scan, they can say you never dropped them off and then, whether or not they are insured, you're outta luck. Delivery confirmation is just that.....confirmation of DELIVERY. Not pickup, nothing intermediate like FedEx and UPS, who scan at all points along the way. SO....buyer beware. When you buy USPS services, know what you're paying for. By the time you add Delivery Confirmation (now called tracking) and insurance to a Priority Mail package, you may be able to pay FedEx or UPS an amount pretty close since it includes free tracking and $100 insurance on all packages by both. Again, I'm a homer, but it is what it is.

The USPS has gotten infinitely better than what they used to be though. Much of it is because UPS, FedEx and the passenger airlines carry MUCH of the Priority and almost all of the Express mail along with lots of the First Class letter mail. At least point to point. USPS drops off tons of mail here at UPS in Louisville and it goes to the airport wherever it's going and they pick it up. Along with some UPS packages and FedEx packages from our 'basic' service that the USPS delivers. There's a LOT of cross-pollinating going on.