Advice on missing package

[autograf]

Don't forget tracking gets you ZERO insurance on regular first class mail. ONLY on Priority Mail do you get the $50 insurance. Also if you print out your labels from ebay/paypal, be sure that when you drop them off, they are scanned in. That at least gets you a receipt that they received them. If you put in a mailbox and they don't get scanned then, you will have trouble getting reimbursed even with insurance. Had that happen.

Unlike UPS/FedEx, the USPS doesn't (to my knowledge) do intermediate tracking. It's generally just a scan upon delivery. If it doesn't get scanned, you don't know if it got delivered or not. I'm assuming that they're working towards intermediate scanning--physical or logical scanning, linking packages to bags or trailers.

Like everyone above, 12 days may sound like a lot and it is, but with the holidays and weather plaguing people the last couple weeks, I'd definitely give it more time. Good luck....hope it shows.

[GregMitch34]

Thanks to all for your comments and advice. A regional customer service rep today told me that the state where package was/is going was among worst hit by ice and extra backup there. Also something about Xmas volume was 3x what expected and still backed up from that--huh?

[glchen]

Originally Posted by autograf

... Also if you print out your labels from ebay/paypal, be sure that when you drop them off, they are scanned in. That at least gets you a receipt that they received them. If you put in a mailbox and they don't get scanned then, you will have trouble getting reimbursed even with insurance. Had that happen.

Unlike UPS/FedEx, the USPS doesn't (to my knowledge) do intermediate tracking. It's generally just a scan upon delivery. If it doesn't get scanned, you don't know if it got delivered or not. I'm assuming that they're working towards intermediate scanning--physical or logical scanning, linking packages to bags or trailers.

...

I went to my local post office yesterday to drop off a pre-labeled package from paypal, and after waiting 30 minutes in line, asked the clerk to scan the package for acceptance. She told me she would have to charge me $1.20 to scan it in, so I just said forget it, gave her the package, and left. (It did show tracking last night however.)

The USPS does do intermediate tracking whenever the package hits intermediate distribution centers. I would say it's comparable to UPS/FedEx. Personally, I prefer USPS because First Class is usually much faster than Ground for the other carriers, and much cheaper also.