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I’ve had 3 items, 2 on one day and 1 on another, showing only the item label was created even though I shipped it- they were USPS Priority and I leave them at my front door and postal carrier picks them up reliably (for 2-1/2 years). There could have been another carrier working that day, or Fed Ex picked them up?, or they were stolen from step. Of course those 3 items were more expensive items than the ones lost that at least show that USPS recieved them! Ugh!! Am I just going to have to lose the money on those??
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Hi Oldtone… you aren’t alone at all! I had a large USPS pickup early in Dec… I think it was for 8 packages. It was a temp employee and they didn’t scan any of the items. Also, they must have gotten lost in the holiday shuffle because most of the items didn’t even have any scans at all some for 4 days later and half of them for a week or two weeks later and one, never! Ridiculous! I could not prove I mailed anything on time! (Even though I did within 24 hours…) Now the INR’s started rolling in… some of these items are still “lost” and “late”… Here are a few things I did.. some might help… This has been mentioned before on here, but for any packages that have no scans at all and you know the USPS has them… I opened up a “USPS missing mail request” at USPS.com .. this is different than a claim… one thing it will do is update a line in the tracking that a “package research case was created”.. AND more importantly… it will (usually) move the status bar to “in transit” which may or may not appease the customer, but it will help you when you are requesting a 10 day hold for any INR requests when you contact customer support. (I have been using facebook messenger to do this… I can factually state all my “evidence” and then make my request and let them get back to me which usually takes less than 24 hours…) I also search my email for the USPS confirmation email titled “USPS – Your Package Pickup Request Confirmation” -for the date the pickup was made, even though it doesn’t directly prove they picked up your package, I have been throwing that in the chat as well, as more “proof” that the USPS received my items… I have at least been able to get the INR 10 day extensions through this means and it shows the customer that you are “doing” something in the tracking… If you didn’t make scheduled pickups, I know this won’t help you, but you can still file the missing mail requests to get that tracking to flip to “in transit” in case you get an INR request in the near future. The extensions only seem to happen if they are requested by the seller and you have mailed the items within 2 days of your stated handling time. I’m still trying to figure it out. One media mail package has been in limbo for over one month with NO tracking updates, so I had to just refund, but it was only $18. Good luck.. we are all in the same boat.. no fun…
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Normally, your postman or your local post office scans in your packages before they leave for a sorting facility. From there, the item should be scanned and then shipped off to the next facility for another scan, and so on until the item is delivered.
The post office is currently dealing with a lower number of employees due to the pandemic, a huge increase in the number of people shopping online, and financial problems from before this whole thing started. Packages are not getting scanned by the local office. Trucks are packed with packages and sent to the closest sorting facility. Some have no capacity, so the packages are unloaded in a holding room somewhere and just sit.
Because of an experience I had years ago, I bring all my packages to the local PO to get them scanned in. It is a pain and takes time, but my eBay ratings show no defects due to late shipments in spite of many of my packages seemingly lost in USPS sorting hell.
Most likely, your packages are sitting in a holding pattern somewhere until that facility finally catches up. I will say that I have had issues with midwest (Michigan, Illinois), and I have two packages to the same person that suddenly stopped movement in Philadelphia (I’m an hour and a half away in NJ). I do have a package or two hanging out somewhere in Maryland, so maybe your local facilities are having issues.
Most likely, your packages will eventually be found and delivered. Up to you whether you want to refund or not, but you should try to placate your buyers and hold off as long as you can.
In the meantime, consider getting all your outgoing packages scanned at the local PO and/or using FedEx or UPS as your carrier.
I should mention that I’ve heard of a way to have your item rerouted back to your home, but it does cost money. I’ve never used it, but someone on the forum says that it costs $15 plus the cost to ship back. If you create a missing mail case on the USPS site, it will ask you where you want the package sent. I can’t tell you the exact steps, but, if you have to refund for an expensive item, you might want to consider it.
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I agree with the comments above.
You are going to need to make a missing mail request, but I wouldn’t do it until at least 7 days have passed since you mailed them. It’s all about buying time.
You’ll also want to send your buyers a preemptive message regarding the current USPS delays nationwide.
In the meantime, all you can do is hang tight.
Good luck.
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