US Post Office / Postal System HELP Please

[Scrumpot]

As just posted over in THIS thread - On 12/22/09, I used the USPS (Post Office) to ship a small, easily (and well packed) boxable item to Bane. I was apparently, really STUPID in not either insuring it, or sending using a standard "tracking/trackable" (with tracking # etc.) service!

Attached here is a copy of my receipt for that item...
Does anybody have any insight or suggestions, or anyone here "inside" familiar with the workings of the USPS (PO) to possibly help guide me with any suggestions on how I/we might EFFECTIVELY (hopefully) find this "missing" item here now? Any and all help, and/or suggestions (wise-cracks aside of how stupid I was - as I already now realize that!) would be appreciated!!

Happy New Year!! - The USPS: "We Deliver". - Yeah, right!

[chapster5]

Take the recipt back to the post office say the date when it was posted and ask to see where the parcel is right now, or say you have posted a parcel to a friend, and it hasnt arrived with him yet what can i do about lost parcels

[tesprit]

Having had a similar experience with USPS and not being able to resolve it, I'm afraid the only advice I can give you is to go personally to your Post Office and talk to someone in charge there. Don't bother with calling them or trying anything over the internet. They will just keep ignoring you and you will never find out anything. After looking at your receipt, I find it strange there is no tracking number. You sent the item Priority and I have always gotten a tracking number for free on my Priority shipments. The difficult thing in your case is the lack of a tracking number, but maybe they can track it off the receipt number you have. Good luck!!

[SweetDaddyD]

I think the technical term to describe your situation is "S.O.L."

And I've been in the same boat plenty of times with the USPS. I always like when they ask if I want to insure it, and I say well aren't I paying for it to get there, and they just kind of shrug their shoulders and say- "so no insurance then?"

[SweetDaddyD]

Originally Posted by tesprit

Having had a similar experience with USPS and not being able to resolve it, I'm afraid the only advice I can give you is to go personally to your Post Office and talk to someone in charge there. Don't bother with calling them or trying anything over the internet. They will just keep ignoring you and you will never find out anything. After looking at your receipt, I find it strange there is no tracking number. You sent the item Priority and I have always gotten a tracking number for free on my Priority shipments. The difficult thing in your case is the lack of a tracking number, but maybe they can track it off the receipt number you have. Good luck!!

You don't get a tracking number. You get a "delivery confirmation number" (and you pay extra for it if you do it at the post office) The USPS does not do tracking, although it looks like a tracking number and confuses a lot of people. Believe me, I'm on the other end of the "where's my package, you didn't send it, the tracking number says it wasn't dropped off yet" e-mails on a routine basis.

The "delivery confirmation number" always says the same thing until the time it is delivered. Something about awaiting arrival at location or something. So it makes it look like you never shipped it. It usually isn't updated until a day or two after the package has actually been delivered.

[Randy Chase]

Not that it helps this, but advice. Never ship using post office right before Christmas.

I have lost too many packages.

One did show up at a customers 90 days later. No explanation.

[SweetDaddyD]

^ And shipping a package to Canada is kind of like spinning a wheel of chance.

I can ship a package to Italy, Australia, Japan, and England and they will all be delivered before (and if) the one gets to Canada.

[Randy Chase]

We ship a lot here. And Canada is way up there in the places I hate to ship to. Also Greece.

[Scrumpot]

I just came back from the P.O. from where I mailed this, and spoke with the same clerk that took it in for me. Astonishingly enough Randy - she just said pretty much the exact same thing to me that you did... "You should know NOT to send a package right before/during the Christmas or any high-volume holiday season!" - WHAT?? Now if that's not a "ringing endorsement" for the Postal Service, BY a postal service worker themself, then I don't know what is!

Her "guess" is that the package got damaged, and is just "sitting somewhere" now, waiting for someone (like WHO - they can't even define their own procedures? ) to "figure out what to do with it!"

Because the P.O. "branch" I used, is just a "satelite" too - she was like: "well, what do you expect me to do?" ...Says I have to go to the "MAIN" (several miles away) Post Office, and ask if MAYBE they can put a "trace" on it. When asked can they/would the do that? - - - - "I dunno."

..."but that's what I would try". - Sorry. ..."Next in line please......"

Friggen-A, whatever happened to "customer service" in ANY way, shape, fashion or form in this country? ARGGGHHHH....

[tesprit]

Originally Posted by SweetDaddyD

You don't get a tracking number. You get a "delivery confirmation number" (and you pay extra for it if you do it at the post office) The USPS does not do tracking, although it looks like a tracking number and confuses a lot of people. Believe me, I'm on the other end of the "where's my package, you didn't send it, the tracking number says it wasn't dropped off yet" e-mails on a routine basis.

The "delivery confirmation number" always says the same thing until the time it is delivered. Something about awaiting arrival at location or something. So it makes it look like you never shipped it. It usually isn't updated until a day or two after the package has actually been delivered.

Ah yes, I forgot that because I purchase my USPS shipping from their website, that is why I get the number. You are absolutely correct about those numbers not giving much information until the package is finally delivered, but at least they do give you something to work with when you go back to try to find out where the package ended up. Unfortunately, the outcome is usually the same, your package has fallen off the face of the earth and will never be seen by you again. I've often wondered how the Post Office decides what happens to all the packages they fail to deliver. I would imagine there is some pretty valuable stuff that end up going home with certain postal employees......

[chapster5]

^
i thought they do that, any un delivered parcel by the end of the year, they allow emplyees to take there pick to have or is that jst a rumor

[mikester]

Originally Posted by chapster5

^
i thought they do that, any un delivered parcel by the end of the year, they allow emplyees to take there pick to have or is that jst a rumor

No, I don't think that's correct. That would be a big no-no, because it would basically be legitemizing theft.

[ChrisB]

Originally Posted by mikester

... That would be a big no-no, because it would basically be legitemizing theft.

And the right to do that is reserved for Congress.

[NomisR]

Originally Posted by Scrumpot

I just came back from the P.O. from where I mailed this, and spoke with the same clerk that took it in for me. Astonishingly enough Randy - she just said pretty much the exact same thing to me that you did... "You should know NOT to send a package right before/during the Christmas or any high-volume holiday season!" - WHAT?? Now if that's not a "ringing endorsement" for the Postal Service, BY a postal service worker themself, then I don't know what is!

Her "guess" is that the package got damaged, and is just "sitting somewhere" now, waiting for someone (like WHO - they can't even define their own procedures? ) to "figure out what to do with it!"

Because the P.O. "branch" I used, is just a "satelite" too - she was like: "well, what do you expect me to do?" ...Says I have to go to the "MAIN" (several miles away) Post Office, and ask if MAYBE they can put a "trace" on it. When asked can they/would the do that? - - - - "I dunno."

..."but that's what I would try". - Sorry. ..."Next in line please......"

Friggen-A, whatever happened to "customer service" in ANY way, shape, fashion or form in this country? ARGGGHHHH....

Government employees, what do you expect? They have nothing to worry about, it's not like USPS needs to make money or worried about losing customers, they could care less. That's why their employees care less.. we have to go to them regardless.

[ML1media]

someone move/merge this part :
>>>the P.O. "branch" I used, is just a "satelite" too - she was like: "well, what do you expect me to do?" ...Says I have to go to the "MAIN" (several miles away) Post Office, and ask if MAYBE they can put a "trace" on it. When asked can they/would the do that? - - - - "I dunno." <<<<

into the EPIC FAIL thread.

ALL may not be lost if you get to the main branch. The PO in my town is a 'branch' that's been there forever...am I'm pretty sure they've yet to deliver the all the mail they rec;vd on the first day (80+years ago). A new main facility was put up just a few years ago a few miles further---with all new people---all friendly, helpful people. I always go the extra distance whenever it's important or I need human assistance. It may surprise you.

john m.

[Bane]

Originally Posted by Randy Chase

One did show up at a customers 90 days later. No explanation.

PPE has verified that as well. We're just waiting and crossing our fingers

The hardtop bracket project is on hold right now until this is figured out. We have some measurements from RoadDad which helps a lot but we'd like to have the physical part in hand to make sure all the locating features are in the right spot.

[CosmosMpower]

Had something similar happen, called the post office manager and he told me "Who do you think we are, FedEx?" Funny thing, I was working for FedEx at the time.

[Scrumpot]

Originally Posted by Bane

PPE has verified that as well. We're just waiting and crossing our fingers

The hardtop bracket project is on hold right now until this is figured out. We have some measurements from RoadDad which helps a lot but we'd like to have the physical part in hand to make sure all the locating features are in the right spot.

Boo! - This truly SUCKS!! Especially when the circumstances and situation had so initially seemed like it PERFECTLY lent itself towards community members working in complete symbiosis and sense of giving/cooperation together towards a greater good for (potentially) MANY here!!

Man, I feel like a complete MORON for probably not having just waited now until AFTER CHRISTMAS to send this, or - having chosen some other method other than USPS now! ARGGGHHHHHH.....

Especially now considering that in another matter - Just 2 days ago someone else has sent me my wheel center-hubs I was looking for in another thread, and I JUST GOT 'EM here TODAY!! (USPS and everything too! )

I really was just maybe a bit over-exuberent an impatient to effectively get this to you, that I ran right out that very next morning, and now it seems I am "paying the price". Again ....

I've been meaning to get out to that Main Post Office here the past 2 days, but it really is quite inconvenient for me (which is why I used the sub-station "satelite" in the 1st place). I hate to have this further delayed as a result of that though, and I'm feeling bad. Is there any way you could maybe take a copy of my receipt out there to YOUR PO Bane, in AZ to see if they could possibly from their end, put this "trace" on this?

I am SO SORRY for the inconvenience now as a result of this!! And here I was, rather thinking I was doing for someone, something GOOD! ARGGGGGHHHHH.....

[Scrumpot]

Bane - I just got back from my PO here, who called out to the Tempe PO there for me (the one on "Southern Ave") And they believe your package is THERE!

They think it was attempted to be delivered on 12/26 and a notice was left, and it is being held now instead for pick-up. They said they also apparently have a couple of other parcels there too (for PPE? - I couldn't get much specifics as my counter clerk went in the back & called and came back to tell me this) that they've been holding since Christmas in their "15 day" bin, which will go back if not picked up soon!

So.... If you know where they're talking about - The Southern Ave PO in Tempe - - - - someone SHOULD be able to go there and pick it up!!

When asked - why can't they just deliver it? .... Apparently, once they try with parcels that 1st time

I'd bring a print of my receipt copy to verify "ownership" and see if they can just give it to you now, at this point. Let me know when you've got it in hand!