When is a package considered lost?

[ShortyBoo]

I bought an Ever After High doll off of eBay back on the 21st of March, and according to eBay the estimated delivery is Thu. Mar. 27 - Mon. Mar. 31, which has obviously passed. Well, when I check tracking, the USPS site has the expected delivery day as Tuesday, March 25, 2014, which, again is passed. The tracking makes it look like it never left Maryland, where it was shipped from. The last scan on the package was that it arrived at a sort facility on March 23rd. So last weekend, I contacted the seller and said I was worried it may be lost and asked them to check on it. They messaged me back on Monday and said the people at the post office claimed it was still going to be delivered and to give it a few more days and attached a print out of the tracking, which was supposed to be more current than the online one, but didn't show anything different than the online tracking. So pretty much, my question is how long do I have to wait before I can file a claim? I'm pretty sure there's no way I'm getting my doll now since it's been like 10 days since it was last scanned and I've never had a package take that long to get to me that wasn't coming from overseas. I'd rather just get my money back so I can hopefully find a replacement for around the same price.

[ponylady]

It honestly to me sounds like it is just caught up somewhere. I know 12 days seems like a long time but I would probably wait it out for at least a few more days before you open a dispute.

It's not unusual for the USPS to screw things up. I would just sit tight a few more days like I said. Plus please remember eBay's estimated delivery date, is just that, an estimate.

[StoryDreamer]

Yeah, I believe it's caught up. I had glasses delivered from Ebay that had the USPS update it AFTER delivery; I mean it said they were still in NY when they were delivered. I even had one thing say "delivered" and it was delivered the next day. I'd wait a few more days.

[thekozmicpig]

I had a package sit at this weird "Undefined" status for three days and suddenly get back on track.

Oh, and I've had an item be "Out for Delivery" in my town one day, go back to the sort center that day, and show up the next day.

USPS is weird man.

[dragonlady]

I had something take 2 weeks get to a buyer >.<  I was panicking, thinking it had gotten lost when it showed up. I think it took the scenic route, lol.

[Lollipop]

Definitely wait a few more days I agree with everyone else it must be caught up, it might be held up for a number of reasons, if you are still concerned give the place where it says it is now, a ring and see what is going on.
I know with tracking it can say its in .... place for days and days not moving then suddenly the postman is at the door with it.

Hopefully it will be to you soon

[ShortyBoo]

I'm glad to know it's not that unusual. I guess I've just mostly been lucky with my packages arriving fairly quickly. The last scan said it arrived in a sorting facility in Maryland. Since there wasn't a scan saying it left there, I imagine it's still in that sorting facility somewhere. What worries me, though, is that the package was ripped apart or something where they couldn't read the address on it anymore or that it fell of a conveyor belt somewhere where it can't been seen or something similarly bad happened. It just makes me more and more nervous each day when I check the tracking, only to find it still hasn't changed.

[Ringlets]

  I know its frustrating, but like the others said, i would wait it out a bit longer. The tracking doesnt always update properly or on time, sometimes items take a detour to somewhere else first (like the one that went to Hawaii first instead of the east coast), and the ebay estimated time is not always correct (example - i had one international buyer recently expecting their item to be with them a couple of days after I posted it it due to ebays estimated delivery time   )
You still have plenty time for it to arrive before you need to open a case, so try to be patient a bit longer   hopefully it will arrive soon

[ShortyBoo]

Well, I guess it was good I posted here before filing a case prematurely. The package arrived today out of nowhere. I checked the tracking and there wasn't a scan for it leaving that sort facility, it didn't have the usual scans from the sort facility near me that every single piece of our mail goes through and it didn't have anything about it arriving at our local post office. Just an "Out for Delivery" scan this morning. That was so strange.

[thekozmicpig]

Well, I guess it was good I posted here before filing a case prematurely. The package arrived today out of nowhere. I checked the tracking and there wasn't a scan for it leaving that sort facility, it didn't have the usual scans from the sort facility near me that every single piece of our mail goes through and it didn't have anything about it arriving at our local post office. Just an "Out for Delivery" scan this morning. That was so strange.

Sometimes the employees miss a package or two. It happens.

Also of interest, I've seen package show zero movement when I'm tracking them on ebay's app. Like it'll sit at "Manifest ACK" for three days. I check it on ebay's site after four days...bam, out for delivery. Heck, it's even done several legs! Check it on the app...it's all there now.

No idea why. The app is pretty glitchy sometimes.

[Eternia]

I made a similar post not too long ago about the same thing happening to me! How weird. :p I guess as long as there is tracking it works out eventually