Help! Shipping woes.

[Sunset]

I sold something on eBay recently.  It was bought by an international buyer.  I've mailed things overseas before and not had problems for the most part.  I printed the postage directly off eBay so there shouldn't be any problems with mislabeling.

However, I've been watching the tracking on this item and instead of going to Chicago were my international items usually go before leaving the country, this item went to some town in IL that I don't recognize them turned around and came back to my post office.  I don't have the actual package yet so I don't know what the problem could be.

I'm concerned about having to re-ship it which will put me out additional money.

Any advice?

[silverdawn]

Ugh, that's just usps.  I'm in Iowa and just sent a package to California.  It's currently in Florida.    I wouldn't worry too much about it yet, but if you see a couple of days of no package movement, I'd call the PO and get them to look into it.

[flying_narwhal]

I completely understand, packages going the wrong way can be worrying! But I agree with silverdawn to give it a few more days. USPS usually works these things out, sometimes it just takes a little time. It may have been missent and was sent back to your PO for resorting. I've watched tracking before that makes no sense, packages being sent WAY out of the way from where they are supposed to... The system is just weird sometimes. 

[Sunset]

Well, the package actually made it back to my doorstep.  There's nothing marked on it to indicate that there is a problem.  My only guess so far is that some one/ones don't know how to read an international label and thought that I was supposed to be the recipient and not the sender.

I guess I'll take it back to the post office tomorrow and try again.

[flying_narwhal]

Well, the package actually made it back to my doorstep.  There's nothing marked on it to indicate that there is a problem.  My only guess so far is that some one/ones don't know how to read an international label and thought that I was supposed to be the recipient and not the sender.

I guess I'll take it back to the post office tomorrow and try again.

I'm glad it at least that the package got back to you instead of getting lost in the postal system. Maybe you could ask someone at the PO counter if everything looks ok with the package in terms of customs forms, etc?

[Ringlets]

  that's odd.
Unless they somehow had a fail and shipped to you thinking you were the person receiving the parcel instead of sending it? is the label big and clear?
do talk to someone in your PO about what went wrong because it is possibly (probably) someone at USPS that messed up if the international address is correct, the customs form is correct and there isn't anything wrong with the way it was packed etc
please let us know how it goes
PS - it's not unusual for a parcel to head in the wrong direction and show odd destinations/updates on the tracking when it comes to USPS ...however the parcel arrives  just fine   ..er..  ...in most cases

[nhal039]

You shouldnt have to pay twice as it was their mistake

[Sunset]

I took it back to the post office yesterday morning.  The guy there was just as confused as to what happened. He date stamped it again and we will see if it gets there this time.

[Thunderwing]

I have had that happen to me, years ago. When they changed to the new customs form format - I received the box back a week after shipping it out. I took it to the post office, explained it, and they shipped it again for me free of charge.

Glad to hear the box at least found it's way back to you!  Gotta love the tracking option on parcels.

[Galactica]

That is very strange-

Although a post office lady once before warned me it could happen, and told me that in addition to the label and customs forms that I printed out- I should make sure that the TO address is somewhere very clear in big black letters..  (so I'm guessing that it DOES happen)