Int'l Package lost- need help with etiquette!

[MidnightMocha]

Please see the last post for the update~

[Stormness_1]

Wow, that's bad luck. I can't think of anything that would affect both sending and receiving. I'd have cracked it at the local PO regarding that tracked package. I've been down at my local PO after it the day it was supposed to be delivered, demand they stop being completely useless and deliver my mail, lol! But I'm awful to my PO, because they're always messing up my mail, even tracked and registered stuff!

Maybe track things for a few weeks, just to make sure your mail gets to its destination, and then if everything is good, try without again??

[MidnightMocha]

Oh, I should have mentioned that the package from ebay did show up, it's just that it took a second mailing for her to actually reach.

One lost package turned up for one of my buyers yesterday, so that's good. I have yet to hear about another one...

[apanda0622]

Hi!  My blind bag from you got here fine!  My advice is to put tracking on EVERYTHING.  I do not trust the PO because it seems when I don't use tracking, it never makes it to its destination.  I think using tracking helps the seller AND the buyer, so its a win-win situation.

[goddessofpeep]

I think the USPS budget cuts are starting to show. I have noticed a serious slowdown of all mail in the last few years. It started with international. I buy from the UK all the time, and I'd used to get items exactly one week from when they were shipped out.  It was almost like clockwork. Now it's anywhere from 3 weeks to 2 months.

They recently closed a major sorting center in California, and since that happened I've noticed first class/standard times becoming erratic. It's been like that for a little while.  Now Priority has gone a bit wonky. A friend of mine recently sent me a present(Indiana to California) via Priority. It was overdue, so she started tracking it.  It somehow got shipped to Puerto Rico, and stayed there for about a week before finally making its way to me.

I put tracking on everything, and usually insure it too.   I think things are only going to get worse if they don't repeal the law that's destroying our postal service.

[MidnightMocha]

I think the USPS budget cuts are starting to show. I have noticed a serious slowdown of all mail in the last few years. It started with international. I buy from the UK all the time, and I'd used to get items exactly one week from when they were shipped out.  It was almost like clockwork. Now it's anywhere from 3 weeks to 2 months.

They recently closed a major sorting center in California, and since that happened I've noticed first class/standard times becoming erratic. It's been like that for a little while.  Now Priority has gone a bit wonky. A friend of mine recently sent me a present(Indiana to California) via Priority. It was overdue, so she started tracking it.  It somehow got shipped to Puerto Rico, and stayed there for about a week before finally making its way to me.

I put tracking on everything, and usually insure it too.   I think things are only going to get worse if they don't repeal the law that's destroying our postal service.

That makes a lot more sense. I live in California, so maybe that could be affecting me. Fortunately (and somewhat unfortunately) it hasn't been affecting the packages I receive, which seem to be on time, but could it be interfering with the packages I send to others? I'm just waiting for one person to get a package from me that I sent weeks ago and really should have arrived a while back. The most interesting part is that it wasn't the first package I'd sent to her! I have sent her several in the past and had no issues until now...

[Stormness_1]

That's so frustrating. I know when we lose a sorting facility in bad weather, (cos it's near the airport, so it floods and get wind damage) our mail takes forever, especially outbound. Closing down sorting centres is definitely not helping matters!

[svleonard]

My local post office (Atlanta, GA 30308) has lost two of my packages (total value of about $75).  When I brought in the tracking number, they merely assured me that it was delivered when it was not.  I have no idea what happened to them, but I waited too long after their supposed delivery to effectively track them down.  I have also gotten my neighbor's mail, and my neighbors have gotten my mail.  Just be really careful with USPS.  They are much cheaper than UPS or FedEx, but you really do get what you pay for.

My advice is to always pay for tracking and get insurance on pricy items.  If the package does not arrive the day or day after its supposed to, hound the post office until you get some answers.  The underpaid, overworked employees there do not care what happened to your package, and they will not help you find it unless you make them.

I would much rather use a more-professional shipping service like UPS, honestly, but it's just too expensive for mine and my buyers' pony budgets.

[MidnightMocha]

Agreed, I've started tracking all the more expensive packages I sent out this week.

My next question is- is it possible to re-find a tracking number on a package you already sent? I sent an international package to Poland about a month and a half ago, had a tracking number for it, but then got rid of it since I didn't hear from the buyer until recently (so I assumed it was received). However, she says now that it hasn't turned up, but claims that you can hunt down the tracking number again. Is this true/possible? I'd love to do it if it works, but I just don't understand how they're going to find a package without me having its tracking number already.

Edit: The plot thickens! I DID have the tracking number on that package. It says it left the US as an international letter, and no more. It left a long time ago. So...basically, I have no way of knowing what happened to it afterwards. I gave the number to the buyer, so hopefully they'll be able to find it from their post office in Poland, but...it's so weird that it doesn't say where else it went.

[Stormness_1]

I really hate that situation, where it's apparently in limbo between two countries, so it's nobodies fault. It didn't go skydiving out of the plane, you morons! I think it should be an international law that the tracking barcodes must be scanned. And I think tracked items should have to be signed for.

[lovesbabysquirmy]

I think it should be an international law that the tracking barcodes must be scanned. And I think tracked items should have to be signed for.

It wouldn't bother you that it would probably take 4-6 months longer to mail anything if they did that?  Because it would certainly take a long time to ship with as few employees as the USPS has.  If they hired more people they would have to raise shipping prices again.  And people would scream and wail about how expensive it is to ship. 

When the postal service cuts costs, they lose their level of quality.  I would prefer prices that reflected an accurate level of speed, price, and quality.  And I don't mean paying as little as possible! 

[Ringlets]

Hmm unfortunately the post does seem to be all over the place lately - wherever we live in the world     some of my own international parcels have got here super fast, others I sent in my own country are taking forever to arrive . I'm still waiting on a parcel from the US from weeks ago , even though others sent later from the US and Canada have already got here.  Having tracking and insurance definitely helps if its a  valuable item, though the time of arrival still varies a lot.  Just tracking alone does not seem to guarantee a safe arrival these days either  - which is kinda scary!
Hopefully since you do have the tracking number for the parcel you sent to Poland, if the buyer checks it it might show up something there.   

[Radiance]

Not only are budget cuts starting to affect service, April is an insanely busy month for the PO due to taxes being filed.

[enchantress41580]

this is not just you- I've had this happen with my mail as well- shipping and receiving.

[Cron Sacchariferous]

Tracking is free for all priority mail. With my personal observation, first class & priority, is free with USPS click n' ship. I never use express or flat rate so I am not sure about those. Food for thought, it could also be the people handling mail and packages. You really never know who is on transit delivering or sorting it, you just can't really trust anyone. Just because these people work for the government, does not mean they will give you trusted guaranteed service especially when they work independently a great portion of the day without regulation of someone physically present (depending on job title). It could be some guy pissed off taking it out on everyone's mail for all we know. *shrugs* Hope you get this sorted out!