Buyer wants tracking update, not sure what to say (non-pony)

[Skeen]

My husband sold some music equipment last week on eBay.  He printed the shipping label and I sent the box from my office's mailroom on the 29th (5 days ago).  It went media mail, with free shipping in the auction.  Today there is a message from the buyer wanting us to "update the tracking" because the tracking number only shows the generic "shipping label printed."  I'm not sure what to tell him?  I can't magically make shipping info appear.   Our mailroom is only a hub, it doesn't scan in tracking info.  The USPS guy that comes to pick up the mail is in charge of that, or at least whichever PO he takes our mail to. 

Normally I would just tell him to be patient and that the tracking number is correct (it's an auto-generated number, so I couldn't have typo-ed any numbers) and media mail is extremely low priority mail at the PO, but in checking his feedback (a whopping 11), I saw he's actually left another seller a negative feedback recently, saying they had poor communication because it took 4 days for shipping info to update!  In his message he said he's not accusing us of not shipping his equipment, but he's recently had someone who printed a label and never shipped and it isn't that far between  where we live for it to have taken this long.  I think he just doesn't understand how media mail works.  :/   

[ponylady]

I would politely explain to him that Media Mail gets very few scans along the way. Also that it receives lower priority than any other service offered; i.e., EXPRESS, PRIORITY, PARCEL, even FIRST CLASS. This means it could sit weeks until they can comfortably get to it, this is why it is cheaper.

Unfortunately he is going to have to be patient.

[ClosetAvalanche]

Also be sure to let him know you have no way of updating the tracking info, only the post office does that.

[goddessofpeep]

Just a bit of a warning for you:
Media mail is for books and other media. It's a cheap way to send things that weigh a lot, but have little value. The post office knows that people like to use it to ship other things cheaply, and they've been cracking down on people sending non-media items.  They can and do open packages to check. If you get caught, they used to confiscate the items. Now I think they just charge the shipper the full cost of what the box would've cost to send the most expensive method, possibly plus an extra fine. Media mail is by far the least reliable way to send anything. I only use it for things that I don't care if it arrives or not(like the pile of books my parents didn't feel like taking home with them when they visited).  I have had packages completely disappear, never to be seen again, with media mail. 

I hope your package arrives ok and in a timely manner, but you might want to be more careful in the future.  They do check, not often but it happens.  Even if it gets through, it's going to be crazy slow and ebay buyers aren't known for their patience. 

[Ringlets]

I don't think I can add anything else to the advise you already received. Sounds like your buyer doesn't get how things work   If he does leave you bad feedback due to the tracking number not updating its worth contacting ebay about that

[ponycake]

IA with goddesspeep. It reallyyy bugs me when people try to send something that's not a book or the other allowed items through media mail. It's not allowed, it's so slow I don't even know why people try it.

Someone sent my mom a clock through media mail. After a long long time with no updates it arrived shattered.

[Galactica]

USPS just isn't that great about scanning in tracking info-

I would let them know that it sometimes takes a day or two.  Occasionally the post office doesn't scan in the tracking until the final DELIVERY scan.  That is the most annoying but it happens quite regularly.

[Skeen]

Guys, it was something that could be sent through media mail just fine.  We asked the PO first. 

And wouldn't you know it, it was delivered with updated tracking today!

[silverdawn]

I sometimes worry about trusting what my post office people tell me... for example, I was pretty sure you couldn't use priority boxes for first class mail, but my postal people told me it was no problem, as long as you wrapped the priority box and not to worry about it.  Well, then I got an official letter from from the USPS fraud department telling me with specific detail about a parcel that I'd sent and that if I ever did it again, I would be officially investigated with criminal charges pressed.  I think I still have that letter somewhere.  It seemed personally written and not like a premade template letter.  Needless to say I listened!!  I showed that letter to my postal people and they were shocked.  I'm also technically in my "immigration process" and still have to do an interview with the government to prove my marriage is real and not a sham for me to get a permanent residence card (don't get me started on that), so that last thing I want is a criminal record over a stupid postage box.  I would be *very* very careful using media mail...

Silverawn

[banditpony]

Guys, it was something that could be sent through media mail just fine.  We asked the PO first. 

And wouldn't you know it, it was delivered with updated tracking today!

Great!
I wanted to add that this isn't just a media mail thing. I just had it happen with priority. (Although i suspect lied about the day he dropped it off). USPS just doesn't always scan. :/

[Skeen]

Yeah, bandit, I've been having that problem recently too but at least with Priority the package gets where it's going before it's even missed!  This particular package wasn't scanned at all until it got to the PO that delivered it to the buyer but I had a Priority box last week that was delivered right on time and still hasn't ever been scanned.  Luckily the buyer was a fellow here so I was able to find out it had made it alright! 

[Galactica]

Yeah, bandit, I've been having that problem recently too but at least with Priority the package gets where it's going before it's even missed!  This particular package wasn't scanned at all until it got to the PO that delivered it to the buyer but I had a Priority box last week that was delivered right on time and still hasn't ever been scanned.  Luckily the buyer was a fellow here so I was able to find out it had made it alright!

This USED to happen to me about every other time- my post office just wasn't scanning packages going out.  I used to circle the scan code and put arrows going to it-  finally I had to stand in line and watch the guy scan it if I wanted it scanned in.  I will still do that, but only for expensive or insured stuff (stand in line).

[Ringlets]

Glad to know  it arrived  safely
 yep I've had the tracking update (or lack) issue when buying from the US too. Today I received a doll. The tracking said it had only just left the US this morning when I checked up on it     it somehow managed to get through UK customs, go to the main depot, transfer to my local one and turn up first thing? all on the same day on a 1st class USPS service? sure it did   *eyeroll* oh well, it was a nice surprise anyways

[Galactica]

Yeah actually the USPS failure to scan packages in the day they are received can be a real problem.  I think when people look at the tracking and see that it hasn't been scanned in-  they automatically assume the person didn't take it to the post office yet or something

[ZeldaTheSwordsman]

The USPS is an underfunded under-disciplined shadow of what it once was.