Am I screwed here? Resolved

[shadroch]

June 7th I sold something on eBay.

June 8th, I bought and printed a Priority label through them and requested a USPS pickup..

June 9th I get a confirmation email from USPS stating the package was picked up with a confirmation number.

Yesterday, the buyer emails me saying he never received the package. I look at the tracking and there is none. Package was never scanned in. I have a paid label for a five pound priority box, and a confirmation email showing they picked up a 5 lb package but that's it.

Has anyone experienced anything like this?

I called the local PO and they were useless. Called the 800 customer service number and got a sympathetic ear and a case opened.

[jimbo_707]

Tip: Don't have packages picked up. I always take them to the post office so I can get a receipt right then and there.

[Wilson3d]

Wow, that does not sound good. Hope you can get some information from them. I sometimes have had the tracking not show up for an unusual amount of time but never that.

[Poe]

Priority mail comes with built in insurance. Don't know if this was an expensive item or not but if the post office can't prove delivery it's an easy claim.

[shadroch]

Even if was never scanned into the system? It's a $45 game.

[Lucky Baru]

Start a case via the 800 number USPS customer service number. If they can't find the package and show where it was delivered then you will loose any dispute started on either eBay and/or Paypal. In both it has to have a delivery scan for you to prove that they got it.

 

Oh, in the USPS system only the sender can file a claim for an insured item. You have to have the receipt to file the claim.

[jsilverjanet]

What's the weather today?

[Aweandlorder]

As long as you have a receipt and insured the package youre golden.

happened to me a couple of times where USPS lost a package of mine. I called, they told me to file a claim, 3 days later I got a check

[GeeksAreMyPeeps]

Even if was never scanned into the system? It's a $45 game.

I think Priority is automatically insured up to $50.

[dupont2005]

Even if was never scanned into the system? It's a $45 game.

if you got a confirmation email saying it was picked up you should be covered. I don't know that for a fact, just seems you should be

[lizards2]

Even if was never scanned into the system? It's a $45 game.

if you got a confirmation email saying it was picked up you should be covered. I don't know that for a fact, just seems you should be

I believe that is the point where it is scanned in - the postie picks it up and scans it onsite / on pick up.

[fastballspecial]

There have been situations where tracking isn't scanned in for a few days.

 

Ive had a similar situation. I kept checking back and eventually it would be scanned in, but 100s of miles away.

 

Start back tracking it.

 

[dupont2005]

I've had packages with tracking arrive without having been scanned once

[InvstmntComcSuply]

As long as you have a receipt and insured the package youre golden.

happened to me a couple of times where USPS lost a package of mine. I called, they told me to file a claim, 3 days later I got a check

 

But he doesn't have a receipt for the specific package

 

I had 3-4 "We have successfully completed your Package Pickup." email confirmations from USPS over a couple week period when the packages were never picked up. The confirmation number in the email is not a tracking number ( I think it is the same as the confirmation you get when placing the package pickup request). I doubt USPS would have paid claims on those packages.

[divad]

As long as you have a receipt and insured the package youre golden.

happened to me a couple of times where USPS lost a package of mine. I called, they told me to file a claim, 3 days later I got a check

 

Yep, USPS is tops in my book. They never lose anything, and always back it up if they do. I have nothing but good things to say about them. Many years ago I sent out a $750 slab that was scanned through "notice left" to a PO Box. Never got any response from the buyer after repeated contacts (maybe he died). I don't know. I had asked that the book be returned to seller (me) if undeliverable. They couldn't account for the book, and paid the full insured amount, all within 30 days. (still wish I had the book btw . . . )

[Moondog]

Tip: Don't have packages picked up. I always take them to the post office so I can get a receipt right then and there.

 

Tip 2 : don't use USPS.

[fmaz]

The folks at my local PO are top notch, and when I had a situation that was remarkable similar to this one they walked me through it.

 

Only difference was that I'd dropped off 4-5 packages one day and all but one showed up with tracking in the system. One did not. And a week later it hadn't been delivered. I admit that I don't wait around for receipts but they always take care of my stuff so I'd never worried before.

 

Anyway, the explanation ?

 

They said that on occasion a preprinted label can get screwed up slightly ... An ink smear from your printer for example... Or any small imperfection which makes it unreadable to the scanning system. So it then doesn't get tracked. It also doesn't proceed through the faster automated mailing channels but ends up getting hand sorted based on the address. They said this can, in some cases depending on location, take up to a full extra week. They told me this and the next day, 12 days after shipping first class item just two states away ... The package showed up.

 

So... It could just be as simple as that. Fingers crossed it shows up by, say, Monday.

[Doc McCoy]

Same here. I've had packages picked up at my office that go without being scanned until reaching the destination city. Give it a day or two. If it's actually out there going through the process, eventually it will get scanned.

[shadroch]

I submitted a claim after getting nowhere with my local PO. They hadn't gotten back to me , but today I got a check for $65.22. and a note saying my case was closed.

[HighRadArt]

So if the package mysteriously shows up will you give them back $65.22?