Missing USPS package. Help please! (1 Viewer)

[JP1984]

Hi all,

Sadly a package that @jja412 has shipped to me (St. Louis to the UK) has gone missing. The tracking has not been updated since they collected it from him. We are doing the usual dance with USPS and trying to track it down.

The reason for the post is to ask that people keep an eye out in case any of the below chips appear anywhere. I'll be scouring eBay and classifieds but would appreciate a message if anyone stumbles across them, given the value of the package and that it's my first step into the RHC world, I am gutted.

To my fellow UK shippers, definitely consider using other carriers, there are plenty of threads about USPS on here and elsewhere. When it's a package worth thousands, like this one, paying a couple of hundred more is probably worth it.

Fingers crossed it just turns up on my doorstep in a month. One time!

Cheers,
JP

 

[TKEUofM]

How long has it been since the original ship date? I’ve had packages go without updates for a week or two and then magically it starts moving.

 

[JP1984]

I meant to add that...it's 12 days now. They have not updated the tracking since they were collected...

I'd be delighted if they just appear or it starts moving again of course. Just putting this out there for awareness really, I wouldn't want people to buy them off someone and to have to get into that mess.

 

[Eriks]

I wouldn’t worry, I’ve had several packages go weeks and even months without updates, but they have all turned up.

 

[TKEUofM]

Pre shipment usually means the order for the shipping label was created, usually through the online account, and they haven’t received the item yet.

Once the item is dropped off with the label on it, they them scan it and tracking through their system starts at the origin facility.

 

[jja412]

Pre shipment usually means the order for the shipping label was created, usually through the online account, and they haven’t received the item yet.

Once the item is dropped off with the label on it, they them scan it and tracking through their system starts at the origin facility.

Yes, that is what worries me. I am the reshipper of these items. They were picked up by the postman at my work almost 2 weeks ago. There is no record of them in the system besides my generated label.

 

[jja412]

Details of package contents:
300 Boulder Station $2
200 Lucky Lady $1
300 JACK $25 secondary
100 JACK $5 used

 

[cpac54]

Normally I wouldn’t even bat an eye after only 12 days, but it is odd that the package doesn’t seem to have been scanned in initially. Hopefully it shows up for you guys.

 

[Eloe2000]

I have shipped a lot of packages recently because of the cut card group buys and I am getting a lot of incidents where it gets scanned in my local city and then never scanned again. Every single time it has still shown up at the destination. Sometimes it still shows that it is in my city.

That being said, the “pre-shipment” indication means that as far as USPS is concerned, they don’t have the package. A couple things could have happened here. Hopefully the tracking barcode was damaged or obscured and it jut isn’t scanning correctly. But there could have also been an issue with the pickup side. I would try to talk to the pickup postman and see if there is any info they have.

 

[Cliff]

This is normal for USPS lately. I wouldn't even begin to worry till 30-40 days.

 

[Pinkdan]

This has happened to me a hand full of times and luckily the package has always found its way to me eventually...

 

[ReallyGoodUsername]

I have shipped a lot of packages recently because of the cut card group buys and I am getting a lot of incidents where it gets scanned in my local city and then never scanned again. Every single time it has still shown up at the destination. Sometimes it still shows that it is in my city.

That being said, the “pre-shipment” indication means that as far as USPS is concerned, they don’t have the package. A couple things could have happened here. Hopefully the tracking barcode was damaged or obscured and it jut isn’t scanning correctly. But there could have also been an issue with the pickup side. I would try to talk to the pickup postman and see if there is any info they have.

This is normal for USPS lately. I wouldn't even begin to worry till 30-40 days.

+1 on both of these. Unless the package was left out in the middle of a busy street unattended for hours before pickup I think it’s much more likely that the USPS driver who picked it up just didn’t scan it in which happens from time to time. It’s frustrating given the value of the packages we send sometimes but it does sometimes happen with their pickup service occasionally and unfortunately. How it shows up today!

 

[Perthmike]

Don't sweat 12 days. That will show up. I've had that multiple times where it gets stuck for a while.

 

[philhut]

I am over 6 weeks on one package of cut cards and two weeks on another one.... not sure why

 

[Rhodeman77]

I would recommend dropping packages off at the post office, even with a prepaid shipping label. You will get a receipt that it was received by the post office with its tracking number. At this point even if you bought insurance the Post office will most likely say they never received the package so they won’t pay.

 

[Eloe2000]

I am over 6 weeks on one package of cut cards and two weeks on another one.... not sure why

Oh no. Did the cut cards not arrive yet from me?

 

[ReallyGoodUsername]

I would recommend dropping packages off at the post office, even with a prepaid shipping label. You will get a receipt that it was received by the post office with its tracking number. At this point even if you bought insurance the Post office will most likely say they never received the package so they won’t pay.

And make sure it’s on the receipt! I had a new employee not scanning int’l packages in because they didn’t know what do to when asked for a zip code on their system so they just weren’t scanning them in

 

[Nanook]

Don't sweat 12 days. That will show up. I've had that multiple times where it gets stuck for a while.

I would say this exact same thing. I had a package last yr that took 2 months. It finally showed up. Several more packages that took a week or 2 more than they should have. Apparently Covid has taken its toll on the USPS.

Gotta have some patience

 

[BEANO52]

Oh man, so sorry to hear this! I am in the St. Louis area and will keep an eye out as well. It goes without saying @jja412 is 100% upstanding as I have done several transactions with him & know him personally. Best of luck they turn up!!

 

[philhut]

Oh no. Did the cut cards not arrive yet from me?

no, many of the postal sorting sites have been shut down or have had hours restricted etc while our gov't is doing what it does... the tracking information for the package basically stops once it arrive at the airport in Toronto Canada.

 

[LotsOfChips]

For overseas shipments, 12 weeks is more likely than 12 days. There was a time recently when packages from North America to EU/UK (and vice versa) were pretty much prohibited due to Covid, and it can still take months to happen. Then again, miraculously they can also appear in a matter of days.

You will probably see a scan update when it leaves the US, but that may take a few weeks.

 

[navels]

It sounds like you filed a claim with USPS. If you haven't, definitely do so. My record for a lost package is three months and it was delivered a few days after filing a claim.

 

[LotsOfChips]

no, many of the postal sorting sites have been shut down or have had hours restricted etc while our gov't is doing what it does... the tracking information for the package basically stops once it arrive at the airport in Toronto Canada.

That issue is usually with the handover between Canada Customs and Canada Post. It gets scanned as arriving at the airport, then sits in a huge pile waiting to be cleared at Customs. That can take between 2 to 12 weeks, and CP won't even talk to you about missing packages until around 8 weeks (one person literally laughed at me), at which point they tell you to wait until 12 weeks. The package is not scanned again until it is transferred back to CP, at which point delivery usually happens within a few days.

 

[CdnBeerLover]

That issue is usually with the handover between Canada Customs and Canada Post. It gets scanned as arriving at the airport, then sits in a huge pile waiting to be cleared at Customs. That can take between 2 to 12 weeks, and CP won't even talk to you about missing packages until around 8 weeks (one person literally laughed at me), at which point they tell you to wait until 12 weeks. The package is not scanned again until it is transferred back to CP, at which point delivery usually happens within a few days.

My experience is that if it's mailed as a letter (tracking number starts with U for the ones sent to me), the tracking stops at the border. If it's mailed as a package (tracking numbers beginning with L) tracking works fine.

 

[jja412]

We have a scan!! The package is in Chicago according to the tracking. So happy they are on their way!

 

[JP1984]

You guys worked wonders, it appeared within 6 hours of this post!

Thanks all and especially thanks to @jja412 for sticking with it, I can go back to refreshing the page and waiting for it to get through customs now! At least they have acknowledged its existence, that's all I was looking for!

 

[buffalojim]

Just read all this and it sounds like it will end well. That's good to hear!

 

[joeyshin]

Package I’m waiting for

 

[coolguy101]

As someone who ships over 100 packages per week via USPS, nothing is more irritating than a buyer who obsessively watches tracking and harasses me about it. I’m not referencing the OP in this instance; I’m saying just in general. What ever did people do before the internet existed? Seriously though; people seem to think that the guy who dropped it off at USPS and paid for the shipping label has some sort of special insight and relationship with USPS that will facilitate their package A: getting there faster, B: have some sort of special tracking not available to the receiver, C: can personally locate said package if tracking doesn’t update as fast as they would like, D: expect me lose my money because something happened to their package.

Buyers love to contact me because they know I’ll respond, and once I make the mistake of engaging in dialogue with them, it goes off the rails. They will no longer contact USPS directly. They expect me to do that for them. They do not believe me when I try to explain exactly how USPS, FedEx, and UPS tracking actually works. They don’t understand that UPS tracking is simulated and all those updates they see as it travels cross country are fake. They don’t understand that nobody goes into the shipping container every few hundred miles to scan their package for them so they can see it update while they refreshed tracking on their phone for the 100th time that day. They accuse me of lying, are convinced it’s lost or stolen because it hasn’t received a scan in a week (while it’s in a rail car), and demand refunds. Then one magical day, the package miraculously receives a scan at a distribution center near their home. They get it a day or two later, and the saga ends for them.
I begin a new one the next day with a new buyer.

that’s the end of my rant

 

[LotsOfChips]

As someone who ships over 100 packages per week via USPS, nothing is more irritating than a buyer who obsessively watches tracking and harasses me about it. I’m not referencing the OP in this instance; I’m saying just in general. What ever did people do before the internet existed? Seriously though; people seem to think that the guy who dropped it off at USPS and paid for the shipping label has some sort of special insight and relationship with USPS that will facilitate their package A: getting there faster, B: have some sort of special tracking not available to the receiver, C: can personally locate said package if tracking doesn’t update as fast as they would like, D: expect me lose my money because something happened to their package.

Buyers love to contact me because they know I’ll respond, and once I make the mistake of engaging in dialogue with them, it goes off the rails. They will no longer contact USPS directly. They expect me to do that for them. They do not believe me when I try to explain exactly how USPS, FedEx, and UPS tracking actually works. They don’t understand that UPS tracking is simulated and all those updates they see as it travels cross country are fake. They don’t understand that nobody goes into the shipping container every few hundred miles to scan their package for them so they can see it update while they refreshed tracking on their phone for the 100th time that day. They accuse me of lying, are convinced it’s lost or stolen because it hasn’t received a scan in a week (while it’s in a rail car), and demand refunds. Then one magical day, the package miraculously receives a scan at a distribution center near their home. They get it a day or two later, and the saga ends for them.
I begin a new one the next day with a new buyer.

that’s the end of my rant

Good rant! While I agree with 99.95%of what you said, unfortunately (as I understand it) the receiver has no standing with USPS to initiate a claim, so the shipper does bear a little bit of responsibility to assist if the package does truly get lost.

BUT (and this is a YUUUUGE BUT), the receiver HAS to be patient to allow the package to get through the system, and HAS to understand that the present volume of packages (resulting from COVID lockdowns and increased online shopping) and the decreased services at USPS (resulting from COVID lockdowns and government policies) means that packages take WAY longer to arrive than they used to. Patience is the key. If it hasn't arrived after 4-5 weeks, then MAYBE it is time to contact the seller for assistance, or maybe it is time to cool your jets and wait another week.