USPS rant

[Jack]

I guess I should have known this but apparently if you mail an uninsured item and the post office losses it they are not obliged in any way? Does this make sense to anyone? 

[81Blackbird]

They should at least put a tracer or BOLO on it so when it shows up damaged they could still get it to the individual.  I insure anything that is important or use their signature method.

[kentucky yeti]

I guess I should have known this but apparently if you mail an uninsured item and the post office losses it they are not obliged in any way? Does this make sense to anyone?

Same as Fedex/UPS/DHL.  UPS does have an included insurance, and you pay for extra coverage, but getting them to pay a claim is terrible.  Same with G+Fedex, who lost a complete rust-free fender on the day it was scanned "out for delivery".  Insured for $400 (sale price).  I reimbursed that full amount to the buyer, and after 3 months, Fedex paid me $100.  Never got the fender back.

[Jack]

I figured that much. Oh well $250 lesson learned.

[Casey]

Yup, always do insurance on anything you wouldn't want to eat the cost of.  It's screwed up really that them doing their job as advertised isn't a guarantee and that you need to pay even more to cover against such an incident, but that's how it is because they can get away with it since you have to choose one of the jamokes and they all know it.

[roadking77]

I have heard similar stories to echo what Mike said. Having insured a package and collecting if it is lost or damaged are 2 diff things. If a part is made of unobtanium it is best to deliver personally if at all possible. For other things its taking a chance. I had problems years ago returning a part, but I think that was mostly my fault and the crooks at the receiving dept. Other than that I have had good luck sending and getting stuff. Only thing ever lost was my dash bezel coming back from the restoration shop and I have to say the shipper made good on that.

[NOT A TA]

I ship daily. I've had 4 packages lost by USPS in the past year. All four were ebay purchases and ebay forces the seller to give the buyer a replacement or full refund even though it's not the sellers fault which seems wrong. Putting in a claim for relatively low dollar value items isn't worth the time it takes even if they paid the claim.

In the past I've quickly replaced the item for the buyer but will no longer do so. Two of the packages ended up showing up to the buyer right after I sent replacements. So now, I'll issue a refund and tell the buyer to wait a week or two to see if they get the product for free and if not then reorder. I'll lose less money that way because I'll still have the second product to sell where if I send a replacement the buyer has two and I'm out the second one to sell. I'll still lose the total value of the sale & shipping which doesn't seem fair because USPS is the responsible party. So not only do I lose the product but also pay USPS to lose it!

The two items that disappeared off the face of the earth were both put in the indoor package drop box at the local post office on two different Sundays and did not show up as being received by the USPS. Since tracking never acknowledged receipt of the packages there's no way they'd pay a claim because they'd say I never dropped off the packages. This leads me to believe the Sunday worker at the local office is stealing packages when no one would see them.  And due to the system no one would put in claims which would result in an investigation. I no longer drop packages on Sundays.

[Jack]

Mine was also an eBay purchase and the only thing that I did differently was not to print the label but use the QR code provided. I took the package to the post office myself and watched the postman apply the label and I asked for a receipt. The package left the local post office and made it all the way to the main branch in Boston but never moved from there... I never filed a claim as I was told that I can't without insurance. I don't think that's right nor do I think anyone should pay extra to protect against a lost item that is clearly with the post office (per the tracking number). I always viewed insurance is necessary to protect against a broken item due to shipping. But again I've heard USPS refused to pay claiming the item was not packed correctly. 

[NOT A TA]

Mine was also an eBay purchase and the only thing that I did differently was not to print the label but use the QR code provided. I took the package to the post office myself and watched the postman apply the label and I asked for a receipt. The package left the local post office and made it all the way to the main branch in Boston but never moved from there... I never filed a claim as I was told that I can't without insurance. I don't think that's right nor do I think anyone should pay extra to protect against a lost item that is clearly with the post office (per the tracking number). I always viewed insurance is necessary to protect against a broken item due to shipping. But again I've heard USPS refused to pay claiming the item was not packed correctly.

Over the years I've had several packages with similar stories and the packages seem to reappear miraculously at the local destination post office and get delivered. This is why I've stopped replacing orders that don't arrive within Ebays time limit. Also, wait to the last day Ebay allows you to provide the refund as it may arrive before then and if you already refunded you're out even though the buyer gets the package.

[scarebird]

We ship 2,500-3,500 packages a year; almost always USPS and they do very well.  But during the Summer and Fall of 2020 when DeJoy was ****ing with the service trying to slow it down for Trump we had all sorts of issues.

Selling on eBay now is a sucker bet.

[kentucky yeti]

We ship 2,500-3,500 packages a year; almost always USPS and they do very well.  But during the Summer and Fall of 2020 when DeJoy was ****ing with the service trying to slow it down for Trump we had all sorts of issues.

Selling on eBay now is a sucker bet.

DeJoy had nothing to do with the Postal Service-imposed Covid regulations.  Anyone "exposed" to the virus automatically got a 2-week paid vacation, regardless of how they tested.  Under Trump- not a single plant closed.  Under Obama- nearly half were closed permanently by the end of 2015 before Trump took office or DeJoy was selected as PMG.  Now, with the new administration, the constraints are off again.  Nearly 1/4 of the remaining plants are closing/closed starting in 2021- including the one where I have worked for 25+ years.  Delivery standards were changed in 2012, and are being reduced again now.  There is a bipartisan bill in Congress to stop the deliberate destruction of the USPS.  We shall see what happens.

[scarebird]

How many of these million dollar plus sorting machines were scrapped for no reason by DeJoy?

We had more package lost/wrecked in that 6 months than the previous dozen years combined.   And those that were we were almost always denied compensation for no reason.

[scarebird]

...Under Obama- nearly half were closed permanently by the end of 2015 before Trump took office or DeJoy was selected as PMG.  Now, with the new administration, the constraints are off again...

wat.

[kentucky yeti]

I'm not sure of your point.  USPS built larger facilities and consolidated smaller ones.  But in 2010, they aggressively began cutting processing those facilities and actively delaying mail by having to send it further away for processing,, and then send it back for delivery.  Thousands of post offices had their window service hours cut from 8 to 6, 4 or 2 hours daily.  Scores of processing plants were closed.  The facilities you show include all post offices, BMEU's, processing, air facilities, etc...   Under Obama- nearly half of the remaining PROCESSING plants were closed.  That is the plants with the sorting machines.  Fact:  Not one post office of plant closed after 2016 until 2021.  I realize that all I have done is to be invited to the House Congressional Oversight Committee to present evidence showing the need for keeping the USPS open and serving the public like they used to and am not qualified to know anything after 25+ years.   Perhaps you have testified at a House Committee too. Amazingly, the reform bill that just passed the House and is on the way to the Senate calls for the USPS to return to 2012 delivery standards.  That is when delivery went from 1-2 days to 3-whenever.  The million dollar machines you speak of- we have been dismantling UFSM 1000's and DBCS 990's since 2012, as they are 1990 technology and  have parts that are no longer manufactured.  They have been replaced with new, modern machines that sort packages and letters and flats up to 20x faster, and are capable of reading addresses at 99%. But yeah- it's political.  On both sides.  The easiest thing to do is to research 2006 Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA).  It was a bipartisan effort to rape the Postal Service and has worked rather well for both sides.  I'm done now.

[tinpusher]

Dear John Verhoev,

 

Thank you for taking the time to notify us of your experience. Your USPS® Service Request 22887727 has been marked as resolved.

 

According to our Product Tracking System, your package scanned on 2/1/2021 at our McKinney, TX 75070 location. After this all outgoing parcels are sent to our distribution center in Coppell, TX. Unfortunately, there have been no updated scans to show movement at this time; however, as soon as we receive any updates we can notify you and we will deliver as addressed.

 

Please accept our sincerest apology for any trouble this may have caused you. We appreciate your business and look forward to serving you again in the future.

 

Sincerely,

Rashad Boisseau
Supervisor Customer Service
McKinney, TX 75070
Rashad.Y.Boisseau@usps.gov
972-542-2931


The above message was sent to me after my parts were went missing.. note the first paragraph, “MY SERVICE REQUEST HAS BEEN RESOLVED “  but my shipment is still missing…..really.

FYI: if you ship or have someone ship parts in a tube, those get set aside until someone gets “time” to process it manually, they do not have a way to process “tubes” . My OEM window sweeps are still in a resolved missing status.

My friend that works for the post office says to contact the post master directly and file a theft claim. It requires then to actively search to the package.

[firebirdparts]

. I don't think that's right nor do I think anyone should pay extra to protect against a lost item that is clearly with the post office (per the tracking number)

The post office has been around for 250 years, you shouldn't be getting surprised here.   If you were 15 years old I could understand it.  The insurance is for loss. that's what it's for.

When I was 12 years old if I went into the post office and said I wanted to ship something or other, the postmaster (one man shop) would say "do you want insurance?"  No tracking in those days.

[scarebird]

My point is pretty simple - you said almost 50 percent of facilities were closed; USPS says your statement is hyperbole at best so it corrupts your other statements.

This is what I have seen:  Trump was whining in Summer 2020 that voting by mail was fraudulent.  Complete nonsense; Washington and other states are almost completely vote by mail; t works superbly.  So in early Fall these sorting machines were scrapped (were they replaced?) as were thousands of drop boxes.  And as stated my business suffered more failures in delivery in 3 months than in the previous ten years combined along with blanket denial of claims - allegorical, yes - but as noticeable as a two-hander to the head from an enraged defenseman

Good for you testifying to Congress.  But you can't see the forest for the trees here.  I am solidly in favor of a well-funded Postal system as a backbone of commerce: we have the best and I do NOT want to see it parted out to some darn private equity firm as a political favor.

[Jack]

. I don't think that's right nor do I think anyone should pay extra to protect against a lost item that is clearly with the post office (per the tracking number)

The post office has been around for 250 years, you shouldn't be getting surprised here.   If you were 15 years old I could understand it.  The insurance is for loss. that's what it's for.

When I was 12 years old if I went into the post office and said I wanted to ship something or other, the postmaster (one man shop) would say "do you want insurance?"  No tracking in those days.

I get it and remember the same... but again no business should operate with the presumption that the customer must pay extra to guarantee a service. It's like take your car for service and the repair shop asking you to pay more to guarantee the work.   

[nas t eh]

First,
As a Canadian, I prefer a US business to ship to me using USPS if possible. I always get good service and pay the least for delivery, taxes and fees at the border.

Second,
I ordered an Apple IPad a few years ago, Apple shipped by UPS insured and all fees prepaid.  Well it was supposed to take about a week to get to me. I got a tracking number and followed it. After about 10 days it showed out for delivery to my address, but it never arrived. I called and UPS said “I would get it the next day”, but again it never arrived. This went on for a couple weeks with me calling every few days and them saying “tomorrow”. Finally one UPS Employee said “call Apple and have them file a lost parcel claim.”

So I called and Apple said they were sending me another IPad but by FedEx this time. I asked Apple what to do if the UPS IPad showed up and was told I could do what ever I wanted with it.

I eventually ended up with two IPads.

Question,
Did Apple get stuck paying for the second IPad or UPS?

[roadking77]

Not a rant but an observation. I got a notice that my 'package' has been shipped. Said it arrived in Baltimore this morning (sat) at 12 am. To be delivered to my house Tuesday, Mar 1. I live no more than 40 minutes from Bmore! AND, Im not quite sure what it even is. I am hoping its the Ebrock intake for my motor build. Only 1 other thing I have ordered. Which is funny itself.
Needed cabinet hinges for a job. Ordered on Thurs. Standard shipping with a tuesday delivery was $9. Expedited shipping with delivery on tuesday!! was $15. Next day deliver which was for yesterday (friday) was $25. I stuck with standard delivery for tuesday. Just got an email they are out for delivery today.

[5th T/A]

I guess the service you get could be dependent largely on where you live. When we send packages and letters across country there is a fair amount of variation of delivery speed depending on where it's going. I have nothing but good things to say about the service from my local mail carrier and the post office staff.