I don’t know if this is happening anywhere else, but there seems to be massive delays in USPS recently. I have 5 incoming packages with tracking info and 2 outgoing. All 7 were supposed to have been received by now (2 Priority, 5 First Class). One of the outgoing packages had a status I’ve never seen before, Usually the bar in the status is blue, but this time it was orange and read this…,
“The package is delayed and will not be delivered by the expected delivery date. An updated delivery date will be provided when available. Your item departed our USPS origin facility in NORTH HOUSTON, TX 77315 on February 18, 2015 at 10:21 pm. The item is currently in transit to the destination.”
…this item was supposed to be delivered Tuesday.
I called consumer affairs after getting nowhere with USPS customer service. They simply told me that they are “very busy with a lot of mail” and that their whole sorting facility will be closing soon. As of now, my “2 Day Priority Mail” will be 2 days late. It left CA, and hasn’t updated in 2 days…and I know it’s sitting there in damn North Houston.
Another package left scanned from CA, the next tracking info I got was 5 days past delivery date, which was simply “Delivered”
Funny enough, the thing that got the Houston sorting facility to begin to close down was an eBay Merchant; after complaining that all of his shipments going through North Houston would simply sit there for days, even weeks, around Christmas a few months ago. Here’s a link to an article if anyone is interested,
Has this been happening anywhere else? Or is it just my luck with the shit sorting facility I have? There is no way to avoid packages going through North Houston sorting facility for the most part. Does anyone else have packages that go through Houston?
Agreeing with Gary on this one. Are you shipping to the East coast of the US? If so their experiencing severe storms/delays and mail hasn’t been getting delivered period, I sent off a 2 day priority box just as you and it took 5 days to be received by Ed/ebirdman.
The one package I have is going to Kentucky. The other packages are coming to me from the East Coast/West Coast/Central America/anything. All of them are not arriving when they are supposed to. I have a hard time believing that it is a coincidence that all of my packages are delayed. It must be the sorting facility, everywhere else according to the tracking they are in and out of in 1 day.
I have had the delay messages as well + another new one. I drop off the package. It is scanned in, and accepted at the facility. Then usually 2 hours later USPS creates another shipping label. This has happened to almost a dozen packages lately. Here is one: tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfirmAction?qtc_tLabels1=9400109699937300965111
It took from 1/6 to 12/12 to make it from NC to NY before being sent abroad. I think the only reason this one was sent through was because it had an uncut sheet in it, making it hard to miss. If you notice it was not scanned into the sorting facility for Greensboro, NC. It simply skipped that scan and went from my local post office to NY.
USPS has been for the most part consistent for me, but there has been more and more stuff like that happening since they made changes to their tracking system during this past November. I had a particular package I shipped to @guangjohto were I handed it off to a postal worker on X date, and the tracking didn’t show anything online, and then suddenly all of the scans up to that point showed online after a week… I’m going through the same thing with something I sold on eBay on Wednesday, the tracking # doesn’t show anything when checked on USPS’ website, when I gave it to one of the workers at the front desk (and I assume it’s been scanned at least once by now). I heard from some other eBay sellers that even though the labels you print on eBay/PayPal have a “tracking” # on them, they only are required to scan the package upon delivery. The other scans are optional, and the scans might be skipped on days where the mail volume is high.
If it’s just the Texas sorting facility being slow, you might want to file some complains to see if anything positive happens down the road. As long as you let your buyers know beforehand that any delays are the USPS’ fault (cuz there’s a few people out there who seem to think all delays are the sellers fault…), you should be fine.
I’m also currently having touble with USPS. I’ve been waiting a month for a single card to arrive to Australia. Tracking has stopped in Memphis and was last updated on the 28th of January. Been in contact with seller and he said he was talking to USPS and they said it should be delivered to me in 5 days, if not it will be returned to sender. Been almost 2 weeks since that and neither of us have seen the card. So who knows…
I shipped a couple hundred Priority Mail packages from the West Coast (SF Bay Area) to dozens of different parts of the United States last week, and the tracking information for nearly every one of them had that “delayed” message.
Weird, so several people have seen this problem too then all over the country. I don’t know if it’s just the time of the year or if this is just the current state of USPS. It seems a lot of you are shipping internationally too, which I honestly don’t know much about. Thanks for letting me know what’s going on with your packages/ situations to everyone that posted,
A bit of an update on my end…
After getting off the phone for the 3rd time with customer service, they opened 2 cases up, 1 for the mail being delayed in North Houston, and another one for a package coming from CA. The CA one sat in Santa Clarita for like 10 days w/o any tracking update, then all of the sudden the day after I file a case complaint, there are like 6 scans letting me know it is out for delivery. A key thing to note though was that it was missing essential scans.
It seems like even though I eventually get my packages, they go from departing a major sort facility, then no update for like 7 days, then all of the sudden “out for delivery” while missing like a ton of arrival/departure scans. I mean as of now I’m not complaining because I got a lot of my stuff I figured was gone forever, however some of my outgoing packages are still “delayed” 10 days and counting.
I mean I guess all that we can do right now is wait. I mean I think I might just start taking the safe route and pay extra money for UPS ground or 2 day air or whatever
I haven’t had any delays at all, to or fro, but my only suggestion is leave the seller alone if your package is late. He/she can do absolutely nothing about it so its a waste of time and very aggravating. Just ride it out for at least a month then contact your post office manager with the tracking info.
And…
if the buyer contacts you about a late shipment try to be nice even though it’s tough. Just refer them to this thread;)
UPS is worse (and not as convenient, which is why I guess alot of people prefer USPS). I haven’t sent/received many packages through them, but the percentage of deliveries that went wrong is alot higher compared to the bad experiences I’ve had with USPS.
You might want to try FedEx as an alternative. I haven’t had a problem with them, and they always require someone to sign for the package so it’s some added protection from buyers trying to claim they didn’t receive their package
My experience is the opposite: UPS runs circles around the USPS. For several years, I’ve regularly shipped several hundred dollars worth of merchandise every week via UPS. Only twice have the shipments been lost, and very rarely are they even delayed.
The one package that disappeared from my house was shipped with FedEx. Where everyone else has left packages at my front door with no issues. FedEx left it at my back door.
A few weeks ago I sent away some cards to get graded (from Australia). The mail had tracking and delivery confirmation, so as you can imagine, for an international package that wasn’t cheap. USPS handled it. We had no updates for 3 weeks, until it finally arrived in NJ. It’s now in CA for whatever reason, and will probably take another few days to reach my buddy.
About a week after I sent out my PSA submission, I sent out 2 sales, which I paid about $3 to ship. They have both arrived safely already.
I’ll never understand how the postage system works.
Wow guys, now I see how big is this problem. I sold five European Legend of Zelda Special Editions on eBay in February. I sent all packages by priority registered mail (with tracking number) at 17th (two packages), 23th (2 packages) and 25th February.
And guess what? Tracking hasn’t been updated yet on USPS site for first four packages! And what’s funny - package I sent out on 25th February has been delivered today. LOL.
First eBay claim has been opened today… cool… >.<
I really hope that all packages will be updated in next week… really.
