Monday, March 24, 2014

USPS fail... a question for my fellow sellers

Well I had a scheduled pickup today- and USPS did NOT pickup my packages. But don't worry- they sent me an email at 7pm saying "A Successful Package Pickup was Made"... but low and behold, my packages were still on my porch.
This annoys me for many reasons.. but mostly because I don't want to get dinged by this from my buyers. My packages that were being sent out sold over the weekend.... (One on Friday Afternoon, and One on Sunday)....

So my question for my readers is...
Would you message the buyer and tell them? 
Or would you let it go?

I have 1 day handling on all my listings...
So today would be the day technically they would have to be out on... since they all sold over the weekend. So they will be one day late since I have to personally take them to the post office tomorrow.... a day late....


I hate relying on the post office for this stuff. Never again!!!!

24 comments:

  1. I don't do package pickup for just that reason. However, since you obviously do internet postage, and have uploaded package tracking information, you have met the one day handling requirement. I would not contact the buyers for something so trivial.

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    1. Thanks Scott. I was actually thinking I may be causing attention to something that doesnt need attention, if I contacted the buyers.

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  2. This has happened to me on a few occasions. The post office didn't pick up packages until the following day, but I DIDN"T get the email that they had been picked up. That's weird. I would drop them off myself and call the USPS to let them know. I would NOT contact the buyer, though.

    Margaret @ Live Like No One Else

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    1. Thanks Margaret.
      The fact that I got the email saying it got picked up is what really makes me annoyed. I was reading a forum that said the carriers sometimes realize they forgot and just scan their pickup requests to say it was completed... even though it wasnt... just to not get "dinged"... I dont know how accurate this is.

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  3. Scott is right. You printed the postage within the stated handling time, so I think you're ok. There is so little we have control over when it comes to USPS. One thing I will never do is rely on them to pick up my packages. I'm lucky in that my post office is just a few blocks away. I go as many as three time a day to drop off packages. If they have a high value, I wait in line for a receipt, otherwise I leave them on the counter or put them in the lobby chute if they fit.

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    1. Your right Lorraine. I cant rely on them. AT ALL. Which stinks for me... If I could I would always drop off my packages myself. Its so hard with two little ones that I would have to drag in the post office with me... (one of them I have to carry because he runs off the minute he is on the floor)... and juggle my packages.
      Ill have to figure something out though... I cant do this pickup thing anymore.

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    2. Good Idea Maya... The problem is... My carrier comes at a different time everyday :/

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  4. I'm concerned, though, because I thought I saw something about the items needing to be "scanned" within your stated shipping time, not just postage printed. Anyone else see that?

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    1. thats starting in August with the Fall updates I believe

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    2. Interesting. I read something about that too on a forum, but I didnt know if it was true.

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  5. if they dont pick up I call the post office. they know me now as a "I dont have time for your crap" kinda person (i try to be nice most the time but you have a job and i have multiple hats to wear) and they always send someone back out. That being said our mail carrier is really good and if he thinks i *May* have packages he rings my bell just to ask. Having an awesome mail carrier is half the battle. I would call them and ask them to send someone out. If not, personally I would file a complaint at the usps website. That should knock out any nonsense. :D

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  6. In addition to what mrs4jachi said, whenever you file a complaint of any kind on the USPS website, it goes directly back to your postmaster, so they have to address the issue and they're supposed to call you. A great mail carrier is half the battle, but if they take a day off or go on vacation or retire, well, that's usually when issues occur.

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    1. Thanks Mrs4jachi & Lorraine...
      I did file a complaint online. I also called the post office a millon times but they dont answer their phones over there.
      On the complaint I filed, I checked the box that said I wanted someone to call me when they receive the complaint. So far no call.
      I am in a brand new neighborhood... and it seems like we have a new carrier everyweek... so that has been kind of hard too :/
      --Mrs4jachi-- Your carrier sounds like a GREAT carrier. Kari over at She Thrifts also has a great carrier too from what I read on her posts... I am pretty Jealous.

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    2. LOL he is WONDERFUL! and hes getting a new route in 2 weeks so boo to that :(

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  7. I agree, don't email the buyers. If any of the packages arrive later than they think they should it would only give them a window to file a claim if they were that type of buyer.
    Does you postman leave a receipt for you when he picks up your packages? I have never scheduled a pick-up. I had rather drive the 2 miles to the PO.
    Does your post office give you a receipt when you take in your packages with postage already on them? My PO did for a while but now they scan them and pull off the receipt and throw it in the trash. The "policy" now is that the clerk can't give me the receipt with proof that it did get scanned that day and it has officially been shipped.

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    1. Annabel52. I always get the scan receipt. I figure if I stand in line and wait, I'm entitled to my darn receipt! My old PO used to throw the receipt in the garbage, then suddenly they started giving them to me. I think you should complain!

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    2. I never get a receipt anywhere. I need to start getting one though it sounds like.

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  8. Thank you everyone for your helpful comments. I am grateful for everyone that stopped by and dropped a comment.
    Right now as I am typing this... I received ANOTHER email saying that another package pickup was successful... even though I didnt schedule one. Something weird is going on.

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  10. I have never used scheduled pickup because i am scared of this very thing happening.
    I wouldn't contact the buyers. I really think it should be fine and probably arrive in just about the same time anyways.

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    1. Your right. I didnt end up contacting them. Fingers crossed everything keeps going smooth! :)

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  11. I don't think you should contact the buyer; however, I bought something off of eBay last week (I sell a lot more than I buy these days) and was very annoyed that she printed out the ship label the very quickly only to not actually drop it off for shipping for another 3-4 days and only after I asked her when she was going to drop it off at the post office. Not a good practice and you really aren't supposed to print out labels until the day of shipment. This is a very obvious practice to any buyer except the most thick. Not a good practice. I will avoid this seller in the future for this reason.

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    1. Missy thanks for your comment.
      The very same thing happened to me, that happened to you. It is so crazy that some sellers have this practice. In the long run, it will hurt those sellers. Such a shame.

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    2. in the sellers defense I have printed off postage the night before and then had anything from a blizzard to a hurricane come through and shut down our town for a day or 2. Or a kid ended up in the hospital. So there might have been things beyond the sellers control.

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