Seller Observes Worsening Service from USPS

by: terry55

Depending on where your PO is located, if it's outside a 50 mile radius from a mail sorting hub, PO's don't have afternoon pick up anymore.
I have a problem on Mondays, a sub picks up my package and only scans 5(union rule). I've been hit with 2 late scans this last month, one didn't scanned until Thursday and the other not until Saturday, both went through St. Louis sorting hub without a scan.  

by: UB

It is not a union rule to scan only 5 on the rural side, it is postal policy. It is dumb and any good rural carrier will ignore it and scan them all. On the City carrier side they are required to scan them all as picked up.

by: terry55

My mail lady and other subs scan all packages knowing this is my income. I called and complained to the post master and she said it was a union rule.

by: etectra

In this rural area of small towns and cities, with the largest city in region being limited to 30000 people, mail and packages are picked up at post offices by private contractors.

They typically use straight trucks and bid on routes consisting of picking up mail and packages from various post offices and delivering it to a large regional post office that serves as a collection point and distribution point. From there the items are shipped to a sorting center about 110 miles away. So if you mail a letter in the local post office to a town 7 miles away it will be collected shipped to this regional post office, then the sorting center, then back to the regional post office and then post office or rural carrier of the nearby town.

The local post office lobby is open 24 hours for the postal boxes which are given to anyone in town for free as there is no door to door delivery except along the main highway and a few streets which are on a rural delivery route. You can also get your mail put a mail box by installing a box on a post along the main highway running through town. The local post office went to part time hours after the last postmaster retired years ago and now closes at noon; however, the contractor picks up the mail and packages anywhere from 11:30 to 12:00.

by: ZZ

Google told me there is a 9 digit code in the USPS tracking scan that identifies the shipper. If you use EBAY shipping, the shipper is Pitney Bowes, My package was looping. I told the USPS. They got it to stop looping, but it was never to be scanned again. If there was enough info not damaged on the label to identify the package, then both Pitney Bowes and myself know the buyer and shipper's addresses and should be contacted. It's crappy service from the USPS that they can stop a package from looping, but not find out where it's supposed to go, and then send it to their own resale shop.

by: UB

@terry55 the Postmaster is lying. It is postal policy and not one the Union demanded. It is even on the bottom of the scan sheet when a customer requests a package pickup online instructing Rural carriers to only scan 5 packages. USPS does not want to pay the rural carriers to scan every package as Rural Carriers get paid for everything they do and are reevaluated every 6 months now.  

by: NJSRR

My son recently dropped off 15 parcels at his local PO.  He watched all of them being scanned in, however NONE of them showed up in the system for over a week.  I told him to start getting a receipt, at least he'd have printed proof that they were mailed.

by: longtimepowerseller

''Depending on where your PO is located, if it's outside a 50 mile radius from a mail sorting hub, PO's don't have afternoon pick up anymore.''

This fact is not widely known, especially amongst buyers. We're just outside the 50 mile radius, so a package picked up Monday does not get sorted into the plant until late Tuesday night and may not leave until late Wed.
If the receiver is in the same situation, they could be looking at 2 extra days up front and 2 on the back end. I've had east coast originated shipments take 8 days door to door, yet the estimated delivery on usps.com will show a 3-4 day time frame which always sets unrealistic expectations.
This has been the situation since the June rollout, Christmas rush compounds this.
Before the Transport Policy change, we could drop something at 4PM on Monday, and it would hit the plant that night and be on it's way within 24 hours resulting in the actual 3-4 days they claim is accurate.

by: Ophelia1

We sent a package USPS Priority Express on December 6, the customer paid extra for this service. The package has yet to be delivered, and today is Dec 18.
The last time it was scanned was December 8.  I contacted USPS and filed a missing mail search, I was told that once the package is delivered I can file for postage reimbursement. Wait 30 days. Then, if the package still has not been delivered, file a lost claim. Wait another 30 days. Now the post office does not even answer the phone, you a get a recording telling you to try later.
This is just one story, there have been a few more, to the point that when a customer asks about expedited shipping, I no longer offer USPS, and I tell the customer exactly why I no longer offer it. The customer then has the option to request UPS or FEDX , and agree to pay the price.  Are UPS and FEDX any better? So far, yes.

by: NYSteve

it's all part of destroying a public sector, so they can sell it to one of their cronies.

more often than not, i have a problem  on the other end.
scanned delivered, but doesnt actually get delivered until the next day.
or  no scan at all, until it is delivered

by: RKTOYS

Exactly NYSteve.  You'd have to be blind not to see it.

by: Just Great

All I can say is is someone selling 22 years. The last few have been brutal. I always had wonderful service with the usps. Now its horrible. Packages coming wet, no scan, damaged, insurance is a joke, and prices are too high. I used fedex now. Its cheaper and things get there safe. I feel bad for my customers, why do they pay more and get crappy service? Sorry usps but you have let me down too many times. Sad.  

by: smallstuff

This must be a regional issue.  I drop things off at the local post office between 5 pm and 6 pm and all show scanned in the system the same day.  For eBay sales, eBay even sends me a note that the post office has my package.  At least 90% leave the local post office the same day.  It used to be the local rule that everything had to leave the same day, but that must no longer be true.  Overall, I am pleased with my local PO performance.  They have been stretched hard by personnel issues and currently operate with one desk clerk where there used to be two or three at all times.

by: terry55

@UB
I talked to mail lady today and agree it's a PO order and not a union one. I did see it on the scan sheet too. She said she get's a nickel for each scan so she getting rich lol