It's that time of year again, USPS delays

[DynaEtch]

Does USPS basically break down when it comes to oversize/irregular packages like tubes and not know how to deal with them appropriately?

Have some irreplaceable uncut sheets that were shipped to me in a tube. Seller a <2 hour drive from me, in the same state (for reasons, seller went with shipping vs doing the hour drive to meet up…this was an eBay deal).

Acceptance scan Wednesday morning around 8:30 am. Nothing until Sat morning, where it got a scan in the next state over (went out of state for some reason). Nothing since. Going into Sunday evening it is sitting in a sort facility in a different state. I am less than a 2 hour drive from the seller. Looks like it’ll take USPS 5+ days to deliver, and thats being optimistic, it’ll probably be a lot more.

In retrospect UPS or FedEX would have been the way smarter way to ship this. Does USPS just not handle large tube type packages correctly, like at all?

(half hoping for the reverse jinx by posting this)

[Sonnys88]

Originally Posted by DynaEtch

Does USPS basically break down when it comes to oversize/irregular packages like tubes and not know how to deal with them appropriately?

Have some irreplaceable uncut sheets that were shipped to me in a tube. Seller a <2 hour drive from me, in the same state (for reasons, seller went with shipping vs doing the hour drive to meet up…this was an eBay deal).

Acceptance scan Wednesday morning around 8:30 am. Nothing until Sat morning, where it got a scan in the next state over (went out of state for some reason). Nothing since. Going into Sunday evening it is sitting in a sort facility in a different state. I am less than a 2 hour drive from the seller. Looks like it’ll take USPS 5+ days to deliver, and thats being optimistic, it’ll probably be a lot more.

In retrospect UPS or FedEX would have been the way smarter way to ship this. Does USPS just not handle large tube type packages correctly, like at all?

(half hoping for the reverse jinx by posting this)

Most likely being hand sorted / scanned as tubes and irregular size packages are usually non-machinable. They can get stuck in the sorting machines.

That being said, delays with all types of mail including "regular" shaped packages are pretty common right now.

[DynaEtch]

Originally Posted by Sonnys88

Most likely being hand sorted / scanned as tubes and irregular size packages are usually non-machinable. They can get stuck in the sorting machines.

That being said, delays with all types of mail including "regular" shaped packages are pretty common right now.

I was doing some online research about USPS and oversize/irregular packages and I think you’re right about the hand-scanning, causing delays.

I just can’t wrap my head around a 2-hour transit by car taking now going on 6 days and counting. Tracking now just has the dreaded placeholder scans “In Transit, Arriving Late” for the last few days, thats all it says. This is one of the worst possible packages to go lost..just have a bad feeling about it.

Lesson: do NOT use USPS for oversize/irregular package such as a big tube. FedEx and UPS are so much better with those. It’s like USPS doesnt know how to handle them.

[DynaEtch]

Also I was at my PO yesterday asking about the above tube package not moving on tracking.

He found a scan on his internal USPS tracking at the NJ sort facility of “Marked for insufficient postage” (not visible on my regular tracking).

The seller says he printed postage out from eBay. Clerk at my PO said USPS has made changes with tube sort of packages lately involving surcharges that eBay does *not* take into account in their printable shipping label program. Something to keep in mind if you’re shipping tubes. But am I correct that should not stop this package in transit or make it go lost? What happens in this case of insufficient eBay postage- doesnt the package just continue to me, the buyer, and seller’s eBay account is decucted the difference?

So I don’t think that’s enough to explain it. In any case it’s been 6 days since shipped for a package 2-hour drive away and no longer updating on tracking.

[ScottBreaks]

Went into PO with a couple PWE envelopes (plain #10 envelopes around 1oz) the other night. I usually try to use the self serve kiosk, but there was already someone there and while I was waiting, he turned and said he was going to be a while. Headed to the counter since it was pretty much empty inside and instantly regretted the decision. The person working the counter felt the cards in the envelope and absolutely refused to sell me postage unless it was as a ground advantage package. My usual post office has never had an issue with my envelopes. They have a little card board slot that imitates a letter chute and if it fits through there, they've been good with it.

Getting stuff in the mail lately has been an absolute nightmare. I'm lucky to have several post offices around me, but each poses it's own challenge. There's a 50/50 shot that the kiosk is working, my usual post office frequently closes due to lack of staff. Other post offices often lock down the entire building including the lobby with the kiosk after business hours (would hate to have a PO box at these locations).

[DynaEtch]

Originally Posted by DynaEtch

I was doing some online research about USPS and oversize/irregular packages and I think you’re right about the hand-scanning, causing delays.

I just can’t wrap my head around a 2-hour transit by car taking now going on 6 days and counting. Tracking now just has the dreaded placeholder scans “In Transit, Arriving Late” for the last few days, thats all it says. This is one of the worst possible packages to go lost..just have a bad feeling about it.

Lesson: do NOT use USPS for oversize/irregular package such as a big tube. FedEx and UPS are so much better with those. It’s like USPS doesnt know how to handle them.

Quick update…the package finally got a scan and is now 3 states away, so getting father away with every scan. Sigh.

We are < 2hr drive away in the same state. USPS being USPS apparently

[DynaEtch]

And just like that…massive delays affecting almost all of my USPS packages. Holiday craziness must be hitting hard (already).

I’m going down my eBay purchase list…it’s comical. Can’t remember seeing this bad of a ratio of packages not-moving/off the radar currently. I would say like 8 of the last 10 things I bought have something going on with them. To take an example, a ground adv sent back on Monday from the very next state over. Sunday…nothing, and not a scan since like 3 days ago. Another one….seller lives in CA right next to eBay AG’s PSA hub. He sent it out back on Monday- it’s a graded card so definitely going to the CA hub. Still didnt reach it as of Sunday…in the same state.