posted on December 18, 2000 12:17:39 PM
I was just at Post Office, to try and track a parcel mailed on 12/11/2000.
Priority mail cannot be tracked. All one learns is when parcel was ACCEPTED at Post my Office, and when it ARRIVED at other end, which I can do Online...
Well, my package mailed from CA has not even ARRIVED in PA. Clerk said there is a huge back-up of packages lined up at Post Office, which have not even been SENT ON THEIR WAY YET! So, she suggested shipping EXPRESS MAIL...
We then talked about express Mail, and found out it was NOT guaranteed, as Postal Service claims...All they guarantee is that if package does not arrive in two days, you get re-imbursed for cost of shipping Nothing too encouraging...And since Buyer was designated as Recipient of Insurance Claim Money, I cannot even FILE a claim...Buyer will have to wait 30 days to file, then another XXXXXX days for claim to be approved in St.Louis!
On another note, the Rep showed me a box with claim of damage....eeeeeheeee: a cookie jar in a small box, with 2 sheets of newspaper around it, put inside a LARGE box, with absolutely no padding in between....Shattered, splintered, history! She then showed me another shelf, full of such claims...What an eye opener....!
posted on December 18, 2000 12:31:06 PM
Shosh... I'm in PA and have been sending out about 50 Priority pieces weekly. The delivery times have been outstanding. Do you happen to be on the Philly end of the state?
posted on December 18, 2000 12:50:32 PM
Shoshanah -
Considering that the last 10 days have had incredibly foul weather in the midwest and east coast, don't panic. If the planes can't land at the other end, they don't take off or even load at this end.
The package is undoubtedly OK, just waiting in a truck somewhere for the roads to thaw or in a hangar for a plane to be available.
posted on December 18, 2000 01:10:23 PM
Shoshanah-I think the Christmas load really does "alter" the way things get done. I mailed a package Priority last Monday to CA from TX. I put DC on it (at my own expense and out of curiosity to see how long it took). The buyer emailed she had received it Thursday. The USPS website still shows the package as "in transit"! Boy did I waste my money here or what!? Guess they forgot to scan at the other end. I probably won't use DC again. Wonder if I can get my money back?
posted on December 18, 2000 01:33:02 PM
I am in North California, by San Francisco....and as I said, parcel has not made it to Pittsburgh, PA Post Office, let alone to buyer's house...No way to track....
...Rep did mention planes unable to land because of foul weather. But how soon before my poor customer runs out of patience... So far, they are being wonderful; I keep in touch with them everyday and they have a scanned copy of my shipping receipt.
I remember last year, sending two packages by Express Mail the week before Xmas...Paid out of pocket, because items were very expensive, and I wanted to show my appreciation to buyers. Both in New York...One arrived 3 days after Xmas, the other one week AFTER... I did get refunded big fees, as they were both large and heavy...
This is not a complaint...more like "darn!"....
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posted on December 18, 2000 01:34:57 PM
I received a package today, it was sent on 12/12/00 from Kansas to Ohio. I think that is a day or two longer than it normally would have taken.
posted on December 18, 2000 01:55:30 PM
Shosh - I am about 20 miles outside of Pgh and I received a priority package today postmarked 12/11/00. The package came from New Mexico. The USPS site for the delivery confirmation says that on that 15th they left me notice to pick up the package, which I never received and I was at home that day and actually talked to the carrier that day (as she handed me mail over my fence). The package was left in my mail box today - go figure.
posted on December 18, 2000 02:21:17 PM
Various stories on priority mail lately:
1. Mailed package from Little Ferry, NJ postoffice 12/9 after 12 PM (post office stayed open a little late). Gets to Rural Delivery in PA on Monday.
2. Mailed package from Little Ferry, NJ postoffice 12/9 after 12 PM (post office stayed open a little late). Signed for in Corpus Christi Tx on Tuesday PM.
3. Mailed packed from Port Authority Post office on 8th Avenue and 42nd Street in NY to XX E40th Street in NY (I know, I could have walked it over) on 12/12 around 9 AM. Didn't get to receiver till 12/15!
4. Came home on 12/17 to find a priority mail package sitting outside my door (forgot when it was mailed, didn't expect Sunday delivery!)
posted on December 18, 2000 02:23:31 PM
Shosh, don't mean to be the bearer of doom, but a package I mailed out on 11/29 has yet to make it from TX to WI. Thankfully my buyer was quite understanding about it, but tomorrow I get to send out a refund.
posted on December 18, 2000 02:36:46 PM
WOW! What a roller-coaster!....
dearred..BOXING DAY???? Do I look like a freaking Kangooroo to know about BOXING DAY???? Talk to me about roasted chestnuts, or French Chocolat....
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posted on December 18, 2000 04:57:50 PM
i sent a priority LETTER from arkansas to indiana a couple of weeks ago and it took a week to get there. i guess its just that time of year...
posted on December 18, 2000 05:29:51 PM
UPDATE: There IS light at the end of the tunnel...Just checked once more, with the Online Postal Tracking:
"You entered VV798147421US
Your item was delivered at 9:00 am on December 18 in PITTSBURGH PA 15210."
Apparently, the mail carrier did not immediately enter this delivery on the scanner, as they are required to, as I learnt at the Post Office today. Based on this message, item was delivered at 9 AM! It should have shown instantly on the web site...unless it just made it to Pittsburgh POST OFFICE, and still need to be delivered...
Thanks for all the heads-up, and good luck to all of those still waiting !
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posted on December 18, 2000 06:28:27 PM
It's not just priority mail. I had 2 customers overnight me payment. One took 4 days to recieve and the other 2 days. I was told that most of the mail did not go out on 12-12 or 12-13 here in MI.
posted on December 19, 2000 04:28:33 AMreddeer The US does not observe "Boxing Day" as does Canada, so mail will be running on that day.
Don't know if it is true, but I do think that the story that I heard of the start of Boxing Day is hilarious though!
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posted on December 19, 2000 08:52:28 AM
Shosh, that's one problem with the mail people. If it's not scanned in -what's the recourse? You can get your money back on the delivery confirmation but... what about the theft end of it? Customer loses and so do you? I'm still not convinced that the P.O. is going to be able to handle the load of Priority mail.
Also, my Priority from NY to Texas took 13 days with the buyer complaining to me...uh huh .?.
posted on December 19, 2000 09:49:14 AMEmpires...I know what you mean...
ship with Return Receipt, and Mail Carrier is supposed to immediately enter on his/her hand-scanner, that item was just signed for. I learnt yesterday at the Post Office, that not many will do it right away: they may wait till the end of their route, and whenever they bloody well feel like it...
I also learnt why I end up with ALL of the mail for my BLOCK: mail is no longer scanned by people AND machines: it is now ALL DONE by ELECTRONIC machines...I get bundled mail, tied with a 2" rubberband, dumped in my mailbox: it belongs to ALL my neighbours within my block <) And I don't even get a Xmas tip for delivering mail...
dearred Glad you got the answer from Labbie...TTFN
posted on December 19, 2000 10:05:30 AM
Shosh, better get a herd of reindeer and a big sled for this week's mail.... Regarding the scanning: Maybe we sellers/buyers here on AW can get the Post Office's attention by emailing them to request that our packages are acurately scanned at the time of delivery now that they have Priority back in their hands...
I'll bet we'd get some attention THEN regarding the delay..
posted on December 19, 2000 10:48:22 AM
I guess this blows away any deliveries if mailed today Priority to get to destinataions in U.S. by Saturday then?
Last year didn't seem this bad....
posted on December 19, 2000 11:15:16 AM
Dunno if this is any consolation, but British 'signed for' mail services are just as bad right now. Of course we have post office workers on strike and no railway system to speak of since a series of much publicised train crashes has lead to wipespread chaos as they shut down the system at one of the busiest times of year to investigate cracks in the lines. No matter that some people have to get to work and the government has taxed any alternatives (i.e. cars) out of existence. Tough.
Despite sending everything by Recorded Delivery, the website where I usually check to see if they have been delivered has been out of action for about 3 days and whenever I phone the telephone number you can call to get confirmation of delivery I always get a recorded message telling me ‘All our operators are busy, please call again later or alternatively try our website!’. Sheesh!
Boxing Day is actually a British holiday, which explains why we Brits keep it and so do the Canadians (and I think Australians also, but maybe any Aussies on here can keep me right?) but our US cousins, who are not in the Commonwealth, have largely never heard of it. From what I've seen of the day after Christmas in the US, not only is it NOT a holiday but those who are off work seem to spend most of it taking all their unwanted gifts back to BestBuy!!
Which leads me to reasons why it's called Boxing Day. I've always believed that historically it was because they staged boxing matches on this day, so that working class people who weren't at work that day could attend. Someone else told me that it was a reference to people putting out all their empty gift boxes after Christmas. I am sure there are many stories.
Pierre....if you're reading this, how about a Boxing Day FREE LISTING DAY for all Ebay's members from the Commonwealth? In fact come to think of it, why not have free listing days for the US on Thanksgiving, for the Aussies on Australia Day and so on. Dream ON. Hehehe
posted on December 19, 2000 12:57:16 PM fallen_madonna When I worked for a company that had offices in Canada and elsewhere (actually, come to think of it, it IS a British company!), we all got Boxing Day off. I just HAD to find out what this day was all about, so of course, I asked. The answer I got from a Canadian in the company?
Boxing Day is the day that people box the Christmas gifts up that they dislike and return them
I thought--Wow, we have that too, but it isn't exactly a holiday! LOL
You mean they were pulling my leg?! Say it ain't so!
Nothing too encouraging...And since Buyer was designated as Recipient of Insurance Claim Money, I cannot even FILE a claim...Buyer will have to wait 30 days to file, then another XXXXXX days for claim to be approved in St.Louis!
She then showed me another shelf, full of such claims...What an eye opener....! 
So far, they are being wonderful; I keep in touch with them everyday and they have a scanned copy of my shipping receipt.
I do not know..I will ask and let you know later...
) And I don't even get a Xmas tip for delivering mail...
