posted on October 5, 2001 08:42:23 AM new
Can anyone give me a link or information on if priority packages are moving by air yet? Is the postal system back to "normal"?
And I just returned from the post office where the clerk said they had a notice that anything over a pound for air mail was being routed by boat? She tried to find the letter for me, but couldn't (and the line was backing up...)Any info on this?
posted on October 5, 2001 09:00:40 AM new
I sent a 2 pound parcel to France on September 19th by Air. Supposed to be there in 5 days. The buyer sent me an email that it arrived today.
It was a book and the buyer reports that it was opened and repacked by US and French Customs.
posted on October 5, 2001 09:17:50 AM new
I received a one pound package on Monday that was sent Sept. 17 from the US. I live in Holland. Normally, I receive air mail from 7 to 10 days so this was just a few days longer than normal.
On the other hand, I received a package (approx 1 pound) from Canada that was sent last week on the 27th at the same time as the above package from the US. The canadian sent it air post.
I've been expecting at least 2 other small packages from the US that were sent the week of the 19th and nothing yet.
posted on October 5, 2001 09:25:03 AM new
since hauling the mail is a major revenue source for the commercial airline industry I would imagane its traveling by air again.
why not see if you can find any info on USPS website ?
spock here......
Live long and Prosper
posted on October 5, 2001 09:40:24 AM new
<<It was a book and the buyer reports that it was opened and repacked by US and French Customs>>
Don't make the same mistake as I did by not putting shipping info on the inside of the package as well. I shipped a package overseas, and the box top and a recovery letter were sent to me stating that they found an empty box and I could take the box top to the PO for a refund and put in a tracer for the lost item. When I went to the PO, one said they don't refund shipping charges and the other said she would do it since that's what the letter said.
posted on October 5, 2001 11:29:05 AM new
We are still only flying 16 oz or less. I really don't have any idea how they're moving int'l mail since they don't dipatch it here in Detroit (ours goes to Chicago).
They may have something set up with Fedex or another cargo carrier. Any plane not taking passengers can carry any mail regardless of weight.
Over 16oz domestic is moved by Fedex Mon(night) through Sat Morning and is trucked Sat-Sun
[ edited by shrty411 on Oct 5, 2001 12:30 PM ]
posted on October 5, 2001 05:05:11 PM new
Thank you to all for the replies. Most of my international is under 1 pound and goes global priority, but I did want to warn the bidders that heavier packaged might take longer. I suppose i could go the the USPS site, but I was hoping someone found information there already. All that downloading there with adobe acrobat takes forever!
My packages that took the longest to get delivered seemed to be the ones that were mailed Sept 10 (and that being a Monday there were a lot! ) Sept 11 they were caught somewhere in the system, most likely the closed airports. Everyone, especially the international people, have been understanding.
As a side bar, went to Walmart today and they happened to have 11 X 14 framed photos of the New York skyline, including the WTC. Bought one, and will hang it in my office, so I will always remember there are bigger things in life than problems with ebay.
posted on October 5, 2001 05:12:07 PM new
barrelracer: Don't bother with the official word from USPS since they have been speaking with forked tongue ever since September 11.
Yesterday I heard a Postal Service spokesman claim that immediately following September 11, mail was going cross-country in 3 to 5 days. "So we haven't seen any slowdown at all!" he concluded.
Tell this to some of my customers who *still* haven't gotten packages we shipped 9/14.
We find that even packages shipped 9/24 are taking 10 days to cross the country.
Yeah, I know this doesn't address the international aspect of your question, but please do not blindly believe anything they might tell you. Organizations that independently audit the Postal Service consistently find that they miss their service standards while maintaining all is hunky-dory.
posted on October 5, 2001 06:15:44 PM new
Mail Service Updates - International Mail
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Current as of: Friday, October 5, 2001 - 11 AM
All international mail is being accepted and transported from the United States to all countries of destination. This includes Global Express Mail, Air and Economy Mail, Air and Economy Parcel Post, Global Priority Mail, International Priority Airmail, International Surface Airlift and all mail destined to APO and FPO addresses.
Please keep in mind that the air transportation system from the United States is still resuming normal operations. Some deliveries have been slowed by the limits on air transportation. However, USPS is making every effort to minimize such occurrences.
posted on October 5, 2001 06:42:47 PM new
We, too, are seeing delays. Priority mail takes at least a week and sometimes two weeks to arrive. First class mail is 2 weeks plus.
As an aside to the above, I have NEVER heard from so many unhappy customers as I have recently. Whatever 'good will' (and I hate to use that phrase, but I cannot think of a better one at the moment) that was in peoples' hearts last month has disappeared. They are tired and grumpy and don't understand why their purchases are not getting there sooner. They have no patience for me or my responses and are simply pissed off.
As a further aside, I watch the feedback numbers closely of other high volume dealers. We used to be at 99 1/2% positive almost all the time. We have recently been unable to get above 99% positive, and are most often in the 98 1/2% range. We are doing nothing differently than we always have. Almost all of the other high volume dealers I watch are having similar experiences in their feedback profiles. Everyone is getting negatives, week in and week out. Some get more than others, but almost no one gets off unscathed.
This was developing long before the September 11 events. People are much more quick to leave negs than in the past (and we never hear from them before they do). As often as not this seems to be the first step (in their eyes) towards solving a problem: one leaves a negative feedback, and then begins the process of receiving your delayed item or a refund for it.
posted on October 5, 2001 07:05:13 PM new
I have 2 buyers that live outside the USA, (One in Canada). Their auctions closed 3 weeks ago, and I have yet to recieve payment. I sent out my 2 week notice, and they both replied, one is sending a second payment via express or something. I'm sitting tight, I figure I'll give it a few more weeks. Everything is so mucked up right now!
posted on October 5, 2001 07:12:45 PM new
I just went to their website and the latest press (10/3/01) release involves transportation of live animals...
The Postal Service will continue to accept live animals that do not require delivery within a 72-hour period, such as earthworms, lizards, snails, crickets, grasshoppers, and bees, which can move on ground transportation.
This leads me to believe that things are still moving slowly, and is the only thing I could find that appeared relevant to the timing issue.
posted on October 5, 2001 07:27:46 PM new
I know that some of the postal clerks have said that the post office has no equipment to x-ray but the fact is that after the 11th I sent a whole bunch of priority baxes out with kitchen timers and they all simply disappeared.
I think that anything that had a recognizable timer mechanism in it ended up in a dumpster somewhere.
posted on October 5, 2001 10:27:30 PM new
I've just received my first e-mail from a disgruntled bidder, who wanted the item for a show this weekend, "where's my item?"
(I've had a couple of items totally lost in the past, and bidders have stated 'not received', but that's different, and after a number of weeks)
I collected the payment Wednesday 3.30 p m from my PO box. (mail doesn't get sorted until 10.30 a m. If one arrives home after 4 p.m. (dispatch time), there's no chance of "same day" mailing. At no time did the bidder express urgency for the item, and the payment (M.O.) arrived in CA, 10 days after EOA, from R.I. My EOA and TOS say that I usuallymail 2 business days after receipt of payment. That would mean "today". She would not get it from West to East coast by tomorrow, even priority.
As it happens, my husband took my car today, with packages for mailing in trunk, to pick up his father, whose vehicle had broken down, and his own was in the shop for emergency repair! He didn't get back until 5.30 p.m., too late to mail items!
Sounding like a real flake, I had to explain this to the low, but good, feedback bidder; as they asked if the item had been mailed yet. Probably I'll get my first neg in over 450 successful transactions.
I suggested that prior communication re:urgency is usually advisable, plus very prompt payment, given the erratic state of mail delivery at present. Reading it, it all sounded so ineffectual and "excusey", that I offered a shipping refund if the buyer was still dissatisfied.
I'm glad, in a way, to read that I'm not just alone in experiencing this reaction from bidders due to unpredictable mail.
posted on October 6, 2001 01:53:31 AM new
Mail going across country is DEFINATELY much slower.
For the best chance for your mail, I wouldn't advise even bothering to mail on Fri Sat or Sun unless it's fairly close to home (300-500 miles). Sometimes it gets caught up in "we can't fly this" and sits around somewhere
for one reason or another
Feel free to quote anything I've said to your customers as coming from a postal employee
I even asked some of the airline employees and they claim they are not scanning the mail either.Your timers could have aroused suspicion if they started making noise,the box broke open for some reason, or if you had anything on the outside indicating what they were.I could see some postal employee pulling them out of the system if they knew what was in there
posted on October 6, 2001 08:52:15 AM new
Marie says (essentially) people are leaving negative feedback as a first rather than last resort.
I have to concur with that. It has gotten to the point where I believe we have to press eBay for a basic restructuring of the feedback system. I don't have any good ideas how to restructure it, but being able to leave a neg for any reason at all is just not acceptable any more.
