ScanForm Manifest Nightmare

[ColorShiftStudio]

Beware using the USPS ScanForm.

First, my post office (and likely yours) does not scan the individual items on the form before sending them out. This means that the parcel numbers are not trackable and neither is the ScanForm number. The customer sees only that you have created a label and you cannot see the progress of your item either.

Recently one parcel was lost and though it is on the ScanForm and I got a receipt at the counter, the USPS says that my receipt does not prove acceptance by the post office for insurance claims. This is hard to understand because it does not make sense. In other words, though the receipt says "acceptance" on it, the parcel was not accepted in the sense of assuming liability.

Luckily, the underwriter for Stamps.com insurance (same for Endicia, I think) does honor the ScanForm, though one has to wait 30 days and get an affidavit or letter from the customer stating that the item was never delivered. The underwriter (PIP 800-325-7390) told me that they do not pay out just on the basis of the USPS trail going cold of a parcel that is not delivered for 30 days, but will instead believe the customer saying it was not delivered.

I spent half a day on the phone with the underwriter, Stamps.com, and the USPS trying to sort this out. I got different stories from different employees and my post office told me an entirely different story from those. I could find nothing in writing and no one could direct me to any written policy about this. In a quaint aside, my postmaster said that she could write what is called a "local letter" stating that she personally saw the parcel come over the counter and that the post office would consider that in an insurance claim.

Post office workers on our route don't always scan the ScanForm or the parcels, so I have to drive into town and take parcels to the counter of the post office to make sure they have been officially accepted. I thought that the ScanForm covered me and saved me time, but it turned out to be a nightmare. I lost two parcels in a few weeks, combined value of $1400. My postmaster told me yesterday that "in my case" one should NEVER use the USPS ScanForm again. I was tempted to find out in what case one would want to use it, but didn't go there.

My first thought is to make the customer happy and replace the parcels, then work out the insurance settlement separately. I cannot trust the post office anymore and will likely switch to UPS.

Recouping the money is important, but the stress and time of tracking down answers and solutions is something to factor in.

I know a lot of people will lecture me on what the official policies and procedures are but my experience showed me that the only thing that matters is the individual employees you deal with and the information/misinformation they are acting on. It can be a many layered problem, though it shouldn't be.

I have self-insured for years and never lost a parcel until this recent double loss. I still self-insure for inexpensive items that are easy to replace but for all else, I insure to the gills. Private insurance from PIP appeals to me because it covers the case of misdelivery with delivery confirmation. In a case like that, with the customer claiming the parcel was not delivered and the post office claiming it was, I want an insurance company to sort it out.

Do your own research and be prepared.

[CookieGrandma60]

What a nightmare! Thanks so much for sharing. So glad I haven't used it yet. :(
Sorry you have to deal with this.

[Former_Member]

It is really awful the way things are handled at the USPS varies so greatly from PO to PO, from carrier to carrier, etc.

I'm so lucky - my mail carrier is so good about scanning each package I leave for package pick - up. I've never used the scan sheet - I sure won't now!

Side note - we mailed our taxes with Registered and Signature required return post card on April 2. This was at our local PO. It took until April 8 to get to the nearby hub. Then it didn't get to the IRS in Kansas City until April 15. How it took 6 days to go about 10 miles to the city is beyond me. We paid a lot to send them that way and it took longer than if we had put a stamp on it. Crazy.

[vintageNCtreasures]

I've sold online for 15 years and I never use a scan form for etsy labels, Paypal labels or labels printed from USPS.

My mail carrier scans in each and every package accepted when she picks them up.

If I have a lol of packages I schedule a pickup the night before, if I know I can get them in my mailbox, I'll just leave them there.

I have never had a package totally lost in 15 years of selling online, a few have taken 3-4 weeks but finally showed up and those were sent Parcel Select/insured. I've only had to file one claim and the buyer got the small flat rate box but it was empty....had it in a bag with a note from USPS "contents missing" so I have no idea what happened there.

I'd probably never use UPS especially on items that are under a pound a buyer in CA could pay $15 just for shipping a 2 or 3 oz item where that same package could be mailed for $2.00 with first class USPS.

I've only used UPS one time for breakables and that was the first and last time using them, since part of the items got broke, looked like the box had been run over by a truck. The items were wrapped in bubblewrap, put inbetween egg crate foam plus more packaging and still got broke.

[Former_Member]

I've also been selling online for that many years Pat - used to sell on Ebay before Etsy and the only time I ever had something break it was with UPS also. Heck, I get packages all the time from UPS that look like they have been driven over. I'd never use them.

I love that the post office picks up packages for Free right at my house. And like you Pat, my mail lady always scans everything in. I always schedule all of my pick ups. It's the best.

[vintageNCtreasures]

Kathy.....we've both been selling online a long time!
Sometimes I can't believe it's been as long as it has.

I get a lot of my supplies I use for my other shop delivered by UPS and all I can say, is "I'm glad that webbing, velcro or metal hardware is NOT breakable because it would be in a 1,000 pieces!"

Sides of the boxes busted open, crushed....awful.

FedEx is not much better, in fact, they lost a box of metal slides one time took them 4 weeks to find it, all they knew it was in Charlotte, where in Charlotte, they had no clue. Finally figured out a driver had them in his truck and had been driving around with them for almost 4 weeks...

I was like really.....I told them "you've got a driver that picks up and delivers packges and they drive around with a package that long without delivering it??

Did they not notice it sitting in the truck? geez.......

I told the company I buy from to NEVER send me anything else by FedEx.

[Former_Member]

Ha ha Pat - yeah I started on Ebay in the mid 90s I think. When I started it was before there were pictures of items in the listings!! Can you believe that? Crazy to imagine that now. I started buying used books there. Then went into selling crap lol. So it might be even longer than 15 years lol, but then again, I'm old!

And I've had the same experience with UPS and Fed Ex - There have been actual tire marks on boxes! How does that happen?

Crazy about your package going missing for 4 weeks. Just nuts!

[CookieGrandma60]

LOL Kathy. A little late in my reply but I hadn't read this thread yet.
I sold on eBay before photos too! Back when it was almost guaranteed that a valuable item would hit the desired price even with a $1.00 starting bid.

As to UPS...OMG! Every single box I've received by them has been totally destroyed. I think they jump up and down on the boxes! I still get packing supplies delivered with UPS but thank goodness they're not breakable! No way would I ever expect a fragile item to make it to my door in one piece with UPS.

I have to say that USPS has been my best choice and is the only shipping method I use. At least 99% of my items DO make it to their destination safely and usually quickly.

[Former_Member]

Hey Connie - isn't it crazy to think back now about listings without pictures? And yes, it was a true auction site then.

Most of my supplies come UPS as well and luckily my suppliers pack well. And the big sheets of wax I buy need to get broken up anyway - so I'm actually happy when they come cracked lol.

[CookieGrandma60]

LOL on the wax sheets. ;) Yes, eBay was a lot more fun 15 or so years ago. It will never be the same again. And I really did love selling there. It's where I got my start in selling online.

My packing peanuts are delivered UPS but that't the only thing I would trust being delivered by them. Ugh. The tire tracks you're talking about I believe are done in the warehouse by whatever they drive around in there. It must be one long party in there. Haha!

[vintageNCtreasures]

Remember when a buyer could only send you a money order or check for a purchase on Ebay?

And shipping wasn't figured until the auction ended and you had the buyer's info....

I remember when you didn't have to put a picture either and when pictures could be added, digital cameras were fairly new and expensive.

For a year or so, I took pictures with a 35 mm Yashica camera that I bought in 1975. Took them to town and got them developed to pick up the next day.

Then had to scan them in on my scanner.

I finally bought a Sony Mavica that used the floppy disks and used it for years. I still have it.

It did used to be fun on there but it sucks now. I hate it.
I still sell on there but I'm in the process of relocating 98% of my listings to Etsy since I have CS.

[CookieGrandma60]

So true Pat. When I first started there were no photos. Then when we were able to add them I took photos with some cheap camera, took the film to Walmart and they would post them to a website. I'd then have to insert a link into the auction listing and folks would have to click the link to see the pictures. LOL. What a job. I could never figure out how to get the photos into the listing until I learned basic html. Haha. Those were the good old days for sure. ;)

It really does suck now. Manufactured, mass produced crap now invades the entire site. Not to mention the big box stores. I list there only when something is too new for Etsy. Haha.

[Former_Member]

OMG yes money orders and checks! What a pain!

Ebay used to be a fun community. I made a lot of friends there actually and we even got together for a couple of years in some neutral place - I'm talking renting houses and flying to Missouri and Tennessee. We had some good times. I'm only still in touch with one of them now, but it was fun while it lasted. Someone from the group found Etsy in 2007 and most of us came over here.

And html - I was an expert in it back then! One of the things I likes about Etsy was that all shops looked the same and were simple. It got so complicated to keep up on Ebay.

[CookieGrandma60]

I remember those payments...before they started taking ONLY PayPal. In the beginning they wouldn't accept PayPal to pay your bill! Then they bought PayPal! Haha.

Some people would send cash. Sellers trusted buyers and vice verse. Not anymore. It's a fraud's paradise. :( So sad. It will go under soon I'm sure.

[custompetandtack]

I couldn't agree more about ebay being "a fraud's paradise".....seems every week i end up with a buyer that expects me to pay for their mistake, even had a few open a case against me (but thankfully Ebay ruled in my favor on 2 of 3.) They want to return something because of not measuring their pets and expect me to give them all their money back PLUS for pay shipping to get the item back.

I used to do very well with vintage items and my pet products.

With my pet products now I have to compete with mass produced cheap crap that sells for $3 from overseas and ships free....and these sellers have 100's and 100's of negative's and as many neutrals but they are stil selling on there.....probably because they have 100,000 to 200,000 listings.

I remember doing the html....I'd have no clue how to do this now.

The only thing I wished etsy had as for as text for our listings would be a "bold" or "underline" button to make certain info stand out better.

I've got an ebay store and I am closing it in the next few days (before May 1st). I'll probably still list some ready to ship items but no where as many as I have in the past. (plus some items that are not vintage on another ID I have).

I've gradually been listing less and less there and moving more of my items here and it is thanks to now having CS for my items

[CookieGrandma60]

I've been through the mill over there at eBay. I've had some of the most ridiculous requests you've ever heard of. And they try every trick in the book (and usually win), getting the item plus their money back. The seller doesn't have a chance. eBay enables the crooks and it has ruined them.

I still list over there on occasion but I'd rather NOT. Haha. 10% fees, buyers leaving rotten feedback just because they can. It's horrible. Mass produced garbage will take over every website they can get into. It's a crying shame that honest sellers can't make an honest living. :'(

Yes, bold and underline would be good! And I also put a suggestion in the feedback and suggestions thread for a small banner that announces free shipping on items that ship free. It may be a long time before they consider that but those banners get my attention. :)

[Former_Member]

I agree with you both. Bold and underlined would be good. And I like your idea about the Free banner Connie, but I didn't want to post after you incase it got buried. Not that anyone is paying any attention.

[CookieGrandma60]

It doesn't matter Kathy. It will be buried without an answer anyway. LOL. :D
I better get off here. Have a great night. :)