USPS delays

[Former_Member]

Hey all!
Is anyone experiencing ridiculous USPS delays on both the sending and receiving side? I'm getting the blame from my customers and don't know how to explain it anymore. Someone told me they shut down a bunch of sorting facilities and that's the cause but who knows.
-Dani

[mysecretlite]

I thought it was just me, I am right outside of nyc and sometimes it takes my items a week to leave the sorting facility. It doesn't matter whether they are going domestic or international. I wish I could help you with the reason I was going to go to my local post to ask. If you hear anything let me know. Also several of my boxes have been completely crushed, good thing I use lots of bubble! Patty

[woolpleasure]

I have delay with item that has been sent to USA on 3rd February
The tracking number shows it has left sorting center , that is it
The customer demanding refund, I asked her to wait, explained, copied link about delays.... I guess I do not have to refund while item is on the way (?)

[Former_Member]

oh yes it is turning ridiculous, because not only are items late, i had 2 lost ones in the last weeks when before i had 1 lost item in over 2 years.
what´s more when i demand official investigations that are sent by my PO it just ends in nowhere, i just don´t get any responses
in times of modern communication it should be no work at all to track packages all over the world

[RefinedRuffian]

SNOW

[Former_Member]

I'm glad I'm not the only one seeing crazy problems especially someone else in my area.

[Former_Member]

Oh yeah. Snow + USPS locations closures/cut-backs = major delays. You aren't the only one.

[Former_Member]

Monday a customer sent me a message saying to look at the tracking because it says it was undeliverable as addressed so I looked and that's what it said. We were both shaking our heads because the address was correct. I said I would ship it right back to her as soon as I got it back from them. Well yesterday she said she received it. I can't figure them out! smh

[Former_Member]

Oh, yes, major delays. It took one of the items I shiped 5 weeks from Europe to the USA! Usually it took 2-3 weeks.

[maydaylabels]

yep

[woolpleasure]

do I need to refund while item is in the way to customer?

[KiltedWoman]

My medicine from express scripts was delayed by two weeks! Once we called the sorting facility it was shipped immediately. One of my sent packages took two months to arrive! It must have gotten to the bottom of a pile.

[Former_Member]

Hi - i'm new to Etsy and am currently experiencing a delay with USPS for a package from UK - the tracking says:
Mar 6, 2015 1:01pm ISC CHICAGO IL (USPS), ISC CHICAGO IL (USPS) Processed Through Sort Facility"
Any ideas? Thanks

[Former_Member]

Oh yes, I think I am the only one who face this problem. I have delay with item that has been sent to the USA for 6 weeks. Thanks to my customer, she is so nice. But I'm still worried until she have already received it.

[Former_Member]

Kristina, some orders that should've taken 2-5 days took like 10 or more days...crazy! I haven't even looked at my international orders.

[NataBurgos]

Ohh I had some delays too. Packages heading the US taking more than a month to arrive. Thank goodness I had really comprehensive customers.

[Former_Member]

Yes, and even orders that I've sent Priority (supposed to receive in 1-2 days) fared no better, still have been taking over a week for arrival.

[SageNThymeDesigns]

I've had challenges with Priority Mail sitting in sort facilities for over a week, usually in the South (TX and TN). One Priority Mail package took 3 weeks to finally arrive, the other took 1.5 weeks. Not good!

I don't refund if an item is delayed as long as I can show I shipped it in the specified time. I did refund the rush shipping charges for both orders though since it wasn't going to arrive in the rushed time frame they needed.

No problems going West so far!

[Former_Member]

I am having the same issue, both sending and receiving. Items I paid priority to receive, are taking 4-6 days instead of 2-3.
Items I have sent that end up in a sorting facility, no update to tracking for a few days, then show up finally to my customer after they think it is lost.
I have one order I shipped from here in Minnesota, to California, 3 days ago. Tracking stopped updating yesterday, last update was in Georgia.....Not sure why it is sitting in Georgia on the way to CA from MN.
Uuuuggggh. I hope USPS gets it in gear!

[NeroliHandbags]

This link is a petition for USPS to improve their current services. This was initiated by the European Street Team. I encourage you all to sign this important petition. Discussing it among us is not enough! Please sign and share! Thank you!!

https://www.change.org/p/usps-redefine-the-tracking-policy

[TwistsnGems]

I thought it was just the North Houston sorting facility with the probems. I have spoken with my post mistress repeatedly in the past 6 weeks because of delays from everywhere! Tools and materials and other things we rural people have to obtain by mail... and she tells me that the changes have caused nightmares for the postal workers all over the place. She says that the main post office in Houston assures her that the bugs are getting worked out of the new system, but I am still waiting to see the improvement. Meanwhile, I try to warn my clients that something is going on, and to not panic if the tracking shows that it has been delivered to your post office, and your post master says he still hasn't received it. They must be marking packages already delivered once they are READY to be sent to the delivery destination. Hopefully it will all be straightened out before tooooo long.

[Former_Member]

I have definitely noticed that. Previously I hadn't seen a package take more than 5 days to arrive at its destination. In the past month, packages have been taking a minimum of 4-5 days to be deliverd even those delivered in my own state.

When this happens I am sure to update my customer and let them know that I am on top of it and will let them know of any developments. I think that has really helped me. I haven't gotten any complaints from customers (*knock on wood*). I think letting them know that you are aware of the issue helps but obviously if they need it by a specific time they might not be as forgiving.

I did recently setup shipping upgrades on all my listings so that if someone needs a faster shipping option they can decide at checkout. I did have one package go missing (but I think the shipping notifications were never updated) filed a claim with USPS. They were very nice over the phone and someone did call me a week later to let them know they got the claim, but nothing was every updated after that. I ended up having to mail out a duplicate item since it was a birthday gift for a customer's friend and I knew the USPS claim was going to take a hot minute. How have you experienced USPS claims? Did they find your package?

[LovgrenandDaughter]

I've done some claims at usps and I have gotten the money back but it took over a month it was international express.

I just found out that Priority Mail is not guaranteed. So even though I paid $6 and thought it would take 1-2 business days, it took over a week and they don't have to refund any money. Seriously disappointed with them but completely stuck with them (the post office) as the alternatives are triple the price. Sigh.

[Former_Member]

I always knew priority wasn't guaranteed but customers don't understand that. But I still feel bad when people pay the extra money and it doesn't make it in time for their event.

[Former_Member]

I'm currently waiting for a couple of overseas packages and I'm not expecting them to come anytime soon. One has been stuck on the same stupid "processed through sort facility" for 6 days when it used to take 2.