USPS

[WhoaDogE]

Has anyone had issues using USPS?

All of my orders go out next business day, so I ship Monday through Friday. I physically take orders down to the post office before end of day and watch them scan in my USPS form. Typically there is between 15 and 30. Well, lately they have not been doing anything with my items for DAYS. It's like they just put them in a corner and let them sit AFTER scanning them. I am getting so frustrated...I don't know what to do. Has anyone experience this? This post office is the only one that is open late enough for me to go after a full day of creating the orders. I would love to hear suggestions on how I can fix this issue.

Thank you!

[stunnables]

Which USPS Service are you using, Chandra?

We mostly use USPS Priority Mail and while the service has slowed down slightly over the years, the vast majority of packages arrive within the number of days printed on the label. I ran a quick report for the last 12 months and packages were delivered as follows:

• 1 day 4%
• 2 days 41%
• 3 days 30%

A few packages (mostly "3 day delivery") were delayed:

• 4 days 10%
• 5 days 7%
• 6 days 3%
• 7 days 2%
• 8 days 2%

Have you talked with the post master or, in case of Priority Mail, with the Priority Mail coordinator?

Jürgen

[WhoaDogE]

I actually just use standard shipping to keep costs down for customers. I offer "free" shipping, which obviously isn't actually free to me. My items are priced at $16.99, so I'm afraid that adding another $4 would eliminate potential buyers because I am already priced on the medium to high end for my product.

Can you tell me more about what a post master is? I actually have never heard of this.  

I do notice that all of my priority mail gets taken from my boxes or bags and DOES ship, which makes me even more confused. It almost makes me feel like they are leaving the others on purpose and it's starting to feel personal. I really thought they weren't allowed to keep packages overnight that were dropped off during business hours.  Maybe I am overthinking it, but it ends up costing me money because people expect their items by a certain date and for them to keep packages for 3-4 days without shipping is not okay for my business.

I'm sorry I'm kind of emotional. It's just been a busy week trying to get orders out on time and then to find out they've just been holding all of these packages for no reason.... It's so frustrating. 

[stunnables · Accepted solution]

Each of the services specifies a delivery time that you can expect. Faster delivery time services are obviously more expensive and only Priority Mail Express has time definite (guaranteed) delivery times. There is a lot of detail in the Domestic Mail Manual about what you can expect.

Do you use a "SCAN form", basically a single barcode for all packages you drop off? That might help speed things up since the "clock starts ticking" for all packages once the the single bar code has been scanned and they don't have to scan each individual package. I guess SCAN stands for "Shipment Confirmation Acceptance Notice" and they only count how many packages you drop off.

The post master is the manager of the local post office. Ask to see him/her and discuss what can be done to get your packages start moving faster. And there may be a Postal Customer Council near you that could be of help.

[WhoaDogE]

You bring up a great point. I don't think I had this issue when I didn't use the scan form! I will definitely talk to the post master or the postal customer council! Thank you!

[IngDesignVintage]

Parcels from the USA arrived later than parcels from China and Vietnam!
Delivery cost $37 (!), package weight is 20 (!) grams, item price is $ 6.

The package lay and rested in the USA for a long time. Then I filled out the documents, they constantly wrote to me that they could not contact me, they could not get through, and if I did not receive the parcel, they would send it back. I found the phones and called the service, and they told me that no one called me.

Honestly, I no longer want to buy in the USA. U.S. sellers usually charge expensive shipping. For the usual 3 postcards, sometimes delivery is 25 dollars. It is possible send postcards in regular letters. If the letter is lost, I am ready to lose 2-8 dollars, but I do not know why must to pay about $50 and wait a whole month. Also, my parcels arrive in the USA in 3-6 days, and then a month walk around the USA.

[SuziHuhaPupCoutureUS]

All my items ship free - standard- within the US, unless customers upgrade the shipping at their cost. I use etsy shipping labels and drop my packages at the post office around 10am. They scan each pkg and I get a receipt. So far I have not had any customers complainting about receiving their orders late. 

[JdvintageCreations]

I don't have that problem. Our post office is a large facility and it seems pretty efficient. That is a puzzle, being a business, you would think that having customers is what they expect. I would plan my delivery for a different hour. I know you go at the end of the day, so change it to BEFORE you start creating for the day. Go in the morning instead. If that doesn't work then I would personally talk to the Postmaster of that office or head manager. This is just neglect or being lazy and it could be an employee problem of not doing their job.