Does USPS Customer Service REALLY think you're their customers?

[RegFee]

I just have to vent some steam. Don't mind me.

Seriously, you don't have to read this, it's just a lot of ranting and it feels good to get it out.

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I sold a book on eBay, and shipped it via Media Mail on Dec. 28th. The buyer emailed me and said it still hasn't been delivered. I checked the delivery confirmation code, and it said "electronic shipping information received". I called the post office and this is what unfolded:

Thank you for calling the United States Postal Service. How may I help you?

I sent a package a while back with Media Mail, and the delivery confirmation tracking is still showing it is not delivered. Is there any way you can check the system and see if there are any problems?

What? How did you ship it?

Media Mail

Media Mail? I don't have access to that!

This IS the post office, right?

This is the United States Post Office Customer Service Line

But you can't help me track a package?

You have to give it time.

(?) I have given it time.

Just give it time, wait 24 hours.

I have given it 24 hours, I've given it 2 weeks.

NO! You said you sent it this morning!

No, I said I sent it a while ago.

Well, you have to give it time.

I don't think you understand, I've given it time, and that is why I'm calling for advice. If you aren't concerned enough with my problem, please connect me with someone who actually cares and wants to try to help.

You have to give it time. Thank you for calling the United States Post Office <mumble> have a great day....

[HANG UP]

I called back, just wishing I would get the same idiot. I didn't, but it must've been her clone.

She explained what I already knew, that delivery confirmation really isn't tracking, that it only tells you when the information was received, and when the package is delivered. She said there is absolutely no way to find out where a particular package is until it is delivered.

So I asked what the expected delivery time is for Media Mail.

She said 4 to 6 weeks!

I asked her if she was sure, she got upset for my questioning of her vast knowledge, and then said "hold on, I'll check" and came back and said "I was looking at times for delivery to Alaska. It can take up to 2 weeks for Media Mail.

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So, it's been 2 weeks, the buyer is upset, and I would really hate to ruin my 100% feedback rating. The book sold for 65 bucks, and now I'm going to have to refund that.

This is the 4th incident I've had with the post office, so I think from now on, I'm going to either require UPS (inconvenient) or require insurance and signature confirmation on USPS (expensive).

Ok, done.

 

[dgridley]

Always send expensive items Priority Insured with delivery confirmation and pass the added costs on to your customer.. and Media mail "can" take 4 to 6 weeks, tho it's usually sooner.. my ex-GF works for the Post Office.. we've been thru this.

For what it's worth, postal workers get just as frustrated as you do. It's very hard to fire a postal worker so they get very complacent. The hard workers get the brunt for the workers who don't do their job, if you get my drift.

 

[mis_chiff]

wishing I would get the same idiot. I didn't, but it must've been her clone.

:bah: they all go through the same training :D

PS: don't worry about venting - it's either Ebay - or the Post Office - or Paypal
from what I can remember (out of it now) It comes with the
territory! I used to stress myself over that negative feedback, when
I did everything right - yet an "outside" source...or should I say "force"
gets in the way!

Breath deep!

 

[000]

I used to ship Media Mail, but quit using that for this exact reason. Yes, it can, and often does take an extremely long time for packages to get delivered when being shipped via Media Mail.

It's "only" been 2 weeks. Give it another week and it should be there.

 

[RegFee]

The strange thing is, I've never had a problem with media mail. I've sent at least a dozen books that way, and some have even arrived faster than some priority mail packages I've sent.

Thanks for listening to my whining

 

[000]

On a side note, it seems that the mail system has been running slow lately. It took a week for me to get a Parcel Post box from NY (I'm in PA), and that's supposedly faster than Media Mail. I see that you're in Arizona...where is the buyer from? Since you're not centrally located, it will normally take longer for packages to arrive to their destination than if you lived in, say, Missouri.

 

[-Adam-]

I have always avoided Media mail and if the item is more than $25 dollars it always goes priority with tracking and insurance. Everyone I have talked to who has used them said they would never recommend them to anyone.