I always scan at the USPS kiosk and then they scan in the back within the next 24 hours. Now, it’s like 5 days, because they don’t scan it until everything arrives in Vegas. On top of that, everything is suddenly arriving late (I had a 100% OTDR). What does this mean for A-Z claims? Do I have to make the people at the desk scan everything so it counts?
So this time of year they won’t scan at the counter most of the times due to the holiday rush.
AFA your OTDR re A2Z, SOMETIMES A2Z will see the kiosk scan you did as first scan, sometimes they will see a scan sheet as first scan (I KNOW I KNOW).
Other then scheduling a carrier pickup IDK honestly
If you don’t have a valid scan showing that it was shipped on time, then you lose INR protection. But as far as I’ve seen, no hit on the metrics (that seems based on when you print the label).
As for OTDR, I’m not sure what the effect is. It might be worth trying a few things, but I suspect that we’re in the last couple of days of the real craziness, so probably not worth worrying too much about, as by the time you figure out a fix, the problem is gone anyway.
My PO and the Nashua NH distribution center have been experiencing real craziness since the single trip per day rule went into effect here.
I suspect we are not alone.
I am using a long handling time on Ebay which is shielding me from most of the ill effects of USPS delays. I don’t know that it would fly on Amazon.
I am about to lose my mind over the misroutes in NY, NJ and CO which I hope will disappear shortly.
My own order today, was scanned delivered when picked up from the seller. It was an Ebay order, and Ebay tracking does not update after a delivered scan. Hopefully, USPS will continue to update its tracking and nothing else will go wrong. I foolishly paid for this order using PayPal which is hopelessly confused much of the time, now that they are no longer a part of Ebay.
Yes, having a longer handling time on Amazon would shield you from scans that were a day late.. But after a month or so of this, Amazon would automatically change your handling time to less, probably with no way for you to change back.
It’s a Catch-22. If I ship early, which allows the PO to scan it after it gets to the main hub (scans lately have been happening about 1-2am next day*), then eventually Amazon will punish me. But if I do what Amazon pushes me to do and ship on the last day, I risk losing INR protection.
*My local clerk is usually very good about scanning everything as it comes in, but this time of year is swamped and sometimes misses some.
Since I don’t get a lot of orders and all my packages are small bubble envelopes, I leave them in the mailbox. The carrier always scans them.
The only time I go to the post office is if I have a high-ticket item which needs to go out that day. If I go to the PO, I stand in line to have the package(s) scanned.
Yes, this. I have made it part of my business to be best friends with my carrier. I’ve gone through a few in the past 15 years, but I am always on great terms and they have always scanned outbound pickups for me. If I have more than fit in my mailbox (lol…not lately mate), I leave a note and put them by my front door and they always come and take them.
On the odd day where there’s a substitute I can’t count on the same service. But 95% of the time they are great.
My carrier just retired!!! We already miss him.
But yes, schedule a pickup if you can, even with fit in mailbox stuff. I was told by my carrier that they get “credit” for them in their metrics.
Around here, a scheduled pick up does not mean it will get back to the post office in time for the last truck to get rolling. I used to do that but now my orders are filled at a different location and it’s not a good idea to do that in THAT neighborhood. On the flip side, I feel like the post office has lost a lot of packages this year. Many shipped on a certain day were not scanned at all…and I know I have to eat those. But many were scanned and shipped to Bessemer, AL (instead of Atlanta) and never got scanned again. I am looking forward to the crazyness to end soon.
Ours are being routed all over the place with USPS. One went from Texas to San Diego CA before going to Atlanta GA on it’s way to Florida. Guess that is one way to justify the higher prices coming in January … create higher transportation costs.
I usually use UPS for stove top cover orders, but one of these last ones needed to be sent to a PO Box…
Took it to the PO on Monday and dropped it in the shipping bin in the lobby.
It got scanned in 1 hr later… nothing since. No idea if it has moved. It is going from IN to OK (if by UPS it’d be there already and for $25 instead of $50) so hopefully it makes it by tomorrow so that it isn’t “late”.
If you can get the street address of the PO where the box is located, UPS will deliver to that PO if the label has that address as the first address line, and the PO box as the second address line.
The drivers are already familiar with dealing with the POs thanks to hybrid services. And no rule is being broken.
You cannot rely on scan forms or the kiosk! Read USPS in small fine print. These are not considered legitimate scans. You must have the postal worker scan each individual package at the counter. Yes. They will tell you they can’t. Push back and tell them they will. You purchased USPS postage and they MUST scan it in and give you a legitimate receipt. Or you can really tick them off and bring all of your packages and force them to weigh and make each label there. They cannot say no and if they do… call the postmaster. That straightens things out really quickly. The problem is most people just listen to the postal worker at the desk and take that as the fnal word. It is not. Just because the postal worker does not want to scan packages does not make it policy by any means. They are paid to do a job and when you prepurchase postage, their job is to scan each package individually and hand you a receipt. That is USPS policy.
You also cannot rely on the scan forms when the carrier picks up. Same arguments apply.
My package bounced around like a ball and was delivered late (of course):
Sent (December 3) → Richmond, VA (first scan, December 5) → Charlottesville, VA → Dulles, VA → Richmond, Richmond, VA → Charlottesville, VA → Richmond, VA → Charlottesville, VA → Dulles, VA → Merrifield, VA → Richmond, VA → Dulles, VA – > Richmond, VA → Charlottesville, VA → Covington, VA → delivered (December 19)
It spent 14 days in VA, to be delivered to an address in VA. Total delivery time: 16 days.
What gets me is how concentrated the centers seem to be in OK. Leave one, arrive at the next in 14 minutes; then take only 12 minutes to get to the next, then all of 16 minutes for transit time to the third! I live in one of the most densely populated areas in the country*; I don’t think you could get from my PO to the distribution center in under 15 minutes, much less scan anything!
*my county has about 1/4 the population of all of Oklahoma. Of course, that means trucks can’t do 70mph between facilities, but still…
They are all in the same building.
Main sort …
Secondary sort …
Dispatch sort …
What I’d like to know is why mine went to Richmond, VA and then travelled to a bunch of cities in VA, all while coming back to Richmond, VA 5 times before being delivered to its address in VA.
Yours bounced between Richmond VA and Charlottesville VA until Charlottesville processed it out on a miss route to Dulles VA which eventually ended back at Richmond VA to send to Charlottesville VA who eventually sent to the right place Covington VA.
Your issue was in Charlottesville VA. During this time of the year, there are a lot of part time new hires that work for the post office. The tenured post office workers tend to take the holiday weeks off so it puts inexperienced people doing the job and, when they get under fire and behind, they will toss things into any bin available just to move it on.
USPS distribution centers can’t hold anything this time of the year or things will get buried which causes other issues.
We got one in INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46219 for 3 days now after sitting in INDIANAPOLIS IN DISTRIBUTION CENTER for 2 days. It’s going to OHIO. Another package to the same address was delivered today. The one that got delivered never went to IN as it went to COOLVILLE, OH 45723. Both went through DALLAS TX LOGISTICS CENTER.
This time of the year … just consider it a win if it makes it there. Volume and weather dictates everything for USPS right now.