Where is my parcel? Package angst.
October 18, 2016 10:12 AM Subscribe
A package was shipped to me by an online retailer. The USPS is having a lot of trouble delivering said package to me. I'm not sure why, and now they seem to not know where my package is. Anyone know what I can do to suss out the location of my parcel?
Per the USPS tracking number three delivery attempt have been made. I live at a private residential house and in the last 23 years of receiving packages there I have never had this problem or received a notice for a package being undeliverable. The first attempt at delivery was not completed because "Notice Left (Receptacle Full/Item Oversized)". No notice was left. My partner was home all day. We received our regular mail and a UPS package. The second attempt at delivery was not completed because "Notice Left (No Secure Location Available)". I was home all day, no notice was left, we received our regular mail. Yesterday I went online and used the tracking number to find out where the package was and saw the attempts and got a message that said that I should either reschedule a delivery or come and pick my package up at the post office. I went to one of two post offices in my town and was directed to the other post office. I went to that post office were they attempted to locate my package but were unable to and asked me to call them back in a half hour to speak with the delivery supervisor. I did, he took my name, number and tracking number and told me he'd call me right back as soon as he found my package. He never called back. I called the online retailer to confirm the address they shipped my order to and they told me the address they sent it to, which is my correct address. I just checked the tracking website and they said they made a third attempt a delivery on Monday, they could not make the delivery because there was no secure location and that a notice was left. My partner was home all day, no notice was left, we received our postal mail which included a small parcel that had a sweater in it and two UPS packages. Now I am out of town on business and I don't know what to do. I am confused about the 'no secure location'. For the last 23 years, including yesterday (the sweater) the USPS has left packages at my door which is about 300 feet removed from the the sidewalk. What should I do?
Per the USPS tracking number three delivery attempt have been made. I live at a private residential house and in the last 23 years of receiving packages there I have never had this problem or received a notice for a package being undeliverable. The first attempt at delivery was not completed because "Notice Left (Receptacle Full/Item Oversized)". No notice was left. My partner was home all day. We received our regular mail and a UPS package. The second attempt at delivery was not completed because "Notice Left (No Secure Location Available)". I was home all day, no notice was left, we received our regular mail. Yesterday I went online and used the tracking number to find out where the package was and saw the attempts and got a message that said that I should either reschedule a delivery or come and pick my package up at the post office. I went to one of two post offices in my town and was directed to the other post office. I went to that post office were they attempted to locate my package but were unable to and asked me to call them back in a half hour to speak with the delivery supervisor. I did, he took my name, number and tracking number and told me he'd call me right back as soon as he found my package. He never called back. I called the online retailer to confirm the address they shipped my order to and they told me the address they sent it to, which is my correct address. I just checked the tracking website and they said they made a third attempt a delivery on Monday, they could not make the delivery because there was no secure location and that a notice was left. My partner was home all day, no notice was left, we received our postal mail which included a small parcel that had a sweater in it and two UPS packages. Now I am out of town on business and I don't know what to do. I am confused about the 'no secure location'. For the last 23 years, including yesterday (the sweater) the USPS has left packages at my door which is about 300 feet removed from the the sidewalk. What should I do?
I would figure out which post office actually sends the mailmen out, and speak to the supervisor at that location.
My hunch is that you have a new mail carrier on your route now - or your regular mail carrier is out on vacation and this is a temp. That would explain why suddenly now this is an issue having things left at your location.
As for why the person in the package window AT the post office couldn't help you - that could have just been a guy who was lazy/rushed/overlooked your package.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:19 AM on October 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
My hunch is that you have a new mail carrier on your route now - or your regular mail carrier is out on vacation and this is a temp. That would explain why suddenly now this is an issue having things left at your location.
As for why the person in the package window AT the post office couldn't help you - that could have just been a guy who was lazy/rushed/overlooked your package.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:19 AM on October 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
"Notice Left (Receptacle Full/Item Oversized)"
"Notice Left (No Secure Location Available)"
I have received both of these reasons when I've gotten a package that's larger than my mail carrier wants to transport. After several back and forths about the issue, I finally had one of the postal workers in my local PO cop to the real reason. "She doesn't want to take it out with her, it's too big, you'll have to come pick it up." I've had this happen past the three time "redelivery" (lies!) window, at which point they send the item back to the shipper.
I have also, instead of the proper pink slip, had my mail carrier hand write the tracking number and "delivery attempted" on a random piece of junkmail. I have no idea how many times this has happened--I've seen it once, but who knows how many I've thrown away.
tl;dr Sometimes the USPS really blows and just flat makes shit up. At this point, I would recommend you take this up with the retailer you purchased it from, since it will, eventually, find its way back to them. If you can, ask them to re-send using a different courier, like UPS, who also has no problem sending large items to my apartment. If the retailer is unsympathetic or otherwise unwilling to work with you, call your credit card company, explain what happened (ordered item, never arrived, retailer won't re-send), and have them reverse the charge.
posted by phunniemee at 10:24 AM on October 18, 2016 [4 favorites]
"Notice Left (No Secure Location Available)"
I have received both of these reasons when I've gotten a package that's larger than my mail carrier wants to transport. After several back and forths about the issue, I finally had one of the postal workers in my local PO cop to the real reason. "She doesn't want to take it out with her, it's too big, you'll have to come pick it up." I've had this happen past the three time "redelivery" (lies!) window, at which point they send the item back to the shipper.
I have also, instead of the proper pink slip, had my mail carrier hand write the tracking number and "delivery attempted" on a random piece of junkmail. I have no idea how many times this has happened--I've seen it once, but who knows how many I've thrown away.
tl;dr Sometimes the USPS really blows and just flat makes shit up. At this point, I would recommend you take this up with the retailer you purchased it from, since it will, eventually, find its way back to them. If you can, ask them to re-send using a different courier, like UPS, who also has no problem sending large items to my apartment. If the retailer is unsympathetic or otherwise unwilling to work with you, call your credit card company, explain what happened (ordered item, never arrived, retailer won't re-send), and have them reverse the charge.
posted by phunniemee at 10:24 AM on October 18, 2016 [4 favorites]
What should I do?
It's pointless to contact USPS - as you've already seen, they aren't particularly helpful because you aren't their customer, the online retailer is.
Contact the online retailer.
Step 1: "I haven't been able to receive the package you sent me. Could you tell me where it is?"
Step 2 (if Step 1 succeeds): "I haven't received my order, so I will need to issue a chargeback. Please tell me how where my order is."
Step 3: Issue a chargeback, make a new order.
posted by saeculorum at 10:25 AM on October 18, 2016 [2 favorites]
It's pointless to contact USPS - as you've already seen, they aren't particularly helpful because you aren't their customer, the online retailer is.
Contact the online retailer.
Step 1: "I haven't been able to receive the package you sent me. Could you tell me where it is?"
Step 2 (if Step 1 succeeds): "I haven't received my order, so I will need to issue a chargeback. Please tell me how where my order is."
Step 3: Issue a chargeback, make a new order.
posted by saeculorum at 10:25 AM on October 18, 2016 [2 favorites]
What saeculorum said -- getting the item to you is the retailer's problem, not yours. I have sold and shipped stuff to people and if you had already gone that far in trying to track it, I would feel bad. Their job isn't done until the parcel is in your hands in a reasonable time frame, and they presumably insure their parcels for exactly this sort of scenario -- or if not, they have accepted occasional losses as the cost of doing business. Anyway, their problem. If they are not immediately on the ball about shipping out a new one or issuing a refund, contact your credit card issuer and explain the situation.
posted by kmennie at 10:44 AM on October 18, 2016
posted by kmennie at 10:44 AM on October 18, 2016
Ugh, this always happens to me when UPS hands something off to USPS and it's because my USPS delivery people really vary in quality and, frankly, totally make shit up sometimes. ("Delivery attempted" generally, which I know to be BS because I work from home.)
However! I have had EXCELLENT results in complaining to the USPS about this using this form, and the tab: "WHERE IS MY MAIL?"
Note: you will probably not actually hear back from them even if you request to hear back from them, but every time I've used this form to complain, said package mysteriously appears at my home within, like, 72 hours.
posted by Countess Sandwich at 10:50 AM on October 18, 2016 [16 favorites]
However! I have had EXCELLENT results in complaining to the USPS about this using this form, and the tab: "WHERE IS MY MAIL?"
Note: you will probably not actually hear back from them even if you request to hear back from them, but every time I've used this form to complain, said package mysteriously appears at my home within, like, 72 hours.
posted by Countess Sandwich at 10:50 AM on October 18, 2016 [16 favorites]
Contact the online retailer.
Step 1: "I haven't been able to receive the package you sent me. Could you tell me where it is?"
Step 2 (if Step 1 succeeds): "I haven't received my order, so I will need to issue a chargeback. Please tell me how where my order is."
Step 3: Issue a chargeback, make a new order.
Pretty much any large reputable online retailer will just ship you another one without the whole chargeback step.
I did customer service for these issues for a long time. I bet is the barcode on the package is wrong and they are, in fact, attempting delivery to some other address.
posted by anastasiav at 11:28 AM on October 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
Step 1: "I haven't been able to receive the package you sent me. Could you tell me where it is?"
Step 2 (if Step 1 succeeds): "I haven't received my order, so I will need to issue a chargeback. Please tell me how where my order is."
Step 3: Issue a chargeback, make a new order.
Pretty much any large reputable online retailer will just ship you another one without the whole chargeback step.
I did customer service for these issues for a long time. I bet is the barcode on the package is wrong and they are, in fact, attempting delivery to some other address.
posted by anastasiav at 11:28 AM on October 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
Give the seller an opportunity to sort it out, and let them refund the purchase if that's what needs to be done rather than initiating a chargeback. (With a chargeback, the merchant is charged a fee that is probably at least $15.)
posted by jimw at 12:12 PM on October 18, 2016
posted by jimw at 12:12 PM on October 18, 2016
"Notice Left (Receptacle Full/Item Oversized)"
"Notice Left (No Secure Location Available)"
Damn. Almost everything I order ends up being delivered by USPS and I've never had either of these issues. If it doesn't fit in my mailbox, they just drop it next to my front door or garage door. Obviously, I live in a pretty law-abiding area, though, so ymmv.
I'm wondering if they don't actually have a wrong address, and have been trying to drop it there. There's a house a block over from me with my same number and the street name is similar. We're always getting their shit.
posted by Thorzdad at 12:16 PM on October 18, 2016
"Notice Left (No Secure Location Available)"
Damn. Almost everything I order ends up being delivered by USPS and I've never had either of these issues. If it doesn't fit in my mailbox, they just drop it next to my front door or garage door. Obviously, I live in a pretty law-abiding area, though, so ymmv.
I'm wondering if they don't actually have a wrong address, and have been trying to drop it there. There's a house a block over from me with my same number and the street name is similar. We're always getting their shit.
posted by Thorzdad at 12:16 PM on October 18, 2016
Response by poster: My partner called and the package was delivered today. He called the delivery supervisor who he said was no help. So my partner went on USPS.com and arranged via the website for the re-delivery option and included instructions to leave at the front door and left a sign on the front instructing the delivery person to please leave the package at the front door. Not sure what happened here but at least I have my package. I reached out to the retailer yesterday who was very responsive and said they would investigate and get back to me in 48 hours but then the package came.
posted by OsoMeaty at 11:29 AM on October 19, 2016
posted by OsoMeaty at 11:29 AM on October 19, 2016
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