USPS problem.

[pmanton]

How about some advice on how to handle this. I am awaiting a package. 3 times it has been sent to the wrong place.
I live in Salome AZ The package arrived in Phoenix and they sent it to Quartzsite about 40 miles away. Quartzsite returns it to Phoenix. Phoenix sends it to Quartzsite.

3 times this has happened! I called the Postmistress at Quartzsite and she basically blew me off. She said it was in a bin marked for
manual handling instead of machine. That was the extent of the help I got from her.

So where do I go from here? I have no idea if the package was mis-addressed. Salome is 85348 and Quartzsite is 85346 so a single wrong digit would do it.

I'm sleepless in Salome.

 

[NYlakesider]

How about some advice on how to handle this. I am awaiting a package. 3 times it has been sent to the wrong place.
I live in Salome AZ The package arrived in Phoenix and they sent it to Quartzsite about 40 miles away. Quartzsite returns it to Phoenix. Phoenix sends it to Quartzsite.

3 times this has happened! I called the Postmistress at Quartzsite and she basically blew me off. She said it was in a bin marked for
manual handling instead of machine. That was the extent of the help I got from her.

So where do I go from here? I have no idea if the package was mis-addressed. Salome is 85348 and Quartzsite is 85346 so a single wrong digit would do it.

I'm sleepless in Salome.

Wishing you good luck. As this is the busiest time of the year for package deliveries they (all delivery services) have all sort of temporary people working. They also have a lot of the full time people doing plenty of overtime. About now the best that you can hope for is the package arrives sometime and its in good shape.

Been there!

 

[WCCPHD]

I have found that complaints are ignored. I had a postal worker blatantly lie about a delivery and the "on line" complaint form does not even work. Calling the post office is a total waste of time. That is not to say that most Postal Workers are not doing a good job, its just that "management" seems to protect the problems.

 

[chief38]

I have gotten so frustrated with the USPS I do not use them any more, other than to send out a bill payment. 98% of my bills get paid on line so that comes to less than maybe 20 pieces or less a year for me.

When I ship a package I use UPS. While certainly plagued with their own issues, they are heads and tails above the Postal Service. We keep getting rate increases and they keep lowering their services. Hmmmm, what's wrong with that!??

 

[Ingramite]

I feel your pain.
Right now I have a package bouncing back and forth between the Distribution Center in San Antonio and Kerrville, about 70 miles away.

The USPS tracking program just frustrates me because I can watch it happening with their own program.

The package will leave the Distribution Center and arrive in Kerrville. Then on the next day it's back at the Distribution Center instead of going out for delivery in Kerrville.

After a couple of days of back and forth the tracking program now lists it as "proceeding to destination" with an "on time" note....but it's like a week beyond the first projected date of delivery.....Yeah, it's Christmas, I get it. Maybe Santa will bring it?

 

[BillBond]

Relax. All shipping companies are making mistakes this time of year.
It's not like they will make a special trip to Salome.

 

[handejector]

How about some advice on how to handle this. I am awaiting a package. 3 times it has been sent to the wrong place.
I live in Salome AZ The package arrived in Phoenix and they sent it to Quartzsite about 40 miles away. Quartzsite returns it to Phoenix. Phoenix sends it to Quartzsite.

3 times this has happened! I called the Postmistress at Quartzsite and she basically blew me off. She said it was in a bin marked for
manual handling instead of machine. That was the extent of the help I got from her.

So where do I go from here? I have no idea if the package was mis-addressed. Salome is 85348 and Quartzsite is 85346 so a single wrong digit would do it.

I'm sleepless in Salome.

Dear Sleepless in Salome,
Tell her how you really feel. Men often have trouble expressing their true feelings. Try to get in touch with your inner self. Just be honest and open.
She'll appreciate your honesty.
Signed,
Dear Abby

 

[pawngal]

Go to your local post office and speak to the postmaster in person. Give them the tracking number and any description you might have of the package. Tell the postmaster to call Quartzite PO and get it on the correct mule train to you. But considering Phoenix is involved all bets are off.

 

[WR Moore]

Our mail gets delivered by ox cart. Mule train would be an upgrade.

If ordering from a site that automatically IDs the town/city by zip code. Double/triple check that before moving on. I recently had package go hither & yon and while the wrong city was involved, as near as the shipper and I could figure out, it probably got the wrong label on it. They did promptly ship a duplicate order to the correct address and it arrived safely, if somewhat slower than usual.

 

[dave1918a2]

Twice in the last year I used UPS because I was sending important paperwork and didn't want USPS to lose it. Guess what?? UPS lost them both and I am out $79 shipping and the claim is still 'under investigation'. I got copies luckily and sent them USPS regular mail with no problem.

 

[ZGrand]

At least at our local post office, they are severely understaffed. Our mail does not get delivered untill between 7-8:00 at night. I suspect the carrier is having to work two routes. We tried to call the PO last week several times about another issue, and no one would even answer the phone.

 

[erikpolcrack]

I once had a package sent to me in PA from Fla. Took about two weeks. Tracking showed it crossed the PA/MD border SEVEN times. Two local Postmasters whom I had phoned asked me to bring the package to them personally when it arrived. I did that, but there was never any explanation for what happened. The Postmasters wanted to see if there was a bar code on the box. Some folks re-use old boxes and don't realize a readable bar code will get picked up and the machine will handle the package based on that, rather than the written address. They said that had been the problem the last time something similar had happened.

On the other hand, I once got an empty shipping tube that was supposed to contain a surplus Springfield rifle barrel. Called the local Postmaster and gave him a detailed description of the barrel, including the manufacturer's code and date. He called back along the line and the nearest major distribution center found it in their 'what's it?' pile. They boxed it up and sent it out to me free of charge.

 

[ladder13]

One thing I have found over the many years, do not waste money on priority mail.
139 miles away.

Norfolk VA to Jersey City to Maryland to DC, then to NC. Oops head south young envelope. Sender sure got his monies worth.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

I have to tell you that I have had good service from USPS for way over half a century. However, to answer your question, I believe that I would involve my congressman. Seriously. That is what they specialize in.

 

[pmanton]

Well my wife drove 40 miles to Quartzsite and picked up the package. The sender got the last digit if the zip code wrong.
She had a hassle getting it but she persevered. 3 times it was sent back and forth from Phoenix to Quartzsite to Phoenix etc.
All's well that ends well.

 

[GypsmJim]

Well my wife drove 40 miles to Quartzsite and picked up the package. The sender got the last digit if the zip code wrong.
She had a hassle getting it but she persevered. 3 times it was sent back and forth from Phoenix to Quartzsite to Phoenix etc.
All's well that ends well.

SEE.....the PO was right on top of things. It was the SHIPPER that screwed up.

 

[sophie]

It’s a crapshoot with the USPS system getting packages delivered, especially this time of the year. I’ve had several lost packages before and made claims regarding the missing packages and fortunately with the exception of one package, they showed up eventually. It doesn’t seem like the USPS has any personal contact anymore with the public due to staffing. I’m surprised the Post Office does as well as they do. They do a heck of a job.

 

[Doug M.]

Our local PO has been delivering at night and on Sundays for a couple of years. They have a whole fleet of rented vehicles and are really busting their butts to get it done. The biggest problems seem to happen with anything that goes through Seattle because the pass can be closed for extended periods, and when that happens, figure on losing 3 days for every day it is closed.

 

[Rudi]

Good luck.

 

[jeffrefrig]

Don't "shoot" the piano player. (Mail carrier or clerk in the office.) They are having a hard time getting temporary/part time help; for quite some time. Because of covid even though it's been quite a few years now! The bargaining unit is getting *&^%$%^&&^%$^& over big time, their union is basically silent/useless, but they keep the mail coming. $20 Christmas tip is about the norm; maybe $25. I have my card for Olive Oyle by my front door right now for tomorrow. She's a good girl as far as her service, but MAN! Our superior being has a sick sense of humor. If it wasn't for retail store flyers and gutter guard ads, I wouldn't get anything but a couple bills a month!

 

[LVSteve]

Well my wife drove 40 miles to Quartzsite and picked up the package. The sender got the last digit if the zip code wrong.
She had a hassle getting it but she persevered. 3 times it was sent back and forth from Phoenix to Quartzsite to Phoenix etc.
All's well that ends well.

They don't seem well set up to ignore an incorrect zip.

 

[SMSgt]

My street number is 377. Apparently the USPS feels any 377 address in town is close enough.

 

[Grayfox]

I know what y'all are talking about. I bought an item from a fellow forum member. He shipped it Dec1. It made it to Memphis and then took a side trip to Fairburn AL. From there it went to Atlanta for a couple of days. For the last 5-6 days tracking shows it "In Tansit".
The Help form on the USPS web site doesn't work.
I finally took the tracking number to my local PO and had them check. According to the folks there, the package is addressed to the guy who sent it. If that's so, it should never have come to Memphis in the first place. What's up with that?
The shipper checked with his PO yesterday and according to them its still in Atlanta and was scanned yesterday. Well, at least its not completely lost.

And this ain't the first time this has happened. I've had packages make side trips to New York and Seattle. Neither of which were within a thousand miles of either me or the sender.

I'll give 'em credit. USPS does an amazing job of moving millions of packages all over this country. But when they do screw up, they do so royally.

 

[zeke]

Our local desk staff are very nice and extremely helpful. Couple of the carriers not so much. My box is empty most the week, then jammed full. Since everything goes through minneapolis/st paul now, things have gotten worse. Used to be that had a number to call, and an email that was answered. Just this year got a phone call through as my heart meds were stuck in a do loop between duluth and minneapolis. The meds magically showed up a day later. However now you have to wait past the max time frame for delivery till the coding on the help screen actually works.

 

[walnutred]

I'm about to fight a similar battle with the USPS. I shipped a package to a fellow forum member on December 7, priority mail, adult signature insured. According to the USPS the package was checked into the Post Office in Delaware, Ohio but has never left. I first checked with the PO when the package didn't arrive on the expected day, they said I had to wait 14 days to file an insurance claim.

I'll be in town today and will follow up in person with the Post Office. My next stop after the PO will likely be with the Police Department to file a stolen firearm report. I want to to get the Ser No in the data base just in case.

 

[chief38]

HA! I just left a comment the other day and I now find out the Post Office lost or stole my Son's & DIL's LL Bean gift card I mailed over 2 weeks ago. They are terrible!!!!!!

 

[Bald1]

“SENDER GOT LAST DIDGET WRONG”
Several of you owe the USPS an apology

 

[Krogen]

SEE.....the PO was right on top of things. It was the SHIPPER that screwed up.

Ah hahhahah... Human error. One time I didn't even get my OWN address right!

I met a new neighbor after I bought a case of 22LR ammo. I watched it on the UPS site as it progressed to the destination. Then it showed "delivered." Hmmph... Not to my abode! I started poking around and found that I - as in yours truly - had entered the address wrong. My own address! Phoooey. I drove down the road and introduced myself to the new neighbor. Pleasant guy, retired Navy. He had my case of ammo. He figured his son ordered it and didn't mention it. I showed him my ID, we talked for a while and I left with my ammo. Met a new neighbor and got my ammo. I had lemonade from lemons.

 

[Greyman50]

Local small town PO here is TERRIBLE! Year or so ago they had 2-3 clerks to man the 4 spots. Then Something happened? They all “ went away” replaced by 1 clerk only! Talk about +-*# on a boar hog, that was the situation. I quit going except to my PO box which is just full of Junk. Have found a real PO about 15 miles away staffed with knowledgeable folks that Do Their Jobs Very well. Worth the drive.

 

[Jeff423]

I had a similar problem to OP. I filed a "missing mail" complaint on their website and the piece was hand delivered 12 hrs. later on a Sunday.
I had all the shipping information:
tracking number
shippers address
my address
package description.