posted on April 25, 2003 06:24:14 AM new
I mailed a package to a buyer on April 2 using Endicia with DC (media mail). It has not arrived yet according to the buyer. When you check the tracking number this is what you get: "The U.S. Postal Service was electronically notified by the shipper or shipping partner on April 02, 2003 to expect your package for mailing." I sent the tracking number to buyer and he checked it on the USPS website. Now, because it says the US Postal Service is to "expect" the package the buyer thinks I never mailed it. And he has every right to think that because there is nothing stating I actually sent it. Plus, with Endicia there is nothing to prove that I actually took the package to the post office and mailed it. What do you do in these situations?
posted on April 25, 2003 06:42:23 AM new
FIRST: you want to understand that this is NOT an Endicia problem, but rather a USPS problem -- you would have had the same results if you had used the PO's ASSISTANT.
You MUST understand that DC (whether retail or electronic) is NOT tracking! The USPS specifically states that it is NOT tracking, but rather a service that provides proof of delivery ONLY!
Even though you used eDC, you could have taken the package to the PO & requested that they postmark your ENDICIA receipt as PROOF of mailing. Since it is so rare for me to have a missing item, it has not proven time-effecient for me to do so!
On expensive items, I use Signature Confirmation with postmarked record anyhoo
They ADMIT to a 5% non-scan performance with DC -- my experience with eDC has been around 1%!
When this has happened to me, I have personally called the addressee's local PO & asked them to look around -- 99% of the time, IT'S THERE!
Ralphie loves Mr Blonde:
"Are you gonna bark all day little doggie, or are you gonna bite?"
http://tinyurl.com/5duz
posted on April 25, 2003 06:46:07 AM new
BTW: media mail can take up to 4 weeks to deliver -- you should wait for the 30 day time frame & then file the lost packie whosit with the PO
Ralphie loves Mr Blonde:
"Are you gonna bark all day little doggie, or are you gonna bite?" http://tinyurl.com/5duz
posted on April 25, 2003 08:43:41 AM new
I guess I wasn't saying it was an Endicia problem, rather I was saying that if I had gone to the post office I could get a receipt but that is why I went to Endicia, to keep from having to stand in line at the post office. And yes, I am fully aware of the time it takes to deliver media mail as that is most of what we sell. I didn't have any plans on going to the post office to file any claim since my part is done. I'm not going to waste my time on a $5.00 item when I did everything I was supposed to do already.<p>I already advised the buyer to check with their p.o.
posted on April 25, 2003 08:58:08 AM new
Thus...there are many trade-offs in shipping!
eDC (whether printed with DAZZLE or USPS software) does NOT provide for proof of shipping. For THAT, one must use the retail DC with POSTMARK or take a PRINT-OUT to the PO for postmarking.
Is it worth it to stand in line to prevent the RARE complaint of non-shipment? Not for me
Considering the price of eDC (FREE!), it is pretty cost-effective!
I'm confused about why you seem upset with ENDICIA? Were you unaware of these trade-offs before hand?
Ralphie loves Mr Blonde:
"Are you gonna bark all day little doggie, or are you gonna bite?" http://tinyurl.com/5duz
posted on April 25, 2003 09:10:08 AM new
usps dc is delivery confirmation,not a step by step tracking means like fed exp or dhl.
registered mail is trackable within usps,but not by consumers.
posted on April 25, 2003 09:34:44 AM new
But I think the big problem here is that the post office where you dropped your items off did not scan them in. I would ask to speak with a manager at the post office to see how it can be corrected in the future.
posted on April 25, 2003 10:00:56 AM new
media mail is low priority when it comes time at the end of the month to mail out ss checks etc.
if your buyer pays media mail,he should know to be patient,else he should upgrade to first class or priority mail.media mail can take up to 14 days
posted on April 25, 2003 10:03:10 AM new
I'm not upset with Endicia at all, I love it because I don't have to stand in line at the PO. Sorry I confused you; that was not my intent. I was just wondering how other people handled these situations. No, it is NOT worth it to stand in line for the rare complaint of non-shipment, and I'm not really concerned about it, just wondering. If I had known my question was going to cause such a fuss I wouldn't have bothered.
posted on April 25, 2003 10:23:46 AM new
shawnb1, no trouble caused. I was wondering when something like this would happen to me too. But so far so good. I think with an amount this small, I wouldn't worry too much about it. Maybe an email to the buyer asking to (if possible) to wait alittle longer, maybe you can even give the buyer a date to call it quits and give a refund or whatever. The message you got is what you get when you do your eDC from the web. When you don't (physically) use the green DC label, it isn't scanned when you drop off the package. It's supposed to be scanned only when it arrives at it's destination. BUT, if you use the green label, they scan it right there at the post office before it goes out. That's when you will see a message you're looking for and the buyer can see that the package has actually been mailed. But then again, there's that extra charge for using that label.
posted on April 25, 2003 10:47:46 AM new
Nb: RETAIL (green label) DC for MEDIA MAIL = $0.50 as opposed to eDC (internet) = $0.13!
The only points I was trying to make was:
1) Note that DC is NOT tracking -- the PO makes it very clear that tracking is NOT included for either retail or the eDC!
Sometimes, as an unexpected & unofficial benny, online tracking DOES appear! BUT, this is not the purpose of DC! If it is scanned ONLY after delivery, then ya gets yer money's worth, according to the PO
/&/
2) The same problem would have occured even if ya had used the PO's SOFTWARE.
No fuss! Thicken up ye ole pachy-dermis! Ya should have been around here back in the good ole days of HCQ, etc !!
Ralphie loves Mr Blonde:
"Are you gonna bark all day little doggie, or are you gonna bite?" http://tinyurl.com/5duz
posted on April 25, 2003 03:31:38 PM new
I posted a thread on this same exact problem a few weeks back. I ALWAYS take my packages to the counter and Visibly see them scanned and they STILL DO NOT SHOW UP on the website as being processed somethimes up to a week later!!!!!!!!! I feel this is a website issue. I have had sucess calling my postoffice and asking them to look up dc - they can usually find where the item is, even if it does not register on line.
posted on April 25, 2003 06:46:18 PM new
A ups tracking number isn't much better. I am having trouble getting a package. The tracking number has said "out for delivery" twice already. I finally found out how to get a hold of the local UPS terminal (which is not easy to do) and they tell me that it was never there. The tracking number only shows where they EXPECT it to be. She checked and it was never actually scanned at that location.
!!