Bartertown.com

Not here on BT, but I sent a package Priority last week Wednesday. According to the tracking info, it was "processed" through the same facility twice, was supposed to be delivered on the 1st, but is still showing that it processed through the destination sort facility....I'm sort of worried the package is now "lost" and since I didn't insure it, I'm out $50....

All this after the package was originally returned to me due to "insufficient postage" earlier last week, even though it was shipping from a USPS office with the proper postage amount! Anyone else having issues with USPS?



Priority Mail®
Processed through Sort Facility
October 01, 2011, 5:21 am
NORTH HOUSTON, TX 77315

Expected Delivery By:
October 1, 2011
Delivery Confirmation™

Processed through Sort Facility
September 29, 2011, 7:16 pm
ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL 60007

Acceptance
September 29, 2011, 1:28 pm
CHICAGO, IL 60601

the back & forth would explain the double handling.

The insufficient postage is easily correctable.
Take back to the post office that you shipped it.
The window clerk will reweigh it. If you have enough postage on it, they should/will mark out the return notice and date stamp it.
If the postage incorrect, then you can correct it there. If you received a special rate, like you bought postage online, the window clerk can veify the weight of the pacakges is the same as the online receipt. They can verify the amount is correct, since they don't have access to those rate charts.

kturock wrote:the back & forth would explain the double handling.

The insufficient postage is easily correctable.
Take back to the post office that you shipped it.
The window clerk will reweigh it. If you have enough postage on it, they should/will mark out the return notice and date stamp it.
If the postage incorrect, then you can correct it there. If you received a special rate, like you bought postage online, the window clerk can veify the weight of the pacakges is the same as the online receipt. They can verify the amount is correct, since they don't have access to those rate charts.

Did that when it was returned last Tuesday. Window clerk just said it had insufficient postage (even though this was the same one who weighed it the first time and it didn't magically accumulate mass on its first trip) and I had to buy more.

Any idea why the tracking still shows it as only "processed through North Houston sosrt facility" today, now 3 days after it was supposed to be delivered?

Did you bring in your receipt when you went back? It shows who waited on you.
How much did the package gain in weight?


The package wasn't scanned when it was delivered to you. or if it was, the data was lost.

If the person recieving the package hasn't complained I'd be quiet about it until they complain to you. I've had a few times where delivery confirmation wasn't actually confirmed but the package arrived anyway, no need to alert someone that they could easily succeed at a dispute because it as never confirmed delivered.

I'm ususally for 100% disclosure but with paypal and ebay there are so many safety mechanisms in place to protect the buyer but almost none to help out the seller... you can't even leave negative feedback on buyers any more.

Sorry if that last bit was unrelated to your situation.

The package was returned to the mailer. It doesn't show it was delivered/returned to him.

kturock wrote:Did you bring in your receipt when you went back? It shows who waited on you.
How much did the package gain in weight?


The package wasn't scanned when it was delivered to you. or if it was, the data was lost.

Sorry if I'm unclear. I initially sent this package out last Monday and it was returned to me Tuesday. Went back - same clerk, same weight. Clerk's response was "must have been returned for some other reason" and had to pay again.

The tracking info above is from when the package was re-sent on Wednesday of last week.

EDIT: Is it possible that, since the buyer's address is a PO Box, maybe it wouldn't fit and if it won't be marked "Delivered" until he picks it up?

Ok re-reading all of your posts, I understand:

You mailed the package and got it back, insufficient postage.

You then went back to the post office and paid the additional amount.

You remailed it and it shows what for delivery, just 'en route'?

You are correct about the PO box scan. It's be scanned 'held for pickup' or 'at delivery office' or such. [they've changed the wording a couple times]
It's not delivered until it's in his hand.

In some of the sorting facilites, there are some sorting machines that automatically scan every package that goes by. It tries to also sort them. The machine in my building was just upgraded to do this.
The package should be scanned 'arrived at delivery unit' when it's at the po box building.

Remember, d/c is only scanned at final delivey, other scans are just helpful.

kturock wrote: You remailed it and it shows what for delivery, just 'en route'?

You are correct about the PO box scan. It's be scanned 'held for pickup' or 'at delivery office' or such. [they've changed the wording a couple times]
It's not delivered until it's in his hand.

In some of the sorting facilites, there are some sorting machines that automatically scan every package that goes by. It tries to also sort them. The machine in my building was just upgraded to do this.
The package should be scanned 'arrived at delivery unit' when it's at the po box building.

Remember, d/c is only scanned at final delivey, other scans are just helpful.

EDITEDIT: Ok, I guess it literally (10:45) arrived at delivery unit and was then (11:00) delivered.

Thanks for the help, kturock.

If the package is too big to fit in the po box, there are 2 options that can be done.
Most post office box sections have a 'parcel locker' section. It's a series of 'lockers' that hold larger items. A clerk locks packages into these lockers and leaves the key for each locker in the po box.
If the box is too big, or if the lockers are all full; the clerk then leaves a 'left notice' slip in the box, telling the customer to come to the window and pick up the package.

You package was probably delivered via the 1st option. [it is also possible that the addressee happened to pick it up 15 minutes after the notice was left.]