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| | | Author: | Gaston.La.Brick  | | Posted: | Dec 7, 2022 10:59 | | Subject: | USPS - Tracked letter going in circles ... | | Viewed: | 134 times | | Topic: | Shipping | |
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| Hello fellow BrickLink users,
I hope some of you might be able to give me some advice or share some experience.
I'm a seller on BrickLink for quite some time. I'm based in the EU.
I recently shipped a tracked letter (small parcel) using PostNL (The Netherlands)
to the US (Columbia, SC).
The tracking code got transferred to USPS, so I can continue tracking there.
Two problems.
1. The buyer says I didn't use the correct address and the parcel is back
on it's way to my address.
I did use his address correctly, PostNL just printed it differently on the shipping
label, but all the info is there.
I will not disclose the actual address, but I give you how the buyer had it in
BrickLink and how it apppeared on the label.
John Doe
678 High St
Apt 123
Columbia
SC 29201
USA
The shipping label printed like this:
John Doe
High St 678-APT 123
SC
29201 Columbia
USA
Is it true these differences will make the item un-deliverable for USPS?
2. Tracking going in loops ...
This is the part where it really gets strange.
On the USPS tracking site, I see (roughly) these evolutions:
Nov 5: Acceptance The Netherlands
Nov 6-17: no updates, except "Inboud for customs"
Nov 18: Processed Through Facility (ISC Miami FL USPS)
Nov 22: Arrived at USPS Regional Facility (MIAMI FL INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION
CENTER)
Nov 23: Departed USPS Regional Facility (MIAMI FL INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION
CENTER)
Nov 23: Arrived at USPS Regional Facility (OPA LOCKA FL DISTRIBUTION CENTER)
I continue just putting the dates and the regions:
Nov 24: Opa Locka FL
Nov 24: Columbia SC
Nov 26: Bethune SC
Nov 26: Columbia SC
Nov 28: Miami FL
Nov 29: Opa Locka FL
Nov 29: Columbia SC
Dec 1: Miami FL
Dec 2: Opa Locka FL
Dec 4: Atlanta GA
Dec 4: Columbia SC
Dec 6: Miami FL
As a European and as the sender, I have little to no ways to contact USPS. There
are forms online, but they are targeted towards the receiver and towards US citizens.
Besides, I don't have the phone number of the receiver, which I need to provide.
The buyer is demanding his money back (order value approx $100). I understand
his side, but given the situation, it's clear it's still "in transit
somewhere" with no way in telling what is going on. I have no problem in giving
full refunds when it's clear the parcel is returned (in my hands) or is definitely
lost (usually without tracking).
I requested the buyer (US Citizen) to contact USPS with the tracking number and
request more info. I also advised him to contact the local postal office, in
the event his address would indeed be misread (which I doubt) on the package,
they might hold him for him to pick up.
Any thoughts on these strange events?
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| | | | | Author: | jennnifer | | Posted: | Dec 7, 2022 11:17 | | Subject: | Re: USPS - Tracked letter going in circles ... | | Viewed: | 52 times | | Topic: | Shipping | |
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| Hello,
What a mess!
The address as printed is definitely incorrect. The building number must be before
the street name. Printing the apartment number directly after the building number
seems to conflate the two and is just adding to the confusion.
The USPS will pass this around until:
A: a supervisor looks at the actual address, figures it out, and rewrites the
address for delivery (rare, and possibly not allowed by rules)
B: someone realizes that A is never going to happen and sends it back to you.
In the meantime, the local office (which looks at the street and number) will
keep returning it for a bad address and the regional office (which looks at the
zip code) will keep sending it back to the local office.
Your buyer could and should intervene by calling in and getting this package
tracked down for you. Sometimes this works if you find a good employee, but mostly
it's a complete hassle and waste of time and rarely produces any results.
Good luck I guess!
Jen
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| | | | | Author: | peregrinator | | Posted: | Dec 7, 2022 11:18 | | Subject: | Re: USPS - Tracked letter going in circles ... | | Viewed: | 47 times | | Topic: | Shipping | |
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| In Shipping, Gaston.La.Brick writes:
| | The shipping label printed like this:
John Doe
High St 678-APT 123
SC
29201 Columbia
USA
Is it true these differences will make the item un-deliverable for USPS?
|
It should not be but if it's going through automated machines then the street
address might be confusing. It's clear the postal code is being read just
fine, that is why it keeps going to South Carolina (SC).
However I really don't understand why you can't contact USPS. Ask the
buyer for his phone number.
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| | | | | | | Author: | Gaston.La.Brick | | Posted: | Dec 7, 2022 12:52 | | Subject: | Re: USPS - Tracked letter going in circles ... | | Viewed: | 57 times | | Topic: | Shipping | |
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| In Shipping, peregrinator writes:
| | In Shipping, Gaston.La.Brick writes:
| | The shipping label printed like this:
John Doe
High St 678-APT 123
SC
29201 Columbia
USA
Is it true these differences will make the item un-deliverable for USPS?
|
It should not be but if it's going through automated machines then the street
address might be confusing. It's clear the postal code is being read just
fine, that is why it keeps going to South Carolina (SC).
However I really don't understand why you can't contact USPS. Ask the
buyer for his phone number.
|
I did, but no answer yet.
Secondly, when completing the online form, when coming the last page where it
asks for "The sender's address?" : you can choose The Netherlands (Yaay!)
but after submitting: "Only senders from the US can complete this form".
Maybe I can enter the buyer's address as both sender and as receiver, just
to get the darn contact form submitted...
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| | | | | | | | | Author: | peregrinator | | Posted: | Dec 7, 2022 17:41 | | Subject: | Re: USPS - Tracked letter going in circles ... | | Viewed: | 40 times | | Topic: | Shipping | |
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| In Shipping, Gaston.La.Brick writes:
| | I did, but no answer yet.
Secondly, when completing the online form, when coming the last page where it
asks for "The sender's address?" : you can choose The Netherlands (Yaay!)
but after submitting: "Only senders from the US can complete this form".
|
Hmmm, maybe they want you to go through PostNL? Worth a try.
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| | | | | Author: | Brickman4you | | Posted: | Dec 7, 2022 16:31 | | Subject: | Re: USPS - Tracked letter going in circles ... | | Viewed: | 52 times | | Topic: | Shipping | |
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| In Shipping, Gaston.La.Brick writes:
| | Hello fellow BrickLink users,
I hope some of you might be able to give me some advice or share some experience.
I'm a seller on BrickLink for quite some time. I'm based in the EU.
I recently shipped a tracked letter (small parcel) using PostNL (The Netherlands)
to the US (Columbia, SC).
The tracking code got transferred to USPS, so I can continue tracking there.
Two problems.
1. The buyer says I didn't use the correct address and the parcel is back
on it's way to my address.
I did use his address correctly, PostNL just printed it differently on the shipping
label, but all the info is there.
I will not disclose the actual address, but I give you how the buyer had it in
BrickLink and how it apppeared on the label.
John Doe
678 High St
Apt 123
Columbia
SC 29201
USA
The shipping label printed like this:
John Doe
High St 678-APT 123
SC
29201 Columbia
USA
Is it true these differences will make the item un-deliverable for USPS?
2. Tracking going in loops ...
This is the part where it really gets strange.
On the USPS tracking site, I see (roughly) these evolutions:
Nov 5: Acceptance The Netherlands
Nov 6-17: no updates, except "Inboud for customs"
Nov 18: Processed Through Facility (ISC Miami FL USPS)
Nov 22: Arrived at USPS Regional Facility (MIAMI FL INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION
CENTER)
Nov 23: Departed USPS Regional Facility (MIAMI FL INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION
CENTER)
Nov 23: Arrived at USPS Regional Facility (OPA LOCKA FL DISTRIBUTION CENTER)
I continue just putting the dates and the regions:
Nov 24: Opa Locka FL
Nov 24: Columbia SC
Nov 26: Bethune SC
Nov 26: Columbia SC
Nov 28: Miami FL
Nov 29: Opa Locka FL
Nov 29: Columbia SC
Dec 1: Miami FL
Dec 2: Opa Locka FL
Dec 4: Atlanta GA
Dec 4: Columbia SC
Dec 6: Miami FL
As a European and as the sender, I have little to no ways to contact USPS. There
are forms online, but they are targeted towards the receiver and towards US citizens.
Besides, I don't have the phone number of the receiver, which I need to provide.
The buyer is demanding his money back (order value approx $100). I understand
his side, but given the situation, it's clear it's still "in transit
somewhere" with no way in telling what is going on. I have no problem in giving
full refunds when it's clear the parcel is returned (in my hands) or is definitely
lost (usually without tracking).
I requested the buyer (US Citizen) to contact USPS with the tracking number and
request more info. I also advised him to contact the local postal office, in
the event his address would indeed be misread (which I doubt) on the package,
they might hold him for him to pick up.
Any thoughts on these strange events?
|
With my experience using USPS that never gets delivered unless someone discovers
the error and takes out a sharpie crosses out the "678" after the street address
and adds it to the beginning. Easy fix if not for computers or regimented training
or laziness, take your pick...
I'm not bashing the USPS, they send out 300-400 packages a year for me and
can't even remember a lost package.
I do remember software used by Pitney, eBay (shipstation), and others scrambling
address.
It's best to always double check what actually gets printed out on the label.
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| | | | | Author: | SDF_Bricks | | Posted: | Dec 7, 2022 20:09 | | Subject: | Re: USPS - Tracked letter going in circles ... | | Viewed: | 40 times | | Topic: | Shipping | |
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| In Shipping, Gaston.La.Brick writes:
| | Hello fellow BrickLink users,
I hope some of you might be able to give me some advice or share some experience.
I'm a seller on BrickLink for quite some time. I'm based in the EU.
I recently shipped a tracked letter (small parcel) using PostNL (The Netherlands)
to the US (Columbia, SC).
The tracking code got transferred to USPS, so I can continue tracking there.
Two problems.
1. The buyer says I didn't use the correct address and the parcel is back
on it's way to my address.
I did use his address correctly, PostNL just printed it differently on the shipping
label, but all the info is there.
I will not disclose the actual address, but I give you how the buyer had it in
BrickLink and how it apppeared on the label.
John Doe
678 High St
Apt 123
Columbia
SC 29201
USA
The shipping label printed like this:
John Doe
High St 678-APT 123
SC
29201 Columbia
USA
Is it true these differences will make the item un-deliverable for USPS?
2. Tracking going in loops ...
This is the part where it really gets strange.
On the USPS tracking site, I see (roughly) these evolutions:
Nov 5: Acceptance The Netherlands
Nov 6-17: no updates, except "Inboud for customs"
Nov 18: Processed Through Facility (ISC Miami FL USPS)
Nov 22: Arrived at USPS Regional Facility (MIAMI FL INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION
CENTER)
Nov 23: Departed USPS Regional Facility (MIAMI FL INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION
CENTER)
Nov 23: Arrived at USPS Regional Facility (OPA LOCKA FL DISTRIBUTION CENTER)
I continue just putting the dates and the regions:
Nov 24: Opa Locka FL
Nov 24: Columbia SC
Nov 26: Bethune SC
Nov 26: Columbia SC
Nov 28: Miami FL
Nov 29: Opa Locka FL
Nov 29: Columbia SC
Dec 1: Miami FL
Dec 2: Opa Locka FL
Dec 4: Atlanta GA
Dec 4: Columbia SC
Dec 6: Miami FL
As a European and as the sender, I have little to no ways to contact USPS. There
are forms online, but they are targeted towards the receiver and towards US citizens.
Besides, I don't have the phone number of the receiver, which I need to provide.
The buyer is demanding his money back (order value approx $100). I understand
his side, but given the situation, it's clear it's still "in transit
somewhere" with no way in telling what is going on. I have no problem in giving
full refunds when it's clear the parcel is returned (in my hands) or is definitely
lost (usually without tracking).
I requested the buyer (US Citizen) to contact USPS with the tracking number and
request more info. I also advised him to contact the local postal office, in
the event his address would indeed be misread (which I doubt) on the package,
they might hold him for him to pick up.
Any thoughts on these strange events?
|
This is a clear case of letting the machines do the job for us. All it takes
is for a single human being to pick up the package, and read the address and
route it correctly. Otherwise, it's stuck in a 'do nothing' software
loop.
Sometimes, if the receiver has an account with USPS
package to be 'redirected' to a new address. He would need to correct
tracking number and a 'new' address. Not sure about US-Mail, but Fedex
and UPS already do mail redirecting/forwarding.
Also, and in all fairness, this is a bit the fault of the NL-Post. They should
be aware of such issues and learn to write an address correctly.
All the Best.
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| | | | | Author: | cosmicray | | Posted: | Dec 9, 2022 17:10 | | Subject: | Re: USPS - Tracked letter going in circles ... | | Viewed: | 35 times | | Topic: | Shipping | |
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| In Shipping, Gaston.La.Brick writes:
| | Any thoughts on these strange events?
|
What may have helped avoid the result that happened, is if you specified the
distinction postal code as a 9-digit number (5+4). That would tell the receiving
post office precisely where the expected delivery point is. If PostNL only accepts
5 digits, then you have done all you can. The 9 digit postal code can be found
by inputing the address information on this page …
https://tools.usps.com/zip-code-lookup.htm?byaddress
Nita Rae
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| | | | | Author: | Gaston.La.Brick | | Posted: | Dec 14, 2022 11:32 | | Subject: | Re: USPS - Tracked letter going in circles ... | | Viewed: | 40 times | | Topic: | Shipping | |
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| An update from the USPS-loop front: the package finally broke the endless loop
and got delivered! It's a Christmas miracle!
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| | | | | | | Author: | jennnifer | | Posted: | Dec 14, 2022 11:39 | | Subject: | Re: USPS - Tracked letter going in circles ... | | Viewed: | 36 times | | Topic: | Shipping | |
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| In Shipping, Gaston.La.Brick writes:
| | An update from the USPS-loop front: the package finally broke the endless loop
and got delivered! It's a Christmas miracle!
|
Fantastic!
I wonder how many miles it travelled?
Jen
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Belgium
USA, Illinois
