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Help a Canuck understand USPS

kissmybASS01

kissmybASS01

Mar 7, 2008
645
667
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
#1
Hey all!


I ordered a new bass bridge and p/u cover off E-Bay last week. The seller is shipping in a large envelope via Paypal shipping using your US Postal Service. I received my tracking number from the seller and since July 8th, the shipping status is unchanged. The status reads:

"The U.S. Postal Service was electronically notified by the shipper on July 8, 2009 to expect your package for mailing. This does not indicate receipt by the USPS or the actual mailing date. Delivery status information will be provided if / when available. Information, if available, is updated periodically throughout the day. Please check again later. "

What exactly does this mean? The dude has just told them that he will send thestuff when he's ready, or is it already in transit? I've tried Emailing him, but he seems to be slow as cold maple syrup.:crying:

I've yet to get (badly) burned on Ebay and am hoping this won't be it. Should I start raising flags?:help:

PS I realize that there will be a delay in regards to border crossings and all that...
 
#2
All it means is that he printed the label online. There is a discount for printing postage online, one of the reasons being is that the clerk at the counter doesn't have to spend any time with it, nor are they required to scan it to show that they have it in their possession.

95% of the packages we ship out are like that all the way until they are delivered. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Sometimes it never even gets scanned as it's going through customs.
 
#4
OP

I find that USPS tracking can be terrible when dealing with items coming across our border. For example, I bought two different pedals from another TBer at different times. The first time he shipped one, the tracking was spot-on: it told me when it was received for shipping, when it hit the border, etc etc. The next time he shipped me a pedal, I got the

"The U.S. Postal Service was electronically notified by the shipper on July 8, 2009 to expect your package for mailing. This does not indicate receipt by the USPS or the actual mailing date. Delivery status information will be provided if / when available. Information, if available, is updated periodically throughout the day. Please check again later. "

message, and it stayed that way until the package arrived at my door. I guess what I'm saying is, it could be well on its way, and USPS has just done a **** job at tracking your package.

Oh, and don't bother calling USPS customer service. Even with my tracking number the dolt on the phone had no way of finding out where the item was.
 
#5
Well, the option is standing in line and waiting your turn, paying more for postage and paying a lot more for the delivery confirmation. DC is not meant as a tracking tool in the first place, all it's intended to show is that the package was indeed delivered. For true tracking you'll have to go to UPS, FedEx or upgrade at the postal service to Express mail.

And as far as not getting scanned at customs, that's not on the postal service, that's on the customs clerk.
 
#12
Oh, and don't bother calling USPS customer service. Even with my tracking number the dolt on the phone had no way of finding out where the item was.
Click to expand...

In some stations, they are stuck in the past so their equipment may not be state of the art. That "dolt" may not have access to some of the tracking features on their system.

There's a reason we call it "snail mail"...
Click to expand...

So you expect a letter that cost you $.44 to mail from New York to California to get there overnight? It will take a bit of time to process 667 million pieces each day.

I just called USPS and got lost in their automated tracking line. I ried to talk to a real person, but to no avail! Status is still the same, and no info available. Sorry guys but USPS - you suck!
Click to expand...

Wow, it couldn't be because of the TOTAL mail volume we process daily. Last year, we(USPS) processed a total of 202.7 BILLION pieces of mail. That's letters, flats, boxes of checks, granny's souvenir bottle of sand from Normandy beach AND your bass.
 
#15
kissmybASS01 said:
Sorry guys but USPS - you suck!:spit::spit::spit:
Click to expand...

Just forget about the package and go about your life as normal before you bought the item. It will show up soon, and then you'll be all excited. I don't get these people that buy something online, and then spend every waking moment refreshing the package status screen on the shippers website and being generally consumed with when the package will arrive. On the day it shows "out for delivery", it's like everything else in their life stops until the package arrives.

You know what they say kids.....a watched pot never boils. :D

-Mike
 
#16
MJ5150 said:
You know what they say kids.....a watched pot never boils. :D

-Mike
Click to expand...

There's an xkcd for everything:

online_package_tracking.png
 

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