USPS Tracking

[destrekor]

Something I was recently reminded about, we used to have a local sorting facility but they recently moved sorting operations to the Detroit region. Honestly, the only thing I've noticed since then is it may take an extra day or two for local deliveries. Hardly an issue for me though, as whenever I do have to send a physical piece of mail I bake in extra time to account for my own usual delays. lol

 

[John Connor]

I buy a lot of crap on eBay and most if not all of it is sent through the USPS. It's been pretty good so I can't answer the poll on if it's "improved." It might just be a regional thing though. I can also say that I think the USPS distribution center in PA must have a lot of bloody thieves. Every time I order from there or something passes through there my shit never shows up. Pisses me off. Happened to my mom too.

 

[John Connor]

This is a map of my current package.
It started in Wisconsin, dest = MI.
Currently in AZ.

It is supposed to be delivered tomorrow.

I had a package go from Florida all the way to California and then to Colorado. Someone messed up. LMAO

 

[Elixer]

Doesn't look like it will make it. The last tracking info I got shows, DES MOINES, IA 50395 so, it looks like it is heading back the way it came.

Sigh.

Side note, USPS phone tracking support is horrible. They know nothing about the long detour route, and are pretty rude as well, should be renamed to: Customer (we don't) Care Center.

 

[Crono]

If this was using NewEgg and SmartPost, that's the real issue. SmartPost sucks.

 

[who?]

John Connor please use these links if you haven't already; https://www.usps.com/help/missing-mail.htm
https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/ .

 

[Elixer]

LOL, it is going back the way it came.
They just updated, and it is now: Arrived at USPS Origin Facility OAK CREEK, WI 53154, so it made a full circle.

At this rate, seems like Wed. at the earliest.

 

[Damm straight]

How has it been for everyone else lately? As in, past year or two or five?

I remember they used to get a lot of hate, and perhaps it's a regional and can be blamed on regional management/training.

But for me, while it used to be very spotty years ago, as of late, while not as perfectly consistent as UPS/Fedex when it comes to simply getting everything scanned -- later I'll discuss actual shipping -- they still otherwise move things expediently with Priority Mail and 9/10 have accurate scanning history and estimated delivery dates that wound up true (or underestimated, i.e. it arrived earlier).

Just curious to see if it's a national trend, seeing improvement in regards to both tracking and shipping/handling. As a government-sponsored enterprise and not wholly government own and ran like it used to be, they seem to be taking greater steps toward improving their services and clawing back some of the market from UPS and Fedex and other smaller operators.

Now, if I was to complain about consistent tracking and shipping, I would be complaining about the smaller companies, like Prestige/Lasership, as while they can be super fast and yet cheap, that of course comes with trade offs, like a complete lack of consistency in my experience. Generally reliable but it's maddening compared to even USPS. lol

I'm hear to get some answers myself. I ship items via USPS almost daily...and the service, reliability and expedience has gotten horrible. The past 4 Priority Packages I've sent took 4 to 5 days to reach their destinations. And I'm talking about within 1000miles or less. Yet I paid DEARLY for this service. I'm wondering if this is a regional issue or National? I live in Tampa, FL ...and everything in Tampa is a joke. If the US Postal Service was a private company (Not government run) It would go out of business almost immediately. No private company can function successfully with the cost, inefficiency and unreliability that the Post office does.

The tracking is a joke...the system sets Idle for days sometimes before any info is entered. And sometimes my package travels in circles and comes back to the drop off point and then goes out again!! WTF...?

 

[Damm straight]

I've never had an issue with UPS for Fedex, but USPS is consistently incorrect when I actually check it. Most of the time I'm not really in that much of a hurry to get packages, and I just wait for them to show up whenever. USPS is inaccurate pretty much every time I do check. I guess it's better in a way. Last package I checked on said it was delivered about 3 hours before it actually was. The package before that said it was delivered, but never came that day. I asked about it the next day, and they had no idea where it was. It went back to "out for delivery" around noon and was actually delivered the next day. It's a pretty consistent issue I have with USPS.

Amen...USPS SUCKS ASS! Too expensive, Unreliable, Inefficient, ...Typical Government run dis-Organization.

 

[MtnMan]

NO! In town mail used to take a day, now it is two days.

We get a lot of stuff from Amazon Prime (2 day delivery). A lot of it is FedEx'ed to the local postal facality to be delivered by the mailman. Works for stuff that will fit in the mailbox. BUT if it won't fit and needs to be brought to the house, it all depends on the whim of the mailman. Raining, won't happen. Cold and windy, won't happen. He's running late, won't happen. He "doesn't feel like it", won't happen.

Since we get tracking from Amazon it is interesting to see the reason's for non-delivery. Couldn't find address though the junk mail was put in the mailbox. No one home, but we were and a signature was not required anyway.

 

[sze5003]

Lately amazing prime has let me down a bit. At my last complex I rarely got my packages. This week I ordered something on Tuesday and Amazon didn't ship it until Thursday when it told me it would be here Friday. Called their support and they assured I'd get my hard drive which I need on Friday. Turns out it won't show up until later today. It's in the area according to USPS but I don't know why they sent it to the next town over when it arrived exactly in my area. Still not out for delivery.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I don't know why people keep complaining about USPS tracking. I've spoken to several facility managers and, they'll tell you straight out. USPS doesn't do tracking. They have a tracking app for the same reason mb manufacturers have a customer service department so, they can say they have one.

 

[Damm straight]

Then they shouldn't boast about their tracking system if they "don't offer tracking" like they say they do! That's like going to Jiffy lube for an oil change and when you get there they say..."we don't do oil changes...but the guy next door does" !!

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Then they shouldn't boast about their tracking system if they "don't offer tracking" like they say they do! That's like going to Jiffy lube for an oil change and when you get there they say..."we don't do oil changes...but the guy next door does" !!

Hey, it's the American way!

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Better: I love informed delivery to see what to expect in the mail. Basically tells me if I should check it now or if it can wait a week because it's nolthing important

Worse: The price for shipping a package has gotten insane. I remember when USPS priority was ~$4.35 for a standard medium sized package. Now it will cost you like... $10 minimum.

Overall it's gotten slightly better, but USPS employees are still far too incompetent . There is a street a few blocks from me that has my same house number, and I get stuff delivered to my door for their street on occasion. Makes me wonder how much of my stuff is delivered to them that I never see. Also get mail from neighbors because reading is too complicating for them.

 

[slayer202]

I don't know why people keep complaining about USPS tracking. I've spoken to several facility managers and, they'll tell you straight out. USPS doesn't do tracking. They have a tracking app for the same reason mb manufacturers have a customer service department so, they can say they have one.

I don't understand this. What is considered tracking, then?

 

[sze5003]

It is tracking but it's not accurate at all. My package that was stated to arrive today by 8pm, never showed up. It was initially supposed to be here Friday evening. Picked up the mail and not sure if they forgot or didn't have my package but amazon still says it's in a nearby town. Probably will have to wait until Monday now.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

It's poorly implemented so, it's at the bottom of the list of their priorities. It's one of those things that's nice to do if you have time. USPS employees rarely have time so, it gets pencil whipped if done at all.

 

[MrSquished]

The USPS is partly handcuffed based upon mandates from Congress - like it's financials are fucked because of how they are required to report future retirement benefits. They also can only charge a certain amount for services. They are also responsible for delivering mail to every address in the USA essentially almost every day of the year, weather be damned for the most part. It's really quite amazing what they do.

Tracking for me lately has been pretty spot on. I order a lot from Amazon and enough packages come from the USPS and they track properly. I also have ordered stuff from Etsy and Ebay from all over the place including overseas which ends up coming by USPS once they land stateside, and those came just fine as well. Considering what they do and at what prices they are mandated to do so, I'm pretty happy with them. I used to hate on the USPS until I read about those things, and until I started shipping things myself and realized how much cheaper the USPS was 90% of the time than UPS or FEDex.

 

[Alpha One Seven]

How has it been for everyone else lately? As in, past year or two or five?

I remember they used to get a lot of hate, and perhaps it's a regional and can be blamed on regional management/training.

But for me, while it used to be very spotty years ago, as of late, while not as perfectly consistent as UPS/Fedex when it comes to simply getting everything scanned -- later I'll discuss actual shipping -- they still otherwise move things expediently with Priority Mail and 9/10 have accurate scanning history and estimated delivery dates that wound up true (or underestimated, i.e. it arrived earlier).

Just curious to see if it's a national trend, seeing improvement in regards to both tracking and shipping/handling. As a government-sponsored enterprise and not wholly government own and ran like it used to be, they seem to be taking greater steps toward improving their services and clawing back some of the market from UPS and Fedex and other smaller operators.

Now, if I was to complain about consistent tracking and shipping, I would be complaining about the smaller companies, like Prestige/Lasership, as while they can be super fast and yet cheap, that of course comes with trade offs, like a complete lack of consistency in my experience. Generally reliable but it's maddening compared to even USPS. lol

It is miles ahead of UPS in my area. UPS is spotty at best and just plan terrible at times. I even had to call the police on a UPS driver that tried to steal from my property not long ago.