Why does USPS even bother offering tracking numbers if their damn system dosent work?

[aphex]

Am i the only one confused by this??

 

[boyRacer]

i dont think it was meant to track progress but just delivery. maybe they shouldnt call it tracking number so much.

 

[aphex]

haha, but even for delivery. When it comes to my mailbox, i know its delivered, not much help there 🙂

 

[Fausto]

Um...I've never had a problem with them. I always know when something is going to make it to my doorstep on a given day by checking the tracking. Did you just dump a USPS guy's sister or something? Maybe it's just a personal vendetta between you and USPS.....😉

Fausto

 

[Hammer]

Yeah, they call in 'Delivery Confirmation', but its really just an excuse.

 

[pulse8]

All tracking numbers are a false sense of security for the buyer. It makes you feel better to know it's being "tracked."

 

[Nitemare]

It works half the time. I'm getting a shipment from grr8scot on the forsale/trade board that was not even scanned in plus it is running late. The package I sent yesterday did not even get put into the system until today...

It's taking 4+ days to ship something that would be a 5 hour drive

Here is what they sent me:



<< Dear USPS Customer,

Our delivery standard for Priority mail is a delivery in 2-3 days. We
try
very hard to meet that standard. Occasionally, however, deliveries may
be
delayed because of unforeseen circumstances. Priority Mail, unlike our
Express Mail service, is not a guaranteed or a trackable service.
Although
it is one of our fastest growing services - a 100% on-time performance
is
not yet a reality. Therefore, we can't tell you exactly where your
package
is, or exactly when it will arrive, but our overall delivery record
convinces us that your item is most certainly still in the mail stream,
and
we ask your continued patience.

Only our Express Mail service offers a guaranteed delivery time to most
U.
S. destinations, and if that commitment is not met the sender is
entitled to
a refund of postage paid. Tracking and tracing, which provides
customers en
route information scanned at multiple points as well as delivery
information, is also provided only with Express Mail.

Delivery confirmation is not a tracking service either. It is intended
for
the benefit of the sender, not the recipient. It does not scan the
item as
it moves through the system, but scans it only at point of delivery,
and
usually at point of acceptance, though that is not currently a
requirement.
While en route scans are occasionally provided, they are not a part of
Delivery Confirmation service. Occasionally, a delivered package will
not be
scanned at delivery, and there will be no update of information on the
web.
In those instances, the only way to determine with certainty that a
package
arrived would be for the sender to contact the recipient. We realize
this
would be an indication that our Delivery Confirmation feature did not
provide its intended service, and though it would be an inconvenience,
the
sender would be entitled to return to the local post office to ask for
a
return of the Delivery Confirmation fee.

We hope that our service failure in this instance will still allow you
to
give us another chance for your business in the future.

Thank you.



USPS Internet Customer Care Center
icustomercare@usps.com
>>

 

[aphex]

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, just noticed this

You can track delivery of Express Mail and Global Express Guaranteed and confirm delivery for domestic Priority Mail and Parcel Post.


Although mine was Priority, i recieved a tracking number. When i enter it i get this:

There is no record of that mail item. If it was mailed recently, it may not yet be tracked. Please try again later.

 

[boyRacer]

Ha! But their employees keep calling it tracking number... i suppose calling it "Tracking" is misleading then. I guess its only useful for the person who sent the package, just to know if it actually got there.

 

[EagleKeeper]

The tracking numbers allow one to locate where the package has been processed (if they scan the tracking infomration at each handling station).

Even if you use the Web printed number, you can request your local PO to scan it at time of pickup.

 

[Russ]

I think that in their mad rush to become perceived as a real "shipping company" they've been making some mistakes with the technology. On balance, they do a pretty good job and, eventually, they'll get the kinks worked out.

Russ, NCNE

 

[aphex]

Russ, i agree. Their prices cant be beat so im a regular customer when i need to send a package.

 

[CocaCola5]

Two weeks and waiting for a 2Ibs first class package.

 

[crypticlogin]

I really don't see what's the big problem of it taking one day for the USPS delivery confirmation number to enter their system. Unless it was shipped overnight, I don't think waiting one day is going to hurt you in any way. Also, let's not forget that they also deliver millions of pieces of letter mail a day on top of the packages. I think you can cut them some slack...

 

[boyRacer]

hey... its not like i HATE them... geez... i actually use them more than UPS or FedEx because theyre a lot more reasonable. But for expensive items that I definitely need to track I need a real-time tracking system.