Hi,
Just wondering about something. USPS seems to be moving their web tracking to stamps.com - which, as far as I can tell, is mainly for ordering stamps. The older tracking system seems to only kind of work now -- sometimes not up to date.

If anybody knows what's going on here, I'd like to here about it.

Thanks,

hj

 

I have noticed same thing. USPS tracking has always been TERRIBLE!! Its alarming.

 

I use the USPS tracking app. Works great.. Here's a link for Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...com.usps&hl=en

 

the only thing i have found usps tracking any good for is to see if shipped and when delivered .there has never been any info between those two events any time i ever used it.

 

I've had almost no problems with the webpage for USPS tracking---it does shown when/if something has entered their system, apart from this past Christmas season it has a "history" function allowing you to follow something as it moves through the system.

I don't use that feature anywhere but my PC at home in case that's meaningful or affects the information provided over a PC vs "smart phone".

 

I haven't heard anything like that, but I do know most item bought on eBay and shipped via USPS route through the stamps.com processing system. It's been that way for a good 10 years or so.

 

I have a friend/neighbor who buys/sells/trade football and basketball trading cards, ships almost exclusively through USPS and also uses the stamps.com service. Tracking information is still obtainable through the USPS site when one is created although I think the stamps.com utility will allow you to send tracking to the customer. Its not an automatic thing unless the seller chooses that as an option.

Stamps.com does keep a record of the USPS tracking numbers for future use or proof an item has been sent in case there's a dispute whether something was tendered to USPS.

 

Early in December I ordered a replacement battery for my laptop from a supplier in New Jersey. By Christmas, it still hadn't arrived so I contacted the seller, cancelled the order, and received a refund. I questioned the seller about the purchase and had a couple of harsh words about the service he was providing. On Jan 9, the battery arrived at my doorstep. The postmark on the label was December 5. 35 days, exactly 5 weeks, for this small package to make its way down the Eastern seaboard, and the the only status the USPS tracking site ever showed was the original shipping (Dec 5).

 

Have you contacted the seller to apologize for your rant???

 

Of course. But back on topic, the USPS has been strangely silent about the delay.

 

As far as using stamps.com, I'm not familiar. I wasn't aware of any changes made to our tracking.

As for the horrific delays: I'm going to do the best I can to keep politics out of this but it's highly political and purely profit driven. In short, the new PMG gas screwed the pooch and what I tell all of my customers who have had issues is to reach out to their elected officials and be very angry while doing it.

Additionally, the pandemic (I know, another excuse) has taught people that they can quite literally live at home safe and sound and have EVERYTING delivered by a ground shipper.

Amazon isn't well enough staffed to handle their volume so their overflow goes to USPS.
UPS was so inundated with volume that they quite literally cut ties with Walmart, Target and other big box retailers. That all went to USPS.
FedEx, well, their just FedEx and lack a solid plan anyway and their overflow goes to USPS.

Meanwhile USPS has it's own network services such as Priority mail and package services that have seemingly taken a back seat to Amazon, FedEx and UPS surepost. We're al throwing our hands up in the air saying WTF!!!!!!!!!!! What about OUR customers who rely on us?!

Having said al this you now understand why our system is overburdened by some 400% over this same period last year.

The powers that be didn't hire the seasonal help that we normally get to help in the plants and with package delivery.
At any given time, at least 30% of our workforce is or has been on quarantine.

I could keep throwing excuses out there but I'm very certain based on some comments in the club and while on my route that no one really cares.........they all just want what they want and don't really care to be reminded of the human element that exists and **** poor management that has kept us here.
The good news is, we seem to have finally dug out from our pile up of mail and packages. The volumes in my installation have at least leveled off which tells us that the volumes for our competitors have done the same.

You have to remember that our competitors are profit driven and have the right to refuse business.....we do not unless it's dangerous or illegal.

As for USPS tracking and informed delivery, they both suck and often lack real time information.

So now there, you all have the truth masked as excuses and I've done my level best to keep the politics out of it even though the USPS is a hot button issue right now.

 

My wife gets a USPS notification e-mail every morning. It has a picture of everything we will be getting in the mail for that day. A lot of the items we never see . I saw a picture of my Birthday card from my sister who lives in PA. That was almost 3 years ago, I never got the Birthday card

 

Good explanation...not...excuse...Tim. And...a good job not delving too far into Political Discussion...although...the subject is ripe for that. You're 100% correct about the cause...and...there probably isn't a solution. People are just going to have to get used to slower delivery times. I've been inconvenienced by delays in shipping...but...that's it...an inconvenience. The older I get...the less I sweat the small stuff.

 

There's no excuses necessary, anyone with half a brain can see right there those are the main reasons for delayed packages...more volume...less people to handle them.

 

Thanks guys and now to add a little more fuel on the fire, our PMG, Louis Dejoy, has just announced some new changes to way that First Class Mail (FCM) will be handled in order to save more money. The anticipated result will be slower FCM for our customers. The problem here is that no one can seem to explain exactly what he's trying to do.

Amazon's business is so ripe right now that they are refurbishing two abandoned Kmart buildings within 15 miles of my house and they are calling them delivery units. They anticipate 400 additional drivers and about 1000 jobs overall after they are opened by years end.

We're witnessing a shift in the job market from retail, sales and food service to warehousing, distribution and delivery. Until all the workers are back to work and the delivery infrastructure is significantly updated, you can all anticipate more delays.