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2 packages stolen by the carriers in December. Grrrr!

Macchina

Macchina

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Really frustrated with both USPS and UPS right now. I shipped a rare Scagel slipjoint to a fellow member last month and it turned to vapor in the USPS system. I actually put it in the mailbox as the mailman pulled up to my mailbox, I waited till he took it and put my mail in the box, then headed inside with my mail. The carrier never scanned the package and we assume he pocketed the knife.

I have been in contact with my local post office that picked it up and they confirm the package pickup protocol is to scan the package as it comes into the truck. USPS being who they are only wants to pay $50 of the $230 I am out (I refunded the buyer). The package documents show up to $550 insurance because I bought the Postage through PayPal but they won't honor it. Really biffed to be out $180 and a rare knife on this one...

To top it off I bought a gun from Bud's and shows it's spent the last 9 days on a truck from Ohio to Michigan. I just got off the phone with UPS and they believe the package was stolen in the UPS system.

Can't these places come up with a system that prevents theft? Also, how is it possible that USPS knows exactly who picked up my package and they can't do anything about it? Can I go after that carrier in Small Claims Court?
 
That sucks you've lost two packages. There are several employees that touch each package along its path and there really is no way to have cameras on your package 100% of the time so it can happen. As to USPS knowing exactly who picked up your package, it would seem there is a lack of evidence unless you recorded your package being picked up. This is why I always drop mine off at the PO and get a scan at the desk. I don't even use the drop off box.

Regarding insurance I'm not sure how you would have $550 insurance unless you paid for it. I print labels off Paypal all the time and unless I pay for extra I only have $50 on priority and I believe it's $0 for first class.
 
I agree I didn't pay for insurance (an ironic thing that you pay someone for a service and have to pay more in case they are completely at fault for losing your package). My local post office who told me to handle this through claims insists the package has $550 of insurance ($500 from me and $50 from it being Priority). 2 different supervisors have insisted it has the insurance on it... I don't have much to stand on. If I only get $50 out of this double loss I'm going to be super pissed.
 
This sounds like one of those “anything’s possible” scenarios.

The person could be a theif or just careless or got distracted, or the package “slipped through the cracks (fell somewhere no one looked or even fell off the truck before getting scanned.)

I’ve had mail show up 6 months late. Has anyone interrogated the person who was supposed to scan it—I couldn’t tell for sure—sorry about your rotten “luck.”

There are some postal employees on the forum who might be able to advise you.

Do you know the mailperson from previous deliveries? What does he have to say?

My guy is kind of a turkey. I sat home all day waiting for signature required package and he never rang the bell and left a sticky message instead. so I had to educate him. Another time I was waiting for medication and I got a notification the package was at my door—it wasn’t. I went outside to find the mailman, and he said it still on his truck claiming he didn’t understand how the scanning and notifications work. (Hard to believe.) so I had to educate him.

Another time, he left a signature required package (without getting my signature), and lied saying it was Signed for by me…

I guess in future—if you use USPS—watch him scan that sucker! Best of luck!
 
I always take my well packed USPS boxes to the store and handed to the staff behind the counter to get my receipts. I just feel this is safer than leave them in my mailbox for pickup even though I have never lost any mails or packages that were put in my mailbox or left on my front porch.
 
As others have said, take it to the post office directly.

Mail carriers are sometimes temps, I think, especially this time of year. I imagine they are more likely to pocket a package than somebody who might lose a pension in addition to their job if they got caught stealing.

You get a receipt right away at the post office. The people that work behind the counter there are usually senior post office employees, I think. Less likely to be stealing.
Also, it's probably harder for them to steal a package from the post office as they have other people in the post office that might see them. A carrier is out by himself. He can park somewhere without anybody around and make your package vanish.

Dropping it off at the post office will probably get it to it's destination faster.
 
Macchina said:
Really frustrated with both USPS and UPS right now. I shipped a rare Scagel slipjoint to a fellow member last month and it turned to vapor in the USPS system. I actually put it in the mailbox as the mailman pulled up to my mailbox, I waited till he took it and put my mail in the box, then headed inside with my mail. The carrier never scanned the package and we assume he pocketed the knife.

I have been in contact with my local post office that picked it up and they confirm the package pickup protocol is to scan the package as it comes into the truck. USPS being who they are only wants to pay $50 of the $230 I am out (I refunded the buyer). The package documents show up to $550 insurance because I bought the Postage through PayPal but they won't honor it. Really biffed to be out $180 and a rare knife on this one...

To top it off I bought a gun from Bud's and shows it's spent the last 9 days on a truck from Ohio to Michigan. I just got off the phone with UPS and they believe the package was stolen in the UPS system.

Can't these places come up with a system that prevents theft? Also, how is it possible that USPS knows exactly who picked up my package and they can't do anything about it? Can I go after that carrier in Small Claims Court?
Click to expand...
Problem is that USPS Tracking is science fiction. Planes take over a week to fly from London to JFK Per USPS. Not believable. Truth is, took hours then sat for days in a pile of shipping containers before USPS got around to opening the container to scan the contents as "arrived."
 
On the other hand, there's my (recently retired, unfortunately) mail carrier who called me while I was on vacation in Hawaii to see what I wanted him to do with a knife I had being delivered from CKF (Russia) after my attempt to have it held for pickup failed. He was awesome.
 
Drop off the package rather than leaving it in the box as has been noted. Also, drop it off with fedex not usps or ups.
 
When I get a package from a customer I scan it on their porch so the gps shows I picked it up. That covers me and the customer (if it were a return). We have a function for that called “pre paid acceptance”
Some shipping advice.... I never ship in a box smaller than the small Flat Rate box. I always include the address written on the box and inside the box in case the label is destroyed. I try to print a label from the computer because my hand writing is terrible!
 
That sucks. I've never once lost a package inbound or out using USPS Priority Express. I've found it to be an excellent service.
 
? why is USPS even paying $50 if they have no record of your package being shipped. It was either shipped or it wasn't. If it wasn't (realize you did)they owe you nothing. If it was they owe you the full value of $230(if you bought insurance)-they aren't going to pay $550 nor are they going to pay $230 if you didn't insure.
It may have been lost anywhere. Proper procedure was to scan immediately, but some may cut corners.
Hopefully they at least took a report, so if there is a pattern they will see it.
Sorry for you losses

I have always had good luck with USPS and my carrier is excellent
 
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"Rare Skagel slipjoint" Color me confused? As an aside, I can't imagine any actual Skagel slipjoint being worth only $550 or being sent Priority Mail? Was this a tribute?

Regardless, you deserve better. Sorry.

I am 1/4 shipping department. In 14+ years I have NEVER had a failure with USPS Priority mail (my most dominant shipping source.) I am fortunate.
 
Norcaldude said:
Why would you say that? The US Postal Service is pretty amazing. I just had a knife shipped on Thursday from Idaho and it was delivered here in California yesterday, on Saturday.
Fedex always takes longer. I hate it when somebody ships me something via Fedex or UPS.
Click to expand...

In my experience the usps has been pretty terrible and almost never pays an insurance claim. Ymmv
 
Triton said:
In my experience the usps has been pretty terrible and almost never pays an insurance claim. Ymmv
Click to expand...

I have never had them lose anything I shipped, so have had no need to experience how they pay their insurance claims.
 
It sucks this happened. It would be nice if they honored their end of the deal when something is lost. I dont think insurance is something that should be purchased by the customer. The shipping company should have its own insurance. If you lie about a value then you have committed insurance fraud and just like any other case you would suffer the consequences. Unfortunately it seems to work similar to when you get the short end of the stick at the airport. You are met with an impossible sea of red tape and policies. Luckily it doesnt seem to happen to often but i have heard from a few people that the insurance is pointless.
 
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