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Help with USPS “insufficient address”

Anderdale

Anderdale

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Hello,

I was hoping anyone could give some guidance on how to handle this situation. I apologize if I am posting in the wrong forum.

I shipped a $900 item I sold onMay 1st. I shipped priority 2 day with insurance. On may the 5th it was out for delivery and updated at the end of day saying “No access”.
In the description it said they would try again on the next business day.

After a couple days of no update, may the 8th the tracking changes to “insufficient address”. Description says it is being returned to myself.

the buyer confirmed his address is correct and he was home all day both days.

Tracking hasn’t updated since then and the buyer is asking for a refund. I had a couple questions as this has never happened to me:

1. Should I contact usps and try to find out what’s going on?
2. Will tracking not update again before it’s returned?
3. How could the address be insufficient is the package was out for delivery a couple days earlier.

Something doesn’t seem to add up with the tracking. Thanks for any help.
 
Assuming the label was intact when it left your hands, is it possible that it was smudged/damaged during transit and, as a result, unreadable by the time it was in the mail carrier's hands?

Doesn't sound like it'd hurt to get in touch with USPS; I've never had much luck with that myself.
 
Just curious if it went thru a Maryland/DC area PO?

My one & only "insufficient address" did and it didn't turn out well...needless to say it didn't get delivered and "disappeared" off the substitute routeman's truck...hoping you have a better outcome!
 
In mid-April last year, we had a package of meds returned to the pharmacy with "insufficient address" as the reason. We had been here 25 years. Our address was in 3" high reflective numbers on both sides of our rural mail box, and inside the door of the mail box. We have received dozens of packages of meds from this pharmacy and our prior mail order pharmacy with no problem. Humana sent it a second time and we received it in two days from Cincinnati. I'd say the problem is likely, if not certainly, spelled "USPS,"also spelled "SNAFU." :rolleyes:
 
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I always include a copy of the shipping label with the tracking number inside the package in case the one on the outside gets messed up. It is also a good idea to have an account with all the carriers that you use. If your customer doesn't have an account with USPS, then a thief could open an account in your customers name and then redirect the shipment to an address of his/hers/whatever's choosing. That's what I was told years ago anyway.
In your case, I would try to contact the Postmaster General.
 
PeteyTwoPointOne said:
Just curious if it went thru a Maryland/DC area PO?

My one & only "insufficient address" did and it didn't turn out well...needless to say it didn't get delivered and "disappeared" off the substitute routeman's truck...hoping you have a better outcome!
Click to expand...

no it was heading from GA to TX. Made it to the hub in Texas and was out for delivery the day is said “no access”
 
I recently had a similar-sounding problem with an Amazon package. I had ordered a sharpening stone, and it was "out for delivery." Then, suddenly, mysteriously, it could not be delivered, and a refund was issued. When I got my notice from Amazon about this, they linked to a list of possible reasons why this might happen. I figure the list might help you sort this out.

A package might be returned as undeliverable for several reasons:

  • The address is incorrect or outdated. Usually, the package is stored for a period that can vary depending on the courier who holds it and then returns it to us. Double-check the address carefully when placing your order. For more information about adding, editing, and deleting addresses from your Address Book, see Add and Manage Addresses.
  • Our system doesn't recognize the way an address was entered, or the package was assigned to a carrier that can't deliver to that address.
  • You used a restricted address. If you send the order to a prison, correctional facility, or other similar institution, the products and/or the carrier responsible for delivery may be subject to specific restrictions.
  • The carrier attempted delivery but failed. Most of our carriers make more than one attempt to deliver a package. If they find that they can't successfully deliver your package, they'll return it to us.
  • The recipient refused the delivery. A gift recipient who isn't expecting a gift may refuse a package if they believe it's being delivered to them by mistake. In this case, we'll refund the gift purchaser and let them know by email. If you want to place a new order for the gift, you may want to let the recipient know that a surprise is on the way.
  • The address was illegible. In rare cases, address labels may become impossible to read in transit. If that happens, a carrier will return the package to us.
  • The package was damaged in transit. If a package is damaged while it's on its way to you, the carrier may return it without attempting delivery.
 
Did you provide a pic of the shipping label with tracking to the seller to make sure everything was correct before it's dropped in the mail ?
 
As a mail carrier, the only time I use the no access scan is when the mailbox is blocked ie.road construction, fire or ambulance at residence,or in the winter,( road not plowed, tree across road, or the ever popular garage sale where everybody loves to park in front of the mailboxes.
Insufficient address is a different story. I'm lucky, I've only got 1 apartment complex on my route. It's low income so, the tenants move in and out like a motel.If there's no apartment number, it gets scanned insufficient address and returned.
Another thing, if it had a street address and the customer uses a PO box, it could be sent back .
After 20+ years on the same route I've come to recognize the people that do this, so it gets delivered to the PO box.
If possible contact the postmaster at the delivery post office. They should be able to help. If they will help is a different story.
 
I had this happen with a purchase from Recon 1. Hit the Houston hub, was out for delivery and then "no access" followed by "insufficient address/return to sender". Package started its return to CA and then suddenly was diverted back to the local delivery office and delivered the next day.
 
I just got the same message for documents I am sending to a mortgage company. The irony is that I sent three sets of documents, each required it’s own shipping and tracking using the same address which was printed and verified by my shipping software. Two made it and one supposedly in sufficient address.
 
This happens to me frequently. My street is numbered in an odd and not intuitive fashion, and if you're simply using Google maps it points my house to a vacant lot. If you're the least bit observant you can follow the pattern of houses and realize that my house is 4 lots over and the address is very visible from the road. I have a great relationship with my normal usps carrier and he tells me that the "insufficient address" issue I had was lazy or brand new carriers filling in for him on vacations. He says it's a common code to put down and gets a pass when there's a discrepancy between the actual location and the GPS screen. But in my situation he said it is basic laziness.
 
We've had this happen in our business numerous times. We generally only ship items with a value under $100 through USPS as we have had many problems including theft with them over the years. This same story just happened couple of weeks ago. Same deal. Customer has been there for ever, gets lots of packages there, yes thats the correct address, home all day, etc etc. Now in this situation we've never not got a package back from USPS. Often times, as in this latest case, thats how we know this happens, we get the package back. Generally we'll just ship it back out Fed Ex and the guy will have it in a few days. Fed Ex has its problems as does UPS but in our experience over twenty years and thousands and thousands of packages they both beat USPS hands down.
 
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