an open letter for USPS

[MattH (Matt)]

Just for the record:

• Ordered from OPT 16/07/2011 (Saturday)
• Acceptance by USPS 19/07/2011 (Tuesday - OK, there was a weekend)
• Processed Through Sort Facility 20/07/2011 (Los Angeles)
• Processed Through Sort Facility 15/08/2011, 4:50 pm (Australia)
• Customs Clearance 15/08/2011, 5:10 pm ( That was fast!)
• Delivery 18/08/2011 around 12 pm (Sydney, CBD, Chifley Square - 12 km from the airport)

So, those waiting for three weeks should smile. Everything is on time. Well, almost

BTW, it was a small parcel (Sky Quality Meter and a Hutech LPS filter)

Regards,
Matt

[jeff65 (Jeff)]

Originally Posted by MattH

So, those waiting for three weeks should smile.

We shouldn't smile. You should be screaming at someone. That's nearly as long as the no longer available USPS surface mail used to take.

The USPS website has the cheek to say "expected delivery date 1 Aug". Hah!

[jeff65 (Jeff)]

My recent order from OPT was placed two weeks after yours and I received it ten days ago. It only took a bit over a week.

[TrevorW]

well surprise my parcel turned up today but the tracking details say it hasn't left the states

[Dennis]

Here's my story with USPS:

• Purchased stuff from the good old US of A on 10th July 2011.
• Advised that the goods were dispatched on 12th July.
• Advised that I could expect delivery between July 19, 2011 - July 25, 2011.
• Goods actually arrived on 15th August 2011.

Goods sent via USPS.
Elapsed time: 5 weeks.

I kept the faith….or was that simply just plain old hope!

Cheers

Dennis

[TrevorW]

The advertised time for USPS Priority Mail International is 5-10 business days so at most you would expect 3 weeks in total

where is the delay occuring in the US or here

[vanwonky (Dave)]

Is it normal for USPS tracking to end in America or do they track it all the way? I realise by the other posts that I might be expecting way too much for the parcel to arrive 5 days after processing by USPS but it would be nice to know where it is at the moment!

Service: Priority Mail International Parcels
Status of Your Item: Processed Through Sort Facility
Date & Time: August 17, 2011, 6:36 am
Location: ISC CHICAGO IL (USPS)
Features: Expected Delivery By:August 17, 2011, International Parcels

Cheers
Dave

[troypiggo (Troy)]

I just checked the status of something I ordered on 10/8/11. Got USPS tracking information the day after saying it's at Pismo, CA on 11/8/11. It hasn't moved since then! Still at the same place it was 12 days ago!

[vanwonky (Dave)]

Originally Posted by troypiggo

I just checked the status of something I ordered on 10/8/11. Got USPS tracking information the day after saying it's at Pismo, CA on 11/8/11. It hasn't moved since then! Still at the same place it was 12 days ago!

Damn! OK, there is only one way to go with this. Forget that I ever ordered anything via USPS and be pleasantly surprised when a parcel turns up sometime.

[Jules76 (Julian)]

Originally Posted by vanwonky

Is it normal for USPS tracking to end in America or do they track it all the way?

Depends on the level of service the seller has purchased. With Priority Mail they are trackable all the way except for Flat Rate Parcels. How you tell the difference depends on what your tracking number starts with, eg. "CJ" or "CQ". But I'm not sure which is which. But if it's of any consolation, I've got two Priority parcels with one of each code and they are both stuck at "Processed Through Sort Facility".

It's not normal at either rate as the last scan before leaving the US should be "International Dispatch" and the summary should state that your parcel has "Left the United States on xxxxx at xxxxx". I haven't seen this status for quite a while and I've been getting parcels from the US fairly regulary over the past year.

I think it's pretty obvious that with all the cut backs that the USPS is in a pretty bad shape at the moment. The service has really gone down hill which I guess shouldn't really come as a surpise.

Just a tip, ocassionally check the Auspost tracking and enter the USPS tracking number you have with them. If your lucky, and Auspost have done the right thing and scanned it when it arrived, you should be able to pick up tracking again from there. But again, this is only for the fully trackable parcels from the US.

[vanwonky (Dave)]

Originally Posted by Jules76

Depends on the level of service the seller has purchased. With Priority Mail they are trackable all the way except for Flat Rate Parcels. How you tell the difference depends on what your tracking number starts with, eg. "CJ" or "CQ". But I'm not sure which is which.

My tracking number starts with a 'CW'. Looking back I did ask for priority mail and of course the text from tracking does indicate that so who knows what is going on.

Hmm.. according to the USPS website - "Priority Mail International™ CP 000 000 000 US". Starts with a CP?

[Jules76 (Julian)]

Originally Posted by vanwonky

My tracking number starts with a 'CW'. Looking back I did ask for priority mail and of course the text from tracking does indicate that so who knows what is going on.

Hmm.. according to the USPS website - "Priority Mail International™ CP 000 000 000 US". Starts with a CP?

Hmm come to think of it I think I've had a CW before, can't remeber if it was fully tracking or not. Get's confusing with their being so many different services.

This is what is confusing with USPS and their tracking numbers. It's not cut and dry with their being the three services, Express, Priority and First Class Mail. Within each service (at least the first two) there is varying levels again. I can never remember which is which and Google quite often doesn't have an answer.

Don't worry it will eventually arrive. I've never lost a parcel, yet *touch wood*.

[UniPol]

I've never had any trouble with USPS until recently (if it could be considered trouble). I had four relatively heavy boxes sent from the US by Priority Mail which contain model steam engine castings. They were all sent at the same time and place (end of July) however I received two boxes two weeks ago, one yesterday and as yet the last box is yet to appear. Tracking showed a smooth flow of information right up till delivery for the first two boxes received, the box I received yesterday showed it still on its way and the box I have yet to receive says it is in Australia. Another item I am still waiting on from the US was sent a month ago by 1st class international mail (has a tracking number) which says it left the US and that's it. I'm very confused but it looks like everything will be turn up in the end

[rider]

USPS may be slower than erosion, but they have one department which is so fast that it can transcend the laws of the universe.

My latest "non-appearing after a month" purchase arrived at their processing facility on 7/8 at 4:19pm and processing was completed on the 7/8 at 4:19pm.

Considering the size of those warehouses, I suggest Light speed was exceeded during the process.

[Jules76 (Julian)]

Originally Posted by UniPol

Another item I am still waiting on from the US was sent a month ago by 1st class international mail (has a tracking number) which says it left the US and that's it.

That's the furthest tracking you'll get with First Class International. Once it's "left" the US it's purely a waiting game.

And I say "left" as I'm led to believe this just means it has cleared US customs and is ready for export. But due to it's lowest priority it makes way for higher priority shipments on the limited flights going out and sits around at the USPS sorting facility waiting it's turn.

In total contrast, I can tell you it's an absolute pleasure to see UPS in action compared to what the USPS serve up. I've got a case for my Celestron 8SE that left Portland, Oregon on Tuesday (our time), went all the way across the US in the opposite direction to Louisville, Kentucky (where the main UPS hub is) by Wednesday our time, and then late this afternoon (Thursday) it arrived in Sydney after having a nice little stop over in Honolulu. If my last UPS package is anything to go by, it should be arriving overnight here in Brisbane and ready for delivery tomorrow (Friday). And that's only UPS Expedited, not their fastest service!

It's like night and day.

[Paul Haese]

I won't be using USPS ever again. This is about the 5 time my package has taken over a week to arrive. Currently I have a Feather Touch 3" focusor some where out there being delivered. It is now 9 days and counting since it arrived at the Chicago airport. I suspect it has been lost. I have already notified the chaps at Starlight Instruments and I will wait to see what happens.

I have noticed that if an item has to leave the east coast of the US it takes forever to get here. If it comes via the west coast it is usually 5 days.

Mind you Australia Post is pretty ordinary too. Sometimes an item can sit at the sorting facility for days and nearly a week before it moves from Melbourne. Not great service really.

[stopusinmyid (Tammy)]

Originally Posted by troypiggo

Not talking about eBay sellers here, but USPS

well my item finally arrived today . it wasn't a delay from the sellers end, the date on the postage says 19.7.2011 which is when seller said they posted it.

[vanwonky (Dave)]

Originally Posted by Paul Haese

I won't be using USPS ever again. This is about the 5 time my package has taken over a week to arrive. Currently I have a Feather Touch 3" focusor some where out there being delivered. It is now 9 days and counting since it arrived at the Chicago airport.

And mine is now 12 days after Chicago! I queried this with AstroZap (the vendor) 3 days ago with no reply yet. Now I am getting pi**** off!

[Jules76 (Julian)]

How's this for funny? I was just about to post how one of my USPS Priority packages, according the to tracking, cleared customs on Friday afternoon so now I'm playing the Aus Post waiting game. Then postie delivered it!

Shipped on the 17th from the west coast USA so that's not too bad. Although I also received another parcel from the UK which was shipped on the 23rd by just your average low priority Royal Mail and it did it in a week. Royal Mail does it again.

I know what you mean Paul about the east coast of the USA taking forever. My other Priority mail package had a 6 day head start (sent on the 11th) but it's still yet to show. It was sent from Chicago.

[vanwonky (Dave)]

Whoops - I take back anything that I may have inferred about AstroZap not getting back to me. They have been very responsive in all other cases and now I know why the short delay. Interesting what they say about USPS though.

"Sorry for the delayed response, we were closed since the 24th.

It's not uncommon for USPS to show incorrect tracking info. I see it all the
time. Boy, they sure have fallen apart and some day will be out of business!

Give it a little more time as I'm sure your order is on the way."