The Land Of USPS Void - An Unidentified Area That Your Missing Mail and Packages Reside In

Where Are Those Lost USPS Packages?

As many of you may know the U.S. Postal Service was planning cutting back services starting in mid-May of 2012 by closing 252 of their mail processing centers along with 3,700 individual post offices. (I do think they have since revised the plans and dates.)

This is so that they will not have to file for bankruptcy, as they are forecast to lose approximately $14.1 billion in 2012.

This article is not about the USPS cutting back services, but about how inadequately they resolve problems that arise with the services that are available now and in the past.

My wife and myself send and receive many items using the USPS, along with UPS. During the past year we both have lost track of lost items sent to us and items we have sent to others. We have had to refund money and replace items, and senders have had to do the same. For small business owners, this is financially crippling!

The Postal Service does not have any remedy in place. Only if you or the sender had purchased insurance for the item. For small value items, this would add too much expense to your item along with the postage costs, which have increased as well. What is happening, for one to send items via the USPS, the cost, once adding in insurance, simply kills your business, as people can purchase locally much cheaper.

As I mentioned, the Postal Service simply will not attempt to resolve issues. You contact them with a tracking number for a Priority Mail shipment, and they will give you information that it was delivered. However, over and over, the item has not been delivered. Again, no resolution for this problem.

We have had sent items and received items that suddenly show up six weeks to two months after being sent. Where they were at, one never knows, during that time period. This is long after you have refunded money or resent the item to the buyer.

We have had the Postal Service state that they have attempted delivery on days that I have been sitting five feet away from the front door. Never was there a knock on the door. End result, a trip to the Post Office, join a long line and wait, then pick up your package....time wasted along with gas. This has also happened far too many times to count during the past year or so. I have come home to find packages laying on the porch in front of my door, in plain sight for any neighbors or local kids to see and pick up. Some items have disappeared that were supposedly delivered this way upon contacting the Post Office. Again, they offer no resolution.

I was just reflecting back on a set of earrings I had sent a customer, that never showed up, simply disappearing into that Land of United States Postal Service Void. They finally were returned to me, in the original shipping package that had tire marks on it. Figure that one out.

What can we expect with this massive cutback to hit in mid-May of this year in regards to how much further the USPS services deteriorate? That is of concern, without a doubt!

The only actual resolution that I have come up with is to switch to using UPS and FedEx more often, which encompasses higher rates for shipping, but better delivery stats.