Mail & Shipping - Recommendations, Questions, and Answers

So, I have a bit of a situation... I sent off something tucked inside one of those bubble mailers, bought a stamp, got the address all set. I actually checked with the lady at the USPS counter to see if I could just send it as a standard letter—you know, just drop it in a blue collection box—and she told me it was totally fine. Well, I dropped it in, and now I’m starting to panic a little. What if it never reaches its destination? Usually, things move along in a day or two, but this has been "in transit" for over a week now. Is there any way for me to track down where it might be stuck? To make matters worse, right after I dropped it in, it hit me: I forgot to include my own return address. So, if it doesn't make it to the recipient, there's nowhere for it to go back to. Does anyone have any advice on what to do if it just disappears?😢

stormyhound9 said:Question:
I never actually got my package. The girl who sent it filed a claim, and it turns out the shipment never even made it to my city—it just vanished somewhere in transit.
I checked in with her about 12 days ago, and she told me she’s supposed to get a refund sent directly to her house.
She hasn't gotten back to me since. How many days does it usually take for that insurance payout to hit?
Also, how is the money split (between the seller and the buyer)?
I was thinking maybe we could split it fifty-fifty, but I have no clue how this works based on your experiences.
Thanks

Well, you should just take your portion back and let her keep whatever's left—assuming there's even anything left to grab.🙂

Yes 👍

😠 😠

Last Thursday, I sent out two separate shipments headed for Cleveland, and while one arrived without issue, the other has completely vanished into thin air!!! 😠 I am absolutely livid!
God, I swear, they are all just a bunch of incompetent hacks! How is this even possible?!

I’m 100% certain someone swiped it. 🙄 Is there any actual way to threaten them with a lawsuit or something similar?! 😠

@stormyhound9/">@@stormyhound9 - Honestly, I think she should have walked away with a settlement. It all happens so fast once they hit you with that official decision where they offer a half-hearted apology and promise to pay out a specific amount. 🤷

Angela Flores76 said:😠 😠

I sent two shipments out to Cleveland last Thursday. One arrived just fine, but the other is nowhere to be found!!! 😠 I am absolutely livid.
The incompetence is unreal. How does this even happen?!

I’m 100% sure someone swiped it. 🙄 Is there any way I can threaten them with a lawsuit or something similar?! 😠

Do you have the tracking confirmation?

neonridge8 said:But do you actually have proof?

Oh, I have proof. Believe me, I wouldn't even be wasting my breath on this if I didn't. 😉
And frankly, I don't give a damn about a refund or compensation right now—I just WANT my freaking package! 😠 I mean, what kind of ridiculous situation is this, where a shipment just vanishes into thin air? Does it just sink into the ground? Does it evaporate? 🙄 It’s a physical object, for God's sake, not some puff of smoke. 🙄

I am absolutely livid. 😳

Yeah, that’s why I thought it was weird when you asked me what to do 😁

Look, just take those papers down there and make some noise. First, they need to track that shipment to figure out where things went sideways—like, did they even send it? Is it sitting at your local USPS branch, or is it stuck at a sorting facility in Cleveland? Go straight to the department manager.

They lost something of mine once and I absolutely lost it. I called them, I was yelling, I was practically screaming... I'm lucky I didn't start swearing at them. Eventually, I just went down there in person and wouldn't leave them alone until they found it. It took two months, but they finally got it back to me.

When I'm sending out a package (without any COD/cash on delivery)... how much paperwork am I actually looking at? I have that white slip, similar to the one used for standard shipments, but it looks slightly different. Also, do I need to include that yellow slip too, or is that strictly for packages with a payment due?

Just white for the package.

Just use a shipping box or a certified envelope—don't risk it. I had a package disappear entirely on its way to NYC once; they straight up stole it! 😠😳

Nicole Garcia said:Make sure you send it via a tracked package or at least a certified envelope! I had one shipment that never even made it to NYC—it was stolen right out of the mail! 😠 😳

I always use certified mail, and wouldn't you know it? Even then, a recent shipment of mine just vanished into thin air. 😠

Angela Flores76 said:I always use certified mail, but even then, a package recently went missing on me. 😠

Did they end up refunding everything? Including the extra shipping costs?

Angela Flores76 said:@stormyhound9/">@@stormyhound9 - honestly, I think she should’ve been compensated by now. Usually, things move pretty fast once they give you that official decision where they apologize and promise to pay out a specific amount. 🤷

Look, I don't know how other post offices handle things or if it varies from one branch to another, but around here? It’s slow. We’re talking at least a month of waiting. So, my bet is she hasn't seen a dime yet, and she probably won't be seeing it anytime soon either. 🤷

I have a question. I send everything COD, and I cover the shipping costs myself along with the extra fee for $1.75 (bar). No one ever mentioned anything to me before, but lately, the last two girls I sold to told me their total was bumped up by $5.00 (which is basically an extra shipping charge). I’m honestly not sure where that comes from...
I haven't requested any special services, and I haven't had anyone complain about this until now...
I'm just waiting for Chris Collins6 to let me know what the post office says, but does anyone happen to know what might be causing this?

Of course. The post office charges a commission just for the privilege of carrying money from her to you, and then they bill her for it too. I’m positive everything is laid out clearly on the USPS website...

Yeah, but I end up covering all of that along with the shipping, so the total hits about 21-$8.75 bucks. Between the 14-15 dollar shipping fee, $1.75 the COD charge, and that 3% fee,
it just adds up.

Post 😍—you really have to love 'em.

Drew Gonzalez75 said:So, did they actually refund everything? Including the shipping costs—multiplied by three?

Look, I was just waiting out the full 14 days after I sent it, because that’s when I finally have the right to file a claim. So, I'm heading down to the USPS office tomorrow. 😠

And they’ll be refunding my shipping five times over—that’s what the fine print on the receipt says, and that’s how they handled it the first time. But honestly? I don't even want the money back. I just want my damn package!!!😠

Angela Flores76 said:The mail carrier is going to refund me five times the shipping cost—that's what the fine print on the slip says, and that's how they handled it the first time, too. Honestly, though, I don't want the cash. I just want my damn package back!!! 😠

Why wouldn't they just refund you the full value you listed?
Well, isn't that exactly why you declare the value in the first place?