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Post office lost my iPod?

angemon89

angemon89

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Feb 5, 2008
1,849
111
Northern CA
Alright, so here's my situation. A few days ago I sold my iPod touch on Amazon. Everything was pretty standard procedure, the buyer paid, and I shipped the iPod (priority mail with certified tracking). A couple days go by but I am unable to track the iPod. It has now been 4 days since I shipped it and the tracking info is not available. Needless to say I'm a bit worried because the iPod is worth $200+.

I have brought up the issue with the post office and they are telling me that once it has been 5 days, and the item looks to be lost or hasn't arrived to its destination, they will take action. So right now it's the 4th day and I am assuming the iPod should have arrived to it's destination by now (to TX from CA). I have contacted the buyer twice but she isn't responding to my emails. This is making me really anxious.

Anyway, if it turns out that the iPod is lost or doesn't arrive, what action do you guys think the post office will take? Will they refund me or will they only do that for insured mail? I'm kind of afraid that they wont refund me and I'll be out an iPod touch. (Ok my real question: what exactly does certified mail cover?)
 
Why did you not insure it? anyway there is a very good chance it will get there. in all the stuff I shipped over the years (thousands of packages) I think one was lost. I don't think I ever had a lost package sent to me.
 
My iMac is currently in the process of being shipped back after being repaired and I couldn't track it for a few days after FedEx received shipment info. If after 5 days it's still not available I would try contacting the buyer and the USPS about the issue.
 
steve knight said:
Why did you not insure it? anyway there is a very good chance it will get there. in all the stuff I shipped over the years (thousands of packages) I think one was lost. I don't think I ever had a lost package sent to me.
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I assumed it would be safe with tracking+signature that's why.
 
*$%&*#, I just got off the phone with the place I shipped it from. I shipped it from the postal center of a Bel-air grocery store. They told me because they aren't an official post office, when they scan tracking info, the information doesn't actually get recorded until the real post office gets a hold of my package.

I'm beginning to suspect foul play. The only people that would have been able to get a hold of my package before it arrived to the official post office center would be the bel-air customer service workers, and the post office carrier who picks up the packages from that store. I also believe that both the postal station workers saw me package the iPod.

Ugh, I don't know what to think. Hopefully I'm just jumping to conclusions and it arrives safely. Who knows, maybe the just forgot to scan my package and it was shipped fine?
 
USPS tracking sucks - I've never gotten tracking info until after the delivery. Sit tight, breathe deep, and I bet you'll be OK.

China
 
I will say that USPS tracking is sucky, and does not update as instantaneously as one would wish...it being 4 days though does sound a wee bit odd...I've never experienced a 4-day lag. 2 at the most. Contact whoever you made these transactions with. That means EVERYONE involved. Weird that your buyer (of the iPod) cannot be contacted...when I purchase something on the internet I am obsessive about checking the status of said product. I hope it all turns out ok for you!
 
Well, since you have proof of when and where you shipped it from. If it never shows up in the system then you could assume that it never made it to the post office like you suspect. If that's the case and you suspect foul play at the shipping center, could you file a police report and report it to the postal inspector?
 
I would bet money it gets there. I have shipped priority with tracking and had it take ten days. The US Post Office loses something like 2 of every 10,000 pieces of mail - read something like that a couple of years ago. What I do with any sale is make the buyer pay the insurance (would have cost around $3, I think). I hope you are just getting slow service, likely...
 
I am worried about the whole not being shipped from an official post office part. The only reason I went into that grocery store was because it was 6pm and the regular post offices were already closed. Ugh, I hope I don't end up losing my money because of this.

jadekitty- I'm the same way. I contacted the buyer but have yet to hear anything from her. Maybe she's just the type of person that doesn't read her emails that often.

Anyway, if it doesn't end up getting there by Monday then all I can assume is that it's lost.
 
angemon89 said:
I am worried about the whole not being shipped from an official post office part. The only reason I went into that grocery store was because it was 6pm and the regular post offices were already closed. Ugh, I hope I don't end up losing my money because of this.

jadekitty- I'm the same way. I contacted the buyer but have yet to hear anything from her. Maybe she's just the type of person that doesn't read her emails that often.

Anyway, if it doesn't end up getting there by Monday then all I can assume is that it's lost.
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I don't think you should assume it's lost but rather the buyer received it. Don't be so down on it so quickly. Even if something went wrong with tracking paperwork it doesn't mean it didn't already arrive at the buyer's address. Give it a few days and assume the buyer received it. Confirmation of your fears will come when the buyer gets concerned. You haven't heard back and don't even know if they didn't receive it.

I still think it's fine. Just not like post office, but may be from third-party shipper.
 
Now you know why the USPS is going broke. You can't depend on them to get anything anywhere. :D

I always use UPS or Fedex for shipping anything worth a damn (including tax forms).
 
I'm sure it will get there fine. Unless, it never made it to the post office. I always drop my stuff off myself, that way there is no middle man. I've shipped thousands of packages over the years and only have had a problem with one. And it wasn't that it didn't get there, it was that it didn't get there in the original form that it was sent (read, they destroyed the package). And yes, like everyone has said, their tracking sucks. Even on Priority packages. They're all out of wack anyway. I've had first class parcels shipped from CA (I live in NJ) reach me faster than Priority packages shipped the same time from Maine. Anything could have happened. Maybe they're having issues with the tracking. I'm waiting on three packages myself and I can only get tracking info for one of them. I'm sure everything is fine.
 
This still hasn't gone anywhere after a week. I have not heard anything from the buyer and my iPod is still un-trackable.
 
angemon89 said:
This still hasn't gone anywhere after a week. I have not heard anything from the buyer and my iPod is still un-trackable.
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Your buyer received it. Story over! Seriously, you got to quit assuming the worst over some tracking papers. Has nothing to do with shipment. Don't you think your buyer would have contacted you daily if they didn't receive their $200 iPod?
 
Scottsdale said:
Your buyer received it. Story over! Seriously, you got to quit assuming the worst over some tracking papers. Has nothing to do with shipment. Don't you think your buyer would have contacted you daily if they didn't receive their $200 iPod?
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I agree. I'd be all over that if I ordered something and it didn't arrive in a timely fashion. Especially if it was something of this nature.
 
Another update! Not good news unfortunately. I was able to get in contact with the buyer and she told me she has not received it. Apparently she was on a trip and that's why I wasn't able to get in contact with her.

I told her the situation and I gave her the tracking number. Because the package was certified, she was supposed to have to sign for it so I advised her to check her post office to see if it were there. There is no record of the package ever being there, as I imagined. At this point we're communicating directly via telephone so I told her I would contact the USPS directly and see what they can do for me. They told me they would contact me within 1 business day so I will be waiting for their call tomorrow.

I am pretty sure I know where the package was "lost," it was lost somewhere in my city. Either it never left the grocery store and one of the Bel-Air clerks took it (they saw me packaging it), or the postal carrier that picks up from the Bel-Air took it because it obviously never made it to the USPS distribution center in my city because it was never scanned.

Who do you guys think I should bring this up with if the USPS cant do anything for me? Like I said, the package wasn't insured, and I know the USPS has a reputation for not rewarding insurance claims even when packages ARE insured, so I doubt they are going to reimburse me. And I don't know how far Amazon's seller protection will get me since there isn't even any record of my iPod being shipped...

I am so bummed cause I know where this is heading, me having to refund the buyer $220. :(
 
That was fast! I just spoke to someone from USPS and there is nothing they can do for me unfortunately, except for reimburse me for the shipping fees after 30 days all because it wasn't insured.:(:(
 
Why would you package such a item for minimum wage people to see at the store?

Live and learn. Get insurance next time, and don't show the content of a package.
 
Consultant said:
Why would you package such a item for minimum wage people to see at the store?

Live and learn. Get insurance next time, and don't show the content of a package.
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Harsh . but true,

Be relentless in documenting everything that you ship or any official type 'dealings' for that matter.

One thing counts when anything is in dispute, and that is proof.

Sorry for the loss, believe me when I say I know exactly how you feel.
 
You never mentioned that before: that you had packaged your iPod in front of employees at a non-USPS facility. That was a key part of the story. Things like that lead to temptation. Especially when it isn't a Postal Worker who has a career and not just a job. The non postal worker means it's just a job and NOT a career.

I think you need to go make a threat at the facility where you did mail it. Talk with the manager and tell them the story. If you have the receipt or papers on your end it may show manager who accepted the package.

You really left out a huge part of the story. While I am sure there may be a thief or two at USPS, I would think it almost not possible that they would steal your package especially when trackable. I definitely don't have the same faith in a retail store with a kid working for minimum wage who sees an opportunity for something that cost so much like a week's pay.

I hope you get your iPod back. A threat to the manager with some facts about the shipment just may get your money back. A threat like small claims court may convince the manager to pay it if they feel their employee could have stolen it based on paperwork.
 
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