vodou Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 11 hours ago, Will_K said: My PO Box has a combination (no keys). ... When I tried to pick up my item on Wednesday, they asked me if there were keys in the box. There weren't but I'm not sure why they asked. But it seems like USPS might be starting something like those Amazon lockers. Interesting. My PO has those lockers too for mid-size packages not requiring signature; they also look like they've been there since the joint was christened...circa Revolutionary War All the boxes, POB and lockers are keyed, no combination locks. They should be changing those locks, especially with combos for every new renter. At least with keys, if they both come back there is some certainty that they won't be used by the old renter! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick2you2 Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 21 minutes ago, vodou said: This the culmination of my experience: shipping/receiving 1,000 packages per year for 12 years and counting. Wow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cstojano Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 5 hours ago, Rick2you2 said: Wow. Yeah if this is mostly shipping it sounds like pure torture. Receiving on the other hand... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dokstarr Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 I've had the best luck with FedEx and UPS since they seem to follow any requests I have - like rerouting to hold at a store or if I leave a note on the door saying I'm home (just so they don't do the quick single knock and leave instantly). DHL I don't have much experience with - just a few expensive things from Japan I believe. Didn't have a problem, but not enough experience to really rate them. USPS has been the most difficult, but that is just my local dealings with them. I think I am finally in a good place with them. I've had multiple expensive packages the last few years (some original art and some other expensive collectibles/items) that I have put signature confirmation on because I do not want to take a chance of porch pirates and bad weather. Especially because I did have a porch pirate incident about 4 years ago where stuff was stolen of my front step right before Christmas very quickly (must've been someone following the UPS truck). Multiple times the USPS delivery folk would refuse to follow the signature confirmation. If they arrive and I'm not home they would just scribble something in the signature box and then leave the package outside. I would then have to race home from work during the day to make sure something worth thousands wasn't sitting in the rain or just outside of the door waiting to be stolen. I went to the post office each time to complain (albeit nicely). One time they said someone did sign for it, even though nobody was home and it was just a scribble (you can check the signature online). Another time they said they were confused and thought it was delivery confirmation and didn't require a signature (another scribble looking signature). The final time they said they talked to the delivery guy and he said he didn't think I'd want to wait for it or go down to the post office and pick it up. I ended up installing a camera to keep an eye on the front door. I swear the post office and delivery people give it a dirty look sometimes . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodou Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 A thread like this truly paints the courier segment of humanity in the worst light possible. Is it so hard for people to just do the jobs they're paid for well? Or if that's so improbable...find another job? Sheesh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will_K Posted March 23, 2019 Author Share Posted March 23, 2019 (edited) I like USPS. But how many of us will write about all the times things worked out just as expected ?? A lot of the complaints are related to human nature itself. Not getting a signature, leaving packages in the rain or taking packages... just different manifestations of flaws we all have. In my 20 years (or so) with the PO Box, it's been a pretty good run. Edited March 23, 2019 by Will_K Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodou Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 It's not human nature. At least not mine. I don't excuse that in others either. Be your best...or go home. I've known plenty of folks that rock at their jobs, and I make sure to tell them so. I also tell those that aren't making it to try something else instead. This does not necessarily win me friends but that's balanced by how many I make on the other end Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will_K Posted March 26, 2019 Author Share Posted March 26, 2019 OK. Well, I spoke to the person that was referred to as something like the one "who's in charge of the PO Boxes". She said she wasn't really and that someone was just passing the buck. Anyway... she said that my stuff is usually set aside because it's typically large, flat stuff. And the larger ones won't fit in the USPS lockers anyway. She allowed that a clerk may have just given my item to someone by accident. Kind of scary. Also, she never claimed that they always check IDs and never even said that they're supposed to check IDs. Kind of scary. And you're not supposed to pick up an item without the yellow card. I'm not certain if there's always a 1-to-1 relationship with the yellow cards and items. Sometimes they write the PO Box numbers on the cards by hand and sometimes they don't. Not really "official". They went years without writing PO Box numbers on the cards. They started doing it again a couple months ago. I asked if it would be OK if I put something in the window of my PO Box so noone could tell if I have a yellow card. She said I could if it would make me feel better. Huzzah !!! In any case, I asked the ebay seller if they would file a claim with USPS and I will filing a complaint with USPS. T Shen 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NelsonAI Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T Shen Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 Glad they're working with you and that it wasn't a piece of OA that was stolen for them to help you make this adjustment. But you're right, those answers are just plain scary. I'd look for another post office personally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodou Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 10 hours ago, Will_K said: I'm not certain if there's always a 1-to-1 relationship with the yellow cards and items. Sometimes they write the PO Box numbers on the cards by hand and sometimes they don't. Not really "official". They went years without writing PO Box numbers on the cards. They started doing it again a couple months ago. If there's a POB style guide, somebody isn't following it. My experience: no 1-to-1 relationship, nothing unique written on cards except signature (assuming they are stored in a different area). Sometimes there's three cards and only two packages, other times no cards (but I know from tracking) still a package, other times again cards and...no packages! (The counter help and myself, as I'm a regular and known, we chuckle that these instances are catch-ups for when those previous visits when there are more packages than cards ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will_K Posted March 28, 2019 Author Share Posted March 28, 2019 Complained again to one of the US Post Office window guys who told me that noone can pick up a package without a card. As if someone couldn't just scrounge up or save yellow cards... then write my PO Box number on the card. Also talked to a "supervisor" who asked my how anyone would know I had a package... because they can see the yellow card in the window. Nothing to counter that argument. Said I had to go to the website. Or I could call the general support 1-800 number. Re: usps.com Cannot file a "claim" because item was not insured. In Firefox, unable to complete for webform for "find missing mail" because you have to check 2 boxes to acknowledge their disclaimers. The boxes can be checked in Internet Explorer. I do not hold out much hope for this. They're going to look at the tracking and tell me my item was delivered and then close the ticket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NelsonAI Posted March 28, 2019 Share Posted March 28, 2019 Will File a police report and ask the USPS supervisor to review videotape. See who person is, get printout and give to police Dept. All the best. N. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will_K Posted March 28, 2019 Author Share Posted March 28, 2019 The supervisor said the only person who can view the video is the postal inspector. I'll probably have to pursue this pretty far to get that kind of action. I'll also try filing a police report. I'm guessing they'll just say it's not in their jurisdiction and nothing will happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodou Posted March 28, 2019 Share Posted March 28, 2019 50 minutes ago, Will_K said: The supervisor said the only person who can view the video is the postal inspector. I'll probably have to pursue this pretty far to get that kind of action. I'll also try filing a police report. I'm guessing they'll just say it's not in their jurisdiction and nothing will happen. I'd pursue each avenue of inquiry independently until everybody refuses to assist you further, or you get some traction and a result. One thing you cannot possibly get dinged for is attempting fraudulent claim! Will_K 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will_K Posted March 28, 2019 Author Share Posted March 28, 2019 48 minutes ago, vodou said: One thing you cannot possibly get dinged for is attempting fraudulent claim! That might require proving who actually did get my item. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodou Posted March 28, 2019 Share Posted March 28, 2019 20 minutes ago, Will_K said: That might require proving who actually did get my item. No, I mean it's uninsured so continuing to pursue does sort of "beg the question", right? It's certainly not that you're trying to falsely collect $$$. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will_K Posted March 28, 2019 Author Share Posted March 28, 2019 Well, that too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilipB2k17 Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 On 3/22/2019 at 10:22 PM, timguerrero said: I've had OA stolen twice from the porch. Thankfully they weren't expensive pieces but it has always hurt. I need a PO box! You can request that your local post office hold the package for pick up there, rather than deliver it to your home. But, their online tool is somewhat unreliable, as I've had a couple of problems with them either getting the wrong instruction, or ignoring it. It's best to make the request in person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilipB2k17 Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 On 3/22/2019 at 11:05 AM, Will_K said: In my case, I had a comic delivered to my PO Box. But it just as easily could've been OA (which would've been even worse). If I have an item that won't fit in the PO Box, they put a yellow card in the box so I know to ask for it at the window. Now most of the people that work at the window know my name and/or face. But it seems someone just peeked to see which PO Boxes had a yellow card and just went up to the window. I was going to talk to someone that may know better or would take my report, but that person is not available today. It might be nice but I doubt the Post Office is going to ask for an ID every time someone has a pickup. So it looks like "porch pirates" have found another way to steal. I can't have items delivered to me at work. Getting another PO Box may yield the same results. I can imagine the same problem at a Mailboxes, Etc. Can anyone offer any suggestions ?? That should not be happening. They should not be releasing packages to people without checking ID. You should file a complaint with the US Postal Inspector. timguerrero 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
