My Nightmare Before Easter

[momcqueen]

Again, Canada Post really messed me up on an order with a deadline.

it started like any other. Customer bought something mid-March, shipping to USA, packed, dispatched same-day.

I noticed after the end of the second business day that it still said 'Item Processed' in Winnipeg (my location) instead of that it was in the processing of moving through Customs as is the normal flow of things. 

Watched it for days, no movement. Delivery standard passed, nothing changed. Still 'Item Processed' in Winnipeg. Without alerting the buyer (no sense in making them worried if they weren't already) I called Canada Post to open a ticket and initiate a trace, hoping to flush it out from whatever conveyor belt it fell underneath.

Sure enough, two days later, the buyer messages me to ask if I knew where it was. We talk, it's friendly. I tell her I've already opened a ticket with Canada Post, they promised to get back to me in five business days. 'Can it wait five days?' I ask. 'Oh yes, We can wait five days, I only need it for Easter,' the buyer replies.

So, today, five days later, I get a message from Canada Post telling me they'd love to investigate my problem but I have to wait a full 30 days from date of mailing to open the ticket. Which is too darn late for me because my buyer needs it by the end of next week!

Meaning, now I have to send a replacement via USA XPRESSPOST to get it there in five (5) business days because that is all the time that I have left to get it there in time. The Easter Bunny is bringing it.

USA Xpresspost costs $34.71 CAD which is higher than the total value of the order in the first place.

So, I'm out $34.71 CAD. Lost a parcel. If it's found, I've no guarantee it can be recalled by CPC (?cost for this?) or rejected by the buyer and if the buyer DOES send the original back, I likely may be changed return postage.

Such a kick in the pants from Canada Post. It's a Tracked Packet. If it says 'Item Processed' for two full weeks, you know it's gone missing. FIND it! Don't tell me to keep waiting. That's just an insult.

Rant over. I get agitated when I have to part with my hard-earned money to compensate for someone else's mistake. 

[silverpinups]

Sorry to hear about your dilemma. You should also check USPS Tracking. They will have more detailed information then Canada Post.

If there's nothing on their site then open a claim with Canada Post (which you did).

Since you sent it Tracked Packet with a Tracking Number you should be covered for 100.00 in insurance and if the package is lost or not delivered you will also receive your original shipping cost back.

So either way you are covered. The extra Xpresspost charge can be a write off for your business.

If it gets delivered, have the buyer send it back and reimburse them for the charge (yet another write off for you).  

Unfortunately, it's all part of doing business online.....  

[momcqueen]

I did. At first, before I called Canada Post to open the ticket. Now, however, the plot thickens. The buyer contacting me on Saturday to say they didn't have it. Here is what USPS tracking says today:

[momcqueen]

While this is the latest information from Canada Post:

[momcqueen]

So.... 'Out for Delivery' for the past five days? 

Interesting. 

Also, USPS says it's in the buyer's town but CPC says it hasn't left Winnipeg.

I haven't taken the second package to the post office yet but I have to do it today or it won't get there in time.

Do you suppose the buyer is having one over on me? It's a new buyer with a new account and feedback of three. All since the day they opened the account and placed orders on ebay. 

What to do, what to do....

[momcqueen]

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@silverpinups wrote:

 ..... If it gets delivered, have the buyer send it back and reimburse them for the charge (yet another write off for you).  

Unfortunately, it's all part of doing business online.....  

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The buyer didn't pay for Xpresspost or a second order, I did. They will be getting the second Xpressposted parcel for entirely free. Best case scenario is that they send ONE back and I'm out the cost of Return Postage on that and the $35 Xpresspost charge. 

[ricarmic]

Never trust the CP updates, especially for anything outside the country.

Also the US updates can be very misleading as well. I have had some very very odd ones.

If it were me I would either message the person or maybe even call them to ask them to check with their local PO as it looks in the system as if it is there "almost" and checking with their PO may make it happen faster as there may be complications.

(one of my regular US customers regularly gets their neighbours packages and vice versa. They regularly exchange the misdelivered boxes. The last time I sent something to that buyer, I also had "undeliverable" and "being returned to sender" messages that magically switched again to out for delivery and delivered a couple days later.... and I send stuff to this buyer all the time for many years now.....)

[momcqueen]

I spoke to the buyer again last night, and they led me to believe they still didn't have it.

I guess my question is: do I send this second package by Xpresspost, or not? I have until 4 pm today to decide.

The CPC website has NEVER been so ill-matched for me. There's often a lag but nothing like this..... 

[dutchman48 · Accepted solution]

I would phone the post office where she lives. If it is out for delivery, it was either delivered (no one knows who to) and the USPS did not scan it delivered (which is becoming more common) or it is still with the postal employee in the US

Both CP and USPS are becoming more and more careless and charge more for that service.

I have been getting registered mail in my PO Box that I don't even have to sign for. That means the private postal employee is scanning as delivered and just putting them in my box. Seller told me they show delivered.

It is just called laziness or carelessness, or both.

My opinion, it will only get worse

[momcqueen]

Good idea. I'll call. I messaged the buyer to ask her to do it but she says she's busy today.

[momcqueen · Accepted solution]

That was really good advice. 

It turns out the parcel is sitting on the counter in Knox, IN, waiting for her to pick it up. 

The postmistress there told me within ten seconds that the carrier brought it back as the address was somehow incorrect. But apparently failed to scan it as such. They will hold it until the buyer comes to get it. 

Phew. What a relief. And you saved me $35 CAD and an item I was prepared to give away for nothing. 

Thank you! Well done. 

[zee-chan]

That's good to hear, but also annoying that part of the hassle was caused by incorrect address, a buyer error...

[momcqueen]

It's really a series of errors. The first being a potential incorrect address as provided by a new-to-eBay buyer. The second that the Canada Post website NEVER updated the progress of the shipment, like well past anything acceptable or normal for them. The third being a non-delivery scan error on the part of the USPS carrier who took it back to the post office without saying the reason for that. And, finally, my fault for not TRIPLE CHECKING USPS tracking to see what new light might be shed on this before I overcompensated by printing an Xpresspost label. Now, I wait 15 days to get my money back from the voided label and hope that it all ends well.

[momcqueen]

Really now, it's left to the buyer to take the initiative to retrieve it. I hope she does so. Especially since there was an apparent urgency to having it in-hand for Easter. 

[zee-chan]

Have you tried to put the address in Google map to see what part could be wrong? Just out of curiosity.

[momcqueen]

I did after calling the Knox post office but I didn't have time to fully investigate it

[momcqueen]

The buyer picked it up from their post office this afternoon. My tracking now says 'delivered'. When my unused label for Xpresspost is finally refunded, I will consider this successfully concluded.

[musicyouneed]

Hi MJ, I am so happy it worked out for you.  I'm sure you got a few more grey hairs, due to the stress of it all.

[momcqueen]

It's been a valuable learning experience. I'd definitely do things a little differently the next time. Thank goodness Dutchman made the suggestion he did. That was a real game-saver.

[battlefield_3]

Kudos to Dutchmen for sure.

You may have learned from this but you should not have to go through this either as we all care about our customers. The customer should have been a little more caring and looked into it and picked it up...after all that is what they are hoping for it that 'item' they just bought!!!

Have you come into where no one is leaving feedback lately? I emailed and asked kindly to many of my new buyers and nothing, I guess I will not be giving it so promptly...that is what I learned lately...oh and the policy has changed since I started to sell rather than buy...what a nightmare and stress to make sure you cover all angles. The shipping doubled and thus why I quit buying about 1 1/2 years...the real winner seems to be the postal outlets, they get paid right away! ha ha

Anyway, glad all is well...I too have lots to learn and understand on the selling side, still trying to figure out what is a safe fee for items...do I charge flat or what I do is still use cost according to the area they are in, but I had people try to get the price down but my prices are more than fair (subjective) but the shipping is hit or miss when trying to set it to flat....

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@mjwl2006 wrote:
It's been a valuable learning experience. I'd definitely do things a little differently the next time. Thank goodness Dutchman made the suggestion he did. That was a real game-saver.

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