Anyone else having problem with Canada Post losing parcels lately

[luv4orphans]

Is anyone else having problems with parcels not getting scanned and vanishing into thin air right from the post office. This parcel went Expedited and was shipped out to BC on January 5th. Parcel never got scanned at the originating post office and didn't later on that night when it reached Ottawa. After a couple of weeks of no scanning I called Canada Post inquiring about this and they said not to worry, it would surface eventually. It was probably sitting in a warehouse somewhere as they were still backlogged. This was around the time when Covid broke out at the plant in Mississauga.

Fast forward 2 months later this parcel just vanished.  Are they still backlogged? I have now had to refund the buyer at a tune of $90 US. Ebay won't own up to it as it never got scanned and neither will Canada Post as it never got scanned.

A couple of clerks in that post office don't seem to think scanning is important that it will get done in Ottawa later on that night. To me its important for a buyer to know that item is on the way and when it was dropped off as I have a 1 day handling time. But that's a bit of a moot point anyways cause sometimes parcels get dropped off in slots if its busy inside.

I have contacted the post office regarding this and getting passed around. Now need to contact the ombudsman. Canada Post do not seem too concerned about parcels disappearing right from their post office. That's my second one that didn't make it. One in late November going to US never made it either.  It shipped as Small Parcel but has a UR number on it that gets scanned letting us know its been delivered. All other small parcels that I sent out with a UR number shows when its delivered.

Did I get a receipt they ask me. No I dropped it off never thinking that I would ever need a receipt. Stupid question. Why do things online if you have to go in and get a receipt from them to show that you dropped it off.  What about dropping them in the slots if busy. How do I get a receipt if I drop off in a slot.

The parcel was dropped off on the counter at the post office and the clerk nodded to me that she knew it was there. They know me as I drop off parcels on a regular basis. Well it never got scanned and never received and never returned to me. And has never surfaced again.  And its my second one in a row.

I know things were late in getting scanned around that time and taking longer to arrive because of the Christmas rush and the backlog due to Covid. But this one just disappeared or grew legs and just walked out the back door at the originating post office it seems like. Short of accusing post office employees not sure what happened to these two parcels and no one owning up. All I know is it was dropped off at the post office.

[teenytrinkets]

You mentioned a "UR" number for tracking... this is technically an untracked service, that they used to scan all the time before Covid. They don't scan those much anymore, from what I hear. If you sent USA tracked, you'd have insurance to file a claim.

You're wasting your time with the Ombudsman if you're complaining about lack of tracking on an untracked service. But if CP is refusing a claim on a lost package shipped USA Small Packet Tracked, that's a different story.

I've been using ChitChats for all US shipments for nearly a year and it's been amazing! ~$6 tracked, insured, and FAST! And scanned all the way...

[pjcdn2005 · Accepted solution]

They won't look at a claim for the tracked packet because there is no proof that it was  mailed since there were no scans done.

[pjcdn2005]

Apparently in the last few months there are less parcels with a UR label scanned on delivery as usps has been so backlogged.

[ilikehockeyjerseys]

Small Packet USA can take 45-60 days. 

As of 6 or so months ago, my experience was that the loophole to get tracking by adding the UR######### code to the eBay tracking stopped working. 

If the poster is having issues with Small Packet USA, my assumption would be that it will eventually be delivered within 6-10 weeks of when it was sent.

Maybe things have changed, but my experience was that the pandemic made Small Packet USA unusable for any sort of business transaction. 

[luv4orphans]

I understand that a Small Parcel Air is not trackable.

I am talking about the parcel that went to BC Expedited with tracking but never got scanned. Look at the first part of my post. I should have left the other one completely out of this because it will only confuse people and I am looking for an answer on the Expedited one not the Small Parcel one.

[luv4orphans]

Not talking about the Small Parcel Air that went to US. I am talking about Expedited that went to BC and was never scanned. Says all this on the top paragraphs on the post I submitted. Looking on answers on why this was never scanned and never made it. I know about Small Parcel and yes you can't claim if they don't arrive.

[luv4orphans]

No I am having problems with a parcel that went Expedited to BC and was never scanned.

[luv4orphans]

Why is everybody answering me on the UR parcel. I am inquiring on the parcel that went to BC EXPEDITED and was never scanned. It just went out the back door of the post office never to be seen again.

[luv4orphans]

I am looking for answers on the EXPEDITED PARCEL that went to BC and never got scanned and never made it there. It was dropped off at a post office near me and never made it out.

I understand how Small Parcels work. Not trackable and no if they don't make it you refund. Sometimes I take the chance for low cost items.

[marnotom!]

So, to make sure I’m clear about this, you paid online for the postage for the Expedited Parcel to BC but didn’t receive a receipt with the acceptance scan from the post office (outlet?) because you dropped it off in the presence of a clerk.

[regs43]

I always wait to have them scan it in and get my recipt. That's the only protection I have if the post office loses the parcel to start a process to get a refund. Its worth the extra 2 minutes wait for me.  If it's never scanned into the system then there is no proof the post recieved it.

[ypdc_dennis]

I believe you should report to HQ that 2 of your packages have gone missing after being dropped off. If Canada Post gets enough complaints they do investigate -- but that will not be much help for your loss.

With no scan at dropoff, there is no proof the post office received the package. You might be able to get a refund for the tracked label since it's never been "used"/scanned (but that will depend on where you bought the label).

I always wait (and plan my visits for less busy times) and get scans for all of  my bar-coded packages.

Depending on where you are, an alternative would be to have Canada Post pick up your parcels ($3.50 for each daily request).

-..-

[luv4orphans]

Yes that's the one I was inquiring about. The Expedited Parcel that went to BC. I purchased the label through Shippo and then dropped the parcel off at the post office. It was busy that day and I just let the clerk know it was there and she nodded to me that she knew. I never gets receipt. Sometimes I drop off parcels in the slots if they fit or sometimes at night. We don't t get a receipt then so never felt that I would need one if item is dropped directly in the post office.

[luv4orphans]

As I said earlier I sometimes drop them off in the slot outside. You don't get a receipt then. I never got a receipt before. There was tracking on the parcel and I figure that would be sufficient. The box didn't grow legs and walk out the door. Somebody took it.

[luv4orphans]

It has been reported to ebay and to the post office. After passing the buck I am not told to take it to the ombudsman.

I realize there is no scan that was done at drop off. Wondering why. And wondering if anybody has had any parcels missing lately. I use to trust the post office to do their job properly but not the case anymore.

A lot of packages have gone missing from that area in the last while. A few people were complaining about Amazons package disappearing from people's porch but maybe it wasn't just Amazon packages disappearing off porches. I wasn't paying much attention when I read the thread on FB. It now appears that one that I know of is also missing from the area post office. Strange.

[reallynicestamps]

It sounds as if there is a problem with that specific Post Office.

Either poor training /enforcement on normal handling  or , much less likely, actual theft.

Because there are rumours of other shipments going missing and the PO is at the core.

I'm not sure where one goes with a complaint after the local PostMaster.  Is it a big downtown PO? A postal outlet in back of the pharmacy?  A rural PO ?

[marnotom!]

I'm also wondering what sort of postal retailer we're dealing with here.  In my small town, there's a Canada Post corporate office and a Canada Post franchised outlet in a pharmacy staffed by pharmacy employees.  I can't say for certain, but the corporate one feels smaller than the outlet, so there's less room for stuff to lie around exposed or opportunities for them to get misplaced.  The outlet is also unattended half the time but in fairness I don't think any mail or packages are left out in the open when there's nobody attending at the counter.

I think since @luv4orphans has no scan receipt for the item, an ombudsman report will ultimately have to be the way to go.  It will likely be handled as a general concern and added to a file of other reports for the office or outlet of similar incidents, if reports have been made.  Any action taken will probably be of a general nature and not specific to her missing item, but it's better than nothing.

The Canada Post website suggests dealing with Customer Service, though, and I'm not sure from the original post if that's happened.

https://www.canadapost.ca/ombudsman/

[luv4orphans]

Its an actual Canada Post outlet. Not in a pharmacy. They know me as I drop off items on a regular basis.  But I wouldn't just drop off a parcel on a counter when nobody is attending at the front and just leave. That's asking for trouble. I usually wait for a clerk to come out.  This time the clerk was busy with customers ahead of me so I put it on the counter. I made sure that she knew. She acknowledged that and I left. Waiting in line for a parcel that is already paid for to get a receipt. I never felt like I needed to do that.

Yes I reported this to Canada Post Customer Service who then referred me to their Commercial Services Division because that's what I fall under. Both came up with the same answer. No receipt, therefore no compensation. They reimbursed me for the label as they can see package did not arrived. I understand the no compensation to some extent. But the whole point of doing things online was to save time no.  Not go in and get a receipt for everything we post and certainly not for trackable packages.

I have been shipping items for years through Canada Post from selling on ebay. They have tracking of this I am sure. They don't seem too concerned that parcels seem to be walking out the back door somehow.

But yes I agree with you. It might not land anywhere but in a report but if a few are made regarding the same post office eventually they might pay attention.

They seem to be hiring a lot of people lately throughout so just wondering because of the need if they are not paying as close attention. I would think you need quite the security clearance to work there but even with that its not foolproof. Do they check surrounding friends and family.

Just odd that parcels are missing in that specific town whether from Amazon or the post office I am not sure.

[darak10]

amen to chit chats.  I wont return to Canada Post for stuff to the US, they have lost my business for good.  The value and savings via chit chats is just too high with all the nickel and diming and offloading of sundry fees and expenditures and charges on to us going on when it comes to shipping.  I had no idea CP charged HST when you use your small business account but not when you dont, but somehow this doesnt surprise me as the folks running CP are really poor businessmen - lets blame the union for everything, yeah right - if you cant make a virtually monopoly service profitable, then the problem is with you, not anyone else.   Also really impressed with chit chats customer service.  A couple parcels got misrouted and disappeared for a couple weeks.  They were on top of it and actually kept me aware of what was going on the entire time.  Was totally impressed.  Everywhere else, talking to customer service is almost completely useless, they know and tell you nothing.  Not Chit Chats.  

Unfortunately, concerning the unscanned package, from my experience, its a bad idea to just drop it at the counter.  I see lots of people do it, but I never do it for the reason that I want that receipt for the item and to see them scan it in.  And I've never had a parcel go lost that way either.  Post offices are busy places and you just cant trust workers to be 100% aware of whats going on around them 100% of the time as situations in the stores and various problems with transactions are happening all the time.  Its like defensive driving, you have to take steps to protect yourself as you cant always trust people around you to know what they are doing.  I'd chalk this one up to an expensive learning experience and next time wait in line to see them scan it in and get the receipt.