USPS incredible delays - am I alone?

[38e_avenue]

Hi, 

I checked this forum for USPS delays post - didn't find anything. Am I alone?

Several of my items are stuck at Queens and Indianapolis USPS transit hubs since 1 month or longer. 

Just 10 min. ago I sent another refund for an INR. This literally kills my business - I don't know, what to do. 

I called CP CS - they told me the Canadian items are now going through an idditional inspection.  

Anyone here experiences the same problem? 

I sent a replacement a few days ago throught ChitChats to a buyer, who was waiting for his item since 5 weeks. The replacement went through smoothly, without any problem. 

Look at this! It's a package shipped to one of my very old customers in Texas. Usually it took 7-10 days. And how it looks now: 

[brettjet38]

I use TRACKED PACKAGE - USA for every item I ship to the USA via Canada Post, which service do you use?

[38e_avenue]

I suppose we all use the same Tracked Packet service - it's now the cheapest one. 

All of them cross the border quickly, and then - after reaching the next USPS transit hub - display "in transit to the next facility" message indefinitely. Some are stuck there since 6 weeks. 

They are all paper items, so no content issue is possible (any lithium batteries, metal parts or whatever). 

[tuckhouse2021]

Tracked package via Canada Post. Same as you.

[brettjet38]

@tuckhouse2021 @38e_avenue Hum, I wonder if it is because they are flat items, how thick are your average packages?

Mine are all min 5-7 cm I prefer to thicken the package when possible without affecting the weight limits.

Ave 21cm by 20cm by 5 cm of course is my average dimensions avg weights 99-125 grams, figurines.

[flipistics]

It seems to depend on what hub the packages go through. There's some resellers on YouTube who have shifted many of their shipments to UPS because of delays at certain USPS hubs, so it's not just an issue with Canadian packages.

That said, Canadian packages are a bit delayed getting through customs as well. In the past it would take 3 days for an item to leave my house and clear customs, and now it's often 6 to 7 days.  I would say the best thing you can do is use the full 10 digit HTS code and a clear simple description of the item. That won't help with hub issues in the USA, but it might help with clearing customs a little easier.

[brettjet38]

I ship out of Montreal, You?

This is a typical merry go round current example...

1. Sat, Mar 22

   5:09am
   In Transit to Next Facility
2. Sat, Mar 22

   4:00am
   Departed USPS Regional Facility

   METRO NY DISTRIBUTION CENTER
3. Sat, Mar 22

   2:18am
   Departed USPS Regional Facility

   METRO NY DISTRIBUTION CENTER
4. Sat, Mar 22

   1:59am
   Arrived at USPS Regional Facility

   METRO NY DISTRIBUTION CENTER
5. Sat, Mar 22

   12:48am
   Departed USPS Regional Facility

   QUEENS NY DISTRIBUTION CENTER
6. Fri, Mar 21

   8:28pm
   Item processed
7. Fri, Mar 21

   8:28pm
   Arrived at USPS Regional Facility

   QUEENS NY DISTRIBUTION CENTER
8. Fri, Mar 21

   4:43pm
   Item has been sent to customs in the destination country
9. Fri, Mar 21

   4:43pm
   Item has been sent to customs in the destination country
10. Thu, Mar 20

    4:44pm
    Processed Through USPS Facility

    ISC NEW YORK NY(USPS)
11. Thu, Mar 20

    4:44pm
    Inbound Into Customs
12. Thu, Mar 20

    4:44pm
    Item Presented to Import Customs
13. Thu, Mar 20

    4:44pm
    International item has arrived in a foreign country
14. Thu, Mar 20

    4:44pm
    Item presented to customs

    USJFKA
15. Thu, Mar 20

    4:44pm
    Item has arrived in foreign country

    USJFKA
16. Thu, Mar 20

    2:58am
    International item being forwarded to destination country

    MONTREAL, QC H4T 1T4
17. Thu, Mar 20

    2:58am
    Processed Through Facility

    MONTREAL
18. Thu, Mar 20

    2:58am
    International item being forwarded to destination country

    MONTREAL, QC
19. Wed, Mar 19

    11:40pm
    Delivery may be delayed due to public authority

    OTTAWA, ON K1V 1J0
20. Wed, Mar 19

    11:40pm
    Delivery may be delayed due to public authority

    CA
21. Wed, Mar 19

    2:16pm
    Item accepted at the Post Office

    MONTREAL, QC H3S 2A0
22. Wed, Mar 19

    2:16pm
    Item accepted at the Post Office

    MONTREAL, QC
23. Wed, Mar 19

    2:16pm
    Acceptance
24. Wed, Mar 19

    2:16pm
    Origin Post is Preparing Shipment

[brettjet38]

Montreal Canada to Texas USA

1. Wed, Mar 19

   12:48pm
   Delivered
2. Wed, Mar 19

   12:48pm
   Delivered, In/At Mailbox

   TEMPLE, TX 76504
3. Wed, Mar 19

   6:10am
   Item out for delivery
4. Wed, Mar 19

   6:10am
   Out for Delivery

   TEMPLE, TX 76504
5. Wed, Mar 19

   5:03am
   Arrived at Post Office

   TEMPLE, TX 76501
6. Wed, Mar 19

   5:03am
   Item has been received at the delivery office in the destination country
7. Wed, Mar 19

   3:51am
   Arrived at USPS Facility

   TEMPLE, TX 76501
8. Wed, Mar 19

   2:08am
   Departed USPS Regional Facility

   AUSTIN TX DISTRIBUTION CENTER
9. Wed, Mar 19

   1:59am
   Departed USPS Regional Facility

   AUSTIN TX DISTRIBUTION CENTER
10. Wed, Mar 19

    1:29am
    Arrived at USPS Regional Facility

    AUSTIN TX DISTRIBUTION CENTER
11. Wed, Mar 19

    12:25am
    Departed USPS Regional Facility

    AUSTIN TX PACKAGE SORTING CENTER
12. Tue, Mar 18

    3:07pm
    Arrived at USPS Regional Destination Facility

    AUSTIN TX PACKAGE SORTING CENTER
13. Tue, Mar 18

    10:18am
    Departed USPS Facility

    DALLAS, TX 75211
14. Tue, Mar 18

    7:23am
    Departed USPS Facility

    DALLAS, TX 75211
15. Mon, Mar 17

    9:44am
    Arrived at USPS Facility

    DALLAS, TX 75211
16. Mon, Mar 17

    12:21am
    In Transit to Next Facility
17. Sun, Mar 16

    2:03pm
    In Transit to Next Facility
18. Sun, Mar 16

    3:56am
    Departed USPS Regional Facility

    METRO NY DISTRIBUTION CENTER
19. Sat, Mar 15

    11:54pm
    Arrived at USPS Regional Facility

    METRO NY DISTRIBUTION CENTER
20. Sat, Mar 15

    11:35pm
    Arrived at USPS Regional Facility

    METRO NY DISTRIBUTION CENTER
21. Sat, Mar 15

    10:24pm
    Departed USPS Regional Facility

    QUEENS NY DISTRIBUTION CENTER
22. Sat, Mar 15

    3:44pm
    Arrived at USPS Regional Facility

    QUEENS NY DISTRIBUTION CENTER
23. Fri, Mar 14

    12:15am
    Arrived at USPS Regional Facility

    JAMAICA NY INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION CENTER
24. Fri, Mar 14

    12:15am
    Item processed
25. Thu, Mar 13

    5:47pm
    Processed Through USPS Facility

    ISC NEW YORK NY(USPS)
26. Thu, Mar 13

    5:47pm
    International item has arrived in a foreign country
27. Thu, Mar 13

    5:47pm
    Item has arrived in foreign country

    USJFKA
28. Thu, Mar 13

    2:58am
    International item being forwarded to destination country

    MONTREAL, QC H4T 1T4
29. Thu, Mar 13

    2:58am
    Processed Through Facility

    MONTREAL
30. Thu, Mar 13

    2:58am
    International item being forwarded to destination country

    MONTREAL, QC
31. Wed, Mar 12

    8:53pm
    Item processed

    MONTREAL, QC H4T 1T4
32. Wed, Mar 12

    8:53pm
    Item processed

    MONTREAL, QC
33. Wed, Mar 12

    3:25pm
    Item accepted at the Post Office

    MONTR�AL, QC H3B 3Y0
34. Wed, Mar 12

    3:25pm
    Item accepted at the Post Office

    MONTRÉAL, QC
35. Wed, Mar 12

    3:25pm
    Acceptance
36. Wed, Mar 12

    3:25pm
    Origin Post is Preparing Shipment
37. Tue, Mar 11

    5:51pm
    Electronic information submitted by shipper

    MONT ROYAL, QC H3P 2H0

[38e_avenue]

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@brettjet38 wrote:

@tuckhouse2021 @38e_avenue Hum, I wonder if it is because they are flat items, how thick are your average packages?

Mine are all min 5-7 cm I prefer to thicken the package when possible without affecting the weight limits.

Ave 21cm by 20cm by 5 cm of course is my average dimensions avg weights 99-125 grams, figurines.

---

They are different. 50% go as thick letters (but as TP label, because I need tracking). The are 80g / 25 x 20 x 3 cm, but I always put 100 g / 20 x 25 x 5 cm - just to be sure to never have any weight / dimension issues.  Other 40% go in tubes - 200 g / 45 x 6 cm (I put 250 g / 50 x 10 cm for the reason mentioned above).  10 % goes as "normal" large and heavy packages. I never had any weight/dimension issue in the past. 

All items going to Canada must be put additionally into a box to avoid the infamous tube surcharge. This weird surcharge doesn't (fortunately) apply to Tracked Packet. 

[38e_avenue]

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@flipistics wrote:

It seems to depend on what hub the packages go through. item. That won't help with hub issues in the USA, but it might help with clearing customs a little easier.

---

I can confirm that. All my late items were stuck at 2 hubs: Queens and Indianapolis. All items sent to other hubs move quickly througt the USPS network. It started in the mid of January ... 

[flipistics]

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@brettjet38 wrote:

I ship out of Montreal, You?

---

I'm in northern Ontario. Most of mine seem to go through Toronto and then Chicago.