Need help with contacting USPS please!

[Russ Kirk]

I tried and called from normal landline and with the 1-800 doesn't work at all, with the second number it worked but only information was same as at their tracking site, computer generated voice. See posts above.

Haf

The government shut down is the likely reason no one answers the phone. Resources are somewhere else......

[Haf]

At least I haven't heard of another cargo plane accident since the one in Alabama. So this can't be the reason.

Haf

[wds]

If this is an Ebay purchase, you have a limited amount of time to file a complaint.  I would be inclined to go ahead and file a complaint and put the burden on the Seller to figure out the tracking. 

[poplar1]

I tried and called from normal landline and with the 1-800 doesn't work at all, with the second number it worked but only information was same as at their tracking site, computer generated voice. See posts above.

Haf

The government shut down is the likely reason no one answers the phone. Resources are somewhere else......

Since the post office is supposedly independent, their service should not be affected by the shutdown--in other words, "customer no service" is still "customer no service."

[Haf]

If this is an Ebay purchase, you have a limited amount of time to file a complaint.  I would be inclined to go ahead and file a complaint and put the burden on the Seller to figure out the tracking. 

Well, I can see that the seller has shipped the item and I'm polite and think it's not him to blame but in this case USPS or something I don't know yet.

Haf

[LarryInMichigan]

I think that ebay should cover the loss if the item is lost in the post.

Larry

[Haf]

I hope that USPS does cover the loss if they lost it. OK, not the fees etc but the costs for the item itself..and shipping costs of course. But that is only the worst case, I hope that the phone is not lost just stuck for whatever reason and will arrive safely someday. But I wanted to know from USPS what the problem is. never happened to me before, no complaints about USPS so far.

Haf

[HarrySmith]

It does not matter if it is the sellers fault or the USPS fault, eBay & PayPal will refund if the item is not recieved.

[Haf]

It does not matter if it is the sellers fault or the USPS fault, eBay & PayPal will refund if the item is not recieved.

I know that, but it is my opinion that the one causing the trouble has to pay for it. It's only fair in my eyes.

But again, I still don't give up hope that it doesn't have to come that far and I'll get the phone someday.

Haf

[G-Man]

I tried and called from normal landline and with the 1-800 doesn't work at all, with the second number it worked but only information was same as at their tracking site, computer generated voice. See posts above.

Haf

The government shut down is the likely reason no one answers the phone. Resources are somewhere else......

From the USPS website:

ALERT: USPS is operating normally during the federal government shutdown.

In any event, as per his request, Haf was provided with information for contacting the USPS via email and snail-mail so at least he has alternatives to having to deal with the auto-attendant.

At least once he makes contact by one of the alternatives he can request that they provide a non-800 number with which he can contact an actual human.
It's also possible that they missed scanning it and it is currently on its way to Germany this very moment.

[wds]

I have had many packages through USPS that show no tracking whatsoever and then just show up on my doorstep.  USPS is not the most reliable shipping service unfortunately. 

[LarryInMichigan]

Decades ago, my grandmother received a postcard from my father, eleven years after he mailed it.

Larry

[AE_Collector]

It does not matter if it is the sellers fault or the USPS fault, eBay & PayPal will refund if the item is not recieved.

Well...that's what I thought too!

Terry

[AE_Collector]

It's also possible that they missed scanning it and it is currently on its way to Germany this very moment.

That would be my guess. I am no expert at all on the USPS but from what I have seen, they are relatively new to providing tracking info at all and I saw numerous cases of the tracking info looking like this initially:

2013-09-20 2:39 PM Item accepted at USPS location.
2013-10-04 7:50 AM Item out for delivery.

My guess is that the scan in Miami was missed or corrupted and it is enroute somewhere. It should materialise by 2016 worst case.

You have 45 days to file for "so called" PayPal Purchase Protection so by 40 days from sale date it is time to file the claim. This doesn't get the seller into any trouble at all at this point but buys you more time to file a claim.

Terry

[twocvbloke]

I've had USPS packages sit for a fortnight without any updates, and usually it's cos it's in the inspection pile at the customs depo in this country, depending on how busy/lazy they are, they take their time on inspecting something that may have flashed up as "odd" on their x-rays, then all of a sudden the tracking resumes and it arrives within a few days, so, don't worry, it's probably already in your country, it's just being delayed by the tax man...