Is the Post Office taking uninsured boxes and selling stuff on Ebay? *EDitor's Comment

I must say that I worked in a large catalog business for years...and other places that had mail coming and going.

I never lost a thing. Why? Because I used standardized addressing and clearly wrote my addresses, and return addresses on things.

The things I saw returned and/or sent to me by ebayers or the general public...including co-workers in various jobs...all had one thing in common...their hand writing was like that of a 1st grader. They wrote in cursive, used barely legible pens, wrote small, used non-standard boxes with clutter all over them, or otherwise didn't have complete addresses or put the standardization down.

There's a website for the post office that even shows you how to standardize ANY address or look it up if you only have a partial address...so I'd suggest using that and stop writing like a kid with a crayon so you can get your stuff where it belongs and stop blaming everyone else. You want it there, insure it. I bet you're the same people who lose luggage but then don't tag it either.

Mail is pretty idiot-proof these days...but there are always people who seem to even skirt that level of competence. There is a reason we still have the lowest scores educationally of any industrialized nation. DUH!!!!!

I live in Chicago, and in the Logan Square post office they are horrible at delivery.

THREE seperate occasion I have had a slip in my mailbox saying come to the post office and get my package from eBay. I get there and they post office CAN'T find my package. What is there resolution IF they find it they will deliver it.

I contact the seller and they say it was never returned.

The post office says I should have my mail sent registered. I'm like FOR WHAT? You obviously HAD the package, you made out the slip. Why should I have more money on registered mail for you to lose that.

The post office never resolved this. NEVER ONCE anyone answered my complaints, I formerly filed. Not a phone call, not a letter. Ah to be a monopoly

In Chicago mail carriers will wheel around a cart full of packages. They leave this cart on the sidewalk and go into a building of 40 apartments where I live. They spend about 20 minutes putting the mail in the boxes.

All this time the mail cart and the packages are left unattended on the sidewalk, for ANYONE to take.

You can and should buy Confirmed Delivery for any package shipped Media Mail. It costs 55 cents. This will give you a tracking number and confirmation when the package is delivered.

If you don't use Confirmed Delivery how do you know the buyer actually received the package, even though he states he didn't? It's more likely that the scam is being played out by ebay buyers, not the post office. If they receive a package that has no proof of shipping or delivery, it's your word against theirs.

How well-wrapped was your package? Did you placed an address inside of the box? If the shipping label and wrapping come off, all that info is lost.

One in particular is a $300.00 money that I mailed on November 13 2003. Various Ebay items....What's up with all of this. Is anybody else out there missing packages? I ship priorty mail for my ebay packages and for what the USPS charges you'd think they could afford some help and things wouldn't get lost. Just would like to know if anyone else is missing stuff or is it just bad karma for me.

I am a postal employee of 16 years and the post office does in fact sell items on ebay. This is the stuff that is broken or lost in the mail. As employees, we or our families are not allowed to bid on any items. I think the reason that more things are getting lost is because they dont hire career employees very much, they hire temp employees for a third of the pay. They get no training and they couldnt care less. As far as liability on a broken or lost item only insured, registered or express has liability.

If you dont have any of those we will NOT pay. The problem with the post office these days is the imcompetent management,waste, apathetic employees and no such thing as customer service anymore. Just cut the budget, but isnt this true in all businesses?

Or, if it a smaller item such as a book, CD, etc, never send it Media Mail. Sure, it is cheaper, but you have no way of tracking your package. Spend a few dollars extra and send it Priority or Express Mail. That way, you have a tracking number, USPS is more careful with it, and in the instance that it does get lost, they do have some liability, although it is a good idea to insure packages with more expensive items.

Personally, being that I have had an ongoing fight with the Richmond, California Post Office (over 9 PM delivery, no delivery at all, etc.), I prefer to use FedEx. However, in my fight with Richmond Post Office, I do seem to have finally won that one, as we now get our mail around 1 PM now. The Carrier Supervisor HATES me, but I will get over it.

Carol,

Check with an attorney, however, in most states it is the responsibility of the sender to take adequate steps to ensure that the package arrives at its destination and you can prove it. Otherwise, the sender can be held liable in a sales situation.

Therefore, Carol, you must answer your own question. Where IS the package? Sorry I have to tell you this, but, the onus is on you.

ED Magedson
EDitor@ripoffreport.com

I SENT A PACKAGE TO MY SON CONTAINING OVER $500.00 IN CLOTHES HE NEVER RECEIVED THE PACKAGE. THE POST OFFICE INFORMED ME I SHOULD HAVE SENT IT WITH SOME SPECIAL SERVICE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHERE THIS PACKAGE IS?

I SENT A PACKAGE TO MY SON CONTAINING OVER $500.00 IN CLOTHES HE NEVER RECEIVED THE PACKAGE. THE POST OFFICE INFORMED ME I SHOULD HAVE SENT IT WITH SOME SPECIAL SERVICE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHERE THIS PACKAGE IS?

I SENT A PACKAGE TO MY SON CONTAINING OVER $500.00 IN CLOTHES HE NEVER RECEIVED THE PACKAGE. THE POST OFFICE INFORMED ME I SHOULD HAVE SENT IT WITH SOME SPECIAL SERVICE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHERE THIS PACKAGE IS?