When USPS Tracking goes astray

In My Humble Opinion
1

I ordered something a few weeks ago from an Etsy seller. I paid and the item shipped USPS, then I began watching tracking.

The package was mailed and was moving along when, in May 20 I saw:

May 20, 2021, 10:25 pm
Departed USPS Regional Origin Facility
WEST FARGO NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER

Then the message said something about a delay, package would reach destination, but later than anticipated. That message stayed up for four days, but is gone now when I view tracking history.

On May 24, tracking showed this:

May 24, 2021
In Transit to Next Facility

Then there was a pause, then the package began moving again:

June 3, 2021, 6:18 am
Out for Delivery
FORD CITY, PA 16226
June 3, 2021, 6:07 am
Arrived at Post Office
FORD CITY, PA 16226
June 2, 2021, 4:45 pm
Departed USPS Regional Destination Facility
PITTSBURGH PA NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER
June 2, 2021, 9:39 am
Arrived at USPS Regional Facility
PITTSBURGH PA NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER
June 2, 2021, 8:51 am
Departed USPS Regional Facility
WARRENDALE PA DISTRIBUTION CENTER
June 2, 2021, 5:44 am
Arrived at USPS Regional Facility
WARRENDALE PA DISTRIBUTION CENTER
June 1, 2021, 2:48 pm
Departed USPS Facility
AURORA, IL 60502
June 1, 2021, 8:14 am
Arrived at USPS Facility
AURORA, IL 60502
June 1, 2021, 7:23 am
Departed USPS Regional Facility
CHICAGO IL NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER
May 31, 2021, 8:42 pm
Arrived at USPS Regional Facility
CHICAGO IL NETWORK DISTRIBUTION CENTER

So, I eventually received my thing. The box was pristine, as were the various labels and stickers.

What was going on from the 20th to June first?

2

It was sitting behind something else and ignored until the something else was moved.

Just be happy you got it at all!

3

I usually have pretty good luck with USPS packages, partly because our local and regional PO’s seem to be really on the ball. A package will arrive at regional in the small hours, and immediately go out to the local before 7 am, and be out for delivery that same day.

At other times, I have no idea what is going on. I currently have a small package coming from San Diego (to San Francisco). It took 2 days to get to LA, and now it is crawling up the coast stop by stop – Bell Gardens and then Santa Clarita. It’s like they’re sending it by bicycle, or city bus. The package is supposed to be delivered tomorrow. If it had just been put on a plane when it left San Diego, I would have had it two days ago. I have no idea why packages do this sometimes.

4

I sat patiently waiting and watching, always assuming that if it arrived the label or packaging would be damaged.

Everything was pristine. The contents, a silicone hand pipe with glass bowl insert, arrived undamaged. Works as advertised!!

5

I had a small package stuck at that Aurora facility for 3 days a few weeks ago.

6

We’ve had some weird stuff like that happen too. I ordered some glass tiles for a mosaic I was making that were shipped from Charlotte, NC (I live in central NC about 2 hours away from Charlotte). The package made it to our regional hub in Greensboro, went out of Greensboro … and then back again. Twice. After that, it finally got out of the vicious circle and to our local PO. I guess I should have just driven down to Charlotte and got it myself.

Right around the same time, my husband bought a book from someone on Ebay. It took the Great Circle Route and traveled from either IL or IN (can’t remember which now), to OH, then PA and then allll the way down to the deep south (either FL or MS, again I can’t recall which) before then being routed to GA and finally NC. When I looked at the tracking I told him it was a good thing he wasn’t in a hurry to get it.