While waiting for your online order, it might feel like you’re keeping one eye on the mailbox and another on your tracking information. The tracking information changes to “Delivered” all of a sudden. But there isn’t anything in the mailbox!
Despite the fact that you may think you’re going insane, it’s not you. There are occasions when USPS’s tracking system does not work properly. To understand more about what I learnt regarding missing “delivered” packages, keep reading this post!
Why does USPS state that a package has been delivered but there is no package?
It’s possible that a box stamped “Delivered” but never arrived was misplaced due to a USPS scan error or was unintentionally delivered to a neighbor by the postal carrier or placed in a difficult-to-find spot. Contact your local post office if neither of these possibilities is the reason for a lost parcel.
If your shipment has not yet been delivered by USPS, keep reading to learn why, what to do if your box has not yet been delivered, and other helpful information!
Why Is My Supposedly Delivered Package Not Here?
The USPS’ GPS system may have prematurely tagged your shipment as “Delivered” if your tracking information indicates “Delivered” yet there is no visible parcel.
Therefore, you should be patient and keep a watch out for your shipment the next day. However, if your parcel is missing, it is also possible that it was delivered by a substitute mail carrier who did not know your desired delivery location.
Check around your mailbox, in the bushes, beneath the stairs, and wherever else a package may have been placed to confirm.
Additionally, it may be worthwhile to inquire with your neighbors whether they have gotten a parcel with your name on it. If a postal carrier is new with a route, they may confuse apartment or building numbers.
What Should I Do If My Package Has Been Delivered But Is Missing?
As previously indicated, USPS delivery vans utilize GPS. This may lead a shipment to be marked as “Delivered” prior to its actual delivery. In most instances, you need just wait one more business day for your delivery to arrive.
However, if you’ve waited more than a day, inspected your property, and contacted your neighbors and you still haven’t received your box, you should call your local USPS post office.
You should communicate with the head postmaster or the on-duty manager, as they should be able to call the postal carrier on your route to see what’s going on.
Contact USPS to make a Missing Mail claim if USPS is unable to assist and the parcel has not been delivered after seven days. You can file at your local post office, online, or by phoning 1-800-275-8777 to reach USPS Customer Care.
A Missing Mail claim prompts postal personnel to conduct a comprehensive search of every step your parcel took between the time it was dropped off and its expected arrival date.
Most occurrences of missing mail include items that were scanned but never loaded onto a delivery vehicle or that were disregarded for some reason. Consequently, initiating a Missing Mail request addresses these obstacles and delivers the package to its intended location.
Does USPS Mark Packages As Delivered Before Delivering?
Before delivering parcels, the USPS often does not designate them as delivered. Despite this, audits of the postal service have revealed several “scan mistakes” that enable undelivered goods to be reported as “Delivered.”
Though an employee scans a shipment using the “Delivered” setting (rather than “Accepted”), a box will be marked as delivered even if it was just mailed. A scan mistake also arises when a mail carrier scans a parcel as “Delivered” at a location different than the intended delivery destination (e.g. house, business or apartment building).
If a carrier scans an item as “Delivered” at a place other than the delivery point — before delivery is even attempted — the customer will see “Delivered” or “Delivery Attempted” even if no action was taken.
Scan mistakes are unfortunately more often than one may expect. For instance, a USPS audit found that 191 out of 1,100 items scanned as delivered were still in the delivery unit ready to be dropped off.
Bottom Line
Even though a USPS item has been marked as delivered, it may still be missing for a variety of reasons. If a shipment is mistakenly marked as delivered before it has been, all you have to do is wait another day for it to arrive.
It’s also conceivable that the product was delivered to a neighbor or put in an unexpected area. If none of these options work for you, your next step should be to contact your local post office and file a Missing Mail claim.
