USPS..Packaged Scanned "Return To Sender". NEED HELP FAST PLEASE

wtfebay · #1 08-09-2016

I've never had an issue with packages until today. I always package the same, drop off at the same post office, etc. Yesterday nearly all my packages (dropped off 21) were never scanned as "accepted" after I dropped them in the box, but they were scanned in at the sort facility (except 2 of them). Found this odd...it may have something to do with what happened today, I'm not sure.

Anyway, fast forward to today...dropped off 10 packages. 9 of them were scanned in and they ALL say "return to sender" instead of "accepted". ONE of them says "accepted". All 10 of them have already hit the sort facility. The 9 that say "return to sender" were scanned at 2:51pm...the one that says "accepted" was scanned at 2:55pm.

The account I use has an address in a different state, so if these 9 packages really are being "returned to sender" then I have no way to get them. I need to know what I can do to have them returned to ME at my address, as these are expensive packages. One is 1000, the rest are 100-200. I have never encountered an issue like this, and don't know why these were scanned as return to sender and the last one scanned as "accepted", but it is a real problem. Any immediate help is highly appreciated!

MM78 · #2 08-09-2016

You could contact USPS and make up a story of some sort.

wtfebay · #3 08-09-2016

The thing is, 9 out of 10 show "return to sender" and those were ALL scanned at 2:51. The last one was scanned at 2:55 and says "accepted". I know the weights were all correct, everything packaged good, etc....I have been doing it this way for years with no issues.

COULD there be a chance that they had it on the wrong setting and went through and scanned every package like that, and later realized it and switched it to accepted? You figure 9 scans all within the same minute, they might have just been going through and scanning them all one after the other? I don't know....

IF that's the case, since that's the very first scan in the system, is it still going to be "returned to sender" or??

bornlazy · #4 08-09-2016

I've encountered some strange updates with USPS tracking but never "return to sender", with that being said, it could possibly be a glitch.
First thing I would do is call USPS and try to figure out whats going on, assuming you aren't shipping anything you shouldn't be shipping, that should be a pretty straight forward call to make. Good luck

wtfebay · #5 08-09-2016

I will have to call first thing in the morning then. Or should I go to the post office where they were dropped off??

Everything i sent is OK. No VERO, illegal, etc.

dallis · #6 08-09-2016

Another good reason to cover the false return address with a label showing your real address on it.

For that kind of money go in in person. Probably a glitch.

Check the tracking first thing in the morning, and see if it's progressed anywhere. Sometimes it will get scanned a couple of times at the Bulk Mail Center.

I've heard it's possible to recall packages, but with the return address incorrect, I don't know if it can be done, otherwise anyone with a tracking number could mess with somebody's package.

dallis · #7 08-09-2016

Another possibility, they will return to sender sometimes if they discover they're underweight.

In that case, you're likely screwed with the return address issue.

wtfebay · #8 08-09-2016

The thing is, the packages have already been scanned at the sort facility...its been like clockwork for the past few years. Scanned as accepted at the post office, scanned as arrived at sort facility, then it gets scanned wherever it gets sent to. So these 9 show return to sender (at the post office) and then arrived at sort facility.

What I dont know is...IF (big if) they were MISTAKENLY scanned as return to sender, will they be "returned to sender" or will they go along their way? Because its already in the system as return to sender...9 packages all scanned within the same minute. But I am wondering if they have to do more than just scan it (like mark the package) or what.

wtfebay · #9 08-09-2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by dallis

Another possibility, they will return to sender sometimes if they discover they're underweight.

In that case, you're likely screwed with the return address issue.

If thats the case (underweight) then they would send the package all the way from the west coast to the east coast to the "return address" on the label? Why not just send it to the recipient and have them pay the difference? I have had multiple packages in the past that I have received from sellers that I had to pay postage on because it was underweight. Doesnt make sense.

TOOKNAPA · #10 08-10-2016

why you don't just phone them, and ask them what happen ? I think there is a new worker at your post office who doesn't know how to set the scanning machine. If that's not the case, explain them you are on holiday in this state, and if the packages as to be returned, iot woul be better to get them here, or that you just moved to a new house, or whatever

wtfebay · #11 08-10-2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by TOOKNAPA

why you don't just phone them, and ask them what happen ? I think there is a new worker at your post office who doesn't know how to set the scanning machine. If that's not the case, explain them you are on holiday in this state, and if the packages as to be returned, iot woul be better to get them here, or that you just moved to a new house, or whatever

I hope that's the case...in that there is a new employee there or someone filling in. As I had mentioned, my packages are always scanned "accepted" at the post office...however, yesterday none of them were scanned at all. Which makes me think there was someone else taking care of packages at the drop box. If that's the case, it could definitely be an error that they set the scanner wrong. But that still leaves the fact that it's in the system as "return to sender", as that was the very first scan...so I'm not sure what will happen at that point if it was a mistake.

phaz0rz · #12 08-10-2016

OP - see if the packages are scanned again today. If they are then you should be fine.

I run into USPS mishaps like this frequently. A few weeks ago, my mail carrier marked 200 orders as being "delivered" instead of "picked up." I spent the next two weeks trying to explain things to customers.

On another occasion I had 50 packages marked as picked up from another state. I'm in SC and my mail carrier marked them as being picked up in FL. This caused every single one of those shipments to stall in transit immediately after being picked up, and me to lose several hundred dollars...

wtfebay · #13 08-10-2016

Called USPS and opened cases to find out whats going on with all of the packages. But I am stressing a bit now because the 20 packages I dropped off on Monday that had no acceptance scan now shows they passed through a sort facility in the state the account is in. So it looks like ALL 20 of those packages are going to be "returned to sender" even though it never said anything. So basically the person who lives there is going to have 20+ packages delivered and I have no clue what to do right now!

Dmshark25 · #14 08-10-2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by wtfebay

Called USPS and opened cases to find out whats going on with all of the packages. But I am stressing a bit now because the 20 packages I dropped off on Monday that had no acceptance scan now shows they passed through a sort facility in the state the account is in. So it looks like ALL 20 of those packages are going to be "returned to sender" even though it never said anything. So basically the person who lives there is going to have 20+ packages delivered and I have no clue what to do right now!

If these were shipped priority theres an option to intercept the packages and have them rerouted to another address for a fee

bluegrass1 · #15 08-10-2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by wtfebay

Called USPS and opened cases to find out whats going on with all of the packages. But I am stressing a bit now because the 20 packages I dropped off on Monday that had no acceptance scan now shows they passed through a sort facility in the state the account is in. So it looks like ALL 20 of those packages are going to be "returned to sender" even though it never said anything. So basically the person who lives there is going to have 20+ packages delivered and I have no clue what to do right now!

I put in a change of address just in case something like this happens it gets forwarded back to me in the end .. I had the postal inspector call me after i opened a case and left my number . he asked why i was using names and addresses that wasnt my own. i told him i was drop shipping items for others . they would sell an item i would ship and use their return address so if there was a problem the item would be sent back to ordering party.... he was happy with the answer but told me i had to fill out paper work to be a dropshipper and would be best if i just used my own address in the future so most of the time i just put a sticker over the stealth addy with my own address on it

jackdanielsbtch · #16 08-10-2016

there is a form you can fill out to package intercept, but you'd need to show id and all that.

too late to do change of address it takes 2-3 weeks to process a change of address.

why are they being returned to sender? labels not correct?

phaz0rz · #17 08-11-2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluegrass1

I put in a change of address just in case something like this happens it gets forwarded back to me in the end .. I had the postal inspector call me after i opened a case and left my number . he asked why i was using names and addresses that wasnt my own. i told him i was drop shipping items for others . they would sell an item i would ship and use their return address so if there was a problem the item would be sent back to ordering party.... he was happy with the answer but told me i had to fill out paper work to be a dropshipper and would be best if i just used my own address in the future so most of the time i just put a sticker over the stealth addy with my own address on it

I've said it 20 times but I'll say it again..

You can waste your time taping addresses on your packages all you want, but packages are routed to their destination by bar code data. Not to mention the fact that in this case, OP's "ship from" zip code would be off by several hundred miles which would result in postage shortages.

You could save so much time by just using an external postage program. Stamps.com is awesome. All I do is click "import orders" every morning and within 30 minutes I've printed 200+ shipping labels.

Just my $.02. You guys do what you want, lol.

wtfebay · #18 08-11-2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dmshark25

If these were shipped priority theres an option to intercept the packages and have them rerouted to another address for a fee

Some of them are Priority...I saw the intercept page on USPS but it tells me to enter the tracking number, and after that it says the option isn't available so I don't know.

Anyway, calling USPS yesterday obviously did nothing. All packages from Monday are going back to address on label. All packages from Tuesday have now gone through a sorting facility....so I would say those are on their way back too.

Dmshark25 · #19 08-11-2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by wtfebay

Some of them are Priority...I saw the intercept page on USPS but it tells me to enter the tracking number, and after that it says the option isn't available so I don't know.

Anyway, calling USPS yesterday obviously did nothing. All packages from Monday are going back to address on label. All packages from Tuesday have now gone through a sorting facility....so I would say those are on their way back too.

I know the intercept is an option offered but is not guaranteed, probably depends on how far along they are to the destination, i guess your packag3s packages are beyond that point

yankee · #20 08-11-2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by dallis

Another good reason to cover the false return address with a label showing your real address on it.

This does not work. USPS does not use typed return addresses. It is all in the barcode these days. UNLESS the barcode does not scan such as in a damaged label.

newjerseymax · #21 08-11-2016

I have had them scanned wrong plenty of times from the start such as "delivered"...

It was simply the setting on the scanner gun was never changed from last person that used it. Besides customers contacting me, it was not much of an issue until scanned at next location.

I once had this happen with 100 packages and about 30 customers contacted me wondering what's going on... I just created a generic template explaining what happened.

wtfebay · #22 08-11-2016

I still have not heard anything back from USPS regarding the cases I had opened. However, those were only for the packages that were scanned as "return to sender". Apparently the same exact thing must have happened with the packages I dropped off a day earlier, because all those are not at a post office marked "available for pickup"....some of those actually said "out for delivery" this morning in the city of the return address, but have changed to "available for pickup" at the post office. Now I don't know whether that means a notice was left to pick up or what. And I'm not sure what the post office would be able to do for me if I were to call them.