Somebody ordered a shelf book and I mailed it out on July 28th. It was marked lost since it never arrived... Lo and behold, it arrived back today, with the following cryptic Postal scribble codes on the side:

N  7/30

CID 

NO ACCESS 

8/25

HOLD

Any ideas?

I don't know specifically what the codes mean, but it looks like it might have been going to a mailbox or drop box in an apartment/condo and there was no place to leave it or it was not clearly marked. You probably know what to do, but just in case anyone else has experienced this...

Contact the recipient to tell them it came back to you & to see if they still want it and to verify their address, or clarify if they've been having problems. Sometimes people will wait longer to get another copy when an order times out for something like this. Though, they may not want if they went ahead and ordered another copy. If they want it and the address is valid, then take it to your PO and let them know the address is fine (you could take a copy of the recipient's response) and they need to resend it. You should not have to pay for additional postage since it should have been delivered the first time. Then when they get it they can use their transaction archive to mark it received.

If the address was wrong and the person still wants it they would need to give you another credit to relabel & resend to the correct address with new postage; it's their responsibility to keep their mailing address current in PBS. If they don't want it after all then you can post it back to your shelf.

If you get no response from them (give them a few days to get back to you) then you can contact PBS (contact us link below) and ask them for assistance.

Here's the text from the Help Docs:

A book I sent was returned to me!

• Why/how this can happen
• What you should do if it happens

The most common causes for a package to be returned to sender:

• The 13-ounce rule: The package was over 13 ounces and bore only stamps for postage, and you did not mail it by handing it to a USPS employee.
  • This is a USPS regulation if postage stamps are used for postage and the package is over 13 oz in weight.
  • The regulation does not apply to packages sent with printed postage
  • You can remail the package from the PO in this case, without adding new postage to the package.

• Incorrect Address. Caused by 
  • transcription errors if you hand-wrote the address
  • the requestor mistyping his/her address in his/her account or not updating an old address
  • USPS error

• Insufficient Postage Caused by 
  • Insufficient postage on the package
    • did you check and adjust the weight on the wrapper settings page before printing? this will ensure that the correct postage and postal rate will print out
    • did you forget to add postage to the package? Don't laugh - this can happen, even to the best swapper! Please read I forgot the postage! for more information about this.
  • Failure to write MediaMail on the package if the PBS Wrapper was not used.
    • USPS will charge First Class rate if MediaMail is not specified.
    • The PBS Wrapper will print out with FIRST CLASS for packages weighing 7ounces or less; packages over that weight will print wrappers marked MEDIA MAIL
  • Writing First Class on the package if the PBS Wrapper was not used.
  • Reusing Priority Mail materials (this is not permitted by USPS unless you are paying priority rate!) but applying Media Mail or First Class postage.
  • USPS error.
• Moved, no forwarding address Caused by
  • The requestor moving before the book arrived (Media Mail is not routinely forwarded, unlike First Class mail!)
  • USPS error.
• Address illegible Caused by
  • the wrapper tearing and the TO address being lost or obliterated
    • to prevent this problem, consult the Help Center document All Help documents about bookwrapping to improve Wrapping technique
  • printer ink running because of exposure to the elements
    • to prevent this problem, you can apply a layer of clear shipping tape over the printed address portion of the wrapper.  Remember not to tape over stamps!
  • Poor handwriting (if you hand-wrote the wrapper)
    • to prevent this problem, carefully copy the address information clearly onto the wrapper - or print the wrapper from a printer.

If the book was returned to you through an error on the requestor's part, you can ask him or her for an extra credit (or money for the postage) to re-send the book,

If the book was returned to you through USPS error, you can take it to the PO in the packaging in which it was returned, and explain the situation - that it was returned in error from a current, deliverable address.  They can check the address and if it is correct and the book was returned through USPS error, they can send it again "under cover" from Post Office to Post Office, without requiring more postage.

If the book was returned to you because you forgot postage or the address was illegible, etc:

• You can reprint the address using the "RePrint Wrapper" button on the transaction on the Books I've Mailed tab on your My Account page.
• You should use the  button on the transaction, to let the other member know about what happened.
  • Then if the book is declared "lost" by the system before it arrives, the other member knows it is coming and does not re-order it.
  • The requestor can mark the book received when it arrives (if it has been declared "lost" by then it will need to be marked received from the Transaction Archive).

What to do if your book is returned to you:

If the book has NOT been declared Lost in the Mail yet: you should contact the requestor using the button on the active request on your My Account main page, to let him/her know that the book was returned, and to confirm the address.

• You should not re-send the book if it is damaged.  If it is damaged, contact us to cancel the transaction.
  • If the book has already been declared Lost in the Mail, you do not need to contact us to cancel.

• You are not obligated to re-send the book to the requestor if this happened due to a problem with the requestor's address.   If the book was not damaged when it came back to you, and you do not want to re-send the book to the previous requestor, you can simply repost it.
  • If you do not get a reply message from the requestor within 5 days of your PM, contact us.

To re-send the book:

• You can reprint the address using the "RePrint Wrapper" button on the transaction on the Books I've Mailed tab on your My Account page.
• You should use the  button on the transaction, to let the other member know about what happened.
  • Then if the book is declared "lost" by the system before it arrives, the other member knows it is coming and does not re-order it.
  • The requestor can mark the book received when it arrives (if it has been declared "lost" by then it will need to be marked received from the Transaction Archive).

If you mailed with Printable Postage and you need to generate a new wrapper:

• Since you can't print postage again - it's illegal to use printed postage twice - you need to use the "mail to a friend" option to create a new postage-paid wrapper.
  • If the return was USPS's fault, you can mail "under cover" to the other PO for no additional postage, so you should take the package to your local PO and explain what happened.
• To generate a new postage-paid wrapper by creating a "mail-to-a-friend" (noncredit) swap for the book:
  • Detailed Instructions on how to do this are in Can I send a book to a friend/alternate address?
  • Basically, you choose this option from the More Options menu on the Book Details page and supply the name/address, then choose postage when printing.
  • This will print new postage and you can use that to remail the book.

If the book HAS been declared Lost in the Mail: you should contact the requestor to find out what happened to cause the book to be returned (if the reason is not clear) and to make sure that the requestor still wants the book (and that the address is correct) before remailing it. You can use the button on the "lost" transaction in your Transaction Archive (linked from the top of your My Account page) to send a message to the requestor.

• If the requestor no longer wants the book (if he or she has gotten another copy from someone else after yours was declared lost, for example), you should REPOST it to offer it to the rest of the club for swapping.

•  If you do not get a reply to your PM
  • do not re-mail your book - you should repost it to your Bookshelf if you do not get consent from the requestor to re-mail the book.  If you repost and the new request is from the same member, contact us for help.

• If you do not receive a reply to your PM within 5 days, contact us for help.

Please note: If the requestor still wants the book, and you re-send it, it may be declared Lost in the Mail before it arrives. 

• The requestor can mark it received from the Lost transaction in his or her Transaction Archive, and you will get credit.
• When she or he does this, if he or she notes the postmark, you may get a "late postmark" email - the system can't tell that the late postmark is from RE mailing the book.  Don't worry if you get one of these emails - as long as you do not have a habit of late mailing, one of these emails will not affect your account at all.

THANK YOU LINDA!

I did look around on the site for info like that but I must have missed it.

Have a great day!

Mary, check this out. I copied and pasted my returned book experience from the other forum.

I printed, wrapped, and mailed a book to St. Louis, MO. on Sep. 1st. Two WEEKS later I get that same book back in my mailbox with no message, PO stamp, or otherwise indicating why it was returned. I used PBS postage with DC and mailed it from a blue box near my house which I always use. So, I took it up to the PO and blue boxed it from there. Today I get that SAME BOOK back. With a ripped open and wet wrapper only showing my return address. I was under the impression that media mail wasn't returned. So I contacted the requester AGAIN, reprinted the label, re-wrapped and re-mailed the book from inside the PO this time. Third times the charm, right?

I live in Lee's Summit, MO. I could have driven the book to her the same day! Apparently it doesn't want to leave my house!

ETA: The book was fine as I had originally used a Ziploc bag under the wrapper.

I have absolutely no clue as to how this happened. I've never had anything like this occur during my years on PBS. Hopefully, it will get there this time and without going lost.

Pam

CID is probably the carriers initials, it's not a standard code used at USPS.  No Access, means just that, the carrier didn't have access to the box (many reasons for this) the receipients mail was put on hold due to this, it was held for almost month 7/30 - 8/25 (30 days is the max USPS can hold mail and they might hav been on hold for a week ar so before this package came), but the receipient didn't go to the post office to pick it up or call the Post Office to make arraingments . Since this was the reciepients fault for not picking their held mail up at the Post Office, the Post Office will not resend the package without repaying the postage on it. 

Pamela how awful! You know you really think they SHOULD have a form sticker to stick on it where they tell you WHY it's coming back!

Brandy wrote:  No Access, means just that, the carrier didn't have access to the box (many reasons for this) the receipients mail was put on hold due to this, it was held for almost month 7/30 - 8/25 (30 days is the max USPS can hold mail and they might hav been on hold for a week ar so before this package came), 

That's what I figured it was. I sent the requester a PM l asking if possibly she lived in a complex or building where she would have to go to the Post Office to pick up packages. Told Her I would have to pay again to mail it but would if She had an alternative address of a work addy or a friend.  After not hearing back, I just re posted it since it did have one wisher...

You guessed it, same lady! LOL. Well She has to respond to accept and I wont mail it until She's signs on and Gives me another addy.  But since the PM I sent Her is still UNREAD, the 48 hours will probably just pass and it will end up on my self.

But at least it will be first in line the next time somebody in the history field wants it!

Thanks brandy and everyone...!