John, you mailed my book on June 21st and the little truck is still in your state! I just thought this was funny, just goes to tell you media mail is so unreliable.

I'm not complaining but what is with that truck?

Connie

This is John (the grumpy guy) who really isn't!

LOL - Ruth said the truck honks if you have sound on your computer - it actually honks....too funny

The truck once stayed and never moved from the state it was mailed. Just sat there looking  lonely.

Well, the last book I ws expecting mailed 4 weeks ago showed it had arrived in my town, but the truck never disappeared from the screen.  The sender PM'd me asking if I'd received it.  I hadn't.  She replied back that she'd just gotten the wrapper returned to her empty.  I don't know how she wrapped it or how it tore - but i would be looking at changing my wrapping technique or materials!!  LOL!!  We just had to wait until the system declared it lost.  Which it did.  Now I'm back on the WL waiting for a book that I'd waited at #1 for several months already!  That's the way the mail truck rolls - I guess.

Ruth

I just saw this post, lol. Im sorry, I wouldve responded earlier.

I actually have several that are showing that on this end (I figuired out I can check on where orders are! Hey cool!) Thought I had to take tracking number over to usps site, dumb me.

I made a phone call to my postal service regarding just this yesterday actually, because it was concerning the crap out of me. The really strange thing is I have some shipped a few days after and those are almost to destination already! I didn't get much assistance at my post office either, basically a rude woman who gave me a how dare you question us type response.

Please, let me know if they don't move very soon. This whole shipping thing is new to me and it creeps me out to see things sit. WHERE are they sitting?? Why?

Is this normal? I am glad you mentioned this, it's kind of funny in a not so funny way since I saw it yesterday myself! :(

The part that makes me angry is the wife and I sat here and diligently wrapped every outgoing together and (depending on how many) either drop off at post office on my lunch the following day or hand off to the mail lady (who does NOT like us doing this we are learning fast!)

I hadn't checked on anything today, but will keep close eye on it. Is it technically okay for me to keep calling my post office or is this normal operating procedures? Im really sorry they havent gone anywhere yet. That makes my stomach curl.

Well, the little truck is just a cute representation of where the package might be, based on time and distance.  But it's only a gimmick, nothing more, and bears no relationship to where the package actually is at any point in time. 

Delivery Confirmation is just that, confirmation of delivery, and is not a "tracking" system.  The USPS site spells this out quite clearly.  They do offer package tracking, where it gets scanned every time it's transferred from one location to another, but that's an extra service.  With DC, all USPS is obligated to do is scan the package when they leave it in your mailbox, nothing more.  If it gets scanned somewhere along the way, that's a bonus.

Oh John, the first time I read your comment I missed the reference to "tracking number" (DC I assume) so I thought you called the post office asking why the little cartoon trucks hadn't moved yet! I had a little giggle at that :)

Is it technically okay for me to keep calling my post office

I wouldn't. Media mail is low priority and it goes when there is room on the truck. The relatively low prices do come with some drawbacks. How long has it been?

ETA The really strange thing is I have some shipped a few days after and those are almost to destination already!

That aaaaalways happens to me. You really can't predict it that way. Like I said, it all depends on room to send the media mail where it's going. I've had books delivered to California faster than to neighboring states (I'm in the midwest). There's no rhyme or reason to media mail!

I hadn't checked on anything today, but will keep close eye on it. Is it technically okay for me to keep calling my post office or is this normal operating procedures? Im really sorry they havent gone anywhere yet. That makes my stomach curl.

John, I wouldn't bother calling the post office. It's not like the person who answers the phone will likely have a clue where your specific packages are. I notice by the American flag that you use PBS postage. Chances are at least some of the books are going by Media Mail.

Media Mail is cheaper because it's of a lower priority. It gets loaded onto the truck (or plane, whatever) whenever there is room left after Express, Priority and first class mail. So yes, it can sit in one place for some time. In case you don't know yet, the truck is only an estimate based on how much time has passed and any interval scans the package makes en route. It has no correspondence to reality. But it's amusing.

Bernhard is right - believe only the "details" you find on that page  You'll have to click on "Detail".  But we love the little truck - but then I crazy for fantasy anyway!!  LOL!!  My advice is to stay away from the USPS and their people.  Of course that's based on my awful post office.  (Bernhard, you'd have to have my post office to understand.).   I make every effort to have my books that are outgoing have the least possible contact with the local PO.    When my DH goes into Northern VA or DC he mails them there.  You wouldn't believe what a difference that makes!  But he's mostly working from home now.   And to be fair my PO usually only mishandles my incoming mail.  If I kept a log of how many peices of mail and packages they've lost it would almost fill a book.  Only exaggerating a little bit.

Ruth

lol. One good thing about being in Alaska, media mail packages ALWAYS go through and get scanned in Washington. I've never seen one yet that didn't get scanned there. It lets me guesstimate fairly accurately how much longer it'll take them to get to me, plus I've found over the years that if they make it that far, the odds of them getting lost are reduced tremendously, since all that's left is a plane ride to Anchorage and another plane trip to Kenai. But, yeah, with DC the PO is only required to scan them upon delivery. So, odds are that the books are actually well on their way already. There's no point contacting the post office about it. They won't be able to, or see any point in, helping you track down a package that isn't anywhere close to being in the postal system for even the max estimated media mail time.

Ruth, the F'burg PO isn't much better, and they offer snarky comments as a bonus service.

Oh. I am going to be so tired in the morning... lol. 4:30 comes far too quickly.

Thank you all for the info. As far as I can remember they all shipped media mail. Is there other ways to ship them on this site? I didn't even think to look! I shipped them all through site postage, seemed easier than standing in horrible lines at post office, much better ways to spend my lunch hour (when I am actually able to sneak out to have a lunch hour!)

My wife pays all bills online, we don't even own a stamp I don't think. I can recall having to buy them about once a year for the Christmas cards.. You know the ones that are filled out about a month and a half in advance and then put away and forgotten until January? lol. Yes, we are those kind of people I am afraid. So this has been a new experience for us all around. Like I said I didn't even realize I could check on them, I had the tracking numbers and thought to track them I had to go to usps to do it! lol. I'm not an idiot I promise. Just new to this.

I think I will take the advice given and not contact my postal service again. I don't really enjoy having my head snapped off again if I can prevent it.

Thank you guys (and ladies of course) for the help and info. How did I survive day to day without forums? lol.

 Is there other ways to ship them on this site?

I think there are several options for shipping. I believe first class is cheaper (and usually faster) if the book is under 7 ounces.  There may be a maximum of 13 ounces or a pound for first class, not sure. If a book is over 7 ounces you're going to pay more for any service other than media mail.

ETA You can check options and prices here: http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm100/postage.htm For first class, this would be parcels not flats :)

LOL!!  Bernhard.  I've been delaling with these people for 14 years.  That's a lot of lost mail.

Ruth

There are restrictions on mailing certain weight packages with stamps.  PBS postage or even USPS.com postage or PayPal postage saves you from dealing with anything but the blue mailbox.

Ruth

John,

I use PBS/DC too.  You might not have noticed when you printed out your labels but if you're sending a mmpb PBS will do either Media Mail or First Class all by itself.

I sent a book out on June 14 going to Las Vegas.  I probably could have walked it there faster.  It went to one of those holding places in Allen Park, MI and sat there for a while.  Hooray it moved!  Oh gads, to Bell, CA another shelf sitting place.  It's marked delivered to Las Vegas on June 29 but the person hasn't marked it received yet.

I had another that I sent from MIchigan to Utah and for no apparent reason it sat somewhere in the town where the receiver lived until the day before it was going to go lost.  Then it was marked received and I got a very nice thank you.

Then there's the book I mailed to California that got there on a rocket.  I mailed on Monday and it was in the receiver's hand on Wednesday!!!  Knocked my socks off.

Never can tell what'll happen to the mail.  I think it's designed to keep you in suspense - reality PO...lol.   

I have a couple of books that I mailed mid-month and they're hanging in New Jersey (details pg), but I think they headed over to Coney Island myself ;)

Geri, lol on the book getting to California on a rocket! One of my books from California must have attached itself to the same rocket! A member from California mailed a book to me on a Saturday and I received it on the following Monday! I live in Michigan like you do. I even had a book come to me from Hawaii in four days!

Tomboymom, were those your romance novels I saw holding hands and strolling the boardwalk in Point Pleasant?