I just used the online shipping label feature on this site to ship a requested book. I went to the PO today to drop it off and when they scanned it they said it wouldn't scan in! I have used this feature in the past so I know the shipping label should work, but what can I do? I reprinted the label and it looks exactly the same. I didn't tape over the barcode either. Is there a way for me to get a refund on the shipping label I purchased on PBS and for me to just get the postage done at the PO?

Thanks.

Anna,

There is a known problem right now with the Printed Postage.  Please send in feedback (using the Contact Us) link at the bottom of the page and let them know.  I have 2 packages that this has happened to and I am awaiting resolution from the team.

Thanks!

I took 27 package ( all books) to the post office and she could not get any of them to scan. The clerk ( thank goodness she was the girl I go to all the time) had to enter every one in by hand.  Took forever but she never once said anything or gave me a dirty look LOL  Of course she is a sweetheart all the time

Mine never scan at my local PO but they always go through the system perfectly fine.

If you used Printable Postage (not the DC only option), then it makes absolutely no difference whether your Post Office can scan the barcode or not. Just hand over the book to them. You will get your credit when you mark it mailed. The postage that is printed on the wrapper is valid and they should accept it, even if they think the DC barcode is not valid. If they completely refuse to accept the wrapper, then use the Contact Us link to contact the PBS Team.

Anna, check your barcode numbers.  A valid DC should begin with the numbers 420....   Mary posted on a different thread that her two unscannables start with a different number combination.  Could be a quick indicator if this is the same problem or not??

Chris/Manny, your post office must have the old style scanners.  Apparently the really old ones have difficulty with barcodes generated by many home printers.  This would be your PO problem, don't let them make it yours.  The numbers can be manually entered, it just takes a bit longer. 

Denise it isn't a problem that was my point. The have never scanned but they always go through and I always get my credit for them.

Denise - None of my PBS DC ever start with 420 they are all 9101 or 9102, both on books coming to me and going out. My Paypal generated DCs start with 420, but not PBS. I would guess those numbers have something to do with the provider and will not always be the same depending on where you bought it.

Since the DCs are being accepted once they are keyed in by what Bertie posted, I don't think its a matter of an invalid DC, just a barcode that isn't working. Having the clerk key them in is the best option because if their scanner can't read the barcode, then the processing centers may not be able to either.

Anna or Mary, did your POs try to key them in or just scan? 

Bertie you do have a good clerk. Mine are wonderful, but I think they'd get pretty cranky keying in 27 packages!

Chris, I remember awhile back members posting that their counter clerks became cranky b/c their old style scanner wouldn't scan the DC barcodes and had to be entered manually.  It's job security and IMO no reason to be cranky with customers.  And yes the sorting centers seem to have much better scanning equipment!

Melanie, I use electronic DC only and it appears you use printable postage.  Maybe that's the difference?  So . . . not a valid test      IIRC those numbers all mean something.

That could be, I use both Printable Postage and DC only, but I think most of my recent stuff has been Full Printable Postage 'cause I don't want to go to the PO in this weather.

DC only barcodes start with 420 xxxxx 91 01 (or 02) where xxxxx is the destination ZIP code and 01/02 indicates First Class or Media Mail. These barcodes need to be scannable because you don't get a credit until they are scanned. If you are purchasing postage at the counter in your local PO, then they should be scanned or entered manually there. If you are not purchasing the postage from the clerk, then they should just go into the mail stream.

Printable Postage barcodes used to start with 91 01 (or 02) where 01/02 indicates First Class or Media Mail. As of sometime earlier this week, Printable Postage barcodes have a different format that starts with 94 and USPS is either not scanning them or not reporting on the scans. There is no need to have these scanned though.

Here are my two printed postage DC#s  If you go to the USPS website it shows that there is No Record for this item.  Even though they both have been delivered.

9449090103700800003519

9449090103700800003502

At the very least they should say that the Electronic Shipping Information has been received.

For those who care, here's the USPS documentation on what's in the new barcodes: http://ribbs.usps.gov/intelligentmail_package/documents/tech_guides/pub91.pdf

I wondered about this...I use the printable postage, and while I never bring them in to the PO to scan (just drop in a blue box) normally there is at least one scan along the way. The last dozen books I've sent over a couple weeks now never had one scan, not even the initial entry to indicate that it had been received into the USPS system. At first I thought maybe they were still sitting the blue box since some were mailed during the holiday time. But then one of the books was received...now, all but 2 are received, but it just seemed weird that not a single one had a scan anywhere. Glad to know it wasn't just me.

Cheryl

The postmaster at my PO today said that he had gotten a memo about  online postage having a scanning problem. He told the clerk to scan it with the hand scanner and it did scan with that.  It still doesn't show up right but I know it's in the system.

At my PO they scan all right, but I've noticed some that are being sent to me are showing the DC #, but no scan behind them, others seem to be scanning properly.  Pat

Cheryl, blue box packages should not receive an 'Acceptance' scan (it's actively discouraged as unnecessary).  They might pick up an enroute scan at your local sorting center or elsewhere.  But I agree, that for the last several months I've also noticed a noticable drop in the number of enroute scans my packages are receiving.  Just this week I mailed one to New Jersey from Washington State.  I buy counter postage, so there's an acceptance scan...then nothing at all until NJ.  Coast to Coast without an enroute scan!