I use PBS Printable postage with DC.

Of the 3 books that I mailed four days ago (all with printable postage and DC), none of them are trackable through the DC confirmation events in the shipping Details for these books.

None of the 3 books that used PBS printable postage and DC that are en route to me and have been in the mail for four days have tracking capability.

In the past, when I purchased postage/DC from PBS, within 24 hours the DC data would show up on the Shipping Details for the book.

What's going on?

It is a known issue - see this thread:

PO says printed shipping label not scan-able!
Created by: Anna K. (yunyunann)

Jan, try going to the USPS site to see if there have been any scans on your book. I've been having the same issue since December so the scans aren't getting reported back to the PBS site for some reason.

Mary is right it is a known problem.  Here is the e-mail I received back from my inquiry:

 
"We apologize for the confusion; our online postage provider, Endicia, has made some changes recently and this has affected USPS transmission of the DC scans to us. We are working with the USPS as quickly as possible to fix the problem."

Since mine still say that there is no record of the item on  USPS.com, I am thinking that the changes affected transmissions going from PBS as well.
 

I have about 8 books in the mail system right now (some I sent and some being sent to me) and the DC# is not showing up for any of them. Some of them even say it's an invalid DC#. I hope this problem gets fixed soon.

...strange "electronic info received" message, one from Ft. Lauderdale, and one from Sunrise (and the Sunrise scan is a new one- never seen that before... Usually it says "enroute" when it gets scanned...

electronic info received isn't a scan, it is just saying that the USPS was notified the DC has been printed.

I have a book enroute to me from Tx that according to "details" was mailed on 12/23.  The sender used PBS DC.  The note on the DC states "barcode generated 12/20" and then also "no information at this time".  I realize that there is a problem with PBS DC but I am also wondering if this problem is affecting the travel of the book through the USPS system.  My husband and I have sent and received several books since 12/23 and all have been delivered - one came from ND.  We do not use DC and the books that came to us did not used DC.  I have another book sent with DC enroute from Washington that was sent on 1/2 but I would not expect that book have already arrived.  Guess I will just have to wait until 1/20 when the system determines the book coming from Tx to be lost. 

I entered the DC at USPS.com/tracking  of one of the books that is en route to me.

It shows all the details, beginning with the date that it was entered into the USPS system with all the subsequent scans in different cities as it is en route and shows it was at my post office this morning so I should get it today. Yay!

So USPS is getting the DC and generating all the scan data; it's just that PBS is not then getting any of it from whatever source they usually do.

Hopefully, the problem will soon be corrected.  Thanks, members, for all the suggestions and help.

I don't think the lack of scans is affecting the actual travel through the USPS system, Debbie. I have sent about a dozen books since the glitchy thing with the DC scans, gone all over the country, and none were scanned but only one hasn't gotten to its destination, and that was the most recently mailed one, less than a week ago. It's funny, but I hardly pay attention to the scans--until the scans aren't available. Then I'm checking them every day. LOL

Cheryl

Jan, I am having the same problem with both the books that I send and that are enroute to me that have the DC. I brought in one of my books to the PO the other day with PBS DC. The clerk tried to scan it with their scanner and said it wouldn't scan for some reason. He looked as surprised as I did.  I am now having the task of looking them up on the UPS site for tracking and do find them there. It's a hassle though when it so much easier to look on here for the details. Hope it gets fixed soon. With our MI snowy weather it more convenient for me to just use PBS postage and DC to mail out my books at this time.

Connie - was your unscannable book with PBS DC or PBS Printable Postage? My DC only books are still getting scans.

eta the following --

Aha! A quick Google search turned this up in the Amazon Seller's Forum (http://www.amazonsellercommunity.com/forums/message.jspa?messageID=2515771) posted 1/4/2011: "...the post offices upgraded their software over the weekend before the new rates went into effect - the new software doesn't allow acceptance scans of postage printed online with dc or sc."

So, if that is accurate, then it is now impossible for anyone to get a scan at a regular Post Office when using Printable Postage from any online provider. eDC without printable postage should still be scannable so they can add the 19 cents to the total when they sell you postage at the counter.

I wonder if the new software also prevents them from scanning eDC when not selling postage. An interesting experiment for somebody who has more book requests than me and a cooperative postal clerk, would be:

1. print two labels with DC only and one with Printable Postage
2. put stamps on one of the eDC labels
3. go to the Post Office at a fairly quiet time
4. ask the clerk to sell you the postage for the unstamped wrapper and scan all 3 and tell you what messages appear on her screen

If the experimenter has the ability to print postage from Paypal or Stamps.com, I'd love to know whether those are scannable or not.

Cathy, yes I did use PBS Printable postage and DC to mail all my books. I mailed out 15 books in the last week with PBS Printable postage and DC and none of them have any details other than the USPS DC#. There is one book that has all the scanned details, but it was marked as delivered on January 4th, the day the software was introduced.  I also have 4 books enroute to me with DC and they too only have the USPS DC#. It's unfortunate that this has happened, but at least I receive my credit immediately and get assurance in case the book goes lost. Now, since the USPS's software won't scan our books, will PBS no longer give us the credit ahead of delivery and assurance? I certainly hope that doesn't happen.

The Admin Team is aware of the issue.  You've still paid for your lost book insurance, so you're covered if the book goes lost.  I'm sure PBS won't be the only one working with the Post Office to sync with their new software.  The change came as a surprise to a lot of people, but I'm sure it will be fixed for the future.

Now, since the USPS's software won't scan our books, will PBS no longer give us the credit ahead of delivery and assurance?

They haven't announced any changes. Printable Postage books were never supposed to be scanned at Post Offices. They are only supposed to be scanned at sorting and distribution centers and at delivery. As long as those scans are still taking place, there's no reason to think PBS will need to change the procedures.

Delivery Confirmation only books can still be scanned at Post Offices when you purchase postage at the counter, so no problem there.

This is getting really frustrating.  I have some books I have sent with DC only (i.e. not postage, therefore no Delivery Insurance). Since I only get my credit when the book is scanned - which is not happening at all, it's pretty worthless.  I pretty much never go to the PO window (nor will I) so I'm pretty irritated about this. 

Caviglia - if you have DC only books that are not getting scanned, you should definitely send in feedback.

My DC books printed last week are still getting scans and they still show up at www.usps.com. It's only my PP books that aren't getting scanned en route any more.