USPS Lost Package

On October 18, I mailed a package via USPS Ground Advantage to a friend. It contained a variety of 3D-printed objects such as personalized Halloween-themed coasters and glow in the dark skeleton keychains. It also included some Wallace and Gromit-themed toilet paper holders among other knick knacks. I sent the USPS tracking number and asked him to stay on the lookout for a package.

On October 20, the tracking information stated that it was out for delivery, so I notified my friend via email at 11:42 AM. He responded at 4:07 PM and said that although the tracking information was updated to “Delivered, Left with Individual” at 1:58 PM while he was at work, his daughter had been home at the time and didn’t receive the package. He wrote, “It could have been placed in our community mail box - the tracking messages often get mixed up.” At the time, I hadn’t heard of USPS tracking messages being wrong, but ironically I personally witnessed it happen a few weeks later, and I wrote about it here. Anyway, after he got home that evening, he searched the surroundings but could not find the package. After waiting a few days, the package still hadn’t shown up, so we concluded that the package was either delivered to the wrong address and/or stolen.

On October 27, my friend filed a report with his local post office. The postal worker referred the case to the local office supervisor. The next day, my friend wrote, “The supervisor called me back already and is contacting the specific mail carrier to figure out if the tracking message was accurate. She said sometimes they are not, or sometimes the mail carriers leave the key in the package box and not in the individual mailbox.”

My friend did not receive any additional communication, so I called his post office on November 7. I was told that in addition to the last status of “Delivered, Left with Individual” at 1:58 PM on October 20, he saw another tracking status in his internal system at 2:07 PM (9 minutes later) that it was scanned as “delivered at parcel locker” (a community mailbox) which the public tracking details do not state. In any case, the package could not have been both left with an individual and delivered to a parcel locker—one of those tracking statuses was wrong.

I learned 2 interesting things from ChatGPT about filing a claim for lost USPS packages. First, even if I did not buy insurance, certain shipping options such as USPS Ground Advantage (which is what I used) come with a limited amount of insurance, and I had entered $20 as the value of the package contents when I created the shipping label. Second, ChatGPT informed me that even for homemade items that are not accompanied by a receipt, I could estimate the cost of materials. I had nothing to lose by filing a claim, and at best I could possibly have my postage refunded and get reimbursed for the estimated cost of goods to make all of the 3D printed objects.

I submitted my electronic claim, along with a 3-page letter documenting the package contents. I used ChatGPT to both give me guidance on the structure of my letter, and I also asked it to critique my letter to optimize chances of a successful claim. I had taken photos of the 3D printed objects, so I included those in the letter, along with a screenshot from Amazon for the cost of a typical roll of filament, as I estimated that I used approximately the equivalent of 1 roll of filament to  make all the 3D prints. In reality, I used portions of many different rolls of filament because the prints had multiple colors. In any case, I felt that my estimated value was fair.

Just a few minutes after submitting my electronic claim, I received an email stating that my claim was denied on the basis that (1) there was insufficient evidence of value and (2) proof of delivery.

It said that I could appeal the decision, so I did. Regarding insufficient evidence of value, the boilerplate language suggests that I did need some kind of receipt or statement of value, contrary to what ChatGPT told me about the ability to estimate the value of homemade goods. At the same time, I felt that the claim denial was automated because it happened within minutes of claim submission, and I doubted that a human actually read my 3-page letter. So I re-submitted my letter with the photos of the 3D prints and my reasons for estimating the cost of homemade goods at $20. Regarding proof of delivery, I felt that their delivery status was inaccurate because my friend’s daughter was home at the time of alleged delivery. I submitted the entire email exchange with my friend in which he stated that his daughter was home at the time of supposed delivery but did not receive the package. Not surprisingly, my appeal was rejected again on the basis that the package was delivered.

In conclusion, I was disappointed that my package was lost, or at least definitely not “Delivered, Left with Individual” as documented and that my claim was denied based on false evidence, but it doesn’t look like there is anything else I can do to get USPS to make things right or assume accountability for their error. I haven’t shipped any packages since then, but next time I send something important, I might consider using a different shipping company or sending via certified mail or something similar.