Even though it is now considerably more sophisticated (and accurate) than it has ever been, the tracking information we receive from USPS is not always “tuned in,”
Luckily, you have a few options if the USPS has misplaced a package or if you have tracking information indicating that it has been delivered even though it has not yet arrived at your doorstep or mailbox.
Here are the actions you may take if you don’t receive a USPS package despite the tracking indicating that it was delivered.
What to Do if USPS Says Delivered But No Package Arrived
If you’ve received a notification from USPS that your package has been delivered but can’t find it, you can review all the tracking data to ensure the accurate status. You can do this by visiting the USPS website and entering your tracking information, searching Google for your tracking code, or checking your Informed Delivery dashboard (provided by USPS).
Here are a few tips to help you determine what might be wrong and track your package if it still says delivered.
1. Look Around Your House
With the surge of porch pirates, postal employees and delivery personnel are working hard to keep parcels hidden.
Not everyone will now leave packages at your front door. The back door, a garage, or a secret location are among the safer places they like to hide the package. Additionally, they don’t always inform you about where they placed it.
If the tracking system indicates that your shipment has been delivered, but you haven’t seen it, spend some time exploring your house. See whether the mail worker hid it under or below a seat or other piece of décor by the front entrance. If you left your garage door open, look inside.
If you have any, you should also search the area around your back doors.
And lastly, check your mailbox. If the parcel is small enough to fit inside your mailbox, the postal worker will likely place it inside. Sometimes even larger parcels are crammed inside the mailbox.
2. Check with Your Neighbors
If you live in an apartment or complex, you should check whether your neighbor accidentally picked up your box before contacting USPS.
The USPS may inadvertently deliver your box to your neighbor rather than you. Ask your neighbors if they received a box intended for your address by visiting them. If your neighbor hasn’t opened the item or looked at the delivery address, they may not even know it wasn’t for them.
3. Contact USPS if Nothing Else Works
Contact USPS for assistance if you’ve tried everything else and still cannot find your package. They may be able to help track down your package or deliver it to your house again.
Hopefully, one of these tips will help you solve the problem of a missing package. If not, contact the company that delivered it and ask for assistance.
How To Prevent The Situation
You can take a few steps to stop this from happening to you. Even though it’s impossible to prevent clerical or technological errors, you can take a few precautions to lessen the likelihood of them happening to you.
Follow these instructions to ensure your packages are delivered correctly.
1. Request a Signature
Asking for a signature upon receipt is one of the best ways to avoid this case. When you enroll for this program, the postal worker must obtain a signature from you or any other adult in your home before delivering the package. As a result, a signature is required for the package to be delivered and cannot be marked as delivered, and this implies that someone must be at home to receive the package.
2. Sign Up For Informed Delivery
Informed Delivery is a service that USPS provides which entails taking pictures of mail to be delivered to your address. This also includes the photos of any items you get are also included.
They subsequently email you with a message and those images. The message informs you that the associated products will be delivered to your address by your local postal worker.
3. Modify Your Preferred Methods of Delivery
You can adjust your delivery options with the USPS office if you want to be assured that the USPS delivers your item. This involves informing the post office worker when the parcel may be delivered.
However, it must occur during USPS office business hours, so you cannot count on them to deliver your parcels after 5 PM. Some shut down even early. The workers will always deliver the packages if you give them a specific time window within which you may accept their deliveries.
4. Purchase a Locked Box
You might want to think about getting a lock box if you live in a house rather than a condo or apartment. This box includes a key or code you can give the postal worker, and they also have skeleton keys that they can use to open most of the lock boxes.
A lockbox is practical because it safeguards your package, and only you and the mail carrier can open it. Doing this will stop thieves from taking the package.
5. Set Up Cameras
Installing cameras in front of your home is one last option to ensure you receive your packages. The camera must display the front entrance or driveway area. You may then use the video as proof that the delivery person never arrived at your house to deliver the goods.
Additionally, it will let you know if the shipment was stolen or not. You can phone the USPS office and determine the issue with this knowledge.
Bottom Line
Even though USPS is a reliable postal provider, accidents sometimes occur. Clerical mistakes can happen. USPS may frequently give your package an inaccurate label or an update that arrives too soon. When this occurs, you need to wait for 24 hours. Call the post office if the parcel doesn’t arrive the following business day. They’ll assist you in determining what went wrong.
