Sold abarrel, dies and brass to a fellow and mailed on Jan 12. Post Master said 2 to 3 days. It's still not there and the Post Master said I need to wait 30 days for the claim and tracking. Anyone else had anything lost in the mail? Feel kinda helpless and also feel for the other guy who wants the package

No but the USPO has their moments. I received a large envelope the other day at my street address. The addr on the envelope was a PO box. I dropped the envelope back in the mail and in 2 or 3 days it showed up again at my street addr. They obviously really wanted me to have that envelope.

Rupe,

You may be in for long ride with this one. Did you send the items with an insurance or tracking tag? I have started paying for both on any package that I send via the USPS.

I have always had good luck with priority mail, but I bought a camera from a guy in CA last March. He shipped the camera to me via Insured Priority Mail. It never arrived. He filed the insurance claim as required after the 30 day wait and we are still trying to get them to pay. Both the seller and I have dozens of emails and calls in the process.

If it the package has not arrived after 30 days, you need to do the following:

Take your insurance tag (tracking tag too, if you have it) to the PO and fill out a Form 1000.

Make sure that the PO gives you a copy of the Form 1000. There is a number on this form that is the only way to track the status of your claim.

The Form 1000 will be sent to a processing center. They will send it on to the recipient to have him fill out a section to swear to the fact that he did not indeed receive the package.

They will then send the payment for the claim.

I can't stress enough to hang on to the Form 1000 if you have to file a claim. It is the only proof that you have that it was ever filed.

FWIW, I now refuse to send anything that I sell without some sort of delivery confirmation number and insurance. I had a buddy sell some grips that the buyer claimed never arrived. He suspects that they did arrive and the buyer was just scamming him, but he returned the money because he has no way to prove that they were delivered.

Here's hoping the package arrives intact. Good luck.

Stush - Your post isn't all that encouraging. I sent the package by Insured Priority Mail and I have the receipt. Sure would like it to arrive today to save all the BS.

I hope it does too. I'm glad to hear that you have the insurance tag. If it doesn't arrive, at least you will get the insured value and shipping fee back.

The problem that I am having isn't that they don't want to pay, they just can't find the Form 1000. Neither I nor the sender have a copy. The Templeton, CA PO did not give a copy to the sender and I didn't make a copy of the form that I filled out. The end result is that we may have to start the whole process over again.

Since I started trying to get paid for this package, I have learned that it usually takes at least two months for them to pay a claim. That clock starts ticking after the intitial 30 days elapses, so you are talking 90 days from date of shipment at a minuimum.

That's why I get that delivery confirmation tag now. I have never had a package with the delivery confirmation tag on it go missing. I don't know if they pay closer attention to those packages or what, but they always get there and they seem to get there faster for some reason.

Hey Rupe, kinda of funny I bought a barrel, dies and brass from a fellow and it still hasn't arrived. First time I ever ordered something over the mail and the item never show up. I told the gentleman that I would wait until tomorrow, 30 Jan 04, until I would ask for my money back.

I sent you mail, but don't get excited. Talk with you soon.

Here's a positive....bought a 21" Hornet barrel about 3 years ago. The package showed up empty!! Did all the paperwork and ended up collecting money. Can't remember the entire process. Man, I hate shipping stuff.