Prototype circuit seized by USPS

It's entirely possible the USPS package-handling machinery tore the origi nal box open and the contents were so badly mangled after falling through c onveyor belts and diverters and such that they just swept up the debris a w eek later because they couldn't get to it earlier and then had no idea whic h torn box it was supposed to go back into.

I saw this happen several times when I worked for the systems house with USPS contracts. There are no more steps unless you want to go dumpster-divi ng at every BMF between the send and receive points.

USPS frowns on that though.

Mark L. Fergerson

As far as I can tell from the pictures the client sent me, the box he received was the original box with the original shipping label (I printed it out on a sheet of regular paper, folded it in half, and the postal agent fixed it to the box...it appears the same), and the box looks undamaged, aside from having one end opened and the contents removed.

He says that the empty, opened box was placed within a large plastic bag along with the letter I mentioned. I'll upload some of the pictures.

On Mon, 6 Jun 2016 01:39:36 -0400, bitrex Gave us:

Bullshit. We order things from Russia and various other countries on Ebay and it all transits just fine.

IF they are ever suspicious of a package to that extent, they would/will have it sniffed by a bomb sniffing dog. No alert, no fucky wit da box.

Client claims it arrived just like that, the box was opened from the side within the plastic bag when it was delivered.

The "Click and Ship" label that I printed out on regular letter paper from the USPS web site and had affixed to the box appears to be the same. He sent me some close-ups of the paper label on top of the box and I compared it against the one I saved as a PDF on my computer...it's identical. As far as I can tell, it's the same paper label on the same box that I mailed.

So either the original box was mangled so badly that the contents were destroyed, but my paper label survived completely intact, and they removed it and affixed it to a new box? Or they printed out a paper label on a piece of letter paper that was identical to the PDF saved on my computer that I downloaded, and then affixed it the same way to a new box?

It's not making a whole lot of sense to me.

Welp, from the photos he sent me it appears that he did receive the original box with the original shipping label, the box looked to be in fine condition other than that the side had been opened and the contents removed.

On first glance, it really looks a lot like someone f***ed with it.

ginal box open and the contents were so badly mangled after falling through conveyor belts and diverters and such that they just swept up the debris a week later because they couldn't get to it earlier and then had no idea wh ich torn box it was supposed to go back into.

h USPS contracts. There are no more steps unless you want to go dumpster-di ving at every BMF between the send and receive points.

I have had this happen with some packages. I made a wrench for a caver out of some stainless and sent if off in a envelop. It must have gone thru a sorting machine that tied to bend the envelope. The caver got the package but not the wrench.

Also had this happen with some welding rods and some stainless steel discs with diamond grit on the steel. None of this was anything the post office would worry about being bomb material.

Dan

Insurance claim.

Cheers

And a receint eevblog video has a nice overview of the cost of creating a product, its the 2% lost in shipping is interesting.

Cheers

Yep, but I'm really interested in what actually happened to it. If the client got the original packaging (which appears to be the case), how was it that the contents were irreparably damaged, but the flimsy paper label I printed doesn't even have a mark on it?

The end probably caught on some machinery. It happens from time to time.

I put all kinds of clear packing tape around *all* the corners and it doesn't happen to me very often at all. They can still slit it open if they want to have a look see.

--sp

I think it's good to not attribute to malice what can be attributed to incompetence, but my first impression was "Wow, someone opened it and yoinked it."

I've had packages smashed and damaged by shipping companies many times before; I worked logistics for an Internet retailer several years ago and probably shipped thousands of packages. People have had smashed and damaged packages show up all the time, but to my recollection this is the first time anyone's received an opened, empty box.

Looking at the pics of box he received, it's just very difficult for me to believe that it was subject to any type of severe mis-handlding.

Guess there's a first time for everything.

On Mon, 6 Jun 2016 09:34:31 -0400, bitrex Gave us:

It happens 100% of the time with hemp seeds.

Dag nabbit, they nabbed it!

That is why getting them in Canada first hand became the norm.

lol

Yep, I was using a USPS priority mail box.

Priority Mail is probably insured, so file a claim:

However, I don't think you'll get very far. This is quite similar:

You could also ask the USPS what is required to obtain a successful delivery without having the contents removed. If that doesn't work, try to file a complaint for mail theft or tampering by the USPS:

Also, check the tracking number for the package online to see if there is any recourse under "confiscation". Note that 4th ammendment protects first class mail and parcels against search and seizure, and cannot be opened without a search warrant. However, that's normally ignored by the USPS.

Otherwise, have your clients ship by Fedex next time.

The OP is the shipper!

Note that FedEx and USPS have a joint arrangement, now: "Fedex SmartPost" in which the USPS is used for "the last mile". So, you're not guaranteed that the USPS will keep its hands off your package...

Yep. The package went immediately from my location to Manchester NH airport the same day, loaded on a plane at 1:15 AM on June 2, and then off to the delivery city. The next scan was "arrived at unit" at 4:45 AM on June 4, and "out for delivery" at 9:01 AM.

The client is probably trying to screw you.

Some off-shore-sourced stationary and packaging can let you down by being just enough out-of-standard shape or quality, to screw up in the machinery. Odd sizes are supposed to be detected for hand sorting.

I'm pretty sure packets and boxes see minimal automated handling.

Were you using USPS-issued packaging product?

I've had letters returned after the sorting equipment ripped off the self-sticking postage....supposedly fool proof. Enough of these, stuck inside the sorting equipment - what fun!

RL