USPS Lost Mail Claim (non Valk) RESOLVED

[vanagon40]

Resolved, see my 06/16/20 post

This is my go to for general information as we have such a diverse group reading and posting to this Board.

I sent an Easter package to my daughter, her husband, and three grandchildren. The package was sent Priority Mail which includes up to $100 of insurance. I claimed the value of the contents was $50 (I had no idea, it was stuff from my wife). The package is now lost. My understanding of the claim process is that I must submit proof (i.e., receipts) of the value of the contents of the package.

The first problem, we are not exactly sure what was in the package. The second (more important), we have no receipts.

There were two dresses for $8.00 each, an outfit for my grandson at $6.00, a pair of shoes for my daughter, clearance price of $2 or $3, maybe $10 worth of candy and other small toys. In other words, it easily amounts to around $30 to $35 dollars, but we no longer have the receipts.

I can get the Target receipt from my wife's credit card showing the total purchase for items that likely included the two dresses, but not the itemized receipt. I doubt it is worth the time to go to Target to try to obtain the actual itemized receipt.

So has anyone had experience with this? Do I really need itemized receipts? Is there another forum where I can seek advice?

I realize I am dealing with the United States Government, so common sense will likely not prevail. If I claim I was shipping a $45 item that I have a receipt for, I would probably have my claim approved. But if I claim $30 with no receipts, I am afraid it will be denied. The USPS accepts my word for the contents of the package, but not the value?

Maybe I am being overly pessimistic, but the last and only claim I filed with the USPS was summarily denied. I did not receive an ebay purchase. I filed a claim. The USPS stated the tracking number showed the item was delivered to me at 1:00 pm on a certain date. I responded that I have never received mail as early as 1:00 p.m., that on the date stated I received my all my mail after 4:00 p.m., and the package was not included. USPS denied the claim: "The item was delivered . . ." I appealed. USPS denied the appeal: "The item was delivered . . ."

Any advice or suggestions? TIA

[_Sheffjs_]

Eye opener for me, did not know of the fruitless responses.    

[The emperor has no clothes]

Advice or Suggestions ? Probably not any good ones. Keep in mind this is the government we are dealing with. (Not really anymore, but they have been indoctrinated for decades now.) We're it me I'd just gather up any receipts for anything I had laying around. Candy bars, coffee at the 7/11, etc. I'd also try to get it at as close to $99.97 as I could. (Remember to not use any receipts dated after the date sent)  

[Disco]

Why would you have to show them anything?  If the package has not been delivered AND was insured for $100.00, it would seem to me that they owe you $100.00.

[Chrisj CMA]

Honestly for the value of the items lost. I wouldn’t bother. I know that’s the response they are hoping for but seriously the aggravation on your part is worth $50 to not have the stress. The post office handles billions of pieces of mail. I think they have a darned good record and the chance your package will be found and eventually delivered is still good.

[MarkT]

Like Meathead said - pencil whip it.  Best way to deal with gov't incompetence.  You are after all, dealing with a clerk who doesn't care, can't or won't think out of the box, will hang her hat on the built-in excuse they have, of REQUIRING a receipt.  Or if there's any other rule in their procedures that she can use to deny it.  I learned this long ago when I was in the service.  eg, if some process was held up because it required someone's signature - "OK, I'll go get it" rather than argue with him - he was clearly looking for any excuse to look past me and say "next".  Lo and behold, I found the needed approval guy, was just outside.  I can play their silly game too.  If they want to be stupid or stick to the book when some compassion is appropriate and rules are made with some expectation of interpretation but the idiot won't use the latter or feels unauthorized to do so - just take the steps needed to let them CYA.  Now it's on you not the cowardly clerk.  And do you really care if you have to use a little white lie to expedite such a situation?

I have also dealt with people in gov't who are more likely to care, in a somewhat higher position, with more authority.  Depending on the situation.  Like the local postmaster. Not appropriate in your case, value recovery.  In a case with repeated bad behaviors like lost, damaged and severely delayed deliveries, I have had to resort to reporting them in public, to their chain of command, and asking my customers not to use them.  Like my local post office who had a horrible postmaster. He has since been fired.

In your last case, I would and have, gone to ebay or paypal for recovering the lost value - they have procedures in place, handle such problems every day.  Or start with the seller first.  They don't want you dinging their record for failure to deliver even if it's not really their fault.  It's most expedient for everybody if they just refund or resend the product - particularly if it's not a big ticket item.  And goodwill ensues and time isn't wasted.

BTW, UPS is heavy on lost, mishandled, and damaged shipments too.  And their CS for recovery hangs their hat on pushback, hoping you'll give up and go away.  After keeping after them for a smashed big ticket exhaust system, and finally getting them to pay for it after 3 months, I fired them and never used them again.  They have lost tens of thousands of dollars in business from me as a result.  Very short sighted on their part.  And I still inform others of their malfeasance.  On my Fedex shipments, I pad and pack the pipes VERY WELL - photograph and document all packaging - with such a level of CYA, they no longer give me any guff on a claim - just pay up.

[da prez]

  I had a shipment lost. It was an item I manufactured (key word) and shipped. Insured for $200.00 but selling price was $280.00.  I turned in the claim and some how received an insurance check for the total . It was many years ago. I do not if knowing the post master had any effects on the outcome. 
  I have had several damage packages and missing parts that I recently had to make good on.
  Priority mail means toss ,drop use as a wedge , or just plain abuse.

                                  da prez

[gordonv]

1st lesson, if the shipment comes with $100 insurance, then report it as $100.

2nd, ALWAYS place addresses inside the package too. Sender/receiver.
I dealt with the Post Office here. Lost items are ones that usually can't be delivered, address damaged/removed/wrong. You would not believe how many people swear their address is correct, but it's not correct for the Post Office, so it's wrong. Sometimes they make a statement, ship it around the country before delivering it to the right location.
They go to some hole somewhere, where they are opened and try to find an address. Either they get forwarded, or "disposed" of.

3rd, you had the insurance, you're entitled to the funds back. Don't get flustered. Do what they want you to do. Find out if there is a before date, and just plug along. $50-$100 will go for a nice dinner, or replacement gifts.

[vanagon40]

I was a little premature in my claim I had no receipts. My wife found a Sam's Club receipt and Target had a digital receipt.

I submitted the claim with the receipts I had (covering 90% of the claim). I added other items with an affidavit from my wife regarding the cost of the items. The total was just over $50. I claimed only $50 as the value when I sent the package, so the USPS refunded me only the $50 originally claimed plus the cost of postage.

Lessons learned: Make sure the stated value of the items shipped meets or exceeds the actual value (I had no idea, I was just guessing).

The USPS may accept the sworn statement of the sender.