Usps Says Delivered But No Package (What To Do + More)

If you are impatiently waiting to receive your online order, you might feel that you have only one eye on the box and one eye in tracking. Then, all of a sudden, you see the tracking information update to “Delivered.” But there’s no package outside!

While it may appear that you’re in a coma, you know you’re not. Although the tracking system of USPS is generally accurate, there may be times when it doesn’t work. Keep reading this article if you have concerns about missing or undeliverable packages.

What is the USPS’s problem with Delivered but No Package?

It could happen that a USPS scan is not correct or that the post carrier misplaced the parcel in difficult-to-see locations or sent it accidentally to a neighbor. If none of these circumstances are the reason for your missing package contact your local postal office to locate it.

You can read this article for more information about why USPS failed to deliver your parcel, how you should handle it if they haven’t, and other helpful tips.

Why Is My Package Not Here But It Says Delivered?

If your tracking information says “Delivered” but there’s no package to be seen, one possible answer is that USPS’ GPS system has prematurely marked your package as “Delivered.”

You’ll probably see your package within the next 24 hours, so please be patient and watch out.

You may have lost your parcel, but it is also possible it was delivered from a different carrier that doesn’t know the delivery address.

To confirm the package is still there, look around in your mailbox, under stairs, or in the bush for it.

Ask your neighbors to see if someone has received a package with your address on it. Mail carriers are not familiar with certain routes and could confuse apartment or building numbers.

What should I do if my package is not here, but it says delivered?

As mentioned in the previous question, USPS delivery vehicles use GPS. The GPS can lead to packages being marked “Delivered” too early.

Most cases your order will arrive within a business day.

However, if you’ve waited more than a day, checked around your property, asked your neighbors and you still don’t have your package, it’s time to contact your local USPS post office.

The manager on duty or head postmaster should speak with you. These people will be able call the carrier for your route and let them know what is happening.

USPS may be unable or unwilling to help you if your package is still not showing up 7 days later. Online, at your local postal office or calling USPS Customer Care 1-800-275-8777 are all ways to file a Missing Mail claim.

Postal workers are required to search every stage your package has gone through from drop-off to delivery when a Missing Mail claim is filed.

In most instances, missing mail cases involve packages that were scanned but never put onto a vehicle for delivery or that were overlooked for one reason or another.

The best way to get it there is by starting a Missing Mail Request.

Do USPS mark Packages as Delivered Prior to Delivering?

Most cases, USPS does not mark packages as delivered until they are delivered.

Yet, the post office audits discovered a number of scan errors which caused undelivered packages in order to be labeled “Delivered.”

The first error occurs when a package has been scanned in to the USPS system. If an employee uses the “Delivered” setting instead of the “Accepted”, then the package will be considered delivered, even though it was only put in the mail.

Scan errors can also occur when mail carriers scan a package to indicate that it has been delivered at another location. house, business or apartment building).

If a carrier scans a package as “Delivered” at a location other than the delivery point–before delivery is even attempted–a customer would see the package status as “Delivered” or “Delivery Attempted” even if no action was taken.

Scans errors are much more common than people think.

One USPS audit showed that 191 of the 1,100 packages were scanned and marked as delivered, but they are still waiting for delivery.

Why Does USPS Show My Package As Delivered If I Just Shipped It?

There are a couple of reasons why a USPS tracking number might show a “Delivered” status, even though you just created the label or shipped the package.

The reason this message might be appearing is that USPS uses a recycled tracking number.

Look at the details on your tracking number to confirm that it is indeed recycled. If you receive a tracking number that has been recycled, the destination and delivery time will not be identical to what was in your original package.

A recycled tracking number could also contain a note noting that the label has been “Archived”

The high number of USPS-send shipments means that recycled tracking numbers can be generated. USPS recycles some tracking numbers every day because of the more than 20 million packages that are delivered daily.

You should therefore wait if it seems that you have a duplicate tracking number.

Once the stamp is scanned by the postoffice, all tracking data will be corrected to reflect this correct information.

Your just-shipped parcel may also say “Delivered”, because USPS misscanned the package.

Your package will appear as delivered when the USPS scanner is set to “Delivered” rather than “Accepted”.

This means that the tracking number will not update when the label is scanned again.

However, a USPS customer service representative should be able to provide you with updates by checking their internal tracking database.

For more information, call 1-800-877-8339 to speak with USPS customer support or visit your local post office.

To learn more, check out our posts regarding how fast USPS ground shipping works, what you can do to redirect a USPS shipment, and if USPS reuses tracking numbers.

Conclusion

You can mark a USPS parcel as delivered, but it could still be missing. There are several reasons. It is possible for a package to be mistakenly marked “delivered” and it will still not arrive.

It’s also possible the package was placed in an unusual location or delivered to a neighbor. You can also check with the local postal office to file a Missing Mail Claim.

.Usps Says Delivered But No Package (What To Do + More)