Post Office Delays Again?

After quite a long run with no problems I've suddenly got a couple items taking much longer than usual to arrive. Anyone else seeing that?

Definitely, had to get eBay and used book places refunds---weeks later stuff still has not come!

Yeah, I ordered an item on eBay about three weeks ago. Mailed on November 18, eBay shows enroute, but expected delivery close to Christmas. Not sure what is going on. Seller has no additional info, but I'm just waiting for it since I've done a fair amount of business with him.

Here in Des Moines, Iowa, it has been pretty steady. 3-4 days for priority, 4-6 days for first class, and book rate much longer...

John

In the meantime, I ordered some stuff from a dealer across the country. He mailed a good-sized package last Friday and I got it today. Still no idea what is going on with the USPS.

I don't kniw about the US, but the aftermath of the Black Friday sales always brings chaos here because of understaffing at Royal Mail and Parcel Force. I have a whole heap of purchases stuck in the system.

One of my eBay packages was supposed to come this week. When I track it all I get is that it is sitting in the first postal center for over 2 weeks and has not moved.

The USPS is having a huge issue with staffing. On Monday I had to drive to two different post offices here in Maine to find one that was open. The first two had closed the office so that those workers could support mail delivery. In these local offices they've had open positions posted for more than a year. I think this is part of a larger nationwide labor issue.

It's their own fault. I applied TWICE to work for the USPS, first as an assistant clerk and then as a carrier. BOTH times they were just too lazy to forward my application to the background check company. I called many times to no avail. They've dug their own graves. And no I'm not a security risk and yes my resume is fine. It's an entry level job really and they still are fumbling the whole hiring process. That's pretty much the funnel preventing a well staffed labor force. Since I would've just been an assistant part time I wouldn't have even been part of that whole pension debacle so that's no excuse

A few weeks ago (3? 4?), I bought a sheetlet of stamps from Lebanon (so, bigger than a letter, and marked FRAGILE and DO NOT BEND). I was warned, and expected, an extended time for delivery. I received it in good order 10 days after paying for it.

Sometimes it just pays to be lucky.

My recent purchases from foreign sellers on eBay and Delcampe have generally been arriving within expected time-frames, about 2-3 weeks from Western Europe to California, but I've been waiting 32 days so far for an item from the Netherlands.

As is usually the case mail issues seem to be related to geography with some areas and processing centers much worse than others. My deliveries here in MA are alright but it depends on where the mail is traveling from and through. I have a rural PO.