I Had An Ebay Purchase Returned To Sender. Attempted Unknown

I have lived at this address for 20 years, so I'm not sure how hard the post office attempted delivery. The ebay seller got my name and address right, including the zip plus 4. ebay seller contacted me and included this image, asking me how to proceed.

Im not sure how the mail is sorted for delivery, automation vs human interaction. Bottom left, USPS printed my zip code + 4, but with 6 numbers. 55406-223233. Maybe that broke the system.

Almost all processing is done by machine, so that a mail piece dropped in a box box will never be seen as an individual item until the carrier is at your mailbox.

However, if the red label at the left says "handle with care / do not bend", it may have been seen during processing as a "small parcel" or a "flat" and deemed postage due, and in laziness, the clerk applied the yellow sticker to cover your information and then had all returned mail tagged with the same basic message printed on the yellow sticker area (note it's tied, so applied, then printed over), which fulfilled the return goal in their mind and for automation purposes.

Zip Codes have had Zip +4+2 for many years to get to delivery sequence sorting, so I don't see any problem there. The 11-digit zip+4+2 of the sender is also coded at the LL of the yellow label. (Try it some time .... omit your name and address and have only the Zip+4+2 on a mailpiece and it should get to you. I've done it.)

The sender needs to repackage it and present it to a clerk for actual rating. I have my doubts it will rate at 68 cents for size or ridigity.

I didn't even think of the post office labeling this incorrectly. It most likely does say handle with care do not bend. I will let the seller know that it might require more postage.

I also had no idea there was a zip +4 +2. I am going to give that a try.

If it were me, I would PayPal the seller an extra buck or two for his inconvenience and ask him to insert the entire envelope as-is inside a larger envelope, rather than him opening this cover and re-packaging in a same-sized envelope to re-mail. Up to you, if you want to keep this piece of postal history for your personal amusement...

I had similar happen twice in my 40+ years of collecting. USPS's response was "things happen".

Haha. I would say twice in 40 years qualifies for "things happen". They have been good to me too, only twice in 25 years on ebay. I've had things bounce around with every major carrier.

In the past I would have definitely kept this cover, but I've been paring down my collection.

with no intent to hijack ypurr post...........
all of my 2nd class mail has disappeared in the last 3+ months, zip plus four or not.........same address for last 50 years. this includes the aps mag. I have had 3 queries from organizations that I belong to for many years asking if I have moved due to their sendings being returned as undeliverable.

Mine was just a 1 time thing likely due to insufficient postage. Yours is more worrisome. What did your post office say about it? Hopefully not stuff happens.

I heard from the seller. He did originally have the correct postage, and the item is once again on its way back to me. Hope the post office didn't charge to send again, since it was their error. Meanwhile, I'm back to wondering how the post office automated system forgot that I exist.

2 trips to po , spoke to po caffier and he had no idea why this is occuring..........as of this am still no aps mag.

aps mag arrived this am........made an additional correction to label and that should cure the problem.