Apparently Ebay Is Reusing USPS Tracking Numbers

So I won a nice lot on ebay with three stamps I have seen listed in a catalog, but have never actually seen for sale - happy days!

As I was watching shipping progress through the USPS Informed Delivery website, it was puzzling to see the package moving east as I live in the west. Then it has sat for 5+ days in North Carolina. Since I had a 9400 series USPS Tracking number, I decided to use the website to prod using the "Find Missing Mail" option.

I just received a call from my local post office asking me more details about the shipment. When I told her it was an item purchased from ebay, she stated she was afraid of that. Apparently, ebay's system has been reusing tracking numbers that have already been used, causing issues in the USPS system. She suggested if you see your package bouncing around in a non-logical path for your shipment, and it has been a while or the shipment is late, notify the seller through ebay you haven't received the package and that seems to poke ebay's system to do something. It seems to help get the package to you rather than the address from the original use of the tracking number.

More to come as I hope to get my delivery. Will provide updates.

Oh fun.....

How can the usps , or ebay obtain /reuse a used tracking # for the package? I thought that once a number was issued by the computer system, it could not be reissued to another. Strange happenings?

I recently had an ebay purchase sent media mail from Puerto Rico to Louisville KY. According to the tracking it did a grand tour of the southern US stopping as far away as AZ before heading North-east to Chicago and then south to Louisville over 3 weeks. I inquired with my letter carrier and local station manager. They blamed it on how trucks are loaded now.
Also I had a non ebay online purchase travel from PA to WV, to Lexington, KY then to Louisville where it set in the distribution center for 4 business days, then in to Omaha, Oklahoma City Chicago, Indianapolis. Cincinnati, back to WV, then to Lexington and then to Louisville, and then it finally got delivered.
I am not so sure it is just ebay " reusing " tracking numbers. It is actually where the packages are going on the trucks if they are not priority mail.
WhatNot purchases, which have an exclusive USPS shipment contract, get to me very quickly with no delays. Liking the site and much to the chagrin of my regular letter carrier, have had 30 packages received in 3 weeks with no problems, including a 50lb media mail box of vinyl records. Not a great site for stamps, but nearly everything else, though I have made some great finds from people selling post cards - Doanes, World Fair and Exhibition cancels, RPOs, small towns, a pioneer flight, etc. Even a registered postal card to Russia with a F1 frank for $5.

So it magically showed up without being scanned or updated at all for a week.

I have purchased several items from this seller and have had no issues at all. Great items and I look forward to more purchases from him.

This package was a clean stiff cardboard mailer with a printed label and bar codes. No clue how it ended up in North Carolina on its way to New Mexico.

I did follow the postal clerk's advice and filed through ebay stating I hadn't received the lot. Coincidence or success? Need a few more data points to see.

If you have a similar situation with a USPS tracking numbered shipment, suggest pinging both the USPS and ebay.

Some ebay sellers obtained pads of tracking barcodes meant for do it yourself priority mail packages. A number of sellers, prompted by you.tube and other social media, started placing them on pwe's and smaller envelope type stiffened " packages ", thinking that was the way to get " free " tracking. In practice some clerks, P.O.s, distribution centers and carriers scanned them and some did not.
USPS caught on and quit distributing them, and told personnel not to scan then if not on Priority Mail, etc. Most sellers do not try this anymore.

But I imagine there are always people on both ends who do not get the word...