Why does a USPS Tracking Number show up as Not Available or Not Valid?
Quora.com on Tracking Issues We started ADLE International in 1998 and it’s 2017.
After almost 19 years in bookselling with all the new technology, mobile and apps integration, one thing is still far outdated. The USPS website tracking on Standard Media Mail desperately needs help Mr. Postmaster General. We now have the 45th President Donald Trump and this issue maybe one thing that can be addressed.
Nowadays that online selling platforms start-ups are trying to get a slice of independent booksellers, they have little idea why USPS tracking issues persist and why standard media mail is the standard cheapest way to ship books in the bookselling industry.
There’s these magical emerging start-up marketplaces that will not pay booksellers by withholding the payments they have processed until a valid tracking shows delivery or en-route information. Sadly, as much as they are emerging due to their mobile technology, traditional booksellers will shy away from this platforms. On the earlier posts, we have discussed why some third party channel web e-commerce providers don’t want books a category as they there’s no money. So a small independent bookseller making cents in an order to be totally deprived of a $10 net sale will definitely get scared away just because a “USPS tracking is not available or not valid” per the USPS website.
From the Ebay and Amazon years when buyers claimed not receiving the books shipped and constant email exchanges, these new marketplaces does not even provide the customers phone or email to booksellers so a bookseller can’t even confirm in case the book was even delivered. Hence, sometimes the USPS tracking number will never even update but the end customer will received the order. Of course, we would only find out if indeed it was not received if the customer complains.
As much as feedbacks and ratings still help make the case to click buy, it’s still about pricing when making the decision to buy and of course fast delivery. I must say though that in this 19 years, booksellers have tremendously improved by incorporating tracking numbers when they send a book package in the mail.
With all this said, moreover as stated our US Postal Service are still way behind. From the issue that the tracking number does not even get scanned until the final post office destination to the USPS website updating the tracking information. Were still seeing customers emailing where the package is due to no tracking information then on the same night, the customer emails back they just received the delivery.
So I rest my case, for sure other independent booksellers have their own experiences on this never ending issue.