Shipping Issue

[terryt]

Hi:

I had a SFRB come back to me today that I shipped on Thur. It said wrong zip code and the letters hand written on the box I/A. I checked the zip code and it was in fact correct.
Does anyone know what I/A means?

Thanks,

Terryt

[labradigger1]

Idiot associate at the P.O.?

[Bzcraig]

Take it to the post office and make them explain it then send without additional fees.

[OldFogey]

I/A = Incorrect Address.

[OldFogey]

Sorry, hit wrong button. I/A _ Incorrect OR Incomplete Address.

[bedbugbilly]

Hope it works out O.K. and you get it straightened out. You must have used a AFRB that is Priority mail THAT USED TO BE A 2 DAY DELIVERY??

[rancher1913]

wasn't mine by any chance was it.[smilie=s:

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I always double check addresses with Google.
It's easy to mis-type numbers and such in a PM

[khmer6]

I've done it a few times. I now use the address checker and also Google earth to make sure there is a house lol. Although that doesn't always work cuz some folks live out in the boonies and all I see is a swamp or a bunch of trees lol. I do envy you tho!

[DukeInFlorida]

I do ALL my flat rate labels on the USPS web site. It's a FREE service, and you save money on every transaction (vs taking it to the post office). You also get to print the postage at home on your printer (part of the label), and stick that on the box with packing tape. Couldn't be easier. And, when you get to the post office, you do NOT have to wait in line. Just hand the package, with the label already on it, to any postal employee. saves a LOT of time at the post office that way. If you can;t easily get to the post office, there's a place on line to even request that they pick up your package at your home, during regular mail delivery time, for free.

Finally, addressing your wrong address issue, the on line form for address actually checks to see if they recognize the address as a legit address.

That is to say, the person you sent the box to might have given you an address.... and you might have written it out EXACTLY as that person gave it to you. HOWEVER, if the post office doesn't recognize it as a legit address, they won't even try to deliver it. The USPS on-line form will do that check for you before you get too deep into it.

I'm not at all suggesting that the person to whom you addressed the box is scamming you. However, a possible scam address or otherwise I/A address might be something like this:
Joe Schmoe
196 Baker Street
(there is a legit 194 baker Street, and a legit 198 baker street, but the house at 196 is a derelict and abandoned house with squatters living in it. The Post Office will NOT deliver to that address)
Nowhere, CA USA (zip code looks right)

Repeating, there are reasons why an address that someone suggests that you ship to isn't a proper address as far as the Post Office is concerned. You need to take the package to the Post Office and have the clerk explain why the address isn't working. If it's a dead address, then you need to contact the addressee again, and get a proper working address. That will require that you request a postage fee refund from the post office, and pay for another shipping label.

[EDG]

If you print the postage label using an account at USPS.com it automatically normalizes the address. If there is a mistake it will flag it or correct it. It should know your receiver by name and address.

If you put in a 5 digit zip it will normalize it to 5+4 digits automatically.

You also get a 10 percent discount on postage for the SFRB saving you $.70 which adds up.

The best part is you do not have to go to the post office. You can schedule the mail carrier to pick up the package at your place during their normal schedule and there is NO cost for the pickup.

[Taylor]

Insufficient Address. IA or ISA

Could be an apartment building or trailer park. Either way,it normally means part of the address is missing.So much that delivery could not be completed.

[rancher1913]

duke, the post office does not recognize my address as being true, as smoke found out when he tried to use the label maker. it makes it here just fine and its the address the post office gave me and it has been in use by my family for a long, long time. yes I'm in the boonies. so just because the post office does not recognize the address does not make it a scam. I've had no problem getting packages from many of the fine folks here.

[MUSTANG]

We recently put up a rural post box at the Kalispell House, previously used a PO Box in the USPS Post Office. Despite submitting multiple changes of address over three week period, & receiving automated US Postal service mailings that indicated the address had changed (and the variety of USPS hosted "Coupon Deals" in the acknowledgement of address change), we were not getting any mail at the house. We went and set down with the Postmaster to resolve the issue, the wife took over because I had to bite my tongue to keep from commenting on the absolute incompetence that was evident.

(1) They had to wait for "Billings" to review and approve the change - 432 miles away.

(2) They had to wait for "Missoula" to review and approve the change - 121 miles away.

(3) The "Guys and Gals" out front failed to put a card board block across our USPS Post Office Box so the mail was not rerouted.

(4) Post Master told us the changes of address we submitted were "Incorrect" when submitted. Made them pull the pdf image of all the changes of address submitted - every one of them was correct; but the multiple entry's by USPS in their data systems were incorrectly made.

The USPS suffers the ills of much of our Federal and State employment entities:

a. Bureaucracy trumps common sense. No leeway for employees to evaluate and make decisions; must wait for & abide by "Policy".
b. Loss of "Customer Service" philosophy.
c. Poor or No metrics to determine the real quality of customer service.
d. Employees hired to meet political statistical goals, not because they are qualified and the best choice for the position.
e. More focus/prioritization on "Employee Needs" rather than Customer Needs.

The "Data Base" they pulled down at the USPS gives me some level of concern. They had changes of address that I had submitted for the last 10 years! These included addresses in Nevada, Texas, and Montana.

After this trip to deal with my mail routing, it appears to me that the USPS may be tied into "Homeland Security" efforts; and sharing info in the "Counter Terrorism" game. How much more is being tracked, processed, and stored? Who has access to the data? Who oversees and controls access to the data beyond use for routing my mail? Are they tracking my political, donation, 2nd Amendment, etc.. correspondence as well? Remember that most of our mail is now automated and/or scanned; originally for improving routing services, but I am becoming suspicious that additional use of this data is being executed. All of our packages are now "Bar Coded" as part of the delivery - another source of automated data collection that can be abused beyond routing and tracking to ensure delivery of our packages. Sounds conspiratorial; but having a Masters Degree in Information Technology I can see the potential for abuse; and causes me to wonder how they can screw up so many simple routing/delivery issues.:veryconfu

[DukeInFlorida]

1) I prefaced my previous comment by saying that I was NOT suggesting that anyone was scamming.
2) I have sent out hundreds of flat rate packages over the past ten years, and have had only ONE address that the post office didn't like, and that one was caught immediately by the on-line form. I contacted that buyer, got an alternative address, and the package made it's way successfully.
3) There's a lot to be said for setting up the FREE on-line way to print your own mailing/postage labels. You can take it or leave it. Some people would rather wrap boxes in shopping bags, using scotch tape for sealing it up (rather than real packing tape), and stand in long lines, and pay too much for postage. I'm not one of those.
4) The post office provides FREE shipping boxes, padded envelopes and all sorts of other packaging containers. They ship em right to your home. I ship enough of this stuff, that I am ordering boxes and supplies every few months.

Anywhoo... off the soap box for me... Hope you get it figured out, man!

[loaded303]

We recently put up a rural post box at the Kalispell House, previously used a PO Box in the USPS Post Office. Despite submitting multiple changes of address over three week period, & receiving automated US Postal service mailings that indicated the address had changed (and the variety of USPS hosted "Coupon Deals" in the acknowledgement of address change), we were not getting any mail at the house. We went and set down with the Postmaster to resolve the issue, the wife took over because I had to bite my tongue to keep from commenting on the absolute incompetence that was evident.

(1) They had to wait for "Billings" to review and approve the change - 432 miles away.

(2) They had to wait for "Missoula" to review and approve the change - 121 miles away.

(3) The "Guys and Gals" out front failed to put a card board block across our USPS Post Office Box so the mail was not rerouted.

(4) Post Master told us the changes of address we submitted were "Incorrect" when submitted. Made them pull the pdf image of all the changes of address submitted - every one of them was correct; but the multiple entry's by USPS in their data systems were incorrectly made.

The USPS suffers the ills of much of our Federal and State employment entities:

a. Bureaucracy trumps common sense. No leeway for employees to evaluate and make decisions; must wait for & abide by "Policy".
b. Loss of "Customer Service" philosophy.
c. Poor or No metrics to determine the real quality of customer service.
d. Employees hired to meet political statistical goals, not because they are qualified and the best choice for the position.
e. More focus/prioritization on "Employee Needs" rather than Customer Needs.

The "Data Base" they pulled down at the USPS gives me some level of concern. They had changes of address that I had submitted for the last 10 years! These included addresses in Nevada, Texas, and Montana.

After this trip to deal with my mail routing, it appears to me that the USPS may be tied into "Homeland Security" efforts; and sharing info in the "Counter Terrorism" game. How much more is being tracked, processed, and stored? Who has access to the data? Who oversees and controls access to the data beyond use for routing my mail? Are they tracking my political, donation, 2nd Amendment, etc.. correspondence as well? Remember that most of our mail is now automated and/or scanned; originally for improving routing services, but I am becoming suspicious that additional use of this data is being executed. All of our packages are now "Bar Coded" as part of the delivery - another source of automated data collection that can be abused beyond routing and tracking to ensure delivery of our packages. Sounds conspiratorial; but having a Masters Degree in Information Technology I can see the potential for abuse; and causes me to wonder how they can screw up so many simple routing/delivery issues.:veryconfu

Hit the nail on the head all the way with this post. Too much BS and incompetence IMO.

[Ed in North Texas]

Mustang: Sorry to hear of your problems. As you didn't relate other problems, is it reasonable to think that you haven't had these problems in your prior locations?

OTOH I've had great service from USPS even through all the address changes we've had while living in the same house. We are on the end of Route 2 and the box number changed starting with 47 and ending with 787 (had a few people move out of the city). 911 addressing changed things again. TX DOT decided to rename all the Farm Roads (FR) to Farm to Market roads (FM), but change "FM" to mean "Farm Road" - while the road signs show "Farm Road". Meanwhile even though I changed my DL address on renewal to FM, TX DPS issued my DL with FR, but my CHL with FM. Through all this my mail continues to be received (even the DL addressed to FR). I guess we've been lucky to have good people in our PO over the years and changes in personnel.

And I also use the on-line USPS shipping service. Saves me some money, gives me e-Mailed tracking and I keep a small stock of boxes so I don't have to burn fuel going to the PO (I can either put the box in my mailbox, or notify USPS for pickup while printing the label). Unlike "Duke", I don't ship much. But it still is convenient and has worked well for me. Obviously others experiences have varied.

[mold maker]

An one else have a "VACANT DWELLING" sign hung on the mailbox after changing address? What moron in the USPS system thought that one up? I finally took the mailbox down because they did it a second time.
I hadn't moved out, only changed the delivery point for mail. I'm sure thieves wouldn't take note, and consider it a welcome, take what you want invitation, or would they?
PM said it was to remind the postman not to deliver mail. DUH Isn't that why they sort the mail before delivery?

[9w1911]

Ive had some terrible luck with the USPS the last few months.

[TreeKiller]

An one else have a "VACANT DWELLING" sign hung on the mailbox after changing address? What moron in the USPS system thought that one up? I finally took the mailbox down because they did it a second time.
I hadn't moved out, only changed the delivery point for mail. I'm sure thieves wouldn't take note, and consider it a welcome, take what you want invitation, or would they?
PM said it was to remind the postman not to deliver mail. DUH Isn't that why they sort the mail before delivery?

NO there is no way to sort the mail before you hit the street. It comes in route order and you can't go through it. When the PO started pre sort when you got a change if address you could have that address pulled fron pre sort by the machine for 90 days and it would drop back in to pre sort. After a while they cut it back to only 30 days because they were pulling too much mail out and it was taking the carriers to long to case it back in. Without the vacant card if there is a sub on the route and does not know the house is vacant all the mail will be delivered. The same goes for when you move. The only time the carrier looks at the mail is when they put it in the box.
Talked to a carrier a while ago he went from 2:30 office time a day to 0:45. It Was 111F yesterday and 109F today makes for a long hot day of work.
Dan
Retired City Carrier 34 Years

[shoot-n-lead]

NO there is no way to sort the mail before you hit the street. It comes in route order and you can't go through it. When the PO started pre sort when you got a change if address you could have that address pulled fron pre sort by the machine for 90 days and it would drop back in to pre sort. After a while they cut it back to only 30 days because they were pulling too much mail out and it was taking the carriers to long to case it back in. Without the vacant card if there is a sub on the route and does not know the house is vacant all the mail will be delivered. The same goes for when you move. The only time the carrier looks at the mail is when they put it in the box.
Talked to a carrier a while ago he went from 2:30 office time a day to 0:45. It Was 111F yesterday and 109F today makes for a long hot day of work.
Dan
Retired City Carrier 34 Years

This is going over their heads...they have no idea what goes on in mail delivery...and worse, they don't care. They have preconceived notions about how sorry the post office and it employees are...and that is all that matters.

I have excellent service from USPS and I will continue to give them all of my business...matter of fact, I will not buy from a company that uses another shipper.

[jcwit]

I notice that Midway USA is now using USPS. I live in No. Indiana and now get my orders from them in 2, THATS "TWO" days. Only way it could get better is if I lived across the street from Midway.

[Bad Water Bill]

Midway notified me that they have Norma 22LR in stock.

Might have purchased some good target ammo but they lost the sale when they wanted $12.99 to ship a 4# package a whole 375 miles.

[RogerDat]

I have had people send me a PM and ask if I am on Nicholson "Rd." because the address correction software did not like plain old Nicholson. Have had Amazon vendors software do the same thing, offering me a "correction" of my address to include "Rd." Don't think the PO in this area has ever NOT managed to figure out where the address was. There is no St. or Ave. named Nicholson.

To err is human but to totally ***** things in a fast and efficient manner one needs a computer.
With software hopefully created by the lowest bidder.
:bigsmyl2:

[mold maker]

This is going over their heads...they have no idea what goes on in mail delivery...and worse, they don't care. They have preconceived notions about how sorry the post office and it employees are...and that is all that matters.

I have excellent service from USPS and I will continue to give them all of my business...matter of fact, I will not buy from a company that uses another shipper.

Nope, not over my head, but under my skin. Had an Aunt work as PM for 18 years. Had a BIL carry for 30. They didn't have the problems we endure now. When a 64 lb MFRB takes 6 weeks to get out of the dist hub, there is definitely problems. When I wind up re-delivering mail from my box, there is a problem. When I continually get mail addressed to an unknown person using my address, there is a problem.
My complaints have fallen on deaf ears. I was told to go on line to file for a lost package, when it's their problem. I had already requested follow up for the package, each week from #2.
The USPS use to be an honorable profession held by only qualified individuals. I can't say the same for today.

[shoot-n-lead]

Nope, not over my head, but under my skin. Had an Aunt work as PM for 18 years. Had a BIL carry for 30. They didn't have the problems we endure now. When a 64 lb MFRB takes 6 weeks to get out of the dist hub, there is definitely problems. When I wind up re-delivering mail from my box, there is a problem. When I continually get mail addressed to an unknown person using my address, there is a problem.
My complaints have fallen on deaf ears. I was told to go on line to file for a lost package, when it's their problem. I had already requested follow up for the package, each week from #2.
The USPS use to be an honorable profession held by only qualified individuals. I can't say the same for today.

Well, you are certainly entitled to your opinion...as am I.

And, I know for a fact that USPS still gives great service...use it EVERYDAY in my business and only an occasional problem...which is more than I can say for UPS or FedEx.

[2thepoint]

Update - My package arrived today safe and sound so a happy ending. not sure what happened on Terry's end with the PO.
But I live in NJ so Christie could have declared war in Idaho!:kidding: I never know what these politicians will do next!

IMHO USPS is by far the most reliable carrier for me. There's 500 JHP's floating around the UPS hub. The box miraculously went missing?? Box probably weighted 35lb

[mjwcaster]

Opinions are based on experiences.
I have had both good and bad with USPS.
Great friendly (mostly) service where I live now, no issues other than the PO not having enough money on hand to cash USPS money orders.
On the other hand we had a ton of issues when we lived outside of Carbondale.
Local PO was no help, even when my wife asked for contact info of the Postmaster, actually told there was nobody we could talk to, basically just get out of here and don't bother us, delivered with a healthy dose of attitude.

That did not go over well, so after a some research and getting on a first name basis with the regional Postmaster General (I think that is the correct term) we had good mail delivery and most surprising of all-
The local PO had contact info posted all over the post office for the Postmaster General.
Not sure if the local postmaster kept their job, don't remember.

So it was a local problem, that when brought to the attention of the higher ups was fixed.
And the Postmaster General kept in touch, calling us to make sure things were working fine.

Looking back it was actually good customer service, once you got to the right person, things got fixed.

[mold maker]

I've never had a problem with the local PO.
However everything going, and coming from out of town, has to go thorough the regional hub. That is the source of every problem I've ever encountered.
Just how can a MFRB of lead just sit for 5 weeks un-noticed. Isn't all mail supposed to be moving?

[TXGunNut]

I've had differences of opinion with my local PO, they always take care of it but it still rubs me the wrong way at first.
Funny story. Home Depot no longer carries the deck drive belt for my riding mower in their stores, must be ordered online. They won't tell me how they're going to ship it so I give them my physical address. Somehow they "correct" my address my merging my physical addy with my billing address. I catch their mistake when they send me a message stating UPS will be delivering my purchase to my POB at the wrong PO. We all know that ain't happening! They "cancelled" my first order and I reordered. Today I was notified that both packages shipped, I called and told them of their error. They said I had to contact UPS and UPS won't talk to me until they try to deliver it...to a wrong address. I live in one county, pick up my mail in another. Different towns & a zip codes but only a few miles apart. This really ticks off the government types but my rural mailbox is not secure and the carrier is inept, to say the least. My primary mailing address has been a POB for decades but some folks feel they need to know where I actually live. Like they might want to drop by sometime. They'll be real disappointed when they find out I don't answer the door (or the phone) except when I'm expecting someone. ;-)

[baogongmeo]

I've never had a problem with the local PO.
However everything going, and coming from out of town, has to go thorough the regional hub. That is the source of every problem I've ever encountered.
Just how can a MFRB of lead just sit for 5 weeks un-noticed. Isn't all mail supposed to be moving?

If you received it intact count your blessings.

[baogongmeo]

I have the utmost respect for the foot carriers...it goes down hill from there.