Over the summer months I've been helping to sell some of The Man's small boat parts on eBay. It's easy. Most of the items weigh only a few ounces and I'm able to do all the mailing from the comfort of home: weigh, wrap, print and pay postage.
Since the items weigh so little I'm able to ship USPS First Class (i.e. cheap rate) with a Tracking Number. When I leave the items in our mailbox it's Tracking Number is scanned when it's picked up so I know exactly when it's on it's way. Most of the items I have mailed have been received in four days or less.
It was all going along swimmingly.
Then last month I shipped a 2 oz. 6" x 9" poly mailer (puffy from bubble wrap) to a New York suburb. And I waited for delivery.
The next week I called our local post office and we were in agreement that the package was taking a long time. It was suggested I call the New York Post Office and was given their phone number. I spoke to Richard and though he was nice about it we were both seeing the same message, "In Transit to Destination".
Twelve days after mailing the item, it made landfall. In Puerto Rico. It wasn't supposed to be going there.
Two weeks later it made landfall again: Memphis, Tennessee.
By this time I had already refunded the eBay Buyer and found entertainment in tracking my peripatetic package.
New Jersey? It's on the East Coast, could it be on it's way to New York?
Yes! Delivered in the Mailbox thirty days after being mailed.
The eBay Buyer immediately contacted me and paid for the item.
I'm sure John will enjoy telling the story of his wandering boat part. I hope he also mentions that the postage paid was $2.77. Quite a bargain.
