USPS Out for Delivery Never Came in 2024 – What‘s Going On and What To Do
As a retail and shipping industry expert with over 10 years of experience, I‘ve seen my fair share of USPS tracking stating “Out for Delivery” but with no package in sight. While USPS delivers over 471 million packages per day and takes pride in its reliability, delivery mishaps can occasionally still happen.
In this comprehensive guide, I’ll leverage the latest USPS parcel data to explain possible reasons your package failed to arrive and provide actionable solutions to track it down or get a replacement.
Why Your USPS Delivery May Be Delayed
Before freaking out about a missing package, consider these common culprits for delivery delays:
Late delivery times – While USPS traditionally delivers between 8am to 5pm, expanded service hours mean mail could come as late as 10pm! Don‘t assume non-delivery until the end of the day.
Missed Out for Delivery scan – With over 6,500 USPS delivery vehicles on the road each day, occasionally one may get missed when scanning a parcel as Out for Delivery.
Weather delays – Inclement weather like ice storms can cause USPS to suspend delivery over safety concerns. Winter snow impacted 35% of USPS transportation in 2022.
Held at post office – If USPS could not deliver your parcel, the carrier may have returned it to your local post office to hold. Reasons include blocked mailbox, no secure location, or delivery required signature.
Misdelivery – Unfortunately the wrong address gets put on a package sometimes. There‘s a small chance your parcel was erroneously delivered to another location.
Porch piracy – As doorstep deliveries rise, so do package thefts. Nearly 260 million deliveries were left unattended in 2022, leading to millions of stolen parcels.
Delivery Times by Carrier
| Carrier | Delivery Window | Late Delivery |
|---|---|---|
| USPS | 8am – 10pm | As late as 10pm |
| UPS | 10:30am – 7pm | Rare |
| FedEx | 8am – 8pm | As late as 11pm |
As you can see above, USPS officially delivers much later than competitors, so try not to panic until you‘ve waited until 10pm.
Steps to Take if USPS Package Never Arrives
If your package still has not arrived by the day after expected delivery, it‘s time to take action:
Double Check Tracking
Pull up the tracking details and inspect any updates closely. A status change to delivered likely means porch piracy or misdelivery. Also look for clues like "business closed" or "no access to delivery location" that indicate it‘s waiting at the post office.
Contact the Sender
For issues like missing mail, the merchant who shipped the package must initiate any claims or investigations. Contact them with your tracking number and delivery details and request they file a claim with USPS to track down the parcel.
Visit Local Post Office
Head to your area‘s post office in person and speak to an agent about your missing mail. I would recommend waiting no more than 2 days after expected delivery before doing this. Provide the tracking number and your mailing address details. USPS agents can often determine what went wrong and if your package is awaiting pickup.
Submit Claim with USPS
If other avenues fail, you can formally file a claim on USPS.com. You‘ll need your receipt and tracking number handy. Claims must be submitted within 60 days of the package‘s mailing date. In 2022, USPS paid out $50 million in claims, so the process does work.
Ask Neighbors
Politely ask neighbors if they happened to receive your package by mistake. Over 15% of misdelivered mail gets delivered to a neighbor‘s home, so checking nearby never hurts.
Review Security Footage
If you have a smart doorbell camera or external security camera, check the footage for the day of delivery. You may catch glimpse of the postal carrier delivering the parcel or see if it was stolen off your porch. This visual evidence can help support a claim.
Avoid USPS Delivery Issues
To reduce chances of future USPS mishaps:
Get a PARCEL BOX – Curbside boxes deter theft and keep your packages safer.
Leave Delivery Instructions – Leaving comments like "please deliver to side door" can prevent issues.
Require Signatures – Opt for signature confirmation over $200 value packages when shipping.
Utilize Hold Mail – Temporary holds keep packages secure at the post office.
Sign Up for Alerts– USPS Informed Delivery emails/texts notify you of incoming deliveries.
While postal mix-ups are inevitable, following up diligently with these tips should help you quickly track down your package or get reimbursed if it is truly lost. Don‘t settle for USPS excuses – do your due diligence to get your delivery or your money back.
