USPS Question

[HenryFan]

On Friday of last week, I ordered a scope mount and a hammer extension for a Henry rimfire. I think Friday was a Henry holiday and the following days were Independence Day and a Sunday. The items shipped on Tuesday of this week. Since Monday was the first business day after I placed the order, I think shipping on Tuesday was quick service.

My problem is not with Henry but rather the USPS. For two days now, the package has sat in the Rice Lake, WI post office. USPS tracking shows something to the effect of "Package Received, Awaiting Acceptance". Does anyone know if there is a problem at the Rice Lake, WI post office? I hope the USPS has not lost my package. Frankly, I have experienced poor service from the USPS at times in the past and I hold my breath when I order something that is shipped USPS.

Not that UPS or FedEx is a guarantee of zero problems.

[Mags]

That message means the package was picked up by the USPS driver or dropped off at the USPS front desk, but the package hasn't been sorted for routing. If it was picked up, the driver may have had a full truck that hasn't made it to unloading and sorting yet.

[Sir Henry]

I order a lot with USPS delivery and have found them to be quite quick. My guess is its well on the way and their computer tracking isn’t up to date. A lot of times it will show as not left the sender’s post office yet will be delivered and then all the back information is updated.

From Rice Lake it will go to Green Bay even if the ultimate delivery is in the opposite direction. Everything from the North Woods goes through Green Bay.

[HenryFan]

I would have thought two days is sufficient time for the package two get into the pipeline but I don't know much about how the USPS works.

Frustrating.

[HenryFan]

Sir Henry -

I hope you are right when you comment that the package may well be on it's way.

I am short on patience, one of my shortcomings.

[Ted124]

The issue is, if the acceptance scan at USPS is not taken, all subsequent scans will not show until the package is scanned at delivery.
Then the entire tracking history will show.
I am sure your package is moving and will be delivered in due time depending on the service speed.
It's exactly the way Sir Henry writes.
It makes no sense. I have this very often. Dropped one off just yesterday, handed it to the USPS employee at the counter.
I had to explain it to the buyer (ebay).

[HenryFan]

I would have thought that the package would be scanned at UPS stops while enroute. In any event, if I am lucky, it is speeding it's way to me even as I type. Finger crossed.

[Ted124]

The package will be scanned while en-route, but the tracking history will not show online until the delivery scan is produced.
Package will come and at the end you will see the tracking history. It doesn't make sense. It's a technicality and partial inaccuracy at the accepting USPS locality. It will come, positively!

[HenryFan]

I just checked USP tracking and after sitting for 50+ hours in the Rice Lake, WI post office, it left and is now in Eau Claire, WI.

At least it has surfaced and appears to be enroute.

I am hopeful. Fingers crossed.

[HenryFan]

Rice Lake, WI must be a nice place to live and work. My package wanted to take up residency there.

[markiver54]

Just had the same experience with a package that finally arrived today. It originated in Minnesota. was ordered June 30th and sat there at their local USPS office until Tuesday, "awaiting acceptance". When it finally started moving, it came rather quickly.

[Sir Henry]

Rice Lake, WI must be a nice place to live and work. My package wanted to take up residency there.

It is a nice place. Its about 90 miles west of me. Ive been to the Henry plant.

[HenryFan]

Last check the package arrived in S. Paul, MN.

Progress.

[Mags]

I recently ordered a part from a place in Utah. Tracking was prompt, but it was headed East. Likely to a regional sorting center in the mid-west, before it turned around and came West. It was a bit concerning when I thought it was headed in the wrong direction

[Sir Henry]

I recently ordered a part from a place in Utah. Tracking was prompt, but it was headed East. Likely to a regional sorting center in the mid-west, before it turned around and came West. It was a bit concerning when I thought it was headed in the wrong direction

I can mail something to my neighbor a mile away and it will go to Green Bay and back to the same post office it was mailed.

[Hatchdog]

The package will be scanned while en-route, but the tracking history will not show online until the delivery scan is produced.
Package will come and at the end you will see the tracking history. It doesn't make sense. It's a technicality and partial inaccuracy at the accepting USPS locality. It will come, positively!

Seems kind of backwards to me.

Interesting I have some trailer parts coming from a store in WI. Sure hope it doesn’t end up “lost in space”. I ordered via Amazon and was given a delivery date of Arriving July 17 - July 21. The range of days must be due to the shipment coming USPS.

[Mags]

The package will be scanned while en-route, but the tracking history will not show online until the delivery scan is produced.
Package will come and at the end you will see the tracking history. It doesn't make sense. It's a technicality and partial inaccuracy at the accepting USPS locality. It will come, positively!

Seems kind of backwards to me.

Interesting I have some trailer parts coming from a store in WI. Sure hope it doesn’t end up “lost in space”. I ordered via Amazon and was given a delivery date of Arriving July 17 - July 21. The range of days must be due to the shipment coming USPS.

That and not an Amazon item stocked in the US. Items I ordered recently came by USPS, but had China country of origin shipping labels with my name and address.

[BrokenolMarine]

We have had polar opposite luck shipping USPS. Unexpectedly rapid shipping, then had priority packages take leisurely road trip vacations before reaching their destinations. Once mailed a package from South Central Oklahoma to South Florida the first week of December.

It went north west to OKC.
Then North East through the Great Lakes area to New England.
Blizzard Hit.
Stalled there for ten days for "Weather Delay." Duh, it was December.
Finally arrived on the 23rd.

Um, smarter route would have been South... DFW, along route 10 to Florida.
Sigh.

[Ted124]

The package will be scanned while en-route, but the tracking history will not show online until the delivery scan is produced.
Package will come and at the end you will see the tracking history. It doesn't make sense. It's a technicality and partial inaccuracy at the accepting USPS locality. It will come, positively!

Seems kind of backwards to me.

Interesting I have some trailer parts coming from a store in WI. Sure hope it doesn’t end up “lost in space”. I ordered via Amazon and was given a delivery date of Arriving July 17 - July 21. The range of days must be due to the shipment coming USPS.

It's totally backwards. It defeats the purpose of having tracking. Tracking used to be extra esp. for First Class Mail. That was before USPS Gound Advantage. According to online tracking my package is still not received by USPS.

Screenshot 2026-07-10 at 11.24.38 AM.png (67.06 KiB) Viewed 324 times

Btw. I dropped it off at the Thousand Oaks/Westlake Village office. That's a main hub. Also people have lots of money in this area expecting top service. I know it's moving, I have this at 50% of all my USPS shipments. I am using FedEx most of the time, which functions much better and is competitively priced. I will post a screen shot when it will be delivered.

I have to say, with all the criticism, I have never had USPS mail or packages that got lost or was not received.
Not in 30 years that I live in the States.

[HenryFan]

These days, if I order something from Midway USA or a similar vendor, I will often add a box of ammo to the purchase so that it will ship either FedEx or UPS rather than USPS. This isn't a guarantee of no problems but I seem to have less problems with FedEx or UPS than the USPS.

Once, not terribly long ago, I was expecting a package and I had a tracking number. I happened to be in the driveway when I saw the rural letter carrier zip by my rural mail box without putting on brakes. High speed delivery, just not for me. I later checked USPS tracking and saw the rural letter carrier said something to the effect "COULD NOT GET ACCESS" or "BUSINESS CLOSED" or some other lame lie. There is no use to complain, the USPS doesn't care.

That said, as Ted124 said, the USPS has never lost a package sent to me although some envelope mail has gone missing over the years. One I most vividly recall was a South Carolina Department of Revenue tax refund check. It was somewhat of a hassle to get it replaced.

While I am on the subject of common carriers, is DHL still around? I have not seen a DHL truck in many moons. Maybe they left the Southeast.