FURIOUS customers are slamming the U.S. Postal Service over massive mail delays.
People’s packages have been stuck for weeks at the Jackson distribution center in Missouri – even after paying extra for expedited shipping.
Robin Smith, who sent Valentine’s Day gifts to her granddaughters on February 3, is among those left fuming.
She paid an additional $35 for three-day delivery, but her packages still remain in Jackson, seemingly going nowhere.
“I don’t know when it’s going to be delivered. I paid an extra $35 to get it delivered in three days, non-refundable,” Smith said.
“My thing is, why keep taking packages if you’ve got a whole slew of packages that haven’t even gone out yet?”
USPS responded to the many complaints, insisting operations were running as usual.
A statement read: “The U.S. Postal Service realizes our customers depend on the mail every day.
The mail processing center in Jackson, MS operates round the clock, just like all other facilities of its kind. It continuously handles, sorts, and dispatches mail with speed and efficiency.
“The facility is adequately staffed and is working hard to ensure all items are processed and dispatched timely.”
But local businesses say the problem is only getting worse.
Sara Allen, who owns Lovely Boutique in Clinton, MO, ships up to 20 packages a day to customer nationwide.
But she says everything has been bottlenecked in Jackson for the past month.
“I see it on all ends as a business owner,” Allen said.
One employee shared their experience, expressing the challenge of customer complaints about delays. The employee mentioned that despite their best efforts, some customers are unhappy due to delays caused by the processing center in Jackson.
She hopes USPS will take action soon.
Expressing hope for improvement, the employee suggested the possibility of hiring more staff or implementing a more effective system. Ultimately, the employee emphasized the importance of the center doing its best to meet customer needs.
For now, customers experiencing delays can file a claim for their packages, though many remain skeptical about when—or if—their shipments will arrive.
Avoiding mail theft
To prevent mail theft, the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) recommends residents take several precautions.
- First, avoid letting mail sit in your mailbox—inspect it daily and remove it promptly.
- For package deliveries, track shipments on the USPS website and sign up for email or text alerts to stay informed.
- If you’re not home when your mail is scheduled to arrive, consider asking a trusted neighbor to pick it up for you.
- For longer absences, you can have your mail held at the Post Office by requesting this service online.
- If valuable mail such as checks doesn’t arrive, immediately reach out to the issuing agency.
- It’s also crucial to update your address with the Post Office and any businesses you regularly correspond with to avoid potential issues.
- Lastly, for outgoing mail, it’s safer to hand it directly to your letter carrier or deposit it inside your local Post Office for added security.
Source: U.S. Postal Inspector
It comes after a homeowner was left bewildered after his medication appeared to be held up in the post office.
Thomas Luke, from Mississippi, was unsure why he didn’t receive his drugs even though they had been shipped.
He was meant to receive it on February 13 – four days after it had been shipped, as reported by the NBC affiliate WLBT-TV.
But, four days later, Luke still had not received his delivery, sparking confusion.
Luke revealed his medicines usually take between five and seven business days to be delivered.
And, he said the delivery process has been normal in the past.
But, Luke admitted he started noticing discrepancies in January.
USPS stressed the company had “caught up” on any backlogs.
“The U.S. Postal Service realizes our customers depend on the mail every day, a USPS spokesperson told The U.S. Sun.
