Silk Road forums

Discussion => Shipping => Topic started by: dankology on March 15, 2012, 08:38 pm

Title: DCN's not being scanned? What the fuck USPS?
Post by: dankology on March 15, 2012, 08:38 pm
So I put DCN on all my packages.  This last round i've had 3-4 people tell me their number is not working so I went to check it myself and yeah, those definitely are not working.  Do the fucking USPS just not scan them even though im paying for a service?  I dont understand why they wouldnt be showing up yet, for a few of the packages its been almost 2 days which is the amount of time it normally takes to get to the person.


Can someone help me understand the DCN process a bit more?  I am tired of getting messages from buyers who keep asking if i've shipped yet, when I clearly tell them i've shipped when I give them their DCN numbers, but because the DCN numbers dont work it must be my fault, im a scammer and never shipped anything.  Maybe giving out the DCNs without having people ask wasn't such a great idea.  Regardless, I figure all my packages will make it safe and if they dont then at least I know they were pinched and can adjust accordingly.
Title: Re: DCN's not being scanned? What the fuck USPS?
Post by: chiefrogan on March 15, 2012, 09:06 pm
might just be with the USPS cutbacks they arent scanning them at sort facilities or whatever and just when delivered. afterall it is a Delivery Confirmation Number and not really to be used for tracking.

or are you saying they aren't scanning when they deliver them? cause that's fucked
Title: Re: DCN's not being scanned? What the fuck USPS?
Post by: USdirectforyou on March 16, 2012, 03:30 am
sounds about right for USPS. I've had a package from NL stay in origin is preparing shipment for about a month until the day I received it. IT could just be the system or it could be that they caught one of your packs and got all the other ones with the same shipping return address. I would change my return address and look to your package if you feel that's the case.
Title: Re: DCN's not being scanned? What the fuck USPS?
Post by: dankology on March 16, 2012, 04:54 am
I figured out by reading the DCN FAQ on the USPS website (duh) that DCN is not a tracking feature and they are only required to scan it at the sort facility of the addressee.  Im guessing any scans done before that are courtesy scans ;)
Title: Re: DCN's not being scanned? What the fuck USPS?
Post by: gotmilk on March 16, 2012, 05:06 am
Yea, now a days, it mostly will only show up in the system after its been delivered.
Title: Re: DCN's not being scanned? What the fuck USPS?
Post by: ProfADaemon on March 18, 2012, 09:46 am
So I put DCN on all my packages.  This last round i've had 3-4 people tell me their number is not working so I went to check it myself and yeah, those definitely are not working.  Do the fucking USPS just not scan them even though im paying for a service?  I dont understand why they wouldnt be showing up yet, for a few of the packages its been almost 2 days which is the amount of time it normally takes to get to the person.


Can someone help me understand the DCN process a bit more?  I am tired of getting messages from buyers who keep asking if i've shipped yet, when I clearly tell them i've shipped when I give them their DCN numbers, but because the DCN numbers dont work it must be my fault, im a scammer and never shipped anything.  Maybe giving out the DCNs without having people ask wasn't such a great idea.  Regardless, I figure all my packages will make it safe and if they dont then at least I know they were pinched and can adjust accordingly.

Delivery confirmation numbers are NOT tracking numbers. They only guarantee that it will show you whether it has or has not been delivered yet on their tracking page. Any extra info it gives you is voluntary and not what you paid for. They are under no obligation to scan DCNs until they put it in the final delivery mailbox.

If you want ACTUAL tracking, USPS offers this for $19 with their "Express" service.

Don't give your customers the delivery confirmation #'s unless their package is late or missing... what purpose does it serve? If they check it using Tor, it might even red flag your package, and if they start checking the tracking while it's still at your local post office, they'll be able to investigate you that much easier. It's only going to cause you stress while idiot customers who don't know what DCNs are for harass you about them not working.

Delivery confirmation is assurance for the SELLER so that he can prove to buyers that they received their item, halting reverse scamming in its tracks.
Title: Re: DCN's not being scanned? What the fuck USPS?
Post by: chronicpain on March 19, 2012, 02:28 am
ever since January, DCN has been very inconsistent. Most of the time, it wont even show up in the system til after its been delivered. Before, they would scan it at the drop off post office, now, if your lucky, its scanned at the receiving post office. I wouldnt even bother looking up a DCN until its considered late. Im sure this was due to their cutbacks..
Title: Re: DCN's not being scanned? What the fuck USPS?
Post by: MrRollUp on April 01, 2012, 01:48 am
Jesus am i glad to see this thread. I have been FREAKING out for the last few hours because the other day i sent out a few shipments and 2/3 have showed in the tracking and the other, nothing! Im glad this isnt just me. Usually all my shit shows up in tracking but of course its gotta be a big shipment.  The thing that worries me about it is that even if it shows up and the tracking doesnt show it then the buyer can claim they didnt receive it and that totally defeats the purpose of it for me. But it seems like if they scanned the other 2 shipments why not the 3rd? Stupid. Now i cant stop running through the possibilities of what could have happened. Could LE have picked up on something? DId it get delivered and now i have no proof?  Did the package get messed up and ripped open? Is the sticker not working? Lol i hate my brain. Now give me some drugs so i can fry these thoughts away! And what are the chances a postal worker finds out its a BS return address? Sorry guys idk im freaking out!But probably nothing at all, who knows
Title: Re: DCN's not being scanned? What the fuck USPS?
Post by: alcapone on April 01, 2012, 04:18 am
USPS is a gongshow ... its part of what makes it ideal for this business.

There has been every possible permeation of nonsense occur with packages I have sent and they get delivered ( long delays, no scans, scan in 1 city then another then back to the other LOL, tracking numbers that worked then didnt but still got delivered ) ... just give it time.
Title: Re: DCN's not being scanned? What the fuck USPS?
Post by: th3creeper on April 01, 2012, 09:45 am
Dankology found the answer to his own question.  Generally, only DCN pkgs. that are handed off to a counter clerk(which should be a big no - no) will get scanned/processed into the system from the start.  Every piece of mail with a bar code that gets handed off to a retail clerk will get get processed into the system.  As someone said scanning  it into the system(or "Processed") is basically a courtesy ...NOT a service requirement.  Senders who use drop boxes have always known their pkgs usually won't show in the system until they reach their destination.  If you drop in a rural or small town area it may get scanned into the system by those processing collection box pick ups but in more populated areas where mail volume is more significant..they usually don't and quite honestly have no reason to.  As mentioned, it's not a tracking tool but rather confirmation that the pkg was "delivered".   It will not confirm WHERE it was delivered or to WHOM it was delivered.  If you've ever been handed a DCN pkg you may have noticed the mail carrier scanning the bar code right before doing so.  That's the "delivered" scan.  If a pkg gets erroneously delivered or missent (ie: shipping address error)..don't expect a DCN number to be of much help tracking it down.  Once it reads "delivered" the PO pretty much is done with it..as far as the USPS is concerned they did their job. 
Title: Re: DCN's not being scanned? What the fuck USPS?
Post by: redforeva on April 01, 2012, 11:15 am
So what happens if the postage is paid but $0.25 for the DCN is missing?
Title: Re: DCN's not being scanned? What the fuck USPS?
Post by: dankology on April 01, 2012, 11:29 am
You get your package delivered without DCN and the sticker just makes your package look all fancy.
Title: Re: DCN's not being scanned? What the fuck USPS?
Post by: redforeva on April 01, 2012, 11:31 am
You get your package delivered without DCN and the sticker just makes your package look all fancy.
Great... & now my paranoid consumes my mind.
Title: Re: DCN's not being scanned? What the fuck USPS?
Post by: qvel on April 01, 2012, 11:34 am
I swear to God and Goddess. I've looked a USPS mailman in the eyes as he scanned the DCN on my international package (approved and fast-tracked through customs mind you) and stole the package with my MXE in it. I tell no lies. No Shit. Would serve him right if he snorts it like its coke and ODs. :)
Title: Re: DCN's not being scanned? What the fuck USPS?
Post by: ProfADaemon on April 01, 2012, 06:07 pm
I swear to God and Goddess. I've looked a USPS mailman in the eyes as he scanned the DCN on my international package (approved and fast-tracked through customs mind you) and stole the package with my MXE in it. I tell no lies. No Shit. Would serve him right if he snorts it like its coke and ODs. :)

How did he steal it? You took your eyes off him for a split second?
Title: Re: DCN's not being scanned? What the fuck USPS?
Post by: th3creeper on April 01, 2012, 07:42 pm
DCN will cost you an extra 75 cents..not 25 cents.  Although I have seen them delivered without being stamped RTS ...If you place the DCN sticker on a pkg and forget to add the extra postage to cover it, technically the mail piece becomes "postage due".  Postage Due mail will either be RTS or an attempt to collect from the addressee will be made.  It's one those things that can arbitrarily go either way. This is one of those occasions that you'd get a pink notice to pick up your Priority pkg at the PO if no one was there when the carrier came around.
Title: Re: DCN's not being scanned? What the fuck USPS?
Post by: philter3 on April 01, 2012, 09:52 pm
Dank,

 Not just DCNs but more normal tracking also goes the way of all the world when dealing with the USPS. I sent certified funds via mail to a post office box for professional reasons one time. Sent it Certified Mail with DCN. It never got there. Nor did it show as being in the system at all. It was never scanned in, it was never scanned out. I wound up getting the certified funds (cashiers check) eventually refunded. When I castigated the Mail Boxes Etc. he told me to my face that mail via the USPS is not guaranteed to get there. so why would he guarantee a service they do not? He also informed me with a straight face he had lodged complaints with the local USPS office with proof that 45% (!!!!!!) of the packages coming out of his place that should have gotten entry-scanned were NOT scanned.

 This is a huge problem. Of course.. that's also why its a good route to go. Whatever happens with the law... blame it on the USPS.