Online sellers are being impacted by what has become a months-long problem at a USPS processing facility in Texas. The owner of Upper Room Candle Company told local television station KHOU that her Houston-area customers aren’t getting their packages, but her out-of-state customers are.
“The other customers that aren’t repeat customers, I don’t want them to think that’s how we do business,” Shannon Wilpitz told the station in a report that aired this weekend.
The problem is so bad, members of Congress have been getting involved, including Congressional representatives Al Green and Sylvia Garcia.
KHOU has been following the problem that has plagued the Missouri City, Texas since well before Christmas. On December 13, 2023, it published the following statement provided by the USPS:
“The Postal Service strives to always provide the best possible service. In this instance, local management has looked into the matter and our research indicates all mail and packages are being processed as they are received at the South Houston Local Processing Center (LPC) in Missouri City, TX. Customers are reminded that, if they need assistance with mailing or shipping concerns, they have a variety of options for reaching us, including contacting their local Post Office, calling 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777) or visiting our website at www.usps.com/help.”
But the Postal Service has since admitted that the delays are due to its Delivering for America plan (DFA), according to a January 15, 2024, article in the Postal Times:
“The postal service said this week it is the result of implementing USPS’s Delivering for America plan, which is trying to modernize the postal system.
“”This process, as with any such transition, takes time,” USPS said in a statement. “As with any transition, some unintended and temporary disruptions may occur. We are taking steps to ensure packages are processed as quickly and efficiently as possible and apologize to any customers who may be experiencing issues with delivery of their items.“”
But there’s no sign the USPS is rethinking its approach – on January 12th, Save the Post Office reported that the Postal Service published notices of intent to consolidate 30 more processing & distribution centers as part of the Delivering for America plan.
Online sellers around the country (and the world) are likely unaware of the problem that could impact any buyer located in the Houston area. The Houston Chronicle profiled a customer of an online boutique who is still waiting for her wedding dress to arrive.
It’s unclear if online marketplaces are aware of the issue. Sites like eBay judge sellers on delivery time and penalize them when their packages fail to arrive on time, though exceptions for disruptions caused by weather or natural disasters are usually granted.
There’s no sign that the USPS has a way to dig itself out of the hole in Houston, and in the meantime, the Postal Service continues to raise rates twice a year under the current Postmaster General, breaking with the practice of annual rate hikes under his predecessors.
This KHOU YouTube video from December 13, 2023, shows how an online seller in Houston was impacted when her Christmas-themed inventory was stuck in the Texas facility – but it impacts any seller shipping to customers in the area as well:
Its only gonna get worse, PO workers will have to drive 20-30 more miles to get to work. Its going to hit the rural carriers the hardest, they get paid by the route not by hour, so they will have to drive further to even start their route. My mail lady said she’ll retire when they set up out here.
Arnold, MO-PO knew since June 2022 they were losing their lease Jan. 31, 2024, they just lease another building this month, won’t even start construction until later this spring, the carriers are being set up to case their mail in 2 spots, 15 and 20 miles away. Their mail will run 1-3 hrs later per day if they even get it because they have to be back to PO for truck at 5pm.
Good news is their setting up a mobile trailer for p.o. boxes and buy stamps.
You get what you hire. There are also plans by Congress geniuses to hire the mentally incompetent / psychiatric problem types to staff the FAA and such. What could possibly go wrong?
Being that the USPS is a Government Entity…it Can’t be expected to run Efficiently!
Several years ago, I had problems with orders being Delayed for several days…going from here in AZ, heading East, but going West to Bell Gardens, CA…and just Sitting there, before going East!
And…one item just Vanished in Bell Gardens! I spoke to a postal worker who Admitted that the Bell Gardens site was Notorious for ‘disappearing’ packages!
Thanks for this report. I had no idea, and this clears up a mystery: I have had a number of packages to customers in greater Houston that have been delayed – where tracking mysteriously goes dark for a week or longer. I filed missing package reports on each, which seems to have been helpful in getting them unstuck, as the tracking just as mysteriously showed them moving again within a day or two of me filing the request. And yes, I hope eBay etc take note, My buyers in these instances have been very patient and understanding, but that isn’t always the case.
I’m not sure if additional workers would help, but maybe USPS can learn from the Forest Service – when there’s a big forest fire, the Forest Service surges fire fighters in to get the situation under control. USPS already hires extra workers for the annual holiday rush. Maybe USPS could surge in workers at time and a half (with hotel and per dime). Sadly, DeJoy only seems to know how to cut.
We have seen the delays at this Houston plant. We currently have one package that has been there for over a week. We filed a missing mail claim and expect to hear from USPS today regarding the missing package..
Just today, my sister texted me that the Christmas Card she mailed to me was Returned, Undeliverable, to her for the Fourth Time!!
I haven’t Moved…and Neither has my House!