USPS – In Transit, Arriving Late

What does the USPS status “in transit, arriving late” mean? What kind of delay for your package or mail does this usually suggest?

When you see the USPS status “in transit, arriving late”, Simply put, it states that the package is on the way but has stalled around it’s origin (the location from where it started) and your local post office. It also means that the delivery is going to be late due to extenuating circumstances. It might also be due to errors due to automation malfunction or clerical/logistical issues. For example, if the estimated delivery of your package is scheduled between 2 and 3 days and the package hasn’t arrived after the third day, you will get this notification from the USPS. 

This status may also indicate that the USPS is aware of where the package is along the route. You will receive your package sooner or later but after the scheduled date. 

What are some of the reasons that the status “in transit, arriving late” is being displayed?

The “package delayed” or “in transit, arriving late” status can reflect in the USPS tracking under several circumstances. This means there can be several reasons for the delay in the arrival of the package to the local post office. This can be due to extreme weather like heavy rainfall, a bad road or a blocked or closed road due to bad weather, etc. It can also be due to the breakdown of the carrier or the transport through which the package is arriving, or any other unforeseen circumstances. Another cause for the delay may be incorrect labeling of the product and misinterpretation of the information because of which the delivery representatives are unable to reach the final destination of the product. 

What does ‘Your item has been processed through our facility in ISC new york NY(USPS)‘ mean? Learn about it by clicking the provided link.

Now, while in most of the cases when you see the above status, you receive the product gradually over an extended period of time after the scheduled date. In some rare cases after you receive this notification you never get the product. This may mean that the package is lost in the transit. Hence the notification ” In transit, arriving late”. This is not to scare you, but it is seen in a few cases that the buyer never receives the package at all. The good news is when this happens to you as a customer or a buyer. You can file a claim if you have already paid for the product you were expecting; if you are a sender, then you request a refund for the postage paid. 

The next section of this article will give you more information on how you can file a refund or what you can do if the delivery of the package is delayed or lost.

How can you file a claim with the USPS if your package hasn’t arrived at the expected time? How do you track the claim?

To start with, it is important for you to know that USPS offers a guaranteed money back or a refund if there is a delay in delivery. Note that this is for the deliveries only under ‘Priority Mail Express’ for both domestic and international mails. You can however file a claim for the packages that are lost or damaged.

For all the other services you can contact the USPS customer care on 877-569-6614 or email the facilities access and shipment tracking at [email protected]. Do this to inquire about the delivery date or reason for delivery etc. 

How to request a refund for your Priority Mail Express package that is delayed?

In order to request a refund of money, here are a few documents you will need to show as proof that you have purchased the product:

1. Your USPS mail tracking number.
2. The receipt that you have got at the time of the purchase.
3. A proof of your identity (a photo ID if you have one)
4. The mailing date.

When you have all the documents in one place, you can either apply online or visit a local post office/ any other postal facility. 

To apply online:

• Sign in to your USPS.com account online by entering your username and password.
• Go to the ‘Help’ tab on the top right-hand corner of the page.
• When you hover the cursor over the ‘Help’ tab. There will be a drop-down where you will get the option of ‘requesting a refund’. Click on it.
• You need to enter your tracking number, and click on ‘continue’.
• You will be redirected to the ‘service refunds’ page. Click on the services you would like refunded and enter the amount that needs to be refunded.
• Once your refund request is approved, you will receive a check with the approved amount. You may also get the money refunded on your original mode of payment like a credit card, etc.
• If your refund paperwork is denied, you also have the choice to submit a dispute through an online application. You will need to upload your purchase receipt as a proof in support of your filing.
• If you’re a Priority Mail Express customer, you need to request a refund within 30 days from the date of the purchase. For other qualifying services, you can file within 60 days from the date of the purchase.

To apply in the local post office or other postal facilities:

• As a first step, you need to locate the nearest postal facility where you can visit for the process. After you click on the link, fill in the details as asked and follow the steps.
• If you are going to the post office, you need to carry all the documents mentioned above.
• The postal representative will give you ‘PS Form 3533’ to fill up and submit. Once you submit the form, your request will be verified and a refund will be initiated. 

When can you file a domestic and international claim? What are the steps to file a claim?

You can file for a domestic claim if your mail is lost after the status update “in transit, arriving late”. A claim can be filed if you have insurance for the mail (insured mail). In case of collect on delivery mails, priority mail express items, registered mail items with insurance. 

In order to file an international claim, you need to coordinate with the foreign postal administrations. You can also initiate an inquiry online if you are a US sender.

Here are a few steps that you have to follow in case of domestic shipment:

Step 1: The first thing you need to do before filing a claim is to check for the filing period. Different mails have different filing periods. This link will provide you with the details. 

Step 2: You need to have the related documents that will support your request for a claim. These documents are needed in order to make the approval of your filing smooth and easy. Here are few documents that you need as evidence:

• The USPS tracking number or the shipping label number: You will be able to locate this on the purchase or the mailing receipt. You can also look to your dashboard if you have subscribed to the Informed Delivery service, label found on the package.

• A copy of the insurance of your mail or any other proof to show that your mail has insurance. This can also be found on the mail receipt. The online record of the label showing that the insurance was purchased. The name and address of the sender and the recipient, etc.

• Document showing the cost of the item or the product- the sales receipt or the invoice, bank statement if purchased through credit or debit card. The details of the online transaction showing that the payment was completed, etc.

• In case the product is damaged, you can show evidence like a photograph of the damaged item, etc.

Step 3: You can file a claim once you have gathered all the evidence. If your item is lost, the USPS authorities will carry out a “Missing Mail Search” first and then make a decision on your filing.

Learn about USPS express mail time from here.

How to keep a track of the claim request:

Please note that you can keep a track of your claim by going to the ‘Claim History’ in your USPS account. USPS will notify about the various stages of the process. 

Some of the claim responses that the USPS can provide you with:

Once you have filed a claim, USPS will verify your documents and the case. Based on that a decision on the request will be made. If you are going to send them just a screen shot of the notification “In transit, Arriving late”, that is not going to do anything. Now, they can either partially or completely approve your request or deny completely. They may also choose to respond to part of your claim depending on the situation. This completely depends on how much refund you have claimed. If you have claimed higher than the actual value of the item, chances are there that it may be partially denied. The reasons for denial will however be mentioned in the response letter that USPS will send you. 

What can you do to file an appeal in case you do not agree with the response of the USPS about your claim? 

If your USPS package claim for refund is denied or partially approved, you have a platform to file an appeal. Do it from the ‘claim history’ section of your USPS account. Select ‘claim to appeal’ and then click on the ‘submit appeal’. All you need to do is mention accurately and clearly the reasons for your appeal. Provide supporting documents that are clear and legible. 

You can also send a written appeal through mail at the following address:

DOMESTIC CLAIMS APPEALS, ACCOUNTING SERVICES, US POSTAL SERVICES, PO BOX 80141, ST. LOUIS, MO 63180-0141

In both the above cases, you have to make an appeal within 30 days from the date of the actual USPS decision on your claim request.

You can also file a second appeal if your request is denied in the first instance. You have to do this within 30 days from the day your first appeal has been denied.

As discussed in the previous sections of the article, there are a couple of situations that can arise after you receive the USPS status “in transit, arriving late”. One of which is mail gone missing, not that it happens all the time!  Now you may be worried about what you should do in situations like this. This article above has provided you with some of the steps that you can take like requesting a refund or filing a claim. You can also call customer care representatives. Apart from this, you as a recipient can also file a ‘Missing Mail Request’.

You also have to remember an important aspect when claiming for a refund that due to the high volume of backlogs as a result of the COVID-19 . USPS has extended the date of claims filing to 90 days which is otherwise 60 days. So in case if you see a delay in the response from the USPS, just put yourself together. Not just the claims filing segment, the ongoing pandemic has had a major hit on a lot of services. Including the delivery of the mails. This may also be a reason for you seeing the “in transit, arriving late” status in the USPS tracking.

What does ‘The postal service has identified a problem with the processing of this item‘ mean? Click the provided link to learn about it.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):