lost in the mail...

[GRiNDSToNEfreak]

I was just wondering what people thought about things getting lost in the mail. If you were the sender and something got lost in the mail, would you send a replacement? I personally would try to make things right, but I was just wondering what others thought.

[kittymao]

depends on what it is.
If i can replace it I will, but if it's more like they may be pulling your leg, then chalk it up to an Oops.

[sarahkate]

I would definitely try to resend something that was lost in the mail. I guess the way to look at it is - what would you want someone to do if they sent you something you were waiting for and it never showed up? I would hope the other person would try to resend it to me, so I would do the same for them.

The thought of "lost mail" really bothers me. How can something just get "lost" and the post office says "oh well" ???? I know you can pay extra for delivery confirmation and tracking and all of that, but I can't afford to do that all of the time so it really sucks when you put stuff in the mail knowing there is a chance it might get lost somewhere in the postal system.

How do things get lost anyhow? Where do these lost packages/envelopes/post cards go? Are they stolen? Accidentally kicked under a desk at the post office? Dropped in a puddle by a mail carrier? We should hide spy cams on our packages to see what really happens to them at the P.O.

[girl-who-loves-sharks]

I wonder where things go, too.
I swear the mailman steals my magazines. Or maybe it's someone else-- maybe someone in my neighborhood? I used to live in a more urban area (I still live in the city, but it's not as, um, gritty) and I had several packages stolen before I ever received them. As well as my paycheck. That sucked.
I try to put my letters in blue boxes and take packages right into the post office. My entry for one of Helquin's zines was mailed on the day of the hurricane from my home mailbox, and he never got it. I wonder if it is literally "gone with the wind"?

As far as replacing things, I agree that it depends on what it is. The thing for Helquin I tried to replace, but it was saved on the computer that died. I lost important homework that I had to redo, and it took me all week, so I didn't have time to rewrite for the zine. He seemed to understand and didn't give me a hard time about it. Someone got a CD from me that was broken in half when she got it. I am remaking that for her. And there was the 6-hour ATC envelope that showed up to Haptotrope torn in half with no contents. I couldn't bear to make another. So, yeah, it depends. In most cases, I think I would resend, or at least make some kind of effort. But you can't do it in every case.

[sarahkate]

As well as my paycheck. That sucked.

Oh no! Did the thief cash the check??? :o


And there was the 6-hour ATC envelope that showed up to Haptotrope torn in half with no contents.

That must be the worst thing - something lost in the mail that's is one of a kind. There would be no way of ever duplicating the EXACT ATCs. :( That would drive me crazy. Well, maybe some non-Nervousness member out there is enjoying your art at least! :P

Something like a CD or magazine lost in the mail obviously isn't quite as bad since those can usually be easily resent. I imagine it would be quite depressing to know something you worked on for hours is among the missing.

Recently I received a mixed CD that was part of an LMAO from smachel & it was packaged securely, the outside of the package was all intact but when I took the cd out of the packaging the silver "label" part of the cd was flaked off in big pieces, and when that flakes off it's impossible to play the cd (as far as I know), she sent along a playlist and it seemed like a great CD - so I was sad not to be able to listen to it and smachel didn't have a master copy to send a new one - but luckily Chunkymonkey has a copy of that same cd (because as part of the LMAO smachel had sent one to her as well) so she is going to try to make me a copy! Phew! :D

[hainlam]

I am very sad.. I just learned this morning that an almost finished altered book, has been "lost in the mail".

I am trying to figure out how to respond to the email I was just sent, because the last person who had the book, could care less about it being lost. She is mad because she was put on the "slow to respond" list by the person running the round robin. (this is an RR from a different group).

I am really angry about the whole thing. It has taken her a month to respond to any emails, and when she finally does, it is because she is mad.. I really don't get it.. and I am really upset about the book.

[girl-who-loves-sharks]

Hmm.
Yes, altered books -- although I have never actually seen one -- are in a category to themselves. That is something very special that many people have worked hard on. It's too bad that people participate who don't even care about the object. I am sorry, Aimee.

[lemur]

I agree with everyone else. Though this hasn't happened to me yet, I really appreciated it when someone else made something over for me that got lost in the mail.

I just learned this morning that an almost finished altered book, has been "lost in the mail".

I think I'd almost rather have someone steal it-at least it's being enjoyed by someone-than floating around the purgatory of the dead letter office. Sometimes the postal employees (not other participants) do steal stuff, especially cards, but they usually get too greedy and get caught after awhile.

She is mad because she was put on the "slow to respond" list by the person running the round robin

Why do people get mad about negative feedback (or whatever the system is there) if they deserve it? If you screwed up, accept the concequences. ahh that just annoys me! :angry:

[hainlam]

It annoys me too.. :( It bothers me that she is more concerned about her being labeled as slow, than she is about me not having a book. I am going to respond to her email until I have calmed down a little bit.

[cdonley]

I often wonder too, if "lost-in-the-mail" really means "Oops..I forgot to send"

It sure seems we have a high percentage of our mail from here that goes missing into the USPS.... ;) :huh:

[gwensmom]

Originally posted by cdonley@Dec 12 2003, 10:46 AM
It sure seems we have a high percentage of our mail from here that goes missing into the USPS.... ;) :huh:
I have noticed this too. I don't think I have ever had anything lost in the mail.
Since joining nervouseness I have been amazed at how long it takes things to show up where they are supposed to, however. Especially between the US and Canada. They always say 4-7 days but it's more like 2 - 3 weeks! :huh:

[nymphette]

they tell me a week at the post office to the U.S but it isn't often anything gets there within 10 days to 2 weeks!!! i have had in my entire 2 1/2 years of sending through n'ness 3 packages disappear- one was an exchange when i first started and mine went missing and the person i was exchanging with never even sent her part... one was a surprise package to gwensmom that was sent at the same time as a pif package to sugaree- both of which never got there- and another package in the same mailing took over a month to get there- another item took ten days.... i have had three things sent back to me saying insufficient postage- one of which i had weighed and measured at the post office and the worker did it and put the postage sticker on- and still it was wrong somehow- the other two were letters that were just a bit too heavy and were returned....

as for things to me not getting here- well i think i have been pretty lucky considering... some things take forever to get here but at least they do... i have had an exchange that was supposed to have been sent to me disappear (or it hasn't gotten here yet) and a couple of exchanges disappear (or they may not have been sent, i dont know... i dont' do exchanges off the regular board anymore with people i dont know.......)

luckily, everything i've sent for LMAO's has gotten there.. though i am so paranoid that something will get lost and hten people will think i never sent my part/sent it on....... i always email and ask them if they've gotten it yet, after it's been about a week!!! paranoid yes...

robyn

[GRiNDSToNEfreak]

Originally posted by cdonley@Dec 12 2003, 04:46 PM
I often wonder too, if "lost-in-the-mail" really means "Oops..I forgot to send"

It sure seems we have a high percentage of our mail from here that goes missing into the USPS.... ;) :huh:
That is very true and that's why I've decided to start this thread. I've been here for about a year and a half, now, if not more and I can't remember having anything I've sent lost in the mail. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, it just seems it has been happening a lot lately.

I'm not the most organized person and sometimes I don't send things off right away, but I don't make up excuses about things being lost in the mail if I haven't sent them.

Maybe I should have put this in the rants section.

I should really consider myself lucky, because out of my year and a half here I've only had troubles with a couple handfuls of people and I've received a ton of awesome stuff, but it still kind of pi$$es me off when peole say they will send you something and they don't or "it gets lost in the mail."

[gwensmom]

Originally posted by nymphette@Dec 12 2003, 03:42 PM
though i am so paranoid that something will get lost and hten people will think i never sent my part/sent it on
I keep my p.o. receipts so if something doesn't get there at least I can prove I sent it.

[kittymao]

Yea- I'm wondering about a few things that haven't turned up, but I dunno.
*shrugs*

[siafu]

i had sweet atc's not make it to australia. but, jen got an empty torn in half envie. AND it said "received without contents-USPS"

what?

oh yeah, USPS

i put an envelope of nothing in your collection box, so you could rip it in half for me and then say you got it without contents.

:angry: :blink:

i didn't replace them because i just couldn't right then.

*sigh*