Pins lost in the mail.

[jensenba]

Has anyone every had a pin show up after it has been lost in the mail. I just started pin trading. I am doing it online because living in Idaho I can't get to the parks as much as I would like to. One of my pin trades has been floating around the US mail system for three weeks. Unfortunately it is a pin that has my highest monetary value (though not extremely high). Now the person I was trading with wants their pin back. I totally understand that because if I were in that situation I would want my pin back too. It's just that I have a VERY small amount of pins to trade and makes me short one of my best traders. Does any one have any tips on what I could do to find my "lost" pins? I am very frustrated at this. And now I wish I had more money so that I could acquire more pins to trade so if this happens it doesn’t feel as big of a loss. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

Several years ago I sent a pin off in a trade that finally arrived 3-4 weeks after I sent it. Never mind the fact that I could have driven 3 HOURS and made the trade in person.

Part of the fault may have been mine. I put first class postage on the LBE and dropped it off at the post office after hours, but I didn't write "First Class" on it anywhere. It may have ended up in a lower class of shipping, it may have been on the bottom of one of those white USPS carrying boxes and another got stacked on top of it for a while ... who knows? After that I made sure that (a) the LBE was marked first class, and (b) I splurged for delivery confirmation (just for peace of mind).

I wouldn't give up just yet. Give it another week or so and see what happens.

 

[MickeySP]

Absolutely have. I just recently had one show up after being mailed 12/9. The postmark shows it was mailed when I said it was, have no explanation why it took so long.
I always do Delivery confirmation now, at least if it doesn't arrive the pther party can see it was mailed.

I agree give it a bit more time.

 

[Duckfan]

unfortunately it happens to us all pretty much at one time or another. I have even had one show up after I returned their pin. I don't have a good solution for you since I don't trade all that often except to say it does happen and keep on trading. Most trades go well. But I also have to say Hi from another Idaho trader!!!!!

 

[Luv2Roam]

I have had a few close calls. But none missing. One time a package of 9 pins took almost 2 months to get to London. By the time I had given them up for lost, they arrived.

If I mail a pin package that has real value, I insure.
If I mail a pin package with not much value and with someone I have not traded before, I use Del Confirmation.
If I am even borderline on whether to insure or not, I use Del Conf. I rather pay that little fee and have piece of mind.
If I mail a pin package where I have traded with that person before and I can easily replace the pin, then I just mail First Class.

 

[Villain Dude]

Weather has caused slow downs for all major delivery services including the USPS lately... The crazy weather the past two months has been and is still crazy.

 

[jensenba]

Thanks for everyones comments. I just recieved a message that both the origianl pin I sent and the one I returned were recieved a day apart. Yeah!! The pin that I traded for is being sent back. I just hope it gets here. Thanks for the advice about being patient. It paid off.