We have all heard about the quality of the Russian Post. And not only about its speed, but also about accuracy and care when handling our parcels. How many anecdotes and jokes have we heard about it? And, laughing at them, we never thought that it could affect us. Imagine, you have been waiting for mail for a month, but it is still not there. What to do in this case? You need to apply for a search for a postal item. But even in this situation there are many nuances.
System
Before you go to your local post office and smash, there are a few rules you need to know. Post is a state structure with clear rules, a system of fines and a procedure for interacting with customers. And people work there too. The same as you and me. Therefore, if you come to the post office and start shouting something like: “Give me back my package! I don’t know anything about it, I won’t tell you my last name and address!”, in 100% of cases you will simply be sent home and will not talk. Now several rules will be given that must be taken into account without submitting a postal item for search, but even before sending a parcel or order via the Internet.
- Forbidden to send liquids. If your sender managed to persuade or give a bribe in Vladivostok, then a broken bottle that arrived in Kaliningrad cannot be the basis for a complaint, no matter how well it is packaged.
- Perishable food cannot be shipped. The situation is similar to the previous one. If you send, for example, five bananas to Siberia, then you do it at your own peril and risk.
- Precious metals are also prohibited from being sent. The Post Office simply cannot afford to insure such large sums. You can send it under the guise of "jewelry", but if it goes missing, the refund will be ridiculous.
It is for this reason that the search for mail items often becomes problematic. Just out of ignorance of the rules.
Number
Now let's talk about what allows people to track mail. This is a barcode (identifier, track number, track code). When you arrive at the post office for the parcel, you will be asked for the number of the postal item. By naming it, you can safely find out the fate of the parcel. It is important to remember the following:
The search for a postal item is not carried out by your last name or address of the recipient. How many namesakes in our country? How many identical streets? Remember the movie "Irony of Fate …"? It is too difficult and expensive to create a system that would, with 100% accuracy, make it possible to find a parcel by last name. The base is common to the whole of Russia. Therefore, all data is tied to a specific uniqueID
There are several types of barcodes.
- Internal. It consists of 14 digits and looks something like this on the receipt - 115127(80)15138 4.
- International. To designate parcels for export or import by regular mail, a special encoding is used - YF123456789RU, where the first two letters are a code indicating the type of parcel (letter, parcel, small package), then comes a unique identifier of 9 digits, and at the end two letters indicating the sending country.
Let's do it again. Without a track code, even the Russian Post will not be able to help us. The search for postal items is possible only with an identifier.
Sender
So, you sent a parcel to your relatives in the village of Kukuyevo. It's been two months and they still haven't received it. What to do? You need to submit an application for the search for a postal item. This is a simple matter.
- You will need your passport and departure number. In addition, it is highly desirable to have a receipt proving your ownership of the sent package.
- When you arrive at the post office, you must ask the operator to check the location of the parcel by the track code.
- If her location is unknown or has not changed for quite some time, you can write a wanted request.
- It is written in any form, but with the obligatory indication of the data mentioned above. Also don't forget to leave your phone number and home address so we can send you a reply.
- After the staffmail will conduct an internal investigation and search for the mailing, you will be informed of the results.
- Remember: you can only get a refund for a lost package if you sent it with a "declared value".
Recipient
If you are the recipient, your actions will be drastically different. When delivering mail in Russia or from abroad, there are always deadlines for passing. For example, when ordering a parcel from EBay or AliExpress and choosing delivery by regular mail, you should remember that the delivery time for such mail is up to two months! And yet, even with such huge deadlines, delays are possible. Remember the main rule:
Only the sender can apply for the search for a shipment! It doesn't matter that you paid money for shipping and parcel. Until it is handed over to you, it is the property of the sender. And only the person who sent it can also receive a refund for the loss. You can only receive compensation from the person with whom you entered into a deal to purchase the goods. The postal service provides only transport services and is in no way associated with any online store
Based on this, if you think that your package has been lost, you need to do the following:
- Contact sender. Most online stores and services maintain constant contact with their customers. It is beneficial for them to maintain their reputation.
- Describe your problem to him. Ask to know the fate of the package.
- Ifthe parcel is lost, you can ask the sender to return the money to you, and he, in turn, will demand compensation from the post office.
Internet
In addition to everything described above, there is another way that the Russian Post offers us. You can search for mail items on your own, without getting up from your computer. If you have a tracking code, you can do the following.
- Go to the Russian Post page.
- On the left in the menu we find "Mail Tracking" and click "Details".
- Enter our track code and verification code against spam.
- We look at the history of the journey of our package.
Remember, the Russian Post website works exclusively with internal mail and EMS shipments. If you have used any other express mail service, you can track the parcel on their personal website or using a common tracking service, of which there are plenty on the Internet.
Order and timing
If you were taken to the extreme and still filed a claim in writing, then remember that the application is considered within 2 months. As in any other state structure, due to a clear hierarchy and paperwork, you will have to be patient. After submitting the application, be sure to save the coupon-receipt with the number of the appeal and the seal of the post office. When ordering a parcel, be sure to find out exactly the number of the post office that serves you so that you do not have to go to the other end of the city for the parcel.
