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FedEx policy shift traps seller packages in the USPS system

Posted on by SellerBites

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OpenAI is building a checkout system right into ChatGPT. No more bouncing to third-party sites—just shop, pay, done. And yes, they plan to take a cut.

And just before we log off for the weekend…

  • FedEx’s new policy leaves packages stranded with USPS 📦
  • Walmart Marketplace might be 2025’s smartest seller move 💡
  • Scammers are flooding Prime customers with phishing traps 🚨
  • Find out which listing version actually converts better 🧪
  • Sign up for Walmart Insiders to get one growth hack every week.

HOT TOPIC

Some sellers are learning the hard way that dual-labeled packages are no longer a “drop it and forget it” deal.

According to eCommerceBytes, FedEx Ground Economy shipments with both USPS and FedEx tracking numbers are still being accepted by USPS—but once they’re in, they go nowhere.

🚧 What’s happening?

In July 2024, FedEx rolled out a policy shift: Ground Economy packages now must be handed to FedEx directly. USPS is no longer a valid drop-off option.

The problem?

  • Some sellers didn’t get the memo.
  • Others say USPS staff kept accepting and scanning these packages.
  • But USPS considers them unpaid—and refuses to deliver, return, or release them.

So, no—they’re not lost. But they might as well be.

📨 USPS and FedEx respond (kind of)

Both carriers gave safe, PR-sanitized statements:

  • FedEx acknowledged the issue but blamed it on sellers not following platform-specific shipping instructions.
  • USPS, for its part, is reportedly training staff to stop accepting these dual-labeled packages and points the responsibility back to the label owner—FedEx.

Translation: If you hand the package to the wrong carrier, it’s on you.

🛠️ Is there any way out?

Maybe. Sellers trying to recover stuck parcels have pointed to a USPS policy buried in the Domestic Mail Manual. It states that post offices should not accept dual-labeled packages—and may return them to the sender.

That’s not a guarantee, but it’s a start.

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BITES OF THE WEEK

TRENDING TOPIC

Prime renewal scams are flooding inboxes with trouble

Scammers are at it again, this time targeting Amazon Prime members with fake renewal emails that look almost legit. 

That becomes your problem when customers get confused, lose trust, or blame a seller for charges that weren’t yours.

💸 What the scam looks like

According to The Guardian, phishing emails are hitting inboxes with warnings about Prime auto-renewing at a higher price. 

  • There’s a big shiny “cancel subscription” button that leads to a fake Amazon login page.
  • Some emails even include personal details to make the scam feel more real.

Other tactics include:

  • Fake Amazon support accounts replying to customer posts
  • Scam calls pretending to be “Amazon customer service”
  • Urgent payment requests to pressure fast clicks

Anyone who falls for it may end up with stolen data, unauthorized charges—and lots of questions for you.

🧯 Amazon’s response

Trying to get ahead of the damage, Amazon blasted an email to 200 million Prime members warning them about the scam. The company claims it helped shut down over 55,000 phishing websites and 12,000 scam phone numbers just last year.

A little buyer education goes a long way—especially since plenty of customers still have no clue this is even happening.

ACTIONABLE ADVICE

How to know which listing version converts better

A/B testing might sound like something for engineers in lab coats, but for Amazon sellers, it’s one of the most reliable ways to boost sales without relying on guesswork.

Amazon’s Manage Your Experiments tool lets you test different titles, images, and descriptions on live listings—no spreadsheets required.

🧠 Plan it before you run it

  • Set a clear goal. Whatever you’re optimizing for, define it up front.
  • Test one variable at a time. Swap both the image and the title? Good luck figuring out what actually worked.
  • Give it enough time and traffic. Half-baked tests don’t just waste time—they mislead decisions.

📊 Don’t just test—apply

  • Dive into the results and look for actual winners, not just small blips.
  • Push winning content live. Don’t let that 15% lift sit in your drafts.
  • Repeat. Good listings aren’t lucky—they’re tested, optimized, and retested.

A/B testing isn’t magic. It’s a method. And when done right, it’s one of the few tactics that reliably leads to real revenue gains.