ATLANTA — Metro Atlanta small business owners are worried the issues at the Palmetto United States Postal Service Distribution Facility could permanently damage their reputations.
David Harris, who operates an online motorcycle parts store, has been fielding complaints because of mail delays.
“Some things are a little bit sketchy and misleading on their part, which makes us look bad from the customer standpoint,” he said on Tuesday.
For over a month, 11Alive has received overwhelming responses from metro Atlanta residents about their missing mail, which stems from the new processing facility.
Harris ships over 2,000 packages yearly on seller sites like eBay and Amazon, primarily using USPS because of the cost. He added he spends $20,000 on postage yearly.
“Just this month, I’ve gotten four poor feedbacks directly related to shipping,” Harris said. "Not only will it hurt your bottom line, but it will make you look bad even though it’s not your fault at all because some people will look directly at those reviews for an eBay or Amazon seller."
Harris is just one of many business owners 11Alive has heard from dealing with similar issues.
Another person said they have spent 20 years building a successful eBay business. Since February 20, the facility has not scanned 100% of its shipments, and about half of them are still missing.
A CNN business article shared that while large retailers have their own delivery networks or contracts with carriers such as UPS and FedEx, small businesses tap USPS because of lower rates to ship orders to customers, especially in rural areas where other carriers refuse to deliver.
A spokesperson for eBay said in an emailed statement to 11Alive that the company was aware of the issues and would take steps to mitigate harm to seller reputations because of circumstances out of their control.
"At eBay, we are committed to helping small businesses grow and thrive on our platform," the statement said. "We are aware of the USPS delays in Atlanta and have implemented seller protections for the state of Georgia at this time. Impacts to a seller's performance metrics as a result of the delays beyond their control will be removed before their next evaluation cycle."
We reached out to USPS on Tuesday demanding answers, an interview or even a tour of the facility, but they responded once again in an email saying they have no further updates.
Harris said he can’t wait for a solution forever and will search for other solutions.
“I’m carrying a lot of my orders now to competitors because they’re more reliable,” he said.
A statement provided by the postal service last week said it’s making significant investments to improve operations.
Those experiencing delays or who have not received mail can contact the newsroom with your concerns as we continue to cover this story. Fill out our online form below, and someone from our news team will follow up with you.