It keeps saying “There was a problem submitting your Service Request. Please try again later.” The package tracking info hasn’t been updated in 9 days, so I don’t think it’s too soon to submit an inquiry (usps says to contact them after 5 biz days).
Putting this out here to help anyone who has problems with this particular error.
The form to submit an enquiry kept failing with this error message. I eventually through trial and error found that the problem is if you click the radio button saying you know the contents of your package, but then don't click any of the checkbox options for package contents because none apply, the form fails.
Checking Unknown in the long list of options for the package contents allowed the form to be submitted.
I’ve tried two times now to submit a service request for a presumably lost package. Why does it keep saying this?
Has the Help Request form (not Missing Mail Search) online been discontinued? I'm a small, online seller, and when a customer isn't able to locate their package after a few days, I usually file a Help Request form on the USPS website and the following day or so, the local branch will contact me letting me know that they've received the request. The vast majority of times, I receive an e-mail back from the branch letting me know they've located it and they've redelivered the package.
It seems now that that's no longer an option. When I enter the tracking number, and it asks if I have an issue with this package, and then click "Start", I now get this message, with only a Previous or Close option, and it's directing me to file a claim or initiate a Missing Mail Search. It's also too early to file a MMS. I just tested it with another tracking number and got the same result, so this doesn't seem to be just this one.
This is a building, and sometimes it's placed in the incorrect mailbox, or delivered to the wrong unit or apartment. The process has worked wonderfully in the past, and I'm kind of bummed that it seems to no longer be an option. I will call tomorrow and see if I can find out anything, but hoping someone here may have some insight. Thanks!
Goto USPS.com and login. After you are logged into the site, visit this URL directly: https://missingmail.usps.com/#/
Using this method, I can get it to load every single time. When you click the link from the "missing mail and lost packages" page, the URL gets encoded with some sort of tracking tag which is what is causing the page to not load properly (potentially). When you use the link I provided, it bypasses that aspect. Definitely let me know if this works for you. Good luck.
EDIT: For those having issues. Do it on a computer browser, not a mobile/phone browser and this should still work.
EDIT 2: Since many of you don't want to spend time reading comments, and the 2nd method has been downvoted enough to be far down the page...
Alternatively, if this doesn't work, here is another method. You still must be logged in, then visit this link: https://missingmail.usps.com/#/history
Once on this page, click on the link that reads "New Search Request". This also works for me and is how I discovered the first method.
IF IT DOES NOT WORK ON THE FIRST TRY, KEEP TRYING. IT WILL WORK EVENTUALLY. COMMENTING "DOESN'T WORK" JUSTS SHOWS YOUR LACK OF PATIENCE... IT DOES INDEED WORK.