I have run a postal box/shipping business for 26 years. I try to never send a valuable package thru USPS. No one is held accountable when there is a problem. Please send quilts by UPS or Fed-X ground. You can pay and print labels from their websites and avoid the mark-up price at a store. Also the benefit of tracking # and exact date of delivery.
For this lost package, go online to complain. They will start an inquiry from above. The local postmaster may not officially record your complaint because he can only have a certain number on file. So very sorry for the 'lost' package.

I shipped a sewing machine to my sister in CA thru UPS, insured it for $5000 (real worth) expensive to insure but clerk did say anything highly insured does get special handling & care. It arrived safely & intact.
Maire

Actually, no they don't any special attention because of insurance.

I hate to admit this but I sent a quilt to my daughter in London by the USPS. I sent it in December 2013 and it was finally returned to me in March 2014. I was not going over for a visit so I sent it again this year. It arrived at their home at 1:44 pm. No one has seen it since. I have never had a problem dealing with the USPS in getting other things to my daughter in London, just this quilt. I have put a trace on it and my daughter has gone to several area post offices where she lives but no one seem to have it. This time I'm sure it's gone for good.
This was a gift but because it was going abroad you have to list what it is on the form. I put a used blanket. I am very disappointed about it but it's not missing the quilt that hurts so much. I also made a small pillow that I stuffed with the remnants of the baby blanket she would never part with. The quilt I can make again. The pillow may be lost forever.
Does anyone know if sending it UPS or FedEx would have been a better choice?

The USPS has its own law enforcement division, the Postal Inspectors. Contact your Postmaster to find out how to elevate your case and let the media know. Your quilt is out there somewhere. Make them find it.

I don't think any of them are perfect.

I send quilts by USPS and have never had a problem. I had two quilts that were a problem, that I didn't ship. One took over 3 weeks to travel from Massachusetts to New York. The shipper "forgot" to put a return address on the box, so the post office wouldn't put it on a plane. Another quilt was returned to me by UPS 2nd Day Air. It was "shipped" in February, 2011. It still hasn't arrived.

It's a gamble no matter how you ship, but the chances of your quilt arriving are excellent. As far as theft goes, I was told by someone at UPS that no one would risk losing a job - particularly in this economy - by stealing a quilt.

I hope your quilt returns soon.

Janet

Please call the Postal Inspectors. If they are opening letters on a nightly basis in Michigan in the winter, please take pictures!!

I am so sorry for you...The USPS is wreckless and irresponsible with packages as they lot a Christmas gift I sent to my daughter in Denver Co. I had it insured for 500 dollars and it never got there. I have tried for two years to collect the insurance I paid for hand have yet to be reembersed....I have sent gift cars the never arrived in cards for different occasions also. I was told by a friend that works for the postal system that there is a lot of stealing that goes on in the post office. He told me never send anything that has a great value because it has a high chance of never arriving at its destination.

I would certainly complain to the post office. This is happening way to much these days.

Guess we're going to have to use "a GPS" and stitch maybe into the binding. Whatever works!