Metro Atlanta bookseller blames Palmetto USPS facility for holiday gift delays

Georgia business owner says shipments getting delays at USPS facility

A metro Atlanta bookseller says holiday gifts he shipped for customers two weeks ago are still undelivered and may be stuck at the United States Postal Service’s regional distribution center near Palmetto, a facility FOX 5 has been reporting on since it opened nearly two years ago.

A metro Atlanta bookseller says holiday gifts he shipped for customers two weeks ago are still undelivered and may be stuck at the United States Postal Service’s regional distribution center near Palmetto, a facility FOX 5 has been reporting on since it opened nearly two years ago.

What we know:

Pete Jones, owner of Arcadia Books, Inc., sells a wide range of items online, from books to vintage gifts, all of which must be shipped from his home to customers around the country. Lately, he says, that process has become unpredictable.

The USPS service performance dashboard shows on-time delivery in Georgia remains below target levels, though it has improved significantly since early 2024.

What they're saying:

"It's kind of a gamble if you're rolling with the USPS right now," Jones said.

Jones says multiple packages he shipped earlier this month appear to be in postal service limbo. He says the trouble starts when shipments pass through the USPS Palmetto Regional Processing and Distribution Center.

"When I gave it to the post office on the sixth and it's still out there somewhere on the 16th, that's a little unnerving," he said.

According to Jones, packages that route through the Palmetto facility often sit for days, while those sent to other processing centers move without issue. FOX 5 has reported on service problems linked to the Palmetto facility since it opened in early 2024.

"For to sit there, and not get to where it's supposed to be is extremely frustrating," Jones said. "You know, when you mail it on the 3rd of December, it's reasonable that it's going to get there before Christmas and now I've got a few that I just don't know if that's going to be the case."

USPS notes that most of the products it offers do not come with guaranteed delivery times and that holiday shipping volumes are significantly higher.

"Packages increase 30 sometimes more percent at this time, so we are dealing with more of an influx of packages," said Tiffany Rowland with USPS. "So ensure that all of to ensure that all of our customers receive their mail timely we ask they ship early."

None of Jones’ delayed packages included a guaranteed delivery date, but he says he still expects them to move through the system, not sit in one place for more than a week. 

With Christmas approaching, he worries some customers may not receive their gifts in time.

"I'm a small business, if this is happening on a wide scale, there could be a lot of people that just they're not going to get their packages on time," Jones said.

The other side:

FOX 5 asked USPS if the Palmetto facility is still having issues and received this statement.

"The Postal Service strives to provide the best possible service, all year long and during the extremely busy holiday season. In the specific case of the Palmetto RPDC, increased mail and package volumes are being received, as with any holiday season, and are being processed timely. Any customer who has concerns about their mail service is strongly encouraged to directly contact the Postal Service so we can immediately begin researching their issue and resolve it as quickly as possible. We have dedicated staff who focus solely on assisting our customers. Customers can reach out to their local post office, and also can call 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777) or visit our website at www.usps.com/help. Their concerns will be forwarded to local officials for prompt follow-up. The Postal Service has decades of experience handling holiday volume, deploying robust and proven plans for managing mail processing, transportation, and delivery of mail and packages. We value our customers and work hard to deliver the holidays for them."