*update* I got to digging around in the General Buying and Selling Forum and came up with this bit of info from justafrog: "2. If the package is "lost in space" (no recent scans to tell you where it is), you can get the current tracking at USPS.com and ASK FOR EMAIL UPDATES (there's a box to click). You can ask for updates just to you, or to you and your customer. I don't know if I've just been lucky, but EVERY time I've had a package that the post office just vanishes in a puff of smoke and is stalled on tracking somewhere for days and days and have used this service, the package miraculously re-enters the flow of packages within a few days. Like I said, could be luck, or maybe they have to explain "never arrived" packages in some kind of internal auditing that this track-trace function generates." So I gave this a try yesterday afternoon, and sure enough, I get an e-mail about 8 hours later. It's moved on the tracking page with a delayed status, but on its way to the customer. I never would have thought of this, and it's a great little tip that I want to pass on. Thanks to all who replied, and a big thanks to justafrog.