Mail & Shipping - Recommendations, Questions, and Answers

Brenda Adams2 said:I have a quick question—and sorry if this has already been covered, I haven't managed to read through everything yet...
Basically, I need to send a package over to Mexico, and my biggest headache is how to get the payment sent back to my account from there. How does that actually work? A registered letter isn't an option because I heard they have to open it upon delivery, and they won't accept cash... Western Union is just way too expensive. How are you all handling this? It’s my first time dealing with this kind of thing, so I’d be so grateful for any info. Thanks, everyone!🙂

Starting next year, we should be able to just drop cash in an envelope for outgoing mail.
You can also send money via a money order, so I assume someone in Mexico could use that too (not Western Union, but a standard international money order).

If the package weighs under four pounds, you might even be able to send it as a standard letter.

I'm honestly not sure if it'll even be worth the hassle once you tally up all the fees.

slycyclist10 said:I really need some help here!
Does anyone know how I can ship a table and two chairs from Indianapolis all the way to Seattle?

Thanks so much!!!!

P.S. FedEx won't touch it because the dimensions are just too huge.

Honestly, I'm not entirely sure myself.
Usually, if an item is oversized, they just hit you with those massive surcharges (like, 50% extra on the price).
I've seen people move mattresses and washing machines through them... it really should work out fine.

I know I’m probably shouting into the void here, but there’s no harm in asking, right? 🙄
So, I sent my boyfriend to drop off a package for me—something I usually handle myself—and I specifically told him to send it via certified mail. However, the woman working at the local Post Office (the one over on Main Street! 😠) basically "convinced" him that sending it standard would be just fine. She told him it would get to the destination regardless, and he’d save a fortune on shipping fees. Being the pushover he is, he fell for it—and naturally, the package never actually reached the girl 😢 (he didn't think anything was wrong until she started blowing up his phone asking where it was; when I asked him for the tracking receipt so I could scan it once I got back to Chicago, he admitted he didn't have any paperwork because that lady insisted standard shipping was the way to go 🙂).
Is there any actual chance this thing might still show up, even though it’s been over two weeks? I’m going to have to refund the money to the girl who paid me, but I’d really love for her to actually receive those shoes 🙏

Did the lady at the post office convince her to just send it via standard shipping? I have my doubts about that 🙂 Unfortunately, there’s zero chance a standard package will actually turn up. That’s why I only accept standard shipments—I trust my local mail carrier and myself to get it there—but I never send them. Why? Because I’m a skeptic. 😁

boldwalker16 said:I guess there's nothing I can do, but it doesn't hurt to ask. 🙄
So, I sent my boyfriend to drop off a package for me for the first time (usually I handle everything). I told him specifically to send it certified, but the woman at the post office (the one on Main Street! 😠) "convinced" him it was better to just send it standard. She claimed it would get there just fine and save him the expensive shipping fees. Poor guy gave in, and of course, the package never reached the girl. 😢 (He didn't think anything was wrong until the recipient started asking questions. When I asked him for the receipt so I could scan it once I got back to Seattle, he said he didn't have any paperwork because the lady told him standard was best. 🙂)
Is it possible for a package to show up even though it's been over two weeks? I'm going to refund the money to the girl who paid me, but I'd really like her to actually get those shoes. 🙏

Maybe she's lying about not receiving it.
Believe me, you meet all kinds of people.
The same thing happened to me once—something was supposed to arrive, but people just never sent it, and I almost went off on everyone at the post office for no reason.
If it was actually sent, there is zero chance it gets lost. Not even standard mail.
I send standard packages to the other side of the world and they arrive in 10 days without a single issue.

I see no reason why it would just vanish here in America.

Hey, I’ve got a quick question!!

What’s the best way to send a package to someone if I don't want the mail carrier just dropping it at their doorstep? I'm looking for that option where they get a notification slip instead, so they actually have to head down to the local Post Office to pick it up themselves. Any tips?!!??

Thanks a million!!

slyotter14 said:I have a question!!

How can I ship a package to someone so the mail carrier doesn't just drop it at their doorstep? I want them to get a notice instead, forcing them to go pick it up at the post office.!!??

Thanks much!!

Use POSTE RESTANTE. But they won't get a slip; they'll just have to check the post office to see if it arrived or not.

Look, I usually ship everything from my small town in the Midwest using standard mail, so $2.25, but today I finally lost my patience and decided to head to the local post office since I won't be making it into New York City all week.
I go through the effort of getting everything perfectly ready, $2.25, only for the clerk to tell me standard mail isn't an option and it has to go via air. Which is just additional $1.75 on top of everything else.
I'm well aware that airmail only saves maybe two or three days, so paying nearly double the price makes zero sense. It’s going by plane anyway; it's not like an AT&T delivery van is going to drive across a massive lake to get there.
Yet, the people at my local branch keep insisting airmail is mandatory. Honestly, give me a break...

I have one or two questions.

I'll be sending out a package via COD in a few days—it clocked in at 770 grams. Just checking on the collect fee. $78, $8.50 It finally clicked. I ran the numbers through my AT&T calculator, and that’s what it came out to. $11.
So, that calculator isn't actually giving us the right numbers.

I’m looking at a bit of a dilemma here—I have something relatively light, maybe around 4 to 7 ounces, that I've packed into a large envelope, and I need to send it via Cash on Delivery. Looking at my AT&T calculator, it seems like standard letters aren't usually eligible for COD service. Does anyone know if this is actually possible?
The package comes bundled with the company, and honestly, the buyout price feels like a bit of an overkill. It’s a small valuation, sure—but it still says a lot. $8.25 With those transaction fees? Honestly, it’s barely worth it to me—it feels like too much of a stretch. I mean, sure, fine, if it’s just a few extra bucks here and there... but still.
Could I get some advice? I'm looking into the postage rates for a letter weighing between 100 and 200 grams.

So, does that mean the subpoena has to be sent via certified mail?

Now that I think about it, the lady at the local post office—I live out in a small rural area, and honestly, some of the staff around here can be a bit hit-or-miss—might have made a mistake. She processed my package as a standard letter instead of a parcel. Is that actually allowed to happen?

I feel a bit silly even bringing this up—it’s only about 4 to 9 ounces—but I think it would be best to send this via certified mail with return receipt requested. $6.50It’s getting pretty pricey...

Taylor Campbell4 said:I have a couple of questions here.

I sent a C.O.D. package the other day, weighed 770 grams, and the collect fee was $78, making the total $8.50. According to the AT&T calculator, it should have been $11.
Clearly, that calculator is wrong.

Now I'm sending something heavy, maybe 100-200 grams, packed in a large envelope, also C.O.D. The AT&T calculator says standard envelopes usually can't be sent C.O.D. Can they?
The package is going through a business, and with the collection fee, it’s too expensive. It's a small amount, but even then, it shows $8.25 including the fee (honestly, anything over 10 bucks isn't worth it for me, just a few extra dollars here and there...).
Any advice?? It's just a 100-200 gram letter.

Does that mean it has to be sent as certified mail??

PS: I just realized the lady at the post office—I live in a rural area, and those women there often don't know what they're doing, so she might have messed up—she sent my last package as certified mail instead of a regular package. Is that allowed??

Now I feel stupid. This 100-250g thing is certified mail with C.O.D., costing $6.50. Expensive...

They definitely miscalculated your charge. They probably don't know what they're doing or made a mistake.
Just yesterday, they turned a standard shipment of mine into priority mail and told me regular ground shipping wasn't an option, even though I used to send standard shipments all the time from a Small town in the Midwest.
That calculator on the AT&T website is 100% accurate.
At least that's how I paid back in my Small town in the Midwest, and the price always matched the website.

She probably sent it as certified plus C.O.D.; that would be $25.80.

Hey there.

So, I’ve got a quick question... I sent out an airmail package Tuesday morning—sent it COD, you know, so I actually get paid upon delivery.

Even though things were totally stalled for three days last week, I feel like the cash should've hit my account by now. Now I'm sitting here spiraling, thinking I completely botched the paperwork... so I wanted to check if I actually filled this out right to make sure the money actually finds its way back to me.



I have this nagging feeling I checked the wrong box or something... 😁

Also, what's the best way to ship some books and textbooks?

Just toss them in a padded envelope or what?

Thanks! 😉

They sent over some info regarding the COD fee, which caused a slight delay due to the holiday. It might still show up for you... if not, the package will definitely be returned to sender. 🙂
Just bring the book in an open bubble mailer and tell them it’s media mail; it ends up being much cheaper that way.

redranger82 said:Hey there.

I’ve got a quick question for you all. I sent out an airmail package on Tuesday morning using a COD (Cash on Delivery) service, so I was expecting to get some money back once it arrives at its destination.

Even though things were slow for about three days last week, I honestly feel like the funds should have hit my account by now. Now I'm starting to spiral a little and wonder if I messed something up during the process. I really want to know if I filled everything out correctly to ensure that money actually makes its way back to me.



It just feels like I might have checked the wrong box or missed a step somewhere along the line. 😁

Also, does anyone have advice on the best way to ship books or textbooks?

Should I just toss them in a manila envelope, or is there a better way?

Thanks! 😉

Honestly, you did everything right on your end, but it looks like the clerk didn't charge the recipient the full amount—you definitely underpaid the shipping fee.
Did you make sure to include the completed claim form that specifies where the reimbursement goes? (Usually, that's the part they stick onto the package.)

As for the textbooks, I'd recommend putting them in a poly mailer first, then sliding that into a sturdy box. Or, you could wrap them tightly in heavy-duty shrink wrap before using kraft paper.

Melissa Phillips4 said:Usually, I just ship stuff from my small town in the Midwest using standard mail everywhere, so $2.25, but today I finally decided to head down to my local post office since I won't be making it into New York City all week.
I had everything $2.25 ready to go, only for the clerk to tell me I can't use regular mail and have to use airmail instead. Which is just extra $1.75 and annoying.
Besides, I know airmail only saves maybe two or three days, so paying nearly double doesn't make sense. It’s all going by plane anyway; it’s not like an AT&T delivery van is going to drive across a massive lake.
But the people at my post office keep insisting it's mandatory. Honestly...

They're lying. If you want to send it via standard mail, they have to charge you for that service and send it that way.🙄

redranger82 said:Hey.

I have a question. I sent an airmail package Tuesday morning via COD, meaning I'm expecting a payout on delivery.

Even though things were shut down for three days last week, it feels like the money should have hit by now. Now I'm starting to think I botched the paperwork. I need to know if I filled this out correctly to ensure I actually get paid.



I have a nagging feeling I checked the wrong box or messed up some detail. 😁

Also, what's the best way to ship textbooks or literature?

Just toss them in a mailer?

Thanks. 😉

Factor in the holidays +5 days.
Every shipment I sent last week arrived 5 days later than usual, strictly because of those holidays.

Laura Thomas16 said:They’re lying. If you want standard shipping, they have to charge you for it and send it that way. 🙄

She refused to use standard shipping. I'm livid because with the holidays coming up, it'll take an extra five days anyway, making airmail a complete waste of money.
Standard shipping isn't even that much slower than priority.

Thanks for all the input, guys.

So, I called the USPS office today—and honestly, it sounds like they might have just missed sticking one of those COD slips on the package... which means there’s a real chance the mail carrier just handed the guy the box without even mentioning he had to pay up.

They told me they'd give me a shout on Monday, and apparently, the carrier who handles that route is supposed to swing by his place... even though the paperwork clearly shows the amount I wrote down and everything else.

But now I'm sitting here wondering... what actually happens if the mailman gets to this guy and just plays dumb? Like, what if he won't admit we already settled the cash side of things? Am I actually gonna see my money again, or am I just screwed? 😁

The kicker is, every time I try to call him back, it just goes straight to voicemail 😉.

Thanks again!

redranger82 said:Thanks for all the replies, everyone.

I called the USPS office today, and it looks like they might have just missed sticking one of those COD (Cash on Delivery) slips on the package. It’s totally possible the mail carrier just handed him the box without mentioning he needed to pay anything upfront.

They told me they’d give me a call back on Monday. Apparently, the carrier who handles that route should be heading out to see the guy, even though my paperwork clearly shows the amount I'm expecting.

Now I'm wondering—what actually happens if the mailman gets to this guy and claims we never agreed on a COD arrangement? Will I actually get my money back, or am I just out of luck? 😁

The worst part is, whenever I try calling him, I just get his voicemail. 😉.

Thanks again!

You will,
but it won't happen overnight.
It would honestly be way better if you could find a way to bypass this mess entirely if possible.
The local post office where you dropped the item off really ought to be the one fixing this, since the mistake is entirely on their end.

Is anyone else experiencing delays with their holiday shipments? I sent out quite a few packages within the States, but nothing has arrived yet—not even the ones sent back on June 24th. 🙂

Amanda Lopez52 said:Are you guys seeing delays with all those holiday shipments too? I sent out a ton of stuff to people across the US, but nothing has actually shown up yet—I've had things sitting in transit since June 24th. 🙂

I sent out two packages back on the 24th, and they both just showed up this past Saturday. So, I guess maybe we shouldn't start panicking just yet if things are running a few days behind.