Mail & Shipping - Recommendations, Questions, and Answers

Drew Palmer3 said:How can I send a package where the recipient covers the COD amount AND the shipping costs? Like, I don't want to have to pay anything upfront when I drop it off..

There are basically two ways to handle this. You can go the EMS Express route—which is just walking up to the counter at any local USPS branch—or you can do standard Express, where you just call FedEx or UPS and they swing by your house to pick it up.
Both of those services allow for COD shipments where the receiver picks up the tab for the postage too, so you walk away without spending a dime!

Kate Morgan66 said:They certainly exist, though they aren't exactly budget-friendly—$3.50 I picked up the smallest one myself (about the size of a shoebox), and I haven't the slightest clue how much larger the others are 🤷

I inquired about the medium size, which is $6.25, while the large one was upwards of $10, if my eyes didn't deceive me 😲...

I was just wondering... do they allow you to pick up packages on Saturdays, or is it strictly limited to business days?
😵

You really ought to put your working hours in writing. Most of the time, you can push it to 12:00 PM at most.

Well, I've got two packages due to arrive tomorrow, and I'm really crossing my fingers that I can swing by and grab them right away. If not, they'll just end up being left at the house... we'll just have to see if tomorrow brings any good news, won't we? 🙂🙂

Hey everyone! If anyone could lend me a hand here, I would be sooo incredibly grateful 😁
So, basically, my package failed customs and got sent all the way back to Hong Kong. I have the tracking number, but I'm just wondering—will I be able to see on their official websites (or maybe even just a status note) that the package is actually being returned to the seller? Right now, I can see on the USPS site that it arrived in the States, but the Hong Kong Post site only shows when it originally left China.... Does anyone know how this works? 🙂

Is there a specific cutoff time for when I can drop off a package, or is it pretty much anytime?

Angela Grant22 said:Is there a specific cutoff time for when I can drop off a package?

Well, it really depends on the hours that specific branch keeps for shipping and receiving. If you're over in a big city like Chicago, for example, the main USPS hub near Branimirov !! usually accepts packages until eight, and I think one of the ladies on here mentioned they even have a 24-hour location available, so you might want to double-check... I've got no clue about the hours for other cities or smaller branches though.
Does anyone have an answer for my previous post? When an international shipment gets sent back to the sender, is there any way to track it?? 😢

So, I’ve been sitting here wondering... how are you all actually getting paid for your orders? Are we talking direct bank transfers, or are people sending checks through the mail? Or maybe something else entirely?

shadowgardener52 said:I’ve been sitting here wondering how everyone else handles their business—when it comes to getting paid for orders, do you all rely on direct bank transfers, or are you more the type to deal with checks sent through the mail? I feel like I'm constantly juggling different methods, and honestly, it gets exhausting trying to keep track of who actually settled up and who's just dragging their feet.

Just making a standard deposit into my checking account.😉

Angela Grant22 said:Is there a specific cutoff time for when I can drop off a package, or...

At my local USPS, you can drop packages off all day long, though if you get them there late in the afternoon or towards the evening, they won't actually head out until the next morning...

Whatever, if this has already been hashed out elsewhere. I’m just wondering about sending stuff via standard mail when someone specifically requests it. If it never shows up because it gets lost or someone decides to lose it, does the USPS actually keep any kind of record or tracking number for regular letters/packages? Like, is there anything you can actually point to, or is it just a total lost cause? 😕

A lost cause

So, since I’ve been having some ongoing issues with my aunts over at the local USPS branch—honestly, it’s becoming quite the saga—I wanted to pick your brains on something. If I'm looking to mail off a book, am I strictly required to send it as a package (you know, tucked safely in a box) if I want to hit that $14.40 shipping rate? Or is there a way to just slide it into a padded envelope for that same $14.40 price point?

You need to weigh it first, then check the USPS website to see what the shipping rate is for that specific weight in a padded envelope.

Chloe Moore65 said:you really ought to weigh it first—then just check the USPS website to see what the rate is for a certified envelope at that specific weight.

Yeah, that’s exactly how I’ve been doing it.$7.00 Prepaying the shipping via the envelope.

I could also send it COD so the recipient covers the postage (which would be like $7 or something, I think).

In theory, it's all pretty straightforward, but honestly? My local post office is staffed by these stubborn old ladies who don't care a bit about what I tell them—I practically have to get into an argument with them every single time just to get things done right.

The recipient will end up paying $3.25 more than they would otherwise, so if they agree, go ahead and set it up that way.

Yeah, she finally agreed—honestly, I don't even care about the price at this point, I just need it to get here fast.
Though, I really wouldn't want to use FedEx for this—shipping alone would run me about $20 bucks in ☕ fees, which is just too much.

Hey everyone, does anyone else deal with this when a package goes missing??
I sent out a parcel with cash on delivery from Savannah to Indianapolis via a direct route, but now it’s just completely vanished 😢
We headed down to the post office and filed an official inquiry
Does anyone happen to know how that process usually works... or if anyone here has gone through something similar before?

So, let me get this straight—if I send a package where the recipient covers the shipping costs, they’re going to get hit with a massive bill because it has to go through FedEx Express rather than just a standard certified mail delivery? Is that how it works? 🤷
I'm looking at the weight now, and it’s about a pound of books—it should take three days $13 to get from Atlanta to Seattle
.