Mail & Shipping - Recommendations, Questions, and Answers

I have a question regarding shipping preferences. If I don't want a package delivered directly to my doorstep and would rather pick it up myself at the USPS office, how should I format the address? Should I just list my full name followed by the local USPS branch, or is there a specific protocol? Thanks🙂 Additionally, how am I supposed to know when the item is actually ready for pickup? What is the standard holding period—is it five days from the date of dispatch, or something else?

dustyscout8 said:I was wondering, if I don't want my package delivered to my house and would rather just pick it up myself at the USPS—how should I write the address? Should I just put my full name followed by the local post office, or what? Thanks🙂 Also, how will I know when it's actually ready for pickup? How many days will they hold onto it? Is it the same five-day window from whenever it was shipped?

You should ask the sender to ship it via "General Delivery"
Just a heads-up though: using that method means nobody is going to call you or drop a notice in your mailbox to let you know it arrived.
There’s usually a small fee involved, too. And yeah, you don't include a street address.
For example:
unknown
GENERAL DELIVERY
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Nicole Lee4 said:just ask the sender to use General Delivery
that means nobody is going to give you a heads-up when your package arrives, nor will they deliver it to your doorstep.
you have to pay some fee. And there is no specific street address involved.
for example:
unknown
GENERAL DELIVERY
WASHINGTON, D.C.

thanks, Nicole Lee4😉

I just walked in from the USPS, and I am absolutely fuming😳
Here is how things unfolded: I mailed out a package back on October 26th from a location in Florida, and by any reasonable standard, it should have arrived by now. However, the recipient is insisting they haven't received anything. Fortunately, I kept my receipt as proof of mailing. To make matters worse, another small parcel sent on that very same day has already been delivered. So, I head into the post office today and ask the clerk if she can please track down where the delay is occurring. She looks at me as if I’m asking for the impossible😕 I explained that I simply wanted to confirm if the package ever reached its destination in Florida, and if not, exactly where it currently sits. She just looked completely bewildered, barely even acknowledging me while she was preoccupied picking out her numbers for a bingo card🙄 My blood pressure spiked instantly and my heart started racing😠 I pointed out that every single package has a unique tracking number, much like a barcode, so she could just look it up using that. She still acted like she had never heard of such a thing in her life🙄 She then informed me that if I actually want to find out the whereabouts of my shipment, I would need to file a formal claim, which comes with an additional fee. At that point, I honestly felt like I might lose my temper and break something, though I couldn't even reach her through the thick glass partition!🙂 Who is being unreasonable here!? What is even the point of having a tracking number, the date and time of postage, and all the sender and recipient addresses printed right there on the paper!?
And there is one more thing: she mentioned that if a package is actually lost, you only receive about a quarter or a fifth of the declared value. So, if the value is $33 (which is my situation), I would only get back about twenty cents??? Is that actually true? I didn't have the energy to keep arguing with her, so I just told her I would return tomorrow afternoon when a different colleague—one who isn't so focused on her bingo ticket—is on duty:2up:

I believe you get the full amount rather than just a fifth, though I’ve never actually been in a position where I had to ask.

...I know you get the full amount reimbursed if you actually declare the package's value. If you don't bother listing a value, they just give you five times whatever the shipping cost was. You pay the claim $1.75 and can only start the process once 15 business days have passed since the mailing date.

Honestly, I’ve had such a nightmare with the USPS lately because packages keep vanishing on me. It's not even that they're getting lost... it feels more like the ladies at the post office are "rescuing" them since they know I deal in perfumes and am constantly shipping them out. For instance, one went missing about three weeks ago and I'm still waiting on the insurance payout... then, just this week, another one vanished. I have no idea how to make this stop. So, I've decided I'm going to list the package value as $167... even if the shipping fee ends up being around $8.25... regardless of whether the actual value is way lower. Let's see who gets tired first—me or them.

If that doesn't work... well, I might just end up getting banned from the local post office.

Chloe Moore65 said:I suspect you receive the full declared value rather than just a fifth, though I’ve personally never had to file a claim like that...

Emily Peterson73 said:...my understanding is that if you declare the package value, you get the full amount. If nothing is specified, they only pay out five times the shipping cost. Claims are processed $1.75 and can only be initiated once fifteen business days have passed since the shipment date.

Thank you for clarifying, because it seems perfectly logical to me that the declared value would be reimbursed—after all, there would be little point in stating it otherwise...😕 but the clerk at the USPS counter left me feeling completely bewildered😳 as I still vividly remember her asking whether I was expecting a payout for a C.O.D. shipment😕 or if I had already received it. It honestly feels as though she didn't quite grasp the situation, because if I were sending something via C.O.D., the receipt would look entirely different, wouldn't it?
Reading through the comments above regarding theft, I am somewhat at a loss for words. The real issue is simply that such things are nearly impossible to prove...😢

Look, there’s actually a customer service center at the USPS with a toll-free number where you can file an official complaint about stuff like this. What happened is a total disaster. 🤣 You should honestly just walk into any local branch and demand answers—don't let them mess with you like that.
For a standard package, you pay whatever price is listed on the label and shown on your receipt, but if you're sending something via certified mail, it's basically five times the regular shipping rate.

Just wanted to share a quick update on how things wrapped up: I decided to give the local USPS office in San Diego a call myself today, since I wasn't really in the mood to deal with the back-and-forth at the counter... and it turns out the package had actually been sitting there for days, even though the clerk hadn't received any paperwork for it. Once I sent over my message, she went ahead and released it to her without needing the official slip. If I hadn't taken the initiative to call them this morning, I have a feeling the whole thing would have just been sent back to me tomorrow...😁

It really depends on where you live and which USPS branch you’re using. Sometimes those yellow slips just... vanish. They don't always make it to your door. But look, if you let them know when you sent it, they'll know the package is supposed to arrive within three or four days. If it hasn't shown up by then—and you've already provided the tracking number from your receipt—they should just head down to the post office with their ID. Almost every single time, the package is just sitting there waiting for them. They can pick it up right then and there. Just a heads up though: if they wait too long and don't show up within five days, the whole thing gets sent back.

Same thing happened to me today. My package got sent back to the sender after three weeks of waiting. I’ve been checking my mailbox every single day looking for a yellow slip from the USPS, but nothing ever showed up. Pretty sure I was driving my friend crazy with all the constant texts asking about her shipment. So, on Tuesday, I figured I'd just head down to the local post office to see if they had anything for me without needing that official notice—since it felt sketchy that the package was "missing" when she definitely sent it. Of course, there was nothing. Then today, she hits me up and tells me the package actually got returned to her???? I honestly can't believe this. I've been waiting days for this thing, and then this happens. There's no way the mail carrier left a slip and I somehow missed it... no chance. I'm so pissed I'm heading straight to the post office on Monday...

Yeah, it’s becoming a pattern at this point. I honestly don't get why they can't just leave the slip. Like I mentioned before, if you want to avoid having your package sent back and getting hit with extra shipping fees, just head down to the local post office about five days after it was sent—especially if there's no note left and nothing on your doorstep. They’ll have it sitting there waiting for you, which lets the USPS dodge any responsibility. Meanwhile, the person who was too slow to pick it up gets stuck in limbo, just sitting at home waiting for a notification that never comes. It’s a joke. 👎 Honestly, all sellers should just be upfront about delivery windows so the buyer actually knows what to expect. That would solve most of these headaches. 👍

Melissa Morgan77 said:Exactly, this happens way too often. I honestly don't get why they won't just leave the slip. Like I mentioned before, if you want to avoid having your package sent back for no reason and getting hit with extra shipping fees, just head down to the local post office about five days after it was sent if there’s no notice left and nothing on your doorstep. They'll have it sitting there waiting for you, which lets the USPS dodge any responsibility, and then the person who was too slow to pick it up ends up being the one stuck waiting at home for a slip that never came. It sucks, but that's just how it works. 👎 Every seller really ought to give their customers a heads-up about these timelines so nobody runs into trouble.👍

Yeah. It's usually an issue with the smaller-town post offices. Knock on wood, though, they haven't actually lost anything of mine yet. I did have one moment of panic once—a girl I know didn't get her slip, so she just went straight to the post office to check.

To be fair, they did lose a huge package meant for me once, but somehow everything worked out in the end.

If a package goes missing, who gets the refund—the sender or the recipient?

The sender.
The recipient doesn't have any say in the matter.
The only thing the recipient can actually file a claim for is if the package shows up damaged, or if it's late.

Does anyone happen to know how long a package sits at the local post office when it's sent to the US with a "poste restante" instruction?

dustyscout8 said:Does anyone happen to know how long a package sits at the local post office if it's sent via USPS with a "Poste Restante" instruction?

It stays there for 30 days.

WORK FROM HOME - IS IT WORTH THE HYPE?
Freelance side hustle

Looking for quick cash?

Send $1.75 to 6 addresses!

I stumbled upon this in an online forum and decided to give it a shot. A few weeks back, I was scrolling through some message boards and found a post similar to

this one, claiming you could pull in thousands of dollars in just a FEW WEEKS with a tiny initial investment of only $10! My first thought was,

"Yeah right, this has to be a scam," but like most people, my curiosity got the better of me, so I kept reading. Basically, it said

to mail $1.75 to each of the six names and addresses listed in the article. Then, you just add your own name and address at the end of the list at #6, and

blast that same post out to at least 200 newsgroups (there are thousands out there). No catch, that’s it. After thinking it over and

chatting it up with some friends, I decided to go for it. Since we don't really use $1.75 bills around here anymore, I decided to

just send $3.25. I figured, "What have I got to lose besides the cost of 6 stamps and $20?" So, I put in those measly $20 AND GUESS

WHAT!?... within 7 days, I started getting money in the mail! I was floored! I thought it would stop pretty quickly,

but the money just kept coming. In my first week, I made about $33. By the end of the second week, I had cleared more than

1 $33! By week three, I had over 10 $0.00 and it was still growing. Now I'm in my fourth week and my total earnings are north of 25

$0.00 and the cash is still rolling in like crazy. It is definitely worth $20 the effort, even with the 6 stamps!!
Now, let me explain how this works and—more importantly—WHY it works... Also, make sure you have a printed copy of this

article RIGHT NOW, so you can double-check details as you go. I PROMISE you that if you follow my instructions to a T,

you'll be making more money than you ever could with anything else this easy! KEEP READING TO FIND OUT HOW THIS

WORKS!!! Pro tip: Read this entire message carefully! (Print it out or save it to your computer.) Follow these simple

steps and watch the money roll in! It's easy. It's legal. PLEASE, TRUST ME, I WANT YOU TO SUCCEED!!! Your buy-in is only 30

dollars if you decide to send coins (plus postage for 6 envelopes... just once... no need to resend). IMPORTANT: This isn't a

scam; there are no false promises; it's not illegal; and it's 99% risk-free—it actually works! If you stick to the instructions,

you will see incredible returns. JUST KEEP READING AND PLAY FAIR!! PLEASE follow these steps EXACTLY, and 50

000 or more could be yours within 20 to 60 days. This program stays successful because of the INTEGRITY AND HONESTY of its participants.

Please help maintain its success by following the rules closely. You are about to become part of the USPS mailing business. In this venture,

your product isn't a physical item; it's a service. You are in the business of building USPS lists. Many organizations are willing to pay huge sums of

money for high-quality mailing lists. However, the money from those lists is secondary income earned from people like you and me who want to be

included in those lists.

Here are the 3 steps to guaranteed success:

STEP 1
>Get 6 separate slips of paper and write "PLEASE PUT ME ON YOUR MAILING LIST" on each one. Now take 6

five-dollar bills (or ten-dollar bills like I did) and put ONE in EACH of the 6 slips so the bill isn't visible through the envelope (to

prevent theft). Then, put one slip into each of the 6 envelopes and seal them. You should now have 6 sealed envelopes,

each containing a slip with the phrase above, your name and address, and $1.75 a bill. Don't delay sending them, and play

fair. If you decide to join in, don't keep anyone waiting. That's the only way the system stays viable. What you are doing is...

You are providing a service here. THIS IS LEGALLY SOUND! You’re requesting a legitimate service and paying for it! Like most of you, I was a little

hesitant and honestly a bit worried about how legal all of this actually was. So, I gave the USPS (1-800-275-8777) a call, and they confirmed

to me that this is totally legit.

Mail those 6 envelopes to the following addresses:

#1.) Sarah Miller, 123 Maple St, Springfield, IL 62704, USA.
#2.) Jessica Taylor, 11 Powder Mill Rd, Columbus, OH 43215, USA
#3.) Maria Garcia, 7 Sunset Blvd, Austin, TX 78701, USA
#4.) Natalie Smith, 2 Ocean View Dr, Miami, FL 33101, USA
#5.) Michael Johnson, 34 Oak Lane, Denver, CO 80202, USA
#6.) Danielle Williams, 275 Pine Ave, Seattle, WA 98101, USA

STEP 2
>Now, pick the name at #1 from the list above and remove it. Shift the remaining names up (6 becomes 5, 5 becomes

4, and so on...) and then add YOUR name at number 6 on the list.

STEP 3
>Modify the article however you need to, but try to keep it looking as close to the original as possible. Once that's done, blast your

revised article to at least 200 newsgroups (forums, chat rooms, etc.). I think there are roughly 24,000 groups out there. You only need 200, but remember, the more

you post, the more cash you make! You won't see much unless you go absolutely crazy with it. This is perfectly legal! PLEASE

TRUST ME ON THIS.

If you're feeling skeptical, just look up Title 18 Sec. 1302 & 1341 regarding the Postal lottery laws. Keep copies of these steps for

yourself, and whenever you need some extra cash, just run through the process again and again. PLEASE REMEMBER that this way of making money stays

effective only because of the HONESTY AND INTEGRITY of the participants and their commitment to the rules. Look at it this way: if you play fair,

the program keeps running, and the money many others are making will eventually flow to you too. You might want to keep the names and addresses sent to you, whether

on your computer or on paper, and save the notes people send you. This PROVES that you are actually performing a service. (Also, it might

be a smart move to wrap your bills in $1.75 dark paper to lower the risk of mail theft.) Your name will

move up the list geometrically, so once your name hits the #1 spot, you'll be getting thousands of dollars in CASH!!! What a massive opportunity for just 30

bucks ($1.75 per person for the first 6 names on the list) Send them now, add your name to the list, and you're in business! You can also

translate this article into English and launch it on international newsgroups. If you do that, just swap out the currency.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR 'HOW TO POST TO A NEWSGROUP'

Step 1) You don't have to rewrite this whole letter to send it. Just put your cursor at the start of the message, drag it down to

the bottom of the document, and select 'copy' from the edit menu. That will copy the entire thing to your computer's clipboard.

Step 2) Open a blank Notepad document and put your cursor at the top of the empty page. From the 'edit' menu, select 'paste.' This will transfer

your copied letter into Notepad so you can add your own name to the list.

Step 3) Save your new Notepad file as a .txt document. If you want to send a different version later, you'll always have that document

ready to edit.

Step 4) Fire up Netscape or Internet Explorer and try searching for various newsgroups (online forums, message boards, chat

rooms, discussion threads...)

Step 5) Visit those pages and post this article as a new message by clicking in the empty field and selecting 'paste' from the 'edit' menu.

Fill in the 'Subject' line—that's the title everyone will see while browsing the message lists for that group—then click the 'post

message' button. You're done with the first one! Congrats... THAT'S IT!

All you have to do is hit those newsgroups and post the article; once you get the hang of it, it'll take you about 10 seconds per post.

newsgroup! **REMEMBER: the more groups you blast this to, the bigger your payday! It’s that simple. You’ll start seeing

cash flowing in from all over the States within just a few days! **JUST DOUBLE-CHECK THAT YOUR ADDRESSES ARE SPOT ON.** HERE’S HOW $10

YOU TURN A FEW BUCKS INTO THOUSANDS!! Say you send out 200 messages and only get 5 responses (that's being conservative). You’ve already cleared $8.25 just by using

your name at slot #6 on the letter. Now, if those 5 people who sent you $1.75 each send out AT LEAST 200 messages with your

name at #5, and they each get just 5 replies, that’s an extra $42 in your pocket. Then, if those 25 people each send out a minimum of 200 messages

with your name at #4 and each gets 5 replies, you’re looking at an income of $208! Next, those 125 people pass it on, sending out MINIMUM

200 messages with your name at #3, and if they each grab 5 replies, you’re pulling in 3 $42! Okay, now we get to the fun part—each

of those 625 people sends out at least 200 letters with your name at #2, and if they each land 5 replies, you’ve netted

15 $208!!! Finally, those 3,125 people will all forward this to 200 newsgroups with your name at #1, and if even 5 people per

200 newsgroups respond, you walk away with 78 $42! And that’s all starting from a tiny role of JUST $10! UNBELIEVABLE!

Once your name drops off the list, you just take the very last message in the group and send $10 names from the list again,

putting your own name back at number 6. Then you start hitting the newsgroups all over again. The thing you have to realize is,

do you see how thousands of people across the US are jumping online and reading articles every single day? JUST LIKE YOU ARE RIGHT NOW!! So, can you really

afford NOT to $10 and see if this actually works?? Personally, I think so... People always ask, "What if this is a scam and nobody sends the money?

So what! What are the odds of that happening when there are so many new, honest users and decent folks joining

the internet and newsgroups every single day, eager to give it a shot? Estimates show anywhere from 20,000 to 50,000 new users join every day, along with

thousands more connecting to the real internet. I wish you guys massive success and huge payouts

4) Publicly advocating for illegal activities or using this forum to promote pyramid schemes is strictly prohibited. Furthermore, posting hyperlinks to any such content, including pornography, online casinos, lotteries, or various "get rich quick" chains, is forbidden.
Penalty for violation: Permanent ban

I found a slip in my mailbox today about some registered mail waiting for me... since I haven't ordered anything lately and wasn't expecting any deliveries, I'm wondering if there's any way to figure out what this is actually about. Should I just give the local USPS office a call, or is there some other way to check 🤷