Posts by Edward Turner56

Joseph Hernandez95 said:Cheers,
I'm trying to figure out if I actually have the right to open a package upon delivery before handing over the cash... you know, just to make sure what's inside is actually what I paid for...
Thanks,

If you're dealing with the USPS, you can always refuse the shipment. Just tell them you'll head down to the local post office to inspect the contents in person while an officer looks on...

coppermoose42 said:I honestly have no idea where to even post this question, so I’ll just try my luck here. I've been scouring the web but I can't find anything helpful...

Who do I actually contact, or where do I go if I want my electricity and water bills sent to an address different from the property I'm actually paying for?
I heard it was possible to do this, but I haven't a clue how to find more details...😢

Well, obviously you need to contact whoever is actually ISSUING the bills—like Duke Energy or Berkshire Hathaway—isn't that just common sense?

Noah Thompson said:Fine. Thanks.

He learned just like you’re learning—either the shipping costs get wired to your checking account upfront before I even touch the package, or I don't send it at all. Simple as that...

velvetwalker23 said:Yeah, I get that. That’s what I was thinking too, but I’m honestly not sure if it even fits in one of those envelopes. Plus, it feels stupid to carry it all the way to the USPS office just to grab an envelope there since I don't have any at home—even though I do have the box ready. So, I was wondering if I can just send it in the box as registered mail, rather than a full package, since it's in a box ? 😁

Look, a package is addressed to the recipient, right? It's in their name. I really don't see why you're obsessing over the registered mail aspect... If you want, you can just ship the package directly to their home address; there's an extra fee of about $1.75. That way, you don't have to worry about them having to trek out to pick up a delivery...
And no, you absolutely cannot send a box as a letter. 😉
Here, you can just run the numbers yourself:
http://www.usps.com/tools/zonal-calculator.htm

velvetwalker23 said:I have a quick question 😍

I need to mail out a jacket... I think sending it via certified mail is my best bet, but now I'm wondering if I can just pack it in a box (like grab a standard cardboard box, wrap it up, etc.) and send that entire package as certified mail? Or is "certified" limited to just those big yellow envelopes? 😕
It feels like a waste to pay extra for their specific envelopes when I already have plenty of boxes lying around at home... even if shipping a package costs a bit more than an envelope.

And let's say certified mail *is* restricted to just that envelope... do I just bring the item in a plastic bag and they stuff it in there for me, or what? 😁

Don't judge me for asking such silly questions, this is my first time doing this. 😛

I don't know what kind of jacket we're talking about here, but if you want to avoid any damage, you really should use either a bubble mailer or a sturdy cardboard box. Anything else is just asking for trouble in my opinion. And honestly, those specialized envelopes aren't even that expensive...

northernbadger1 said:Thanks for the reply... Today, my shipment was sent back to me with a little note attached saying the recipient was notified, but they just never bothered to pick up the package. Honestly, I'm done. No more COD shipments from me... 🙂

Look, I get it... I stopped doing that ages ago. I won't even think about sending anything via USPS unless the shipping costs—both ways, mind you—are paid upfront. It’s only about five or six bucks on average, but it adds up. Most people actually pay it, but still... $33I’m convinced the man is being perfectly serious here. That is exactly how you protect yourself from this breed of buyer... You simply refuse the down payment from the total buyout price, and that's the end of it...
I’ve actually dealt with people who were willing to wire me a massive sum upfront just to shave a few bucks off the shipping costs. It sounds crazy, I know, but honestly? Not a single one of them ever got scammed... There are all sorts of characters out there, I suppose...😉

northernbadger1 said:I have a question... I sent out a package via COD on March 8th, but as of today, there's still no money and no sign of the package... How long does this whole process usually take?? I did this once before and everything was wrapped up in about five days...

Ugh... That is way too long... Even for shipping out to Hawaii, especially since you sent it right at the end of the work week...
I really hope you declared a high value on it... Just head down to the local Post Office and demand some answers...

Ashley Thompson93 said:So, the phone is worth about $133 and he refuses to ship it via Cash on Delivery—basically, he won't let me pay when it arrives because he claims that's not how he does business. He wouldn't even give me his cell number to talk things through; he just gave me an email address that he's already changed twice in one day. It feels shady... I have no idea who I'm actually dealing with. What I need to know is, does anyone guarantee I'll get my money back if I wire $133 directly to his checking account? And how would I even prove the payment was specifically for this phone? I've never done anything like this before. Please, I need advice. Is it worth sending the money upfront, or should I walk away? I've always paid COD, and this guy just refuses to budge.

Walk away. Just don't do it. I see absolutely no reason why he wouldn't agree to ship the package if you're willing to cover roughly $33 for the shipping costs. He isn't losing a dime there, so in my opinion, he’s just running a scam... The fact that he’s dodging a simple phone call only makes my suspicions worse...
There are zero guarantees here. Your only option is to report him to the police, but fraud charges usually don't kick in until the amount exceeds $333, so you'd be looking at a civil suit. Honestly, for such a small amount, who has the time for that? I bet that's exactly what he's counting on...🤷
As for reliability, I wouldn't trust any of our local delivery services anyway...
By the way, back in the day, City Express used to rely on USPS in neighborhoods where they didn't have their own drivers. So...

Ashley Thompson93 said:Can someone please help me out here?
So, I'm buying a phone, and the seller wants to send it via certified mail immediately after they see the funds hit their checking account.
I've never paid this way before, so I'm wondering if I should make the deposit at the bank or at the post office before they ship the package?
Also, is this actually 100% safe? What happens if I wire him the money and then he just ghosts me or never sends the damn thing?😕

Look, if you aren't completely sure about this guy, tell him to send it COD—Cash on Delivery. That way, you hand the cash directly to the mail carrier when they drop off the box, and his courier handles getting him the money a few days later...
I've sold stuff using that method myself, and usually, it’s smooth sailing, until it isn't. I had two buyers refuse their packages once, and they just ended up being sent back to me. Since then, I always demand enough upfront to cover the shipping costs, and the rest is handled via COD upon arrival...
If the guy trusts you enough to go with your first option, then you're fine.
But honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if he pushes for that second option too...
Personally, I would never, ever pay for something upfront before I actually have the goods in my hands...
But if you do it this way, $17 you're taking a massive risk if he insists...
I have no idea how much this phone is even worth...
Don't want this to turn into:
http://www.nytimes.com/news/scams-and-fraud-alerts-article-364481