Posts by Zachary Peterson6

Olivia Green46 said:get lost? I mean, I don't know about that. Last year, I had a huge package sent from Cleveland that just completely vanished into thin air. It never showed up. 😁

Shit happens.🙂

Look, don't sweat it too much. I mean, maybe they just lose their way once in a while because of a bunch of different things...

urbanmason15 said:Last week, I was supposed to receive a letter from overseas (a neighboring country) sent via priority mail.
But it just never showed up. I'm pretty sure the sender actually sent it because it's the same person who has sent me stuff before, so I know they're trustworthy.
What are the odds that it actually got lost somewhere or maybe someone swiped it?
And what are the chances that if I send regular mail outside the US in the future, it'll actually make it to its destination—even if it's going all the way to Tungusia—without just vanishing into thin air?
If anyone knows the answer or has dealt with missing mail before, thanks.

I mean, it’ll probably show up this week.😉 Letters don't usually just vanish into nothingness that easily.🤷

Melissa Phillips4 said:I've sent stuff through my local post office a few times and they always charged me exactly what HP Inc. rates say.
A couple of times over at the branch on Branimirov, though, I actually had to pay extra, which totally caught me off guard.

I was wondering, can you actually get a receipt as proof of mailing for standard packages? I've never really been handed one before, so I figured I'd ask.

You should always be getting a receipt😉just like you would at any other store.👍

hmm I get what you're saying, but I mean, maybe it's not even 3% anymore 🙂🙂

Chris Reed45 said:I honestly don't even know who's losing their mind anymore... I mean, seriously. I sent off a package through the mail, paid my money upfront, and now everything is just a complete mess. $6.75 So, I was thinking about getting this package delivered right to my doorstep, but honestly, I’ve got no clue if I actually bit the bullet and paid that extra fee for home delivery or what. I guess I might have missed that step during checkout, maybe? It's such a headache trying to keep track of all those little add-ons when you're just trying to get your stuff moved. $1.75 So, look, I didn't exactly ask about it beforehand or anything, but I ended up receiving a package that had this specific label on it... $6.00 So, I was totally expecting to get some kind of notification that my package had arrived so I could just swing by the post office and grab it, right? But nope, absolutely not. Instead, this delivery van pulls up right to my door, and the mail carrier is just standing there demanding stuff from me. Like, seriously? Such a headache. $1.75!
One more thing... If we're talking about the actual value of the package... $33, pt=$6.00 If the recipient decides to swing by the post office to pick it up themselves, then yeah, we’re talking about the declared value. $50, pt= $7.50I mean, seriously, what kind of logic is that even supposed to be??? I can't even begin to wrap my head around it. It just makes absolutely zero sense.
I mean, I guess if you look back at how things used to be, everything was just based on the base package price. It wasn't nearly as complicated as it is now. $3.25An extra 3% on top of the total? Seriously? Now we're talking. $6.00Wait, hold up... an extra 3%? Are you kidding me right now? Seriously??

Man, this is just straight-up exhausting... honestly. Ever since they rolled out that new pricing structure, I’ve been feeling the sting. I actually had to bite the bullet and send something via FedEx the other day because it was super high-value and I couldn't risk anything else. Just one of those things, I guess. $100I mean, if I end up sending it via certified mail and they still manage to lose it, I won't even get a third of my money back... It's a total joke. Honestly, at this point, it actually makes more sense for me to pay the extra for certified shipping even on the cheap stuff, just to cover my assets.

So, just a quick heads-up—I sent out three certified packages back on November 5th, and I haven't seen a single cent charged to my American Red Cross account yet. I guess they’re just taking their sweet time, or maybe I totally missed something in the paperwork? Not sure.

And since I’m already in a total rage while typing this, I might as well vent about one more thing regarding these "bags" some of us use to ship stuff... So, I went to the FedEx location over on Branimirov—well, let's just say this local spot near downtown—and the clerk there was being a complete idiot. They actually refused to take my shipment! It was packed perfectly fine, totally secure, but because I used a gray poly mailer bag instead of a cardboard box, they wouldn't touch it. Like, seriously? Since when is it illegal to send a package in a mailer bag??! It makes zero sense, I guess. Just feels like they're looking for any excuse to be difficult. 😠 I honestly felt like just walking up and slapping her because I was so incredibly pissed off! First of all, that "bag" is lightyears better than any damn envelope that’s going to fall apart the second you actually touch it, and... $1.75 Look, I am absolutely not giving any credit to that absolute joke of a service! Second off, I always make sure everything is packed perfectly—I mean, I wrap my stuff so it’s totally waterproofed and protected against whatever crappy weather the package might face. Most of the time, I just use my local neighborhood post office, but since I was passing by the main HP Inc. hub this time, I figured I’d drop it there to speed things up. And honestly? My local branch always gets it right; everything arrives exactly where it’s supposed to go. But then you look at what happened when I sent stuff from that location over on Branimirov... let's just say things didn't exactly make it to their destination. It's because they have these total jerks working there who think they’re entitled to lecture you when they should just be doing their actual jobs! I am seriously livid right now, so please don't go calling me out for venting or using some colorful language... I swear, normally I'm a pretty chill and level-headed person. 🙂

Look, I can only tell you this much: prices have been shifting around for a bunch of different reasons, I guess. It's all pretty complicated, maybe.🙄 It’s just… weird. I don't even know how else to put it. Everything feels a little off lately, you know? It’s like there’s this underlying sense of something strange going on that nobody wants to talk about openly. I guess I might be overthinking it, or maybe I'm just being paranoid, but I can't shake the feeling that things aren't quite what they seem. It's just odd.

I mean, looking at the whole situation with the American Red Cross, maybe they just burned through whatever supplies they actually received? It’s possible that once they ran out of what they had on hand, the whole operation there just kind of fizzled out. I guess that might be why the drive ended so abruptly, but who knows.🙂
I honestly don't get why people won't just talk to the lady at the service counter and ask her straight up why they were charged this much or that. I mean, she’d probably be more than happy to walk you through the breakdown if you just asked. It's not that complicated, really.😍

redtiger53 said:When I said "They suck!", I was talking about the USPS... though, honestly, my mail carrier messed up too..

Look, the fact is, maybe the USPS has its flaws, but they’re constantly working on modernization and trying to find better ways to handle things. So, I guess this might just be one of those new changes we all have to get used to... (not that I’m saying I actually agree with it)

And as for the mail carrier... man, we could go back and forth on whether they even rang the bell or not🙂(I'm speaking from experience here)

redtiger53 said:I am seriously losing my mind over this new rule where you have to pay for home delivery upfront. Here is why it sucks.
So, back when I placed an earlier order, I hadn't paid for shipping yet—which was supposed to be $0.67 handled separately—but the FedEx guy just shows up at my door anyway. He’s ringing the doorbell like crazy, just standing there waiting and waiting for me to show up, and then he hands me the package and demands $1.75!
Okay, so I thought, fine, next time I'll just pay for shipping ahead of time so they'll actually, you know, $0.67 show up. I know I could have just refused the package and gone pick it up myself, but honestly, that felt so stupid. Like, the guy is right there, holding the box in front of me...
And then, well... the second package comes along. This time, I pay the shipping fee upfront. But then, somehow, the driver can't find me? And I was literally sitting right at home that day. Then, to top it all off, I have to pay a storage fee when I finally go to grab the package. I mean, they could at least offset that storage fee by covering the failed delivery attempt 🙄

They are just terrible!

I mean, maybe the people making the rules and setting the prices are the ones who suck, but I guess the delivery drivers aren't necessarily to blame🙄🤷😉

Those extra stamps for the Red Cross are only good until tomorrow🙂 meaning starting Monday, they’re gonna be totally freeeeeee🙂 I think they do this twice a year, I guess😉
And since you can't even send anything without one of those little stickers, the lady at the service counter just automatically adds them to your bill anyway🙂

Regarding what was recommended... hm, I think this week they're actually charging those extra Red Cross Act fees, so there's a chance that's what happened...

As for the buyout, it’s possible they hit you with a transaction fee too... though usually, the person receiving the money covers that part...
I don't know, honestly. Maybe just ask them next time you reach out about what's going on.

urbanmason15 said:So, I’ve got a question here, and if anyone happens to know anything or maybe has dealt with this before, let me know.
I actually sent an email over to HP a few weeks back, but I haven't heard a single thing back from them yet.

1. I'm curious about using a Post Office box service—you know, like General Delivery. Do I need to file some kind of formal request for that, or can I just show up? Is it open to everyone? And does it cost anything extra?

I've got some stuff coming in from overseas, and honestly, I'm a bit paranoid about giving out my home address, so maybe sticking to the local post office is the safer bet.

2. Also, if I'm getting something sent from abroad via certified mail, does Customs actually crack open the envelope to inspect what's inside, or do they leave it alone?

Thanks in advance for any help!

1. Pretty much anyone can use General Delivery. I don't think there's a fee, you probably just have to fill out a quick form or something.
3. As for certified mail, usually they aren't supposed to mess with it if it's just standard letters, but with packages, they almost always open them up.

Hannah Mendoza45 said:Come on, be a pal, Zachary Peterson6, and walk me through a few things. 😉
I can't quite make up my mind yet, but I'm thinking about selling off a few books. Now, I have no clue if buyers will want just one or a whole bunch at once, so I want to be prepared:
1. What's the best way to pack books (especially paperbacks) so they actually survive shipping?
2. Can I send a cardboard box via certified mail?
3. How do I even pack a box (like an old shoe box) so it doesn't pop open during transit?
4. What's the best way to label a shipment if I want the recipient to pay both the value of the books and the shipping costs?
5. What is the absolute safest way to ensure the buyer actually receives the package?

Thanks in advance!
I am totally lost with all these postal terms and business stuff.

Let's take this one step at a time.🙂
1-Use a bubble mailer or those small boxes you can grab right at the Post Office (they run about $3.30-$3.50).
2-Yeah, you can.🙂
3-Just tape it up really well with packing tape, or honestly, better yet, wrap it in white paper or some other colored paper first and then tape over that. But again, I'm telling you, any USPS location is going to have plenty of cheap, new boxes in all sizes.
SMALL BOX TYPE $4.90
MEDIUM BOX TYPE $5.90
LARGE BOX TYPE $7.90
XL BOX TYPE $9.90
XXL BOX TYPE $12.90
MINI BOX TYPE $3.90
MINI XL BOX TYPE $6.90
TRAPEZOIDAL BOX TYPE $5.90
BOTTLE BOX TYPE $7.90
BOOK BOX TYPE $4.90
BOOK BOX LARGE TYPE $6.90
ENVELOPE BOX SMALL TYPE $2.90
ENVELOPE BOX MEDIUM TYPE $3.90
ENVELOPE BOX LARGE TYPE $3.90

4-Just tell the clerk at the counter that you want to send it via Certified Mail with COD (Cash on Delivery), which means the item price plus shipping. Just keep in mind that on top of that price, the buyer will also have to pay maybe an extra $8-$3.00 in transaction fees to get the money to you.
5-Hmm, the most secure way for both the shipment and the buyer is sending a registered letter with a declared value, though it does cost a bit more.😉

Morgan Hughes81 said:Can someone please tell me how many days it usually takes if I send something via certified mail versus sending a full package?
So, like, let's say I sent a package on Monday, and then separately, I sent some stuff in a certified envelope. I'm wondering how many days it'll actually take to reach the person I'm sending it to? The USPS website says if you drop things off by a certain time, they ship them out the next day, so I guess what I really want to know is when it'll actually show up at their house? Ugh, thanks, and sorry if I'm making this way more complicated than it needs to be, I just registered here so I'm still figuring everything out.😁 😁🤷

Hmm, okay, so here's the deal... let's keep it simple... basically, any shipments that hit the post office by, say, 1:00 PM will arrive at their destination the very next day (unless we're talking about remote islands or maybe some super rural areas out in the middle of nowhere). This especially applies to C.O.D. shipments, certified mail, and standard packages...

Emily Walker said:Does anyone know what the damage is if I just send a package via USPS and have the recipient pick it up at the post office themselves? Like, maybe some sandals in a box or a t-shirt in a bubble mailer. Is that actually cheaper than having it delivered right to their door? Does anyone have an idea about the pricing?

$1.75 It’s definitely cheaper under the new rates🙂

If you’ve got any questions about the USPS or how the whole mailing business works, I’m your guy. Just hit me up.🙂

Your local mailman,🙂