Those dark bags, the ones you get from Amazon 🙂 my local mailbox will take them without any issues, but the USPS branch over in downtown Chicago won't touch them. They refuse to accept them as either a package or certified mail; they insist you either put everything into a standard box or a padded envelope... honestly, it just depends on which clerk happens to be working that day...
I’m not sure which part of the country you’re in, but if you live in a larger area with multiple branches, there’s usually one central hub. If your local branch is just a satellite office, the mail carrier often has to send all the packages back to the main distribution center first, and they don't get sent out to the local branches until later in the evening. That’s probably why you can't pick up your package yet—it hasn't actually reached your specific post office. At least, that's how it works in my neck of the woods...
darkmaker94 said:About two weeks ago, I sent out a C.O.D. package. The guy received it the very next day and handed the mail carrier the cash right then and there. I still haven't seen a dime of it. 🤷 And to make matters worse, I was foolish enough to toss the shipping receipt. I guess now I can just... 😢
Ask the person you sent the package to if they kept the envelope. At least the tracking number should be printed on there, so maybe try asking the local USPS office with that info... though I doubt the recipient held onto the packaging...
Nicole Lee4 said:Most of the time, it isn't actually the mail carrier A few might steal, mostly because they are at the end of the line—somewhere between the sender and the receiver Even if she asks them, what are they going to say? "Yeah, I saw him, and no, I didn't deliver it"? If the carrier felt like being difficult, she'd be getting her money But it's usually those people working in the massive distribution hubs... She just needs to file a report
I agree too; it’s rarely about the delivery driver, it’s more likely someone further down the chain after the package is processed...
Zachary Peterson6 said:just tell me who on earth is stealing the mail?? personally, I think it's more likely that the person just never sent it in the first place😉 I'm constantly sending all sorts of things via standard First Class mail, and lo and behold, everything arrives at its destination just fine🙂
Look, sorry, but I don't think anyone is sitting over the shoulders of USPS employees, watching their every move to see if they're going to "swipe" a regular package or not... Every profession has people who take things that aren't theirs, so the postal service isn't some kind of exception... At least with certified or registered mail, I know I can file a claim if something goes missing. With standard mail, there's really nobody to complain to, and that's just my two cents.
Look, don't you dare send anything via standard mail, because let's be real—people steal things. Not everyone has a moral compass. We've gone over this on this thread a dozen times already: it is actually cheaper to send something via certified mail than regular mail, specifically because there's a 99% chance standard mail just vanishes. You end up losing money either way. If you send a basic package, you have absolutely zero recourse; there's nobody to complain to and nothing you can do about it. You can sit there and cry about it, or just never use standard mail again. In my experience, the only thing that actually arrives through the regular mail is junk mail or promotional flyers. 😁 I remember one time I sent some lip gloss via standard mail. I went to the main post office on Broadway, thinking that since it was the big central hub, it would definitely reach its destination... Yeah, right. Turns out, the lady at the counter decided to pocket my gloss for herself. On the flip side, I have the most wonderful mail carrier. Once, I was waiting for a package from overseas, and he showed up looking absolutely devastated. He told me he had tucked my little parcel in the back of his bag, but since he had so many deliveries and couldn't zip it shut, it somehow tumbled out somewhere along his route. This man actually pulled cash out of his own wallet to pay me back for the cost of the package—I felt so bad taking it from him! He could have easily stayed silent; if a package falls out, who's going to notice? There's no signature required, so how would I even know it existed? But two days later, he shows up with my package in hand! It had fallen out in his neighborhood, and because everyone loves him, someone (thank God there are still honest people out there!) found it and brought it back to him. So, I paid him back, I got my package, and everyone lived happily ever after. 😁
They’ve gone and messed with the price list again. They swapped out the interactive calculator on the shipping pages for yet another static PDF version... 😢
Melissa Phillips4 said:You don't even need a formal request for general delivery; just provide your full name, write "General Delivery," and include the zip code of the post office. You only pay the $0.43 postage fee when you actually pick it up.
That’s right, you pay the $0.43 shipping costs once you go to collect the package, and it'll sit there waiting for you for about a month...
redtiger53 said:But what about the price tag? $6.00 The package value is covered. $33. If we’re looking at a value package of $101, we've basically got $100 covered already. That leaves us with just $1 left to secure—which is only about 3% of... $0.33 It’s 3 LP, which puts the PTT at 18.03. Value Proposition $34 I need to top up another 6 liters. I don't know. Value proposition. $50 It looks like we'll need to cover the difference then. $0.50So, the USPS rate is sitting at $19.50.
However, it’s clear that the logic being applied here is a bit different, as Chris Reed45 pointed out (since I personally have never sent a package exceeding that amount). $33 Values? I honestly wouldn't even know where to start with that, let alone how to define them. They’re way beyond my grasp. $33 You aren't even factoring in that 3% margin when calculating the total amount. $33 I've already paid the price for it. $6.00Plus, they’re tacking on an extra 3% to the total amount, which honestly makes absolutely zero sense.
So, let's talk about the value proposition. $34Yeah, we definitely need to top this up. $1.00It seems like you might have hit "send" a little too early! Your message cut off right at the start. What were you going to say? I'm all ears. $0.01...and so on.
🤷
That’s exactly my point. 👍
Gerald Wright32 said:Let me lend a hand to my buddy over in St. Louis. You really need to keep in mind that the price for this package starts at... $6.00 There is already package insurance available starting from... $33So, basically, any further increase in value—say, reaching... $50 It drags everyone else down with it. $6.00 It’s an additional 3% of the total value—in this specific instance, that is. $1.50So, that brings the total package price to $22.50. I think some people might be misinterpreting our local postal jargon, if you know what I mean. Honestly, it breaks my heart a little to hear all the complaints about postal workers lately. Believe me, we all truly give it our best shot. If we refuse to accept a package that’s just wrapped in loose plastic, please understand it’s actually for your own benefit—we do it to ensure your shipment stays secure and doesn't fall apart in transit.
It’s not like I have an issue with all postal workers, though. In my neighborhood, I absolutely adore the lady at my local branch and the gentleman who works there—they are incredibly kind, sharp, and genuinely good people. Every single time I’ve sent something from my local office, everything arrives perfectly intact and on schedule, which is a far cry from the mess you deal with over at the Branimirov branch! And don't even get me started on how much I love my mail carrier, too. 😁 Honestly, there are just certain people—you know the type, they exist in every single industry—who push my blood pressure so high that I’m completely unraveled by the end of it. Once the conversation is over, I can't even pretend to be a functioning human being anymore. I just lose it! Can you please tell me if that "poly mailer" I'm getting my package in from the USA is actually worse or less secure than those flimsy paper envelopes they keep trying to force me to buy just so I can ship things out? Honestly, I don't get it—it seems like some people over there are just clueless, coming up with the idea to send stuff across such a massive distance in nothing but a cheap little plastic bag... 🤷
But I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around how the pricing works if the package value is $33 and $50.. Under the old system, the price for a value of $33 would be roughly $4.25, and for $50 it would be about $4.75 (give or take a few cents) However, you can't have that kind of discrepancy under the new rate schedule. If the amount exceeds $33, then the 3% fee applies, and that 3% has to be added to the fixed base price of the package—which in this specific case means adding it to $5.00, not $6.00! Because $5.00 plus 3% of $33 equals $6.00, which covers a value of $33, whereas $5.00 plus 3% of $50 equals $6.50, rather than $7.50 like 😠 is calculating it. Does that make sense? 😁
I honestly don’t even know who’s crazier at this point.... I sent off a package and paid $6.75 specifically for doorstep delivery, and now I have no idea if the recipient had to shell out an extra $1.75 on top of that because I didn't think to ask. But get this: I received a notice saying $6.00 (which implies I should've been notified that the package arrived so I could go pick it up from the post office), but nope! The package showed up via a delivery van and the mail carrier actually demanded $1.75! Another thing... If a package is valued at $33, the fee is $6.00 (assuming the recipient picks it up themselves from the post office), but if it's worth $50, the fee jumps to $7.50. What kind of twisted logic is that??? It used to be the base shipping rate of $3.25 plus 3% of the value! Now it's $6.00 plus 3%! Hello??
It’s just a total nightmare, seriously.... Ever since they rolled out this new pricing schedule, I once had to send a package urgently with a value of $100, and if I send it via certified mail and they lose it, I won't even recover a third of the amount.... It’s actually become more cost-effective to send even cheap items via certified mail just to be safe..
And p.s. back on May 11th, I sent three certified shipments and wasn't charged a single cent for the American Red Cross fee...
And since I’m already venting, here’s one more thing regarding those "pouches" some of us use to ship things.... Some clerk at the branch in San Francisco refused to take my shipment even though it was perfectly packed; she just didn't like that it was in a gray poly mailer "pouch." Like, seriously, is it against the rules to ship something in a pouch???! 😠 I was so livid I almost wanted to slap her! First of all, that "pouch" is sturdier than any damn envelope that falls apart the second you touch it, and I certainly wouldn't pay $1.75 for a bubble mailer! Secondly, I always pack things securely, making sure they're protected from rain and whatever rough handling happens within the FedEx network. I usually ship from my local neighborhood post office (but this one was on my way, so I figured it might arrive faster if I dropped it off at a main FedEx hub), and my local folks always accept everything, and everything always reaches the recipient. Unlike when I've used the San Francisco location—there, things haven't always made it to their destination.. All because they employ these condescending types who think they can lecture you on things that aren't even their business! I'm sorry if I sound aggressive, I'm just venting.. Usually, I'm a very calm and composed person. 🙂
restlessmason54 said:So basically, the package is just gone, and I’m left with nothing—not even what I was actually looking for...[/SIZE][/B]
The person who sent you the package really ought to refund you, since they'll be getting reimbursed for the lost shipment itself.. Every single FedEx package comes insured up to $333, and if you want more coverage, you pay an extra 1-$0.67 depending on the value; it’s all laid out right there on the official carrier website in their rate guide... If the sender didn't declare the actual value (which I'm pretty sure is required), then they'll likely only get $333 in compensation from the carrier. If that item was actually worth $667, they should have paid an additional $0.67 to ensure full coverage. Honestly, if they didn't pay for the true value, I don't know what to tell you. When I ship things, I always declare the actual value—usually between $100 and $100—and I don't mind paying a few extra bucks. It's definitely not worth dealing with the headache of a high-value shipment just to save a measly 2-$1.00.... 😕
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?? 😢
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? 🙂
Dear Angela Ruiz43, If you aren't just sending standard scraps of paper—and since we're talking about an A4 envelope, I assume you aren't—please don't just drop it in a regular mailbox or send it via some random method. There is a very real risk of it getting lost in the shuffle (it happened to me once with a standard shipment, and let me tell you, it was worth $27—that was the first and last time I ever sent anything that way), and you won't have any right to claim compensation or even file a missing mail search because there’s no tracking number to follow up on... Basically, if what you're sending actually matters, it's much better to send it via Certified Mail, or if it's bulkier, just send it as a package... 😘
vividtinker13 said:Hey guys, when you're shipping out a bubble mailer weighing something like 9 ounces, what's your go-to method? Do you send it as a package or just a certified letter? And what kind of damage does it do to your wallet?
Everything you need to figure that out is right here on this site, so take a quick look. 🙂
Just compare the price for certified mail versus a standard package. Honestly, if you're sending anything high-value, you're better off shipping it as a package with declared value insurance... 😘
Oh my gosh, Emily Ramos34, my bad!! I wasn't even thinking when I typed that—I was totally convinced you were talking about Branimirova (even though there’s zero resemblance in how they're written)! Soooo sorry if they aren't working starting at seven!!! My apologies... 😵
William Jones30 said:Look, you didn't specify anything, so why are you complaining here? Why on earth would a USPS clerk offer you the cheapest option? How do you know they didn't ask if it should be sent as a package or a standard letter? Maybe the customer just said "whatever" or "it doesn't matter." Imagine going to buy a TV and then starting to scream because you bought a mid-range model when there was a cheaper one in the window. Did you actually tell them exactly what you wanted? Maybe every postal worker needs to stop and ask every single customer, "Hey, you know this isn't the cheapest service, would you prefer the cheaper one?" Or maybe we should just scrap all the premium services and leave only the ones costing $4.75 just to make everyone happy?🙄
Of course I expect them to realize when they're handing someone a package instead of an envelope!! And it’s not "normal" for me to have a cashier at the grocery store charge me $6.75 more just because a block of cheese was sliced! Honestly... I have a wonderful, amazing father, and today a clerk over in downtown NYC was also just, incredibly kind, and it's because of rare people like that that I feel happy—they truly brighten my day. But there are so many others who completely ruin my impression of the USPS (obviously it’s not just about the USPS, but that's the topic here)... and of course, why should they target naive-looking people and trick them into paying for the most expensive rates? If they were pocketing the extra cash themselves, I might understand, but this... 🙂 And $2.00 for a basic envelope??? That's unheard of anywhere else... 👎 👎
Sandra Brooks91 said:Well, did you actually circle the PACKAGE on the receipt?
No, I didn't, though honestly, I didn't even circle the money order! But look, all UPS really cares about is squeezing every last cent out of people based on how old they are. So, take my advice: keep your eyes peeled from now on and don't let them charge you a single penny more than they absolutely have to! 😠😠😠
I had such an absolutely awful experience today! I was sending a package containing $27 N (which is actually worth $13) to my brother so he could mail it out. I filled out all the paperwork and everything, then he shows up today with a bill for $13!!! I was honestly left speechless!! I mean, I know he can be a bit clumsy and doesn't always know what the costs should look like, but good grief, is it even normal to pay $13 in shipping for something valued at $27!!!?? I am just horrified. Turns out the clerk at the USPS processed it as a certified letter instead of a standard package, and well... there goes HP once again 👎👎👎👎