#1 ·
Since the old thread vanished without a trace 😁, I am opening this new one where we can all exchange advice regarding the headaches caused by our wonderful USPS (and believe me, they certainly don't lack for issues 😁). So, to kick things off, here are a few of my own recommendations regarding shipping items based on my personal experience, and how you might manage to do it a bit more cheaply:
SHIPPING PACKAGES
If you are sending a package weighing up to 11 lbs and it doesn't contain anything incredibly high-value (think designer sunglasses, luxury watches, smartphones, or other pricey gadgets), my suggestion is to declare a specific value $33 on the form. If you do this, the shipping cost will ALWAYS stay relatively $5.00 predictable. Naturally, the package is sent via certified mail and you receive a receipt which serves as your proof; if the package goes missing, you can use that to claim a specific amount of compensation.
Additionally, if you are shipping something fragile, make sure you wrap it thoroughly and specifically ask them to slap a "Fragile" sticker—you know, the one with the glass icon—on the box. It signals to the handlers that they should actually treat the item with care, which is how it ought to be done. 😬 This will cost you roughly an extra $2.25 bit more.
SENDING CERTIFIED MAIL
For items that aren't particularly heavy—maybe just a few ounces—you can opt for this method. The postage will top out at about $6.75 (depending on the weight), and the main difference compared to a standard package is that certified mail gets tossed into a bag with other similar items (usually those envelope-style shipments). Even here, you get a record of shipment because you still have to fill out the certified mail paperwork. Should it disappear, you would be entitled to compensation in the following amount: five times the postage paid (at least, that was the case the last time I checked).
SHIPPING VIA CASH ON DELIVERY (COD)
This means that upon delivery, whoever receives the shipment pays a specific amount that is noted on the form attached to the package. The form is somewhat inverted, so to speak, because the money flows to you; when filling it out, you are essentially the recipient in terms of payment flow, while the sender is the person who actually paid you. You'll see how this works when you fill one out yourself.
This is a solid option if, for instance, you don't fully trust the person you are dealing with and fear they won't pay. You simply send the item this way and they are obligated to pay the postal carrier upon receipt, otherwise, they won't get the package .
The only catch is that you must emphasize to the recipient that they will be responsible for paying a certain percentage of the total amount as a fee to the post office for handling the transaction.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w...kapouzecem.jpg
SENDING STANDARD MAIL
In principle, I avoid these types of shipments because you have absolutely no proof that you ever sent the item, and if it gets lost, you're basically screwed. Literally. 😬
So, if someone feels like gambling, go ahead. It isn't expensive, but for anything of even moderate value, I wouldn't recommend it.
LOST PACKAGE/CERTIFIED MAIL - NOW WHAT?
First and foremost, ALWAYS hold onto your receipt for the package or certified mail until the recipient confirms they have actually received it. We all know it happens—packages or mail just vanish into thin air—and then what?
There is a specific window in which a shipment is expected to arrive, and if it isn't picked up from the post office, it should be returned to the sender. If, for example, after 15-20 days it hasn't even been returned, you should head down to the post office where you sent it from and file a claim. That involves a specific form you purchase at the post office (I believe they charge for it...)$5.00), you just fill out who you sent it to and all that; then that form travels to the intended recipient, where they confirm the package wasn't received and sign off on it.
After that, it heads back to you, you get notified once it arrives, and then you receive a specific monetary reimbursement. What that amount actually is depends entirely on the postage rate—basically, the declared value of the package. 🙂
SHIPPING PACKAGES
If you are sending a package weighing up to 11 lbs and it doesn't contain anything incredibly high-value (think designer sunglasses, luxury watches, smartphones, or other pricey gadgets), my suggestion is to declare a specific value $33 on the form. If you do this, the shipping cost will ALWAYS stay relatively $5.00 predictable. Naturally, the package is sent via certified mail and you receive a receipt which serves as your proof; if the package goes missing, you can use that to claim a specific amount of compensation.
Additionally, if you are shipping something fragile, make sure you wrap it thoroughly and specifically ask them to slap a "Fragile" sticker—you know, the one with the glass icon—on the box. It signals to the handlers that they should actually treat the item with care, which is how it ought to be done. 😬 This will cost you roughly an extra $2.25 bit more.
SENDING CERTIFIED MAIL
For items that aren't particularly heavy—maybe just a few ounces—you can opt for this method. The postage will top out at about $6.75 (depending on the weight), and the main difference compared to a standard package is that certified mail gets tossed into a bag with other similar items (usually those envelope-style shipments). Even here, you get a record of shipment because you still have to fill out the certified mail paperwork. Should it disappear, you would be entitled to compensation in the following amount: five times the postage paid (at least, that was the case the last time I checked).
SHIPPING VIA CASH ON DELIVERY (COD)
This means that upon delivery, whoever receives the shipment pays a specific amount that is noted on the form attached to the package. The form is somewhat inverted, so to speak, because the money flows to you; when filling it out, you are essentially the recipient in terms of payment flow, while the sender is the person who actually paid you. You'll see how this works when you fill one out yourself.
This is a solid option if, for instance, you don't fully trust the person you are dealing with and fear they won't pay. You simply send the item this way and they are obligated to pay the postal carrier upon receipt, otherwise, they won't get the package .
The only catch is that you must emphasize to the recipient that they will be responsible for paying a certain percentage of the total amount as a fee to the post office for handling the transaction.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w...kapouzecem.jpg
SENDING STANDARD MAIL
In principle, I avoid these types of shipments because you have absolutely no proof that you ever sent the item, and if it gets lost, you're basically screwed. Literally. 😬
So, if someone feels like gambling, go ahead. It isn't expensive, but for anything of even moderate value, I wouldn't recommend it.
LOST PACKAGE/CERTIFIED MAIL - NOW WHAT?
First and foremost, ALWAYS hold onto your receipt for the package or certified mail until the recipient confirms they have actually received it. We all know it happens—packages or mail just vanish into thin air—and then what?
There is a specific window in which a shipment is expected to arrive, and if it isn't picked up from the post office, it should be returned to the sender. If, for example, after 15-20 days it hasn't even been returned, you should head down to the post office where you sent it from and file a claim. That involves a specific form you purchase at the post office (I believe they charge for it...)$5.00), you just fill out who you sent it to and all that; then that form travels to the intended recipient, where they confirm the package wasn't received and sign off on it.
After that, it heads back to you, you get notified once it arrives, and then you receive a specific monetary reimbursement. What that amount actually is depends entirely on the postage rate—basically, the declared value of the package. 🙂
William Jones30 said:As an employee at USPS with several years under my belt :P let me clear a few things up.
If you sent someone an overnight package, a recommendation, or a FedEx shipment with COD (cash on delivery), that "overnight" status applies strictly to the package itself, not to the money being returned to you. Money being returned via a postal money order is treated as "standard" mail; it isn't expedited, so don't expect it to show up at your door the very next day (unlike a FedEx delivery, for instance). From my experience on the job, it usually takes about 2-5 business days for that cash to reach you.
When sending standard packages, the rule of thumb is that you need packing paper and twine (for the heavier stuff), unless you’re dropping it in a blue USPS collection box (in which case, just twine for the heavy ones). But even then, that rule exists in theory, while reality is often different. Sometimes they'll look the other way. In major cities where home delivery is standard, like Chicago or New York... delivery fees are $1.75 and are always paid by the recipient. The sender always covers the cost of shipping standard packages.
The only service offered by the Postal Service where the recipient can cover the shipping costs is FedEx-style COD services.
The biggest headache when sending any kind of shipment is dealing with the money order for COD.
At the post office, you pay a fee for the money order which is 3.66% of the total amount, with a minimum of $3.00 and a maximum of $27. For a general money order, the minimum is $1.75 and the maximum is $27.
So, if you’re sending a COD package and you paid $17 upfront, but you're asking the recipient to pay, say, $167, then they’ll end up paying an additional $6.00 in COD postage plus $1.75 for the delivery.
The same rules apply to the money order for FedEx-style services, though not necessarily for the delivery fee itself.
Any package that gets returned to the sender when the service wasn't prepaid (for example, if it was sent via FedEx with "recipient pays" instructions) will be charged the original shipping price plus a 50% surcharge for the return trip because the recipient failed to pick it up. This happens if they didn't show up, couldn't be located, refused the delivery, etc.
If the service *was* prepaid, the sender still pays 50 percent for the return of the undelivered package. If anyone is wondering why this is the case or why it seems so ridiculous, think about it logically. We drove all the way to Washington, D.C. with a package, and then we had to drive it all the way back because YOUR recipient didn't pick it up. Do you really think we’re going to drive all that way back to you for free? 😉
If you don't want to pay for the return, the package stays at the post office and after a certain amount of time, it goes to public auction and/or gets destroyed.
There is more to it, but I don't have the energy to write everything down right now. I'm sure I've missed plenty of details, but this should serve as a starting point.
If you have any questions I might be able to answer, feel free to ask. 🙂