Mail & Shipping - Recommendations, Questions, and Answers

slypanther46 said:Since I'm heading out on vacation soon, and I have no idea if any of my orders will actually show up while I'm away, I was wondering—can someone else pick up my packages for me? You know, using that slip the mail carrier leaves behind when nobody's home? Or, if that isn't an option, is there a way to formally authorize someone (like a written note?) to collect my deliveries in my place? How does that process work, and is there a fee involved? Thanks!

Usually, they'll just hand over standard packages without much fuss, but if you want to be absolutely certain, you should probably set up a formal power of attorney. Just keep in mind that both you and the person you're authorizing would need to be present together, bringing your IDs and Social Security numbers.
It costs about $13.50.
But honestly, since this is just for your vacation, maybe just give them a call and ask first.

Nicole Lee4 said:They usually just hand over standard packages, but if you want to be absolutely certain, you should probably set up a power of attorney—both you and the person you’re authorizing need to show up in person with your IDs and Social Security numbers.
It’s about $13.50.
But if it's just for a yearly thing, just give them a call and ask.

Thanks so much!

Does anyone know which locations in Brooklyn are actually decent?

Like, where they won't lose their minds just because my package is wrapped in white paper instead of cream-colored?😕🙄

Or places that don't try to charge me extra for a standard 50x50cm, 10kg box just because there isn't some fancy ribbon on it?😕 (Besides, the clerk probably wouldn't even want to touch a mess like that if it wasn't taped tight enough to cause an injury. It's perfectly secure, by the way. Won't fall apart.🙄

Which post offices actually handle normal packages without making a scene?

I’m asking because I see packages arriving in absolutely terrible shape compared to how I pack mine—and clearly, other people are sending stuff out without all this drama.🤷

If only every single post were this delightful—or if my packages didn't mysteriously vanish or arrive looking like they’ve been through a violent game of football 😁...

Based on my own experience, I can personally recommend (at least regarding politeness and helpfulness) the post offices in Brooklyn (Ohio) and Savannah (Greensburg) 😉

Hey there!

So, I’ve got about 6 school textbooks I need to ship out tomorrow, and I’m trying to figure out the best way to do this without getting totally ripped off—basically, what's the cheapest route? They weigh roughly 6.5 lbs total, plus I actually need to get paid for them... so yeah, I need the cash sent back to me too.

I was wondering if maybe FedEx is cheaper than our overpriced USPS, and do they even handle payouts for buybacks? 😁

Thanks! 🙂

Hey everyone! I’m running into a bit of a headache here. I had a PC tablet sent to me via FedEx from Newport to Miami, and the delivery was supposed to be at my doorstep by 3:00 PM. After wasting half my day waiting around the house, I finally decided to head down to the local post office, only to find a slip of paper saying the package is sitting there waiting for pickup! But wait, it gets better. The shipping cost was originally supposed to be $17, but now this note says it's $28 plus extra! What gives? They promise door-to-door delivery and then suddenly jack up the price? To make matters worse, the package only weighs about two pounds and is clearly marked as fragile. What should my next move be?

Henry Wood92 said:Hey there! I’m running into a bit of a headache here. Someone sent me a PC tablet from Newport to Miami via FedEx, and it was supposed to be delivered right to my doorstep by 3 PM. After wasting half my day waiting around at home, I finally decided to head down to the local post office, only to find a slip saying the package is sitting there waiting for me to pick it up! But wait, there's more. The shipping cost was originally quoted at $17, but now this little note says it's $28 plus extra! What gives? They promise home delivery first, then suddenly jack up the price once I show up. To top it off, the package weighs about 2 lbs and is clearly marked "fragile." What am I supposed to do about this???

Adding "fragile" to the label can bump the price up by 50%.
There isn't much you can do besides pay up. If you decide not to, they'll just send it back to the sender, who will end up having to pay that same extra amount to get it returned.

Nicole Lee4 said:"fragility" adds a 50% surcharge

Speaking of which, does it actually work like that? Like, can they just claim a tiny half-pound box is actually a massive 20kg crate just to jack up the price?😲
That’s what the lady at the FedEx counter told me anyway.😕🤷

Melissa Morgan77 said:Speaking of which, does it actually happen that they stack things so poorly that a tiny half-pound package ends up crushed under a massive 45-pound box?😲
That’s exactly what my wife was told at the FedEx office.😕 🤷

I mean, honestly, no sane person would pack things like that on purpose. I’m convinced most of that crushing happens during transit or when they’re unloading the trucks.
Sadly, I’ve definitely seen fragile packages snapped in half before, though thankfully that seems to be happening less often lately.
The USPS is facing so much competition from private couriers now that they’ve had to overhaul things just to stay relevant and improve their service quality. It wasn't always like this—back in the day, packages would wander around for three or four days, and "priority" shipping was barely even a thing. Now, they have to ensure deliveries are not only fast, but actually arrive intact.🙏

In my experience, there's nothing quite as sturdy as a standard shoebox.

😉

Nicole Lee4 said:No sane person would ever do that. Honestly, I’m betting most of those dents happen during transit or while they're unloading the truck.
Unfortunately, I used to spot those crushed, fragile packages all the time, but lately, it’s becoming a rare sight.

That’s exactly the kind of thread that makes me stop checking in. Just one of those posts I'm done with. 👎I was asking about those couple of posts from a few threads up.😉
It was just a standard, totally unremarkable package. Honestly, I wouldn't have even blinked if I’d dropped it off at any other branch. And of course, they usually go through without a hitch—mostly because I switched up my usual post office.😉
My wife's telling me the packaging wasn't up to snuff and that the box just didn't fit the contents. Still, she went ahead and shipped it anyway. Typical.🙄 She asked me if it was fragile. Thank God it isn't—well, unless you decide to crush it under some massive FedEx package.😕 And then she actually started swinging at me with her fists, just to prove a point.😲Coma.
I’m actually pretty thrilled with this new post. Honestly, the packages themselves haven't changed at all—they're exactly the same as before—but they still show up in perfect condition every single time.🙂

Melissa Morgan77 said:Honestly, that’s exactly why I don't bother visiting that particular corner of the internet anymore. It just isn't worth the headache. 👎I was actually asking about those couple of posts from a few threads up.😉
Honestly, I was looking at a totally standard, run-of-the-mill package—the kind of thing that wouldn't have caused a single hiccup if I’d just dropped it off at a different branch. And of course, they usually go through without any issues, mainly because I switched up my mailing service.😉
My wife actually told me straight up that the packaging wasn't sufficient for what was inside—basically saying the box just wasn't up to the task—but she went ahead and shipped it anyway.🙄 She actually asked me if it was fragile. Well, thank God it isn’t—I mean, you could practically crush it under a massive FedEx package and it wouldn't even flinch.😕 And then she actually started swinging at me with her fists, just to prove a point!😲Coma.
I am absolutely thrilled with this new post! Honestly, even though the packaging looks exactly the same as before, everything still arrives in such perfect condition. It’s just wonderful.🙂

I’m honestly so glad you finally found a place where they actually value the work itself instead of just playing political games and dodging accountability. It makes such a massive difference when you're working for people who actually give a damn about doing the job right.
Absolutely ridiculous—it’s just one thing after another! 🤣

So, quick question—can I actually just grab a cardboard box right at the FedEx counter when I'm dropping off a package?
And if they do have them sitting there, is there like a price list or some kind of cheat sheet posted somewhere so I don't get totally blindsided by the cost...??

Thanks a ton for the link, but if I could’ve just found it sitting right there on their actual website, I wouldn't be bothering you guys here in the first place 😉

I mean, obviously...

Hey there. 😉

redranger82 said:Thanks for the link, really. But if I could have just found it on their official website, would I be asking about it here? 😉

Makes perfect sense, doesn't it?

http://www.usps.com/main.aspx?id=2240

Pure logic.

I can't quite remember the last time I swung by the Branimirov branch to pick up a package, so I was just wondering about one thing. What are the counter hours there? Do they stay open until 8:00 PM, or...? I haven't received my arrival notice yet, so I can't double-check on my end.
Thanks.

Jessica Mendoza4 said:Honestly, I can't remember the last time I actually had to pick up a package at the FedEx Office on Broadway, so I just have one question. What are the counter hours? Are they open until 8:00 PM, or...? I haven't received my arrival notice yet, so I can't check.
Thanks.

I'm pretty sure that Broadway location is open 24/7...

Hi there! I’m looking for a bit of guidance—specifically, I’m trying to figure out which shipping method is safer, but more importantly, which one is actually the most cost-effective 😁

Over the last few days, I’ve decided to dip my toes into selling some clothes and shoes through various online marketplaces, so I could really use some advice regarding shipping options and the associated costs.
I’ve been doing a fair amount of reading here on the forums and checking out the information on the FedEx website, but honestly, I’ve ended up feeling a little overwhelmed by all the details.
Could anyone clarify the price difference between standard shipping and registered shipping (for either packages or padded envelopes)?
Also, if I'm sending out a package, am I required to have it in a cardboard box, wrapped in specific colored paper and tied up with twine, or is it less formal than that?
If I decide to use those yellow bubble mailers for protection, how does that affect the classification—does it count as standard or registered, or does the type of packaging not really change the service level?

Thanks so much in advance!

Hey everyone—has anyone here actually tried using those gray Asus shipping bags to send something via certified mail? I'm wondering if the folks at the post office will actually accept them, or if they're going to be sticklers and insist on traditional envelopes instead.
thanks! 😉