Mail & Shipping - Recommendations, Questions, and Answers

irondrifter6 said:I know that when I send something via FedEx, I don't have to pay anything upfront since the buyer covers the shipping costs, but if it turns out they don't pick up the package, am I still on the hook for the postage, or do I end up having to pay it myself (and essentially just throwing $18 down the drain)?

If you aren't using FedEx—like, if you're just sending it as a standard parcel—I'm pretty sure there's an option for "return shipping" where the sender handles the return. Maybe UPS has something similar, I wouldn't know for sure, you’d really need to check with the local branch or look at their site... but generally speaking, you aren't paying the full retail rate again, you're looking at maybe $18 instead of the whole thing, or possibly even less if you're lucky...

When they say standard shipping—meaning without tracking or confirmation—are they talking about sending it via something like regular USPS First-Class Mail?

coastalmaker2 said:By standard shipping, does she mean without tracking, like just sending it as a regular letter?

Standard shipping is basically just mailing it like a regular letter. Priority mail is a different class—it moves faster, so it gets to the destination sooner, I guess.

Linda Chavez14 said:Standard shipping is pretty much just like sending a regular letter. Priority mail is just a different tier that moves a bit faster, so it reaches its destination sooner.

Does that come with any kind of proof or confirmation that it actually went out?

Nicole Lee4 said:priority-plus is basically just regular priority

it bumps up the rate by about $1.50
last week they were doing those extra surcharges—you know, where they slap an extra stamp on every package for charity stuff, like fighting TB or whatever—about $1.55 per item

so what did you end up paying exactly?

hey, sorry for the late reply—honestly, I totally forgot I even asked this question here😁
anyway, I already knew all that... the extra $1.55 (which wasn't even part of my initial math) and what the whole thing actually meant. My point was that I wanted to send it as a priority letter. I asked the clerk if there was some specific form to fill out for that, and she told me no, just check the "priority plus" box. But then I look at the UPS website and their calculator says it should be $2.50 for that weight. Instead, I got charged $14.20, so either she gave me bad info or I just overpaid for nothing... obviously, it’s not like I’m losing my shirt here, but since I ship a ton of stuff, these little screw-ups really add up over time. Luckily, if I don't have too many packages, I catch it right away and can call them out on their nonsense at the counter, but when I'm loaded down with shipments, I don't realize it until I'm back home and then I'm just stuck with it

coastalmaker2 said:Is there actually any confirmation that it was sent or what?

Usually, there's no shipping confirmation.

Donna Chase12 said:Hey, sorry it took me so long to get back to you! Honestly, I completely blanked on the fact that I had even posted this question here. My bad!😁
Honestly, I’m already well aware of most of what’s being said here... and that’s not even counting the extra $1.55 (which I didn't include in my initial estimate), nor the actual implications of what this means. My intention was to send this as a Priority Mail letter, so I went ahead and asked the clerk if there was any special paperwork required for that specific service. She told me, "No, just check the box for Priority Mail." But then, when I looked at the official USPS website, their own calculator shows a completely different rate for Priority Mail. $2.50 Based on that weight, I should have been charged much less. Instead, they hit me with $14.20. So, either she gave me the wrong information entirely, or I just ended up overpaying for nothing. Honestly, it’s not like I’m breaking the bank over a few bucks, but when you're shipping as much as I am, these little "oopsies" from them really start to add up. It's a bit of a nuisance. On the bright side, if I don't have a massive pile of packages, I usually catch these mistakes right at the counter. If I can prove they gave me the wrong rate on the spot, I can settle it then and there. But when I'm slammed with shipments? I don't realize anything is off until I'm already back home, and by then, it's too late to do anything about it. Just one of those things, I guess.

I think you might have miscalculated there. It looks like you were checking the rates for just a standard priority letter, rather than the combined cost for both registered and priority mail.
The absolute lowest recommendation you’ll see from me is $9.50.
And yours was somewhere between 3.5 and 8.8 ounces, too... so that's $12.50 plus $1.70, bringing it to a total of $14.20.

Hmm, I sent mine out last week and they didn't charge me any extra $0.52.
They didn't even mention anything about needing to...

Melissa Phillips4 said:Honestly, I sent mine out last week and didn't get hit with any extra $0.52 charges.
They didn't even mention anything about having to pay...

That covers the Red Alert promo running from the 14th through the 21st.
I shipped my stuff last Tuesday, then suddenly on Thursday, they're telling me I owe more. It made zero sense to me why the promotion would kick in right on a Wednesday instead of just starting at the beginning of the week.

Hey, quick question if anyone knows—this is pretty important. I’m about to receive a check for a laptop, but what happens if the sender pulls a fast one and sends something else entirely? Can I just head straight to the bank to stop the transaction, or how do I go about getting my money back if things go south?

Olivia Green46 said:That covers the Red Cross period from the 14th through the 21st.
I sent mine off last Tuesday, only to be told on Thursday that I actually had to pay for it. It made zero sense. Why would they start a promotion on a Wednesday instead of at the beginning of the week? Makes no sense.

I was there on Friday.🤷
And they didn't tell me a damn thing.

Maybe that rule only applies to shipments headed here in the States. I was sending mine overseas. Perhaps that extra fee doesn't even kick in for international orders.🤷

Melissa Phillips4 said:I actually went there last Friday.🤷
They didn't mention anything to me.

Maybe that rule only applies to packages being sent within the US, since I was shipping stuff overseas. Perhaps they don't charge that extra fee for international shipments.🤷

"Purchasing a postage supplement is mandatory for all mail sent via domestic transit, excluding newspapers and magazines."

Melissa Phillips4 said:Look, I actually went in there this past Friday.🤷
And honestly? They didn't say a single word to me about it.

I guess maybe that rule only applies to packages being sent within the US, since I was shipping stuff internationally. It’s possible they don't charge that extra fee for overseas shipments.🤷

hmmm, let me put it this way... every local post office gets handed a specific batch of stamps, right? So they just keep using them until they run out. Which means, it's actually pretty easy for your local branch to have already burned through their whole supply.🙂

Seriously, how does a letter even make it out the door in this shape? I literally just breathed on it—not even kidding—and the whole thing popped right open. And don't even get me started on the stamp; it’s barely hanging on by a thread. 🙄

wiredpilot2 said:How on earth does the post office let a letter arrive in such a state that if I even breathed on it—not literally, obviously—the whole thing pops open and the stamp is basically hanging on by a thread? 🙄

I mean, out of a billion pieces of mail, one of them is bound to have a crappy seal.🙂

I feel like this might be documented somewhere already, but there are just too many pages of threads for me to dig through effectively.

So, here is my question:

Is a mail carrier actually required to deliver a package directly to your doorstep?
(And I mean any package, whether it was prepaid online or just ordered with cash on delivery)
In my case, they consistently just leave those little yellow slips in the mailbox instead of actually delivering anything—even though someone is always home—unless it happens to be sent via FedEx or a similar courier service.
On top of that, I end up constantly paying storage fees at the local post office because people can't make it there to pick up their mail in time. Over the last couple of years, the USPS hasn't even been open on Saturdays, and their afternoon hours on Tuesdays are practically non-existent. To make matters worse, you can only pick up your mail in person or by using a formal power of attorney.
I'm not entirely sure if storage fees apply to every single item now, but if my memory serves me right, they tack a fee onto the total price for any COD shipments.
If they are legally obligated to deliver packages to the address provided—which I am fairly certain they are—who is one supposed to complain to? Complaining down at the post office branch is completely useless; it’s just a lot of noise with absolutely no results. Honestly, what is the point of using a service like this?

It really all comes down to how big and heavy the package is... I mean, there's no way a FedEx driver is just gonna be lugging around massive, oversized boxes or anything weighing over a couple of pounds in their hands...

frozenbison2 said:.

So, here’s my question:

Is the mail carrier actually required to deliver a package right to my front door?
(I'm talking about packages either paid for online or just standard COD orders)
The thing is, my carrier just keeps leaving those yellow missed delivery slips without actually stopping by—even though someone is always home! (Unless, of course, it was sent via FedEx or a similar premium service).

Not every local post office handles parcel delivery.
But for the ones that do, they should be delivering directly to the address.

All post offices offer FedEx services, though.

Nicole Lee4 said:Not every local post office offers home delivery for packages.
Those that do provide the service will bring the package right to your door.

However, all post offices carry USPS Express services.

To be specific, we’re talking about a small parcel here—just one book and three DVDs. It isn't some massive shipment like a KitchenAid mixer or a heavy wardrobe, or whatever else you can imagine.
I’ve always operated under the assumption that their core responsibility is to deliver the shipment directly to your doorstep. And if you aren't home? They should simply fill out a slip and leave it in your mailbox.

I mean, what is the actual purpose of the postal service anymore? Aside from delivering utility bills and holiday cards, what is left? Physical mail is becoming increasingly rare as technology advances. And honestly, there will likely be even less of it in the future than there is today.

Look, I’m telling you straight up, if the package isn't some massive beast, it should be under a pound. Just weigh the damn thing and see if it hits that mark. I mean, even USPS carriers aren't pack mules; they shouldn't have to lug around thirty separate one-pound boxes just because someone can't be bothered to consolidate.😢