Mail & Shipping - Recommendations, Questions, and Answers

And if you’re worried about it being a bit delicate, I’d suggest just wrapping some extra paper all the way around it inside that envelope 😉

Linda Williams97 said:Guys... I have a little bit of a dilemma—I'm honestly not quite sure how to ship these boots. Specifically, I'm struggling with the packaging side of things. I don't happen to have a large enough box on hand, and I'm feeling a bit lost regarding the best way to proceed. Perhaps I could simply place them in a larger bag and wrap the whole thing in paper to make it look like a parcel? Does anyone have any bright ideas?

The ladies offered some solid advice regarding the bags, but you might also consider making a quick trip to a local store; they almost always have extra boxes lying around. As long as the boots fit comfortably inside, the actual dimensions shouldn't matter too much. You can just send it off as a standard package without any issues at all.😉

Rebecca Reed said:Arlena, if the item is small enough, you could just pop it into one of those yellow bubble mailers and send it via certified mail. It shouldn't cost you much at all. $5.00

I sent it just like that! Thanks. Honestly, I used to send everything over, even if it was just some minor thing... at least until my female manager started charging me for it. $8.00I honestly nearly lost my mind over this. From now on, I’m strictly sticking to small parcels. I thought I was being clever by finding a smaller box that looked like it would fit perfectly within the size limits, only to realize at the very last second that I was off by a few millimeters. Typical. 🤣 I'll be sending it out in a yellow envelope! 😉

Rebecca Reed said:The ladies made some valid points regarding the bag situation, but honestly, you can always just head down to the local Target or Walmart; they usually have plenty of sturdy boxes lying around. At the end of the day, the dimensions don't really matter as much as ensuring those boots actually fit inside. Once they're packed, you can ship them out as a standard package without any issues. 😉

I finally tracked down an old wine box at home, and honestly, it’s a perfect fit. I had to slightly bend one of the sides to get it just right, but that was the only hurdle. Mission accomplished—I actually found the right box. 🙂

velvetgull36 said:That’s it!!! I am absolutely DONE with the United States Postal Service!!!! I headed out to the post office today to send off three separate packages, and what happened? Just like every other single time, they were tossing my packages around like they didn't matter! They were shaking them, rattling them—completely mishandling everything! Is anyone actually in charge over there? Does anyone care about the contents of these boxes? It's just constant negligence! I finally went ahead and signed that confirmation of receipt for the certified letter. Is there anything more tedious than dealing with this kind of paperwork? It feels like just another hoop to jump through in a system that never seems to get any simpler. I explicitly stated the value on both the confirmation paperwork and the package itself. $17I already paid for those three packages! $33Seriously, who is actually losing their mind here???? HELP!!!!!! 🤷 🤷 🤷

No offense intended, but it’s painfully obvious you don't actually understand the difference between WHAT you're sending and HOW you're sending it. If you had even a shred of clue, you would have sent that item as a package instead of trying to pass it off as a certified letter. Of course they charged you the postage rate for a letter—that’s just how the math works based on weight. Nobody conned you here. Honestly, isn't this just one of those life lessons we all have to learn the hard way? 😁

velvetgull36 said:So, here’s the deal: according to their ridiculous little tariff system, I’m supposed to pay shipping based on exactly how much the package weighs. Are you kidding me?! It’s absolute madness! From now on, I am only considering private couriers. Honestly, I’d rather just shell out the cash for gas and drive the damn thing to its destination myself than hand over a single cent to those vultures. 😠

Well, of course they told you that! You were sending it as Certified Mail, not as a standard package—so naturally, you paid a higher rate for the postage. If you had just sent it as a regular parcel and actually filled out the proper shipping forms, you would have only been looking at $14 or... $5.00.

Michael Sanchez7 said:It exists, sure, but let’s be honest—it’s nowhere near enough. In today's market, if you aren't aggressively pushing your services through targeted marketing and hyper-tailoring everything to the specific needs of the user, do you even exist? It isn't just about landing a sale. The real goal—the only goal that actually matters—is securing a satisfied client. But even that is secondary to the true prize: building a client who is so impressed by the sheer quality of your service that they wouldn't dream of going anywhere else. They recognize excellence when they see it, right? Or at least, they should. Unfortunately, most people don't have the slightest clue what real quality looks like. Is there anyone actually using the official United States Postal Service website lately? I’ve been staring at their interface for what feels like an eternity, trying to track a package, and I have to wonder: does anyone over there even realize how outdated this thing is? Is it too much to ask for a website that doesn't feel like it was coded back when dial-up was still a thing? It makes you question the entire infrastructure, doesn't it? One would think a massive institution like the USPS could manage a functional digital presence, but here we are. Even when they offer a free phone, where is the proactive marketing? Shouldn't there be some actual guidance to point customers toward the right department instead of leaving them wandering aimlessly? And don't even get me started on the United States Postal Service—they have a massive amount of work to do if they ever hope to drag themselves into the 21st century.

What on earth are you even talking about? The United States Postal Service has a monopoly, and thank God they aren't going to go messing around with things like that. Besides, why would they bother when their website is already more than good enough? It lays everything out from A to Z—how to ship, what the dimensions should be, how to fill out the forms, and so on and so forth. Everything you need is right there.

And get this—in my very first post on this thread, I laid everything out! I explained exactly what constitutes a shipment, the step-by-step process for sending a package, and how to handle a shipment as a registered letter. But apparently, reading is too much to ask? Because instead of actually looking at the information provided, everyone just keeps jumping in with the same mindless, repetitive questions. Honestly, does anyone even bother to read here? 🙄

People have been raised to expect everything handed to them on a silver platter, haven't they? They want the world served up without lifting a finger. And my absolute favorites? The ones who just drop off their packages without even bothering to ask about the best shipping options, only to come crawling back here later, hysterical, claiming the USPS completely screwed them over. 🙄

Give me a break—it’s not like we’re five years old. ☕

velvetgull36 said:I couldn't agree more with that last post!! Personally, I honestly have no clue what kind of services they even offer, and when I finally show up there, I'm at the mercy of the staff—who, let's be real, aren't going to lift a finger to help because anyone walking through those doors is nothing more than an unwelcome interruption to their day.🤣🤣

Exactly. That money goes straight into their pockets or they get some commission on the transaction, so why wouldn't they try to screw you over?🙄

You just admitted yourself that you don't know what services are available, yet everything is laid out clearly right there in your very first post in this thread; besides, even if it isn't explicitly listed on their website, you can find EVERY bit of necessary information online.

And it's simply not true that they won't help; you just have to know how to ask the right questions.☕

What are you even talking about? The USPS has a monopoly, and thank God they aren't messing around with stuff like that. Besides, why would they bother when their website is actually quite well-designed? It covers everything from A to Z—how to ship, dimensions, how to fill out forms, and so on.

In this day and age, you can't succeed without marketing. The era of socialism and communism is long gone. Not everyone lives online or spends their time scrolling through forums. I have to disagree with your take on the monopoly, though. There’s also FedEx handling a massive amount of mail. Plenty of major banks rely on FedEx services. Why don't you check http://www.fedex.com/index.php?id=12 and get the facts before posting nonsense about a monopoly? They have plenty of clients. Here’s the list:

* JPMorgan Chase
* Wells Fargo
* Bank of America
* American Express
* Ally Financial
* Berkshire Hathaway
* AT&T
* Diners Club
* Verizon
* Citigroup
* Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation
* Citigroup
* T-Mobile US
* Avon

The real question is just a matter of time before a new provider enters the market, and they'll most likely be coming from overseas. Like I said before, the USPS still has a mountain of work to do if they want to actually function in the 21st century. Just look at how much AT&T, Verizon, and the others invest in marketing and how hard they work to keep customers informed about their services. Even retail chains blast flyers about their products. The USPS seems to think everyone already knows everything about their services and that nothing needs changing. But reality tells a different story. Should everything stay exactly the way it was 50 years ago? Just look at what some post offices look like. It's like time stood still there. This kind of passivity and lethargy comes with a heavy price. It's a shame not to tap into such huge potential by implementing radical changes. Since the USPS is government-owned, the state should really play a significant role here.

Why hasn't the USPS bought out FedEx?

Responding to Michael Sanchez7's post—I won't paste the whole thing here:

The USPS definitely holds a monopoly because companies like FedEx, as the name suggests, focus strictly on express delivery. I called them up, they came right to my front door, picked up the package I paid 30-$$13 for, and it was at its destination by the next day. That’s not your typical postal service, nor do they offer standard mail services. I don't know if you've ever received a postcard or a utility bill through FedEx, but I certainly haven't, so there's really nothing more to debate there. As long as nobody shows up as a direct competitor to the USPS, they're going to keep acting like they're in the Wild West; they honestly couldn't care less whether you're happy with their service or not. You just don't have any other choice.

neonridge8 said:I’m not going to paste his entire post right here—that would be overkill. But regarding what Michael Sanchez7 said:

The USPS definitely holds a monopoly here. I mean, look at FedEx—the name itself tells you they only deal with express shipping. When I called them, they actually came right to my front door to pick up the package, and I’m already paying $30 just for the delivery service.$13 And just like that, the package magically arrives at its destination the very next day. So, yeah, this isn't exactly your typical postal service, nor do they provide anything resembling standard postal services. I mean, have you ever actually received a postcard or even a utility bill through FedEx? Because I certainly haven't. End of story. As long as nobody shows up to offer real competition to the USPS, they’re going to keep acting like they're in the Wild West. They couldn't care less whether you're satisfied with their service or not. You don't have a choice.

They handle express deliveries, sure, but they also carry standard mail. I get my bank statements all the time—for instance, I’ll receive my auto loan info from JPMorgan Chase and my American Express statement from my other bank. They've definitely carved out a slice of the pie for HP Inc. Now, they might not have the massive footprint that the USPS does, but they deliver mail all over the country, not just express packages. You see those guys on motorcycles constantly delivering letters just like regular mail carriers. As for that whole discussion about taking over business accounts, I don't have much to say; as far as I know, nothing has actually materialized there yet. Whether people want to admit it or not, HP Inc. needs to prepare for what's coming, and everything I just mentioned stands.

Michael Sanchez7 said:Success today requires marketing; those days of socialism and communism are long gone. Not everyone lives online or spends their time lurking on forums. I have to disagree with you regarding the monopoly—don't forget that FedEx is out there handling a significant amount of mail. A solid number of banks actually rely on FedEx services. Go ahead and check http://www.fedex.com/index.php?id=12 and get informed before you start spouting nonsense about monopolies. There are plenty of clients out there. Here, let me paste this for you:

The real question is simply a matter of timing: when will a new service provider finally enter the market, most likely from overseas? As I mentioned earlier, the United States Postal Service still has a massive amount of work to do if they ever want to truly enter the 21st century. Just look at how much AT&T, Verizon, and the others invest in marketing and how hard they try to keep customers informed about their services. Even retail chains blast flyers about their products. The USPS is the only one that seems to think everyone already knows everything about their services and that nothing needs changing. But reality tells a completely different story. Should everything just stay exactly the same as it was 50 years ago? Just look at what the post offices look like. It’s as if time stood still. But passivity and lethargy come at too high a price. It would be a crying shame to let such massive potential go to waste instead of implementing radical changes. The government should play a major role here, given that the postal service is state-owned.

What planet are you living on? 😁

No offense intended, but companies like FedEx cater to corporate entities, not to us mere mortals. Please, just take a look at their service price list and then tell me exactly how they constitute any real competition for UPS.

FedEx might make sense if you're shipping a package, but their numbers are basically identical to UPS, and when it comes to sending certified mail, FedEx is way too expensive compared to the USPS. So, please, spare me the talk about "competition." What kind of competition is it where sending a simple flat envelope costs $10. ☕

Michael Sanchez7 said:They handle express deliveries, sure, but they carry standard letters too. They deliver massive amounts of reports from banks. For instance, they bring me my auto loan statements from JPMorgan Chase and my American Express bill from Wells Fargo. They’ve definitely taken a slice of the pie from UPS. Of course, they aren't as widespread as the USPS, but they deliver mail all across the country, not just express items. They have those guys on motorcycles who deliver letters just like regular mail carriers. And as for that part you took from the business section, I have no comment, because as far as I know, nothing has actually been achieved regarding that takeover yet. Whether people want to admit it or not, UPS needs to prepare itself for the future, and everything I previously stated stands without question.

Yes, FedEx carries standard letters, but as I’ve already said—it’s for businesses. I have never heard of anyone sending anything through FedEx unless it was a package. If we’re being honest, we could also have a little chat about FedEx's marketing, which is even worse than UPS's marketing if we're really going there.☕

So, tell me—are you actually on the payroll at CityEx, or are you just here to spout your "expert" advice for free? 🥳

Sandra Brooks91 said:What isn't? The USPS just acquired FedEx.?

Hello. 😁

Could someone please help me out here 🙂 : when I’m shipping a package, do they actually inspect the contents? I was thinking about wrapping the box in white paper first.

They aren't even looking. I sent off a box wrapped in plain white paper today.

Sandra Brooks91 said:They aren't even looking. I sent out a box wrapped in plain white paper today.

Alright, thanks. 🙂

Angela Flores76 said:What planet are you living on? 😁

No offense, but companies like FedEx cater to corporations, not us mere mortals. Just take a look at their service fee schedule and tell me how they actually compete with UPS.

FedEx might be worth it if you're shipping a massive package, but their rates are basically identical to UPS. When it comes to sending certified mail, FedEx is way more expensive than the USPS, so don't try to sell me on this "competition" idea. What kind of competition involves paying $10this much☕ just to send a single flat envelope?

Sure, FedEx handles standard letters, but like I said—they do it for businesses. I've never heard of anyone sending anything through FedEx unless it was a bulky parcel. We could probably have a whole conversation about how FedEx's marketing is even worse than UPS's, if we're being honest. ☕

By the way, do you work for FedEx? Is that why you're here dumping your "expert" advice on us? 🥳

Look, corporate clients bring in serious revenue. If the USPS hadn't lost that slice of the pie to FedEx, they'd still have it, which is exactly why UPS isn't a monopoly. They were a monopoly once, until someone else stepped in to offer similar services. Besides, CityEx used to handle legal documents and they still deliver certified mail today. Why would the USPS even care about CityEx if they weren't performing related services and acting as competitors? The USPS is a massive organization and needs decent marketing, but that’s not the only thing they need to fix. A major foreign firm could swoop in and buy out CityEx tomorrow, or they might not—it doesn't matter. If the USPS doesn't adopt a modern approach to customer service and actually evolve, they’re going to lose profit, and they've already started losing it. They'll get eaten alive. Whether you want to admit it or not, CityEx is a competitor in this market. Remember one thing: markets are divided into monopolies, oligopolies, duopolies, and competitive markets. That's basic market structure. If there's only one player, it's a monopoly; two is a duopoly; a few is an oligopoly; and many is competitive. The hallmark of a monopoly is that entry into the sector is blocked, among other things. I'm not sure what part of this is confusing you. Maybe it's just lost on you. Anyway, I won't drone on; I think everything important has been said.

Michael Sanchez7 said:Sure, corporate clients bring in more revenue than individuals, but that’s not even the point here. The real issue is that the USPS lost its slice of the pie because CityEx stepped in; if they hadn't, the USPS would still be holding onto it. That’s why HP Inc. isn't a monopolist. They were a monopoly back in the day, until someone else showed up to offer services in that same arena. Besides, CityEx handles legal documents and still manages certified mail to this day. Why would the USPS even care about CityEx? Why would they want to buy them out if they aren't in the same line of business and aren't actual competition? The USPS is a massive organization and needs decent marketing, but changing that isn't a magic fix. Tomorrow, some huge foreign corporation could swoop in and buy CityEx, or they might not—it doesn't matter. If the USPS doesn't adopt a modern approach to customer service and stop stagnating, they're going to bleed profits, which is exactly what's already happening. They're going to get eaten alive. Whether you want to admit it or not, CityEx is a competitor in this market. Just remember one thing: markets are categorized into monopolies, oligopolies, duopolies, or perfect competition. That’s how market structure works. If there's only one player, it's a monopoly; two players, it's a duopoly; several, an oligopoly; many, it's competitive. The hallmark of a monopoly is that entry into the sector is blocked, and so on. I don't know what part of this is confusing you. Maybe it's just throwing you off. Anyway, I won't drone on further; I think I've said everything that matters.

Oh, wow. Thank you so much for the free lecture on what a monopoly, a duopoly, and all that other jargon means. Honestly, I clearly have no idea, and thank God we have someone on this forum to explain basic economics to me. 🙏 🙄 And where on earth did you get the impression that anyone on this board actually cares about what you just wrote?

And you didn't even address my actual post; you're just rambling about things that are completely irrelevant to us. I couldn't care less who does business with CityEx if they don't offer decent services to me as an individual consumer—and if you're looking for service that'll make you jump for joy, CityEx doesn't have it (unlike the USPS, which does). The fact that JPMorgan Chase, Avon, and everyone else sends their letters and packages through CityEx doesn't interest me one bit either. They likely send stuff through them because they have corporate contracts in place, and obviously, they get some kind of deal out of it. That's all I need to know.

As far as I'm concerned, CityEx isn't competition for the USPS because I am still going to use the post office for my shipments. And I will continue to do so as long as CityEx fails to introduce a better pricing structure for certified mail like the USPS has. And honestly, if they haven't introduced something like that by now, they probably never will. Just look at the profits of HP Inc. versus the profits of CityEx, and please, for the love of God, compare the number of CityEx locations to the sheer number of USPS post offices. You don't need to be some genius to figure out who actually dominates the market. ☕

Well, we finally hit the green zone. I guess what I told you actually held water after all. In the end, we’ve just circled back to the fact that this was all just your subjective take anyway. Still, the lecture wasn't half bad; the whole situation is a bit more nuanced than it looks at first glance. Let me summarize. Market liberalization allowed new players to enter the industry. The USPS still holds a monopoly on UNIVERSAL POSTAL SERVICES (that’s the part tripping you up), but since the market is deregulated, there are more players involved. We don't have a total monopoly anymore because others are handling mail delivery and transit too (FedEx works with legal entities). The real question is when the shift will happen. If HP Inc. doesn't restructure and modernize—which is something I've already touched on—the outcome won't be pretty. And you were wondering why someone living where I do would bother rambling about modernizing the postal service. Also, you can't speak for "everyone" and claim that YOU (who exactly is "you"?) don't care about what I wrote. A huge number of people read this forum, and most of them don't even bother to reply. There's always an ignore button for those who don't want to read a certain person.

Sandra Brooks91 said:Why hasn't the Post office bought out FedEx
yet?

They haven't.🙂

Michael Sanchez7 said:So, we’ve finally reached an impasse. I suppose what I wrote was worth the effort after all. In the end, it all boils down to the fact that this is just your subjective opinion. Still, the lecture was decent enough; the reality of the situation is a bit more nuanced than it appears at first glance. Let’s summarize. Through market liberalization, new operators have been allowed to enter the sector. The USPS still maintains a monopoly on UNIVERSAL POSTAL SERVICES (which is clearly where you're getting hung up), but we now have multiple players in the market—meaning the market is liberalized—so there isn't a total monopoly anymore, and other companies are also handling the transport and delivery of mail (companies like FedEx operate with legal entities). The question is simply a matter of when change will actually arrive, and if HP doesn't undergo restructuring and modernization—a point I've made repeatedly—the outcome won't be pretty. And you were wondering why someone living where I do would ramble on about modernizing the postal service. Furthermore, you can't speak for everyone by claiming that YOU (who exactly is "you"?) don't care about what I've written. A huge number of people read this forum, most of whom don't even bother to reply. There is always the "ignore" option available for those who find a certain person too tedious to read.

No, you've got it backward. For your information, everything is perfectly clear to me; nothing is confusing me. Thank God I have a college degree under my belt, and let's be honest, Google does a massive amount of the heavy lifting, and if even that fails, I just pester the employees whenever I need specific answers. That first point is minor, but the latter two are incredibly useful for gathering information—something I suspect would benefit many people here, though it seems most people either don't know how to read or find reading too much effort, leading them to post the exact same questions over and over again.

And that’s exactly where we started—the idea that the postal service lacks sufficient marketing🙂 when, in reality, all people actually need is—a little bit of reading.

FYI—Amtrak has pretty pathetic marketing for a supposed "competitor," not to mention the state of the information on their website. ☕
Besides, I get the feeling you aren't really reading my posts very closely, if we're being honest about that, too. 🙂