Mail & Shipping - Recommendations, Questions, and Answers

Hey, is there any way I can report a seller on eBay?

Hi there🙂

I have a bit of a question...

So, I sent off a package and I have the receipt to prove it was sent. But, here’s the thing—it never actually made it to the destination address. It wasn't sent via certified mail or anything, just standard shipping. I guess I'm wondering... is it actually possible that someone at the post office just swiped it?

I need advice. I am looking to ship low-value packages internationally, but the standard USPS rates seem excessive. Is there a reasonable alternative for both the sender and the recipient? If anyone has experience managing this—perhaps through an Etsy shop—I would appreciate your input.

There isn't really an option... unless you just want to deal with the hassle of shipping via a bus line 😬

Honestly, whether you're trying to send stuff from abroad to the States or vice versa, they charge an absolute fortune... I live overseas, so I know how this goes firsthand. I've tried sending packages before, and let me tell you, the shipping fees are just brutal...

🙂

Hannah Hernandez9 said:I guess... is there any way I can report a seller from Craigslist?

Maybe just post it here: , just mention they're from Craigslist, so maybe others don't get burned too.🙂

quietviper said:Hey there 🙂>

I have a question...

I sent off a package and I have the receipt proving I sent it... however, the package hasn't reached its destination address. It wasn't sent via certified mail either... is it actually possible that someone at the post office just stole it?

Unfortunately, that receipt doesn't mean a thing in this situation because it isn't a tracking number. To get an actual tracking number, you have to send it as certified mail. Without that, you're essentially flying blind; you can only hope it shows up eventually, though if it hasn't arrived by now (say, if you sent it a week ago), then you should probably just kiss that package goodbye. This is why you should always opt for certified shipping in the future—at least then you might recover five times the postage cost if the shipment "goes missing." 🙂

Sarah Flores24 said:I need some advice. I need to ship small, low-value packages internationally, but the rates offered by the USPS seem prohibitively expensive. Is there any reasonable alternative for me as a sender, or for the people abroad receiving them? (If anyone has experience with this, perhaps through selling on Etsy, thanks in advance)…..

Shipping things overseas is truly extortionate. 👎 I honestly don't know if there is a cheaper option than the post office, and frankly, I highly doubt it. 🤷

Ashley Gonzalez80 said:EDIT: I was just digging through my USPS account history and realized they actually charged me an extra $5.00 for a "fragile" sticker—otherwise, my shipping would have only been $6.00. Honestly, what a joke. 😠😠

Exactly. They tack on an extra fee for that specific label, even though last time I used it, it only cost $2.25. It looks like they’ve gone ahead and hiked up the price 😲. Can you believe the nerve?

quietviper said:Hey there! 🙂

I have a quick question...

I sent off a package and I have the receipt to prove it, but it hasn't arrived at the destination address yet. It wasn't sent as certified mail, though... is it actually possible that someone at the post office just swiped it?

My advice is to head down to your local USPS branch and present the receipt you received when you dropped the package off. They should be able to contact the receiving post office directly. If the package is truly lost, you'll need to file a claim (I believe there's a small fee, maybe around $2.00). If they still can't locate it, you should be compensated for the value you declared on the form plus the shipping costs—or something along those lines, I don't recall the exact specifics regarding the postage reimbursement.

analogbison said:Look, just head down to the UPS store and hand them that receipt you got when you shipped the package. They’re supposed to get in touch with the local branch at the destination to track it down. If the package is truly lost, you file a claim—I think there might be a small fee around $2.00 for that process. If they still can't find it after all that, they should reimburse you for the value you declared on the package plus the shipping costs (or something along those lines, I don't recall the exact specifics regarding the postage refund).

The claim itself shouldn't cost anything; it's honestly ridiculous to expect people to pay extra just to have someone look for something they were supposed to handle carefully in the first place.
But here's the kicker: there isn't any coverage for shipments sent "without a declared value"—or, to put it more accurately, if you sent it via standard mail without specifying the worth, you aren't getting any compensation regardless of whether you file a claim. quietviper has the receipt, but if I'm reading this right, they don't have the actual proof of shipment.
It's such a shame.😢

Nicole Lee4 said:filing a claim is free, so there's really no reason to pay someone else to search for something they shouldn't have lost in the first place.
However, there isn't any compensation for "careless" shipments—or to put it more accurately, if I sent it via standard mail, I won't get reimbursed regardless of whether I file a claim. If I understood correctly, quietviper has the receipt, but lacks the actual shipping confirmation.
It's a shame, truly.😢

I actually came across a post recently from someone dealing with this exact same headache. They detailed how they managed to resolve it, so I thought I'd pass those insights along. While it’s absolutely true that you shouldn't have to pay for a claim, the reality is that you might still be forced to pay if they demand it. When you send a standard package through the USPS, you always receive that little slip of paper with all the tracking details—basically the official receipt you fill out at the post office. If a package like that goes missing, the reimbursement covers both the value of the contents and the postage fees.

I sent off a package to the USA over a month ago—had the tracking number in hand and everything—and the clerk assured me it would arrive within thirty days.

But when I go to check on its whereabouts, all I see is this:
Receive item at office of exchange
Insert item into bag

Is there any hope that our local postal service will actually bother updating the online status once it reaches the recipient—you know, marking it as "received" or something similar? Because, frankly, I’m skeptical. Last time I ordered a pair of sneakers from the States via USPS, even with a tracking number, the status just sat there indefinitely, claiming the package was "received by the carrier" or "shipped," yet it never once updated to show that I actually had them in my hands.

northernhawk29 said:I sent a package to the USA over a month ago with a tracking number. The clerk told me it would take about a month to arrive.

When I check the status, all I see is:
Receive item at office of exchange
Insert item into bag

Can I actually expect our postal service to update the online tracking once it hits the recipient, showing "received" or something similar? Last time I bought sneakers from the US via USPS, even with a tracking number, the status just shows the package was accepted/sent, but never confirms delivery.

Some countries don't provide updates. Sometimes you have to check the website of the specific foreign postal service you're sending to. There are no set rules; the systems aren't fully integrated. Often, the info is incomplete. Most of the time, you only see updates when it's processed here.
When I sent something to Korea, it showed it reached the international mail center in Vienna, but nothing after that.
A few weeks ago, I sent something to Honduras and the local site actually showed it had been delivered there.

Hey there... I've got a bit of a weird situation on my hands...

I'm living in Brussels and tried sending $250 back home to my parents in the States. Dammit, I had to use the mail because the IRS caused such a massive mess over in the US, and obviously, the money never arrived.
In the past, smaller amounts always made it through, but this most important one? Nowhere to be found. 😠

Now, since I don't know much about how these tracking numbers actually work, I’d really appreciate it if someone could explain things to me, because I need to send more money soon.

The point is, they absolutely hate foreigners here and try to squeeze every single cent out of them by any means necessary... so, if I want to get rid of these vultures, I seriously need some help.
I used airmail for shipments before, and they always arrived within three days—not sure what that implies.
thanks 🙂

mistycrane19 said:Hey... I’m dealing with a weird situation here...

I'm living in Brussels and wanted to send some cash back home to my parents in the States ($250). Dammit, I had to use the mail because FIFA caused a massive mess back in the US, and obviously, the money never arrived.
In the past, when I sent money, the amounts were smaller, but this most important one—clearly didn't make it. 😠

Now, since I don't know much about these tracking numbers, I’d really appreciate it if someone could explain things to me because I need to send more money again.

The point is, they absolutely loathe foreigners here and try to squeeze every single cent out of them by any means necessary... so, I seriously need help finding a way to deal with these vultures.
I used to send packages by plane; they always arrived within three days. I have no idea what that signifies.
thanks 🙂

Can't you just use Western Union?
If you use a package, it has to be insured, and then you declare the value as $250.
Or you can do it through a bank; you just need the account number.

By the way, they’ve covered their tracks perfectly because everywhere it says you aren't allowed to send cash in an envelope. They can just claim you were sending something illegal and that they "destroyed" it.
Nothing surprises me anymore; they steal letters with postcards and stamps, so why wouldn't they steal cash?

Can anyone give me a hand? I just finished a book and now I need to mail it out to everyone who ordered a copy. They're paying via COD—cash on delivery—so I'm wondering if anyone knows what the shipping costs might look like. Also, what’s the best way to actually send it? USPS offers about two million different options and I'm feeling a bit lost. Thanks.

Kenneth Bishop2 said:Could use a hand here. I’ve finished my book and now I need to mail it out to everyone who ordered it. They'll be paying via Cash on Delivery—does anyone have a clue what the shipping costs might look like? Also, what's the best way to ship this? The USPS offers about two million different options. Thanks.

If you want it there fast, just go with HP Express... if speed isn't your priority, standard COD is fine. It's really not that complicated.

I need some help; I’m completely lost in all these posts 😢
So, I want to send a book as a gift—nobody needs to pay me back or anything—but it absolutely has to arrive by this Wednesday at the latest. I'm shipping it from Washington, D.C. to Indianapolis. What's the best way to do this? Should I use HP Express, or just send it as a standard package...
I'm a bit confused because I can't figure out if HP Express is strictly for cash-on-delivery shipments, or if I can use it for whatever I want 😕

Chloe Doyle26 said:I need some help here—I’ve completely lost my way in all these posts. 😢
So, I need to send a book as a gift—meaning nobody needs to reimburse me or anything—but the catch is that it absolutely has to arrive by this Wednesday at the latest. I'm shipping it from Washington, D.C., to Indianapolis. What’s the best way to handle this? Should I just go through HP Express, or is it better to send it as a standard package, or is there some other way to make sure it actually gets there on time?
I’m honestly a bit confused because I can't figure out if FedEx is just meant for handling COD payments, or if I can actually use them to ship pretty much anything else. 😕

You can ship pretty much anything through FedEx. You just walk up to the counter, pay the shipping fees right then and there, and you're done. It’s that simple.

Much appreciated! 🙂

I have a question. If I need to send and receive books, what’s the most secure and cost-effective way to handle it? I’ve mostly used cash on delivery in the past, but I'm wondering if using postage stamps is a better move since it's cheaper? How does the process actually work with stamps? What are the rules for packaging and all that? Also, if I need to collect payment upon delivery, how would that even work? 😕