Mail & Shipping - Recommendations, Questions, and Answers

Angela Flores76 said:Yeah, they either pocket the cash themselves or take a cut of the revenue, so they definitely have an incentive to mess with you.🙄

You mentioned earlier that you weren't sure what services are actually offered, but everything is laid out clearly in your first post in this thread. Even if it isn't explicitly listed on their website, you can find all the necessary details easily.

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

I feel like I have to chime in here. Honestly, I’ve tried sending things about 15 different times, and every single time I walk in there and politely request to send it as a certified package, every single time they try to screw me over.😳
It’s been everything: "That’s too small" (it wasn't—it was larger than 14x9), "It's too bulky," "It'll get lost," or "Heavy packages like that just get crushed."🙄🙄🙄
Of course, I always manage to get my package sent eventually, but I get a dirty look the second I step foot inside the USPS office.

Yesterday, I went in looking for a large envelope, and the clerk tells me, "No, you can't fit that in an envelope" (even though it fits perfectly fine), "We'll just give you a box instead" (and the smallest box they had was like 10 inches wide).$5.00
I told him, "I'd really prefer the envelope."
We went back and forth, and he tells me, "You can't send items in an envelope as a certified package; it can only be sent as certified mail."😂😂😂
I countered, "Yes, I can. I've sent much smaller items this way many times before."
He replied, "Well, we work here, so we should know."
I said, "But I'm the customer making the decision!"

...In the end, I got my way and sent it how I wanted, but I'm starting to think the business at the post office isn't exactly above board.

I get where you're coming from. If anyone is sending stuff from the post office out to the Brooklyn depot, they know it’s basically a breeding ground for arrogance. But honestly, isn't it funny how as soon as you walk in acting all cocky and self-assured, nobody even bothers to call you out? They just stay quiet... too much silence.

People over by Times Square are constantly trying to lecture me too... telling me I can't do this or I shouldn't do that—as if I haven't sent things exactly this way multiple times already. I’m not an idiot; I know how to send a package.

On the other hand, I went to the post office yesterday in Savannah, and the woman working there was absolutely wonderful. She handled everything exactly as I requested without any hassle, and she even went out of her way to give me some helpful advice. I couldn't be happier with the service. Now I completely understand why my boyfriend goes out of his way to visit that specific branch instead of using the one closer to him.🙂

Kudos to the Savannah post office!

That’s exactly where we started—the idea that companies just don't have good enough marketing 🙂 when, in reality, people just need to actually read things once in a while.

FYI—Amtrak has pretty terrible marketing for one "competitor," let alone the actual information buried on their website. ☕
And honestly? I get the feeling you aren't really reading my posts very closely, if we're being honest about that. 🙂

This kind of backward thinking needs to be rooted out. Amtrak and their marketing strategy are completely irrelevant here; I only mentioned them as an example of a competitor, regardless of who they are. As for your posts, I only bother reading them from the moment you latch onto mine and start talking nonsense. What am I supposed to do with that? Enjoy yourself.👍

Linda Williams97 said:The people at my local branch near Times Square are always trying to lecture me. They act like I can't do things one way or another, even though I've sent packages exactly like that several times already. I'm not an idiot; I know how to ship stuff!

But yesterday, when I went to the post office over in Savannah, the woman working there was absolutely wonderful. Everything went perfectly smoothly—exactly how I requested. She even went out of her way to give me some advice. I couldn't be happier! Now I finally understand why my boyfriend goes out of his way to visit that specific location instead of using the closer one.🙂

Kudos to the Savannah post office!

Man, I’d love to go there too, but it’s quite a trek from where I live in the heart of Chicago.
What I mentioned earlier applies to the main branch (I've been to the ones on Broadway twice and had the same experience), whereas the one on Fifth Avenue won't even take small packages from me.

Michael Sanchez7-- just a bit of advice: if you aren't already doing this in real life, you really ought to learn the difference between "you" and "your."
It doesn't look like you're just a typo maker since you make the exact same mistake in every single post.

neonridge8 said:Michael Sanchez7 - just a tip - if you actually care about this in real life, you should probably learn the difference between "if" and "because."
It doesn't look like a typo to me since you make the exact same mistake in every single post.

I'll admit, I mess that up quite a bit.

Michael Sanchez7 said:This kind of backwards thinking needs to be completely eradicated. Amtrak and their marketing schemes have absolutely nothing to do with this discussion—I only brought them up as an example of what a competitor looks like, regardless of who they are. Honestly, yours are the only posts I bother reading once you decide to latch onto my thread just to spout nonsense. What am I supposed to do with you? Enjoy yourself.👍

Oh, how wonderful that your posts are just overflowing with brilliant wisdom. 😉

Maybe try actually studying this topic for once so you can grasp what people genuinely need here. And for the record, CE is irrelevant to this entire conversation (at least to me, and clearly to everyone else since I haven't seen a single soul using their services), even though you were the one who dragged the conversation toward how they are real competition for HP. 🙏
May God help us if that’s what passes for competition these days. 👍

Drew Gonzalez75 said:...

Honestly, I don't even know how to respond to that. 🤷 I have never once had anyone give me grief for simply following the rules exactly as they're laid out on their own websites—period. Though, I will admit, there was a time when my local Post Office employed some woman who felt the need to measure absolutely EVERYTHING down to the millimeter. Goodness, I would have lost my mind. 😁 😠

Oh, and get this: one time at a Post Office near the beach, this lady actually asked me what I was shipping and if it happened to be perfume (heaven knows where she got that idea 😕). I told her straight up that I wasn't shipping any liquids, and then she started questioning whether I was "absolutely sure" 😕 😁 about it. So, naturally, I just asked if she was actually going to ship the package or if I should just take my business to a different branch. In the end, she finally processed it. 🙄

Angela Flores76 said:It’s just great how your posts are always bursting with such brilliant advice. 😉

Maybe try actually looking into this topic before deciding you understand what people here need. And for the record, USPS is irrelevant to this entire discussion (at least to me, and clearly to everyone else since I haven't seen anyone actually using them), even though you were the one who dragged the conversation toward how they are real competition for HP. 🙏
May God help us if that’s what passes for competition these days. 👍

The reason I brought up USPS was to point out the nonsense regarding monopolies that you blurted out. Nobody was talking about how strong a competitor they are, nor did anyone claim they were "real" competition—whatever definition of "real" you happen to be using. If the management and marketing at the post office weren't such a disaster, the clerks wouldn't be so rude; they'd act professionally and treat customers with actual decency. Users would actually be satisfied because the service would be competent and efficient. But according to your logic, the postal service should just stay stuck in the Middle Ages.🙄

So, I sent a jacket on Saturday from Chicago to somewhere just outside of Chicago, and they charged me $8.75. The package was about 1.5 kg. Is that actually a normal price, or did someone totally screw me over...? I don't know, feels a little steep to me.

If you're paying the buyout fee, it seems pretty standard. As for doing it without one, I guess I'm not really sure...

amberranger15 said:I mailed a jacket on Saturday from Washington, D.C. to somewhere nearby, and they charged me $8.75. The package weighed about 3.3 lbs. Is that actually a standard rate, or did I just get ripped off? It feels a bit steep.

The real question is: did you actually send it as a "package," or did you just tell them you were sending a parcel and fill out the standard shipping form? In American English, people tend to use the word "package" so loosely that they think everything they mail falls under that category—but it doesn't... unless you specifically sent it as 🙂

So I filled out the little slip for the package... does that mean it's officially sent off as a parcel now? 🤷

It was most likely sent via certified mail back then. 🙂

Angela Flores76 said:Maybe it was sent via certified mail then. 🙂

Nah, it was sent as a buyout package 🤣 👍

Question... what am I supposed to do when the mail carrier signs for a certified package meant for someone else and then just doesn't deliver it...? Is there any way—and where in the USPS—can I actually check who signed for it and when exactly it happened?

Jason Jackson60 said:Question... what on earth do you do when a USPS carrier signs for a certified package under someone else's name and then just fails to actually deliver the damn thing? Is there even a way—or a place within the postal service—to verify exactly who signed for it and precisely when?

So, the mail carrier forged your signature but never even left the package? 😕
If you receive packages regularly, they should already have your actual signature on file; why not tell them to compare the two? Go down to the local branch, demand they track down where that signature came from, and threaten to involve their legal department. Once you start talking about legal action, people tend to find answers very quickly. It certainly wouldn't be the first time this kind of nonsense has happened. 🙄

Hey ladies,

After dealing with several frustrating issues with my new local post office since I moved, I’ve officially decided to file a lawsuit.

If any of you are still having problems with the USPS, please list your specific complaints clearly and DM them to me.

Thanks

I need to ship out a jacket—well, more of a light coat. I’m planning on boxing it up and wrapping it securely.
Does anyone happen to know what the shipping costs look like since we're both located in the same region? I want to give the girl buying it an accurate heads-up.
I did try looking through the pricing guide on the USPS website, but I'm still feeling a little bit lost, so I figured I'd reach out and get some first-hand advice from you all.

Up until now, I've mostly just been sending much smaller items.