Mail & Shipping - Recommendations, Questions, and Answers

Elizabeth Brown90 said:I sent off a certified package from Washington, D.C. to Chicago about a week ago and it still hasn't shown up....is it possible it's just delayed because of the holidays? I'd be seriously devastated if it actually got lost somewhere.😢

When did you drop it off?

Elizabeth Brown90, I sent some stuff over the last few days and it arrived within a day or two—so I don't think the holidays have anything to do with it.

Has anyone here dealt with sending money to Mexico before? I'm looking for the cheapest way to do it. I need to send about $35 and want to know the best move. Western Union charges a $17 fee, but the cash hits the account in an hour or two—and honestly, speed isn't my priority. Is there a cheaper option out there?

Zachary Peterson6 said:When did they send it out?

December 17th

So, how does the whole refund process actually work? I'm a little lost...

Elizabeth Brown90 said:12/17

How does the whole claim process actually work?

It’s still way too early to be filing a claim. Just hang tight for a bit longer; there's a chance it shows up. You should also double-check with your girlfriend to make sure she’s absolutely certain nothing arrived—tell her to just swing by the local Post Office to check. This happened to me once: I was shipping something to some tiny rural town and the mail carrier totally forgot to leave a notice. My friend went down to the station on a hunch and the package was 🙂
right there waiting for her.

I'm wondering how package delivery works in Washington, D.C. (since I haven't ordered anything here yet—back home in my small town, everything just went to one of the two local post offices, and you always knew which one was the main hub where all the packages landed). If I'm not home and they leave a slip, where am I supposed to go pick up the package? Is it just the nearest post office? I guess that makes sense, but how would I actually know exactly where to go? 🙂 Thanks in advance for the help, hope this isn't too stupid a question. 😁

I've got 3 books I need to mail out, weighing in at 2.1 kg total—definitely over the limit for a standard stamped letter.

Obviously, they aren't going in an envelope; they're packed in a box. I haven't sent more than one book at a time before (usually just tucked them into those thick yellow bubble mailers) and I've always used AT&T Express because that's what my buyers insist on. Is there any way to ship these without using AT&T Express so I can actually save some cash?

Jesse Anderson2 said:I need to mail three books, they weigh 2.1 kg total, which is over the limit for a regular certified letter.

Obviously, I won't use an envelope, it’ll be in a box. I haven't really sent more than one book before—I usually just use those thick yellow padded envelopes—and I always go through AT&T Express because that's what my customers specifically ask for. How can I send these cheaper without using AT&T Express?

You could just send them as a package with declared value. For a 2-5 kg package with a declared value of $33, prices start at $6.75 depending on if you want home delivery or pickup at the post office, and based on the value (up to $33, the price stays the same). You can check all the math here: http://www.usps.com/shipping/rates.html
If it gets lost, you're covered for whatever value you list on the form and the package.

What’s the best way to ship a small piece of furniture from one coast to the other? Like, can they wrap it in something protective?

Linda Chavez14 said:You can just send them as a package with a declared value. For a 4-11 lb box with a declared value up to $33, prices start at $6.75 depending on if you want home delivery or just pickup at the USPS office—plus, the price stays the same for any value up to $33. You can run all the numbers right here: http://www.usps.com/shipping/price-calculator
If it gets lost, you're covered for whatever value you listed on the form and the box.

alright, just sent it...$3.25 way cheaper than using FedEx Express... at least that's one win! 😉

Kimberly Brown43 said:What’s actually the most efficient way to ship an item from one coast of the US to the other? Can they wrap it in something specific to keep it safe?

I'm wondering the exact same thing,😉
really looking for some input here.

Sarah Bishop86 said:I'm actually pretty curious about this too,😉
really looking for some help from you guys here.

FedEx Express!

So, here’s the deal. I ordered a basic car emergency kit from a shop in Washington, D.C. The guy says he sent it out the Saturday right before Christmas via standard mail. But honestly, there’s still no sign of it. He gave me some kind of tracking number, but I’m a bit confused—how does standard mail even come with a tracking number?? I could use some help here. Should I just keep waiting, or maybe head down to the post office?? Just to compare, a different package sent on Thursday, January 3rd, already showed up today via certified mail.

Timothy Wright4 said:So, here’s the deal. I ordered a mandatory car safety kit from Washington, D.C. The guy said he sent it out the Saturday before Christmas. He used standard mail. So far, there's no sign of the package. He gave me some kind of tracking number, but I don't get how it can be standard mail if there's a tracking number? Any ideas? Should I just wait, or should I head down to the post office?? Just so you know, another package sent last Thursday, January 3rd, arrived today via regular mail (certified).

I guess I don't quite follow—did he send it as a regular letter or just through standard mail??? If it was just a basic letter, there wouldn't be a tracking number. But if he sent it via certified mail or as a parcel through the USPS, then there is a tracking number that you should be able to plug in right here to see where the shipment is: If nothing comes up, maybe you could just call your local post office to check instead of going there in person.

Just before Christmas, a package arrived at my local post office. Since I haven't been home yet (I’m still planning to head back later this week), the mail carrier left a slip saying I need to pick it up. Does anyone know how long they'll actually hold onto a package before sending it back?
My folks swung by the post office to explain the situation to the clerk, and she said she’d take the responsibility of leaving the package there until I can get back.

I’m wondering how to sell shoes through the mail. I’d have to ship them to some stranger, so I'm worried about getting scammed.

Aaron Wood2 said:How long do I actually have to pick up my package before they send it back? I'm staring at this tracking info and wondering if I have a few days to get my act together or if I need to drop everything right now—honestly, these shipping companies can be so unpredictable sometimes.

Five days. That’s all it takes, isn't it? Just five little days for everything to spiral—or maybe just enough time to realize how much has actually changed since last week. It’s funny how time works like that—one minute you’re coasting along, thinking you have all the breathing room in the world, and then suddenly, you’re staring at the calendar realizing the window is slamming shut. I was sitting there this morning, sipping my coffee—the good stuff, none of that instant swill—just thinking about how quickly things move once they start moving. It’s relentless. Truly.

I don't even know where to begin with this—it’s just one of those things that gets under my skin if I think about it for more than five seconds—but honestly, there are some days when you just have to vent. It feels like everything is moving at such a frantic pace lately, doesn't it? Like we're all just sprinting toward a finish line that keeps getting moved further away by some unseen force. I was sitting in my kitchen this morning, staring at a cold cup of coffee—which, mind you, was already lukewarm because I got distracted reading an article about the local school board's latest nonsense—and it hit me how much unnecessary friction we deal with daily. It's exhausting. It really is. You try to do the right thing, you try to follow the rules, and yet it feels like the system is designed to trip you up at every turn. Anyway, I'm rambling. I know. But sometimes you just need to get it out of your system before you boil over. kaže:
I’ve been sitting here staring at my screen for twenty minutes just wondering how one actually goes about selling shoes through the mail without getting absolutely fleeced—because, let's be honest, sending a pair of kicks out to some total stranger via USPS feels like a massive gamble. I mean, you package everything up, you drop it off at the post office, and then what? You're just left praying that the buyer doesn't pull some shady move once they have the goods in their hands. It's a legitimate concern, really—that fear of being scammed by someone you've never met is enough to make anyone hesitate. You want to make the sale, sure, but you don't want to end up empty-handed while some random person is walking around in your inventory. There has to be a way to protect yourself, right? Some sort of buffer between the transaction and the shipping so you aren't just tossing money into a black hole.

Just send it via COD—cash on delivery. That way, the buyer actually has skin in the game because they have to cough up the cash before they can even touch the package. It’s the only way to protect yourself, really. I mean, look, there is always that one person who’s going to screw you over—you know the type—who just refuses to pick up the box when it arrives at their door. And then? You’re left holding the bag. The whole thing gets shipped right back to your doorstep, and you end up paying for the shipping twice. It’s infuriating, honestly. I dealt with something similar last year when I tried to sell some old gear through an online marketplace—ended up losing money on the return postage just because some guy decided he didn't want it anymore. Just stick to COD; it's the only way to ensure they're serious.

So, what does it actually mean when the recipient sees a specific buyout amount, but then they're also hit with an extra service fee for the payment processing? Like, what exactly is this fee for?

Zachary Peterson6 said:FedEx Express!

My package finally arrived—it’s one of those bright yellow slips left on the door. 🙂 They didn't even give me a heads-up call first.
Now I've got a bit of a situation because the box is wrapped in such bulky packaging that it won't even fit in my car,
so I was wondering, can I just ask them to redeliver it to my house, and would I have to pay an extra fee for that?

Kimberly Brown43 said:My package—this big yellow envelope thing—just showed up. 🙂 They didn't even give me a heads-up call first.
Now the damn thing won't even fit in my car because it's wrapped up in this massive sheet of plastic, so I was wondering,
is there any way I can request a redelivery? And if so, am I gonna get hit with an extra fee or what?

Just give them a call and ask.☕ They should be able to swing a redelivery, and honestly, I don't know about the cost, but it probably won't be a huge deal.

Zachary Peterson6 said:Give them a call and ask.☕ I can probably get it redelivered, and honestly, I'm not sure about the exact fee, but it shouldn't be too bad.

But since the delivery already happened $50...how exactly is "not too bad" supposed to look?