Mail & Shipping - Recommendations, Questions, and Answers

Anonymous said:Just a quick question for anyone who's sent stuff through The New York Times. Is it normal for the lady at the newsstand to say she'll wrap up the package later once it arrives today (instead of just doing it right then and there)?😕(rather than handling it on the spot)?

aha.. mine was the same.. because she said her orders were to prioritize customers (some guy came by for the papers), and packages get "dealt with" during the downtime..
what's worrying you about it?
I actually brought my own wrapping for my packages, so I wasn't too concerned..
And as of today, one was picked up and everything went fine🙂

Thanks for the reply..🙂
I realized later on that I really should have just packed everything up completely instead of doing a half-job.😵 Honestly, it’s not the end of the world, but I hate feeling unprofessional by not finishing a service I already paid for—especially since it wasn't even that busy. Still, I’ve had good luck receiving packages in the past, so I’m sure this will turn out fine.🙂

1) Has anyone else noticed that FedEx has suddenly started demanding you wrap boxes in paper?? I went to drop off a package today—just a few pounds, roughly 8x8x12 inches, neat, taped up, and clearly labeled—and the woman tells me they now have to be wrapped and sealed with their own specific security seals. And then, once they seal it, you supposedly have to sign four different seals on every single side of the box, from the top down to the side, overlapping the seal itself. I just stood there blinking.

Honestly, what kind of nonsense is this? Their shipping process was already an absolute nightmare; if you're sending something COD, you have to fill out two separate forms (it used to be three) plus write the address on the box. Now we add this? The whole ordeal took me about 20 minutes, even though I had everything ready to go: the payment slip printed out and everything packed in the box with the addresses written on it.

I don't think they'll be seeing my face again anytime soon...

Does anyone know who the cheapest competitor is? Maybe UPS? And how much would they charge to ship a package from one coast of the US to the other? Let's say the package is worth $33, using those dimensions mentioned above. Also, does the competition require this ridiculous sealing and paper wrapping?

2) In my opinion, the most efficient way to handle shipping would be this:
Go to the carrier's website, fill out the online form with your info and the recipient's info, etc., and jot down the order number from the screen. Then, head to the shipping center where they have a kiosk, sort of like those self-checkout scales you see at a grocery store.

You put the package on the scale, type the order number into the screen, and it immediately prints a label large enough to cover both the top and the side of the box. You just stick the label on, and the top shows the sender and recipient info along with the service type (COD, fragile, etc.), while the side features a barcode with a digital seal and electronic signature for registration.

You take that labeled package to the counter, they scan the barcode to confirm everything is correct, issue the receipt, you pay, and you're done.

No manual forms, no stupidness with wrapping and hand-stamping. If there isn't a massive line, the entire procedure from walking in to walking out would take two minutes. Hop on the scale, punch in the number, slap on the printed label, hand it over the counter, they scan it, you pay, and you're out the door.

Does anyone actually know what counts as an "oversized" package? Like, I’m trying to ship this box and now I’m second-guessing everything—what are the actual dimensions before they start hitting you with those crazy extra fees?
Zachary Peterson6?

Nancy Robinson66 said:Does anyone actually know what qualifies as an oversized package? I'm trying to ship this box, but I have no clue at what point it hits that "oversized" threshold.
Zachary Peterson6?

I'm pretty sure it's when the total dimensions—you know, length plus width plus height combined—go over about 78 inches...

Nancy Robinson66 said:Does anyone know what counts as an oversized package? I'm sending out a box and I'm just not sure which dimensions trigger that classification.
Zachary Peterson66?

Here is what the USPS website says:

Package Dimensions and Weight
The weight of the package you want to send can be up to 44 lbs. The sum of the length and the girth (measured at the widest point) can be up to 118 inches, provided the largest dimension doesn't exceed 59 inches. Minimum package size is the same as for letters (minimum address side is about 3.5" x 5.5"). If you need to ship something larger or heavier than these limits, you can use FedEx.

Additional Package Services
Oversized
Shipments that don't fit standard packaging due to shape or composition (like a bicycle, an exhaust pipe, or other irregular items) can be sent using the "Oversized" service. If you use both "Oversized" and "Special Handling," you'll only be charged for one service.

So, I guess from what I gathered, if it's bigger than those limits, you can't use regular mail—just FedEx—and "oversized" seems to just mean irregular shapes. Hopefully that helps.🙂

If I were to drop a letter in the mail tomorrow, do you think there’s any chance it actually makes it to its destination by Thursday?

Drew Castillo76 said:If I drop a letter in the mail tomorrow, do you think it’ll actually hit its destination by Thursday?

I mean, if you get it out there in the morning, it should probably show up by Wednesday...

Linda Chavez14 said:So, here's the lowdown from the USPS website

Thanks a ton, you're a lifesaver! I totally missed that 😁. So, basically, my box—which is about 20x20x9 inches—should be fine as a standard package at the local post office. I actually sent my husband to go double-check with them today just so I don't have to stress about it.

Hello,
I am looking for some advice regarding shipping a perfume via certified mail. The bottle itself is made of aluminum, so there is absolutely no risk of it breaking, and the cap is incredibly secure—it isn’t going anywhere... I have placed the bottle inside a sturdy, thick cardboard box, nestled within packing peanuts to ensure nothing shifts during transit. To be safe, I sealed the box with heavy-duty tape, wrapped the whole thing in white paper, and tied it up with twine. Does this sound sufficient to you? When I shake the package, I can hear the liquid moving inside, and I find myself wondering if the clerks at the Post Office might cause any issues... specifically, whether they might insist on opening it if they suspect the packaging isn't quite up to standard or if they get suspicious about the contents...

Betty Wilson15 said:Hey there,
I need to ship some perfume via certified mail. It’s in an aluminum bottle, so it won't shatter, and the cap is incredibly tight—there's zero chance of it popping off on its own. I tucked it into a sturdy, thick cardboard box nestled in some packing peanuts so nothing shifts around. I taped the box shut, wrapped the whole thing in white paper, and tied it with twine. Does that sound alright? When I shake the package, I can hear the liquid moving inside; do you think the post office will give me any grief about it, like trying to open it up if they suspect the packaging isn't up to par?

Sounds fine. Just make sure there's absolutely no wiggle room in the box so it doesn't bang against the sides. They'll take it just like that.🙂

So, my package finally arrived, but I’m running into a bit of a snag because I can't get to the notification slip they left in my mailbox since I don't have my key on me right now... I was wondering if it would be possible to just head down to the UPS office and pick it up using only my ID, without needing that physical notice...

I honestly have no clue where to drop this question, so I’ll just try my luck here. I’ve been scouring the web but I'm coming up totally empty...

Who do I actually talk to if I want my electric and water bills sent to a different address than the property itself?
I heard it's totally doable, but I have zero idea where to find more info on how to set it up..😢

coppermoose42 said:I honestly have no idea where to even post this question, so I’ll just try my luck here. I've been scouring the web but I can't find anything helpful...

Who do I actually contact, or where do I go if I want my electricity and water bills sent to an address different from the property I'm actually paying for?
I heard it was possible to do this, but I haven't a clue how to find more details...😢

Well, obviously you need to contact whoever is actually ISSUING the bills—like Duke Energy or Berkshire Hathaway—isn't that just common sense?

Greetings.

I have a question regarding orders coming in from the United Kingdom. Is there any way to circumvent

customs duties (given that my package value is $367)? Specifically, could I have it held at a post office in Austria? 😕

Furthermore, since the July 1st changes regarding the European Union, have those customs zones been effectively abolished or something to that effect? If anyone happens to be knowledgeable on the matter... 🤷

I need to ship a 2 kg package over to the States, but my recipient is being quite insistent about having a "tracking number" included.
Does anyone here know if that's an option through our local carriers? And more importantly, what kind of damage am I looking at in terms of cost?

Jacob Bennett6 said:I need to ship a 2kg package to the States, but the recipient is insisting on having a tracking number.
Does anyone know if we can actually do that here? And what kind of a hit is it going to take out of my wallet?

Look, pretty much any shipment worth sending should have a tracking number. As for the price, you can just check the USPS website.🙂

Olivia Green46 said:every single recommended shipment / package comes with its own tracking number, and if you want to know the actual cost, you can just check the USPS website🙂

That isn't quite 🙄

Based on their rate sheet here:

There are four distinct options available:
Package services: either economy or premium
FedEx (UPS): pickup at the local post office or direct door-to-door delivery

Does any one of these four shipping methods actually include a tracking number?

I tried calling their customer service line, but they managed to make everything incredibly convoluted by rambling about some sort of $240 😲 nonsense. That's precisely why I'm asking here—to see if anyone actually has hands-on experience sending a package like this overseas.

The private courier services are even more extortionate, charging upwards of $333.

Michelle Phillips69 said:Greetings.

If I’m ordering something from the UK, is there any way to avoid those extra fees?

Is there any way to avoid customs duties? Given the total value of my package... $367Should I just leave it at the post office in Canada?😕

Does anyone actually know if those customs zones just vanish once we officially join the EU on July 1st? Or does something else happen to them? If anyone has any insight, I'd appreciate it.🤷

Is there actually nobody here who knows the answer, or is everyone just collectively deciding that ignoring me is the cool thing to do? ☕

Jacob Bennett6 said:There’s no such thing as 🙄

Based on their pricing sheet here

There are 4 options:
Package services: economy or premium
FedEx (UPS): pickup at the post office or at your address

Do any of these 4 shipping options include a tracking number?

I called customer service, but they just made everything more complicated and started rambling about some kind of $240 😲 So I'm asking here to see if anyone actually has experience shipping a package like this overseas.

Other courier services are even more expensive (well over $333).

For domestic shipping, both registered mail and packages come with a tracking number, so I assume it works the same way for international shipments.
You'll have to check the USPS website for the specifics.

That said, sending it via registered mail is cheaper than a standard package—at least for lighter items—but I'm not sure if you can send anything heavier than 2 lbs internationally via registered mail; looking at the rates, it doesn't seem possible. FedEx is obviously the most expensive route.

And watch yourself when you're shipping—you can't show up with a sealed box for the customs declaration; the clerk at the counter needs to be able to see what's inside.