Mail & Shipping - Recommendations, Questions, and Answers

Hi,

I was hoping someone could help me with a quick question. This would be my first time sending something via COD. I checked the USPS website and estimated the shipping will cost about $16. I’m planning to send it as a standard package marked fragile. I was thinking about asking the buyer to just wire me double the shipping cost upfront—let's say $33—just so I know they'll actually show up to pick it up. So, when I fill out the COD amount, I’d take the total value of the item plus shipping and subtract those $33 they already sent me, leaving me to request something like $67 upon delivery. What I really need to know is: can the COD amount on the receipt say $67, while I put the actual item value as $100? Basically, is it okay if the COD amount and the declared value of the item don't match, or do they have to be the same?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Look, at the end of the day, value is value, and an buyout can be $0.33😉

Zachary Peterson6 said:Of course, value is value, and a buyout could also be $0.33😉

I thought so too, I guess, but I just wanted to be sure. Thanks a lot for the quick reply. 🙂

The mailman is always on the job🙂

Is it possible to send a standard package—not an HP Express shipment—with cash on delivery, where the recipient covers the shipping costs?
Up until now, I’ve just been paying the postage myself and then bumping up the COD amount to cover the difference, but I really need this other option now. Does HP actually offer that service?

Nah, that’s just the HP Express

Can I pay for package pickup at a post office in Canada using a credit card (Mastercard), or is it strictly cash only?

I have a question 🙂 ... I mean, is shipping from Austria going to be cheaper for the US now that we've joined the EU? 😁

I have a question.
I’m expecting a package from the USA, but I want to keep my home address private—say, just letting the sender see my name or something similar. Is there any way I could have the package sent to a local post office instead, so I can pick it up there using my ID or something...

placidbadger67 said:I have a question.
I'm expecting a package from the USA, but I want to keep my home address private (for instance, having the sender only see my name or something similar). Is there any way I can pick up that package at my local post office using my ID or something?

Use Poste Restante.

Where do you guys usually pick up your shipping boxes?

coppernomad10 said:Where are you guys getting your shipping boxes?

Usually I just grab some old tech packaging from around the house.
If I'm out of luck, I hit up a local store. They always have plenty of junk lying around they don't mind giving away. 😁

I wonder how long a standard letter takes to reach an address in Germany?

At least four days, maybe up to two weeks.

Does anyone know when the USPS processes payments? How long does it usually take to hit an account at a different bank if it isn't Chase?

Melissa Phillips4 said:Does anyone actually know how long it takes when you're doing a money order through the Post Office? Like, how long does it usually take for the funds to actually hit an account at a different bank—and I mean a real bank, not just some local credit union or Chase?

Usually by the next day, I guess.

Thanks

I’ve got a quick question for the group. Some guy reached out to me yesterday about that tennis racket I'm trying to sell. He wants me to ship it via COD, with him covering the shipping costs. My actual dilemma is how the hell I'm supposed to pack this thing. It's way too big for almost any box I've come across, and I'm completely stumped. If I just toss it in its original racket case or wrap it up in some heavy-duty paper, do you think USPS would even accept it? Looking for a fast answer here!

Thanks!

Dennis Cruz62 said:I've got a quick question here. Some guy hit me up yesterday about that tennis racket I'm selling. He wants me to ship it via C.O.D. through the post office, and he'll cover the shipping costs. But honestly, I'm stuck on how the hell I'm supposed to pack this thing. It's way too big for basically any box I've come across, and I'm drawing a total blank. If I just threw it in the racket bag or wrapped it in some heavy-duty paper, would the USPS even accept that? Please let me know ASAP!

Thanks!

You could probably just go with the racket bag or wrap it in paper, I guess.😉

Does anyone know if Time actually takes packages on Sundays?