Mail & Shipping - Recommendations, Questions, and Answers

I was wondering if anyone could clarify the actual difference between priority mail and standard shipping.
I’m trying to send something a bit more valuable to a girl I know—she’s insisting on just using regular ground shipping because she won't be home when the mail carrier arrives, and she wants to avoid having to sign for anything at the door.
Honestly, though, the idea of sending something precious without any tracking or security makes me a little nervous.
Does "priority" simply mean it gets there faster, or does it also imply that a signature is required upon delivery? Or is it possible for the carrier to just leave it in the mailbox regardless?
Thanks for any insight.

Priority isn't about signing for it; it's just about getting it there fast.
If we're talking about anything actually valuable, I wouldn't dream of sending it any other way besides certified mail. You don't want to deal with a situation where it never arrives and you're left with zero proof that you ever even sent it.

Anyone happen to 'hear' anything about what the News Corp shipping rates are gonna look like after New Year's Day?

I bought some puzzles online and chose cash on delivery. The price was $20 plus $8.25 for shipping. But when the mail carrier showed up at my door, he tried to charge me $30. What gives? Does he actually have the right to take that extra $1.75? Why would he do that?

Elizabeth Palmer2 said:Has anyone managed to get any inside info on what the shipping rates for News Corp parcels are going to look like after New Year's Day?

They already bumped up the prices on $5.00:
http://www.newscorp.com/en-US/pricing.html

I sent a certified letter in an envelope back on December 24th, and the return receipt hasn't shown up yet. Should I be worried, or is this just business as usual... sending it from Washington, D.C., to another address within Washington, D.C.

Robin Fox2 said:I sent a certified letter in an envelope on December 24th, and I still haven't received the return receipt. Should I be worried, or is this normal? It was sent from Washington, D.C. to Washington, D.C.

It’s not exactly normal. In my experience, it arrived in the same city within three business days. Mind you, I live in a tiny town... so who knows. I can't tell you for sure—but I remember sending things to NYC from a small town once where so much time passed that I completely forgot about it.

As for News Corp, using them for heavier or more valuable packages is still very much worth it. For example, if you ship a package up to 2kg through the USPS, the price starts at least at $6.00 for a value up to $33. As the weight or value goes up, the price climbs. That isn't the case with News Corp. Honestly, they even took the stress out of packaging for me. For smaller, low-value items that people usually send via certified mail, the USPS is probably your better bet.

Sending a gift to Russia for the first time. Package size is S, weight should be under 1 kg.
Do I need to select "Declared Value (insured package)" under additional services, or is that for something else? Also, should I check the box for "return to sender"?
Regarding shipping types, is there any actual difference between economy and premium besides the fact that premium costs more by $8.00?
Will I get the necessary paperwork to fill out, and will that include an Item Tracking code via Web Tracking that gets stuck on the box?
One quick thing: why is the sender's address crossed out on the package? (IMAGE) Is it supposed to be written at all? 😁
Thanks in advance! 🙂

Has anyone else dealt with the post office dropping a package at the wrong address?
Mine ended up headed to M6J instead of M6K—and get this—the tracking says it was signed for by someone else entirely. I paid extra for $33 since it was sent certified, yet the mail carrier delivers it to the wrong house and the wrong person? Hilarious.
I had to file for a refund, so now I'm out both the cash and the package. To make matters worse, USPS acts like they have zero clue and it’s none of their problem. They asked for my number and said they'd call if they find anything, but who knows. :/
Has this happened to you guys? I should be getting reimbursed for the full value of the shipment, but it feels like they're just playing dumb.

Is it actually normal for a priority shipment to take a whole week to get to Washington, D.C.? I’m starting to get a little anxious here, especially since the tracking info hasn't updated since it was received in Miami.
Back in the day, stuff used to land in D.C. within a single day.

Olivia Green46 said:Is it normal for a standard shipment to take a whole week to get to Washington, D.C.? I'm starting to get worried since the tracking only shows when it was received in Miami.
It used to reach Washington, D.C. in just one day.

Yeah, that seems off. I sent something from Miami to Russia once and it hit Washington, D.C. in a single day before heading straight to customs. Shoot me a private "tracking link" so we can see what the status actually says if it hasn't arrived yet.

Scott Gomez98 said:Has anyone else had the mail service drop a package at the wrong address?
Mine ended up in Canada instead of being delivered to M6J from M6K, and the tracking clearly shows it was signed for by someone else with a completely different last name. I paid $33 since it was registered mail, yet the carrier delivers to the wrong house and the wrong person lol.
I had to file for a refund, but I lost both my money and the package. USPS acts like they have no clue and claims it isn't their problem. They asked for my phone number and said they'd reach out if they find anything :/
Anyone dealt with this before? I should be getting the full value of the package back since I declared it, but they seem to be playing dumb.

That happened to me, but with a letter, not a package. I didn't bother doing anything because it wasn't worth the headache of filing a claim, plus the process for letters is totally different than packages...
If you marked it as insured and listed the value, they’re supposed to pay you back (not sure if it's the full amount or partial), but basically, you're owed. You just need to have that little slip of paper called "Certified Mail Receipt"

Arthur Green5 said:I mean, yeah, this is definitely weird. I remember sending something similar from Miami headed to Russia, and within twenty-four hours it was already in Washington, D.C. and sitting at customs waiting to be processed. Just shoot me a private message with the "tracking link" so we can actually see what the status is if it hasn't shown up yet.

Honestly, checking the tracking is a total waste of time. I actually went down to the local Post Office yesterday and they couldn't find a trace of it; they ended up filing a missing package report. 🙂

Fingers crossed they track it down eventually.....

If I'm expecting a package, is there any way to have it sent to a nearby post office instead of my actual home address—like if it goes to a specific zip code area?

Also, when I head out to pick it up, what’s the best way to prove it's actually mine? Do I just show my driver's license or is there something else they look for?

Thanks for the help!

Does anyone know why this package wasn't sent to my local post office (over on Vrbana) and instead stayed stuck at the main hub on Main Street?


The mail carrier just slapped a yellow slip on the building's front door saying I have to pick up the package over at the Main Street location. Honestly, sticking notices on the main entrance door feels pretty ridiculous since my last name is clearly listed on both the intercom and the mailbox 🤷. This is the first time anything like this has happened; I receive packages all the time and always collect them from my neighborhood branch without any drama 😕

I called the Main Street branch, but the woman on the phone couldn't give me a straight answer as to why it wasn't delivered locally. She just kept repeating that it was a package and that the package was currently sitting with them at Main Street. I asked her for the specific reasoning a few times, and every single response was just, "Because it's a package"... I'm completely lost here...

Can I just call the post office to see if my package arrived, or do I actually have to show up there?

Hey Dan. Quick question—if someone's expecting a package that requires a signature and they aren't home, what’s the deal with the USPS leaving a notice in the mailbox? Do they usually drop that slip in the same day, or does it take until the next day?

How long does it usually take them to send over a settlement decision? I’ve been sitting here waiting for two weeks now. Should I be getting worried, or is this just business as usual?

Hey, quick question—I need to ship a package over to a neighborhood in Brooklyn, and I'm a bit stuck on the address format. Should I just put 10001 New York, or do I need to use the specific zip code for that exact area?

First time dealing with the mail🤣

So, I’ve got some paperwork to send out. It’s nothing like a social security card or anything, but reading through the first post here, I’m wondering—how often does standard mail actually go missing? These documents are pretty specific; once they're gone, there's no getting them back, which isn't ideal.

Should I just stick to standard USPS, or is the price jump for certified mail worth the peace of mind?

Seriously, this is my first time playing mailman.🤷🤣☕