Mail & Shipping - Recommendations, Questions, and Answers

Timothy Smith82 said:Look, my bad if someone already tackled this, but I honestly don't have the energy to dig through 150+ pages of this thread right now.

Can you actually put stuff in a standard First-Class envelope besides just paper and junk? Like, those small items people ship on eBay using those bubble mailers? Does the USPS count those as regular letters or registered mail?

Honestly, you can send pretty much whatever via First-Class, Standard, or Registered—just keep in mind all three are totally different services.

So, I’m looking at picking up some gear from Dick's Sporting Goods over in the United Kingdom—we're talking about an $80 total including shipping—and I’m wondering if there are any hidden fees or extra taxes waiting to bite me in the ass. Is it actually worth grabbing everything in one big haul, or should I split it into two separate orders? The problem is, if I do that, I’m looking at paying an extra $9 for shipping, which feels like a total rip-off.
I’ve honestly never ordered stuff like jackets or tees this way before, so I’m pretty much flying blind here. Since we're part of the European Union, I figured maybe there wouldn't be any crazy extra duties or anything, but who knows? Am I totally off base on that?

Thanks for the help, guys.

There aren't any taxes—European Union.

I sent my friend some small items packed in an envelope via standard USPS mail.
She wasn't able to pick it up, so the package was returned to me—and when I opened it, I realized part of the contents were missing.
What should I even do at this point? It’s probably too late since I already marked the shipment as received, but honestly, I am absolutely livid.
The envelope came back in much worse shape than when it left, even though there weren't any obvious tears or punctures anywhere.

Hey everyone,

Does anyone happen to know the actual difference between sending something via standard registered mail at the post office versus using a FedEx pickup service?
Yesterday, I dropped off a registered envelope at the local post office and it cost me $4.25, but when I went with a FedEx pickup today, the price jumped to $11. Both packages were just simple envelopes of roughly the same weight.
Is FedEx always going to be that much more expensive, or am I just paying extra because they come right to my door?

Does anyone know if you can actually track a standard piece of mail through the USPS? Just a regular shipment.

Hey there.

If I sent off a package—sunglasses, actually—via certified mail on a Friday, is there any realistic chance it shows up by Saturday morning, or maybe by 3 PM at the absolute latest? 🤔 It's traveling from Pittsburgh to Little Rock 🙂 Thanks!

Kate Carter19 said:Hey everyone,

Can someone please break down the actual difference between just sending a standard package through the USPS versus going with the FedEx option? I'm trying to figure out if the extra cost is even worth it or if it's all just marketing fluff.
So, I headed over to the post office yesterday to send off a certified package, and honestly, they charged me way more than I expected. It felt like a total rip-off, if you ask me. I guess the rates just keep creeping up every single time I go, but still, it's getting ridiculous. Maybe I should have looked into using FedEx instead, but at that point, I just wanted to get it over with. $4.25So, I’m heading out to drop some stuff off at FedEx later today, and honestly? It’s probably going to be a total nightmare. I have a feeling it's gonna cost me a fortune, too. Just my luck, I guess. $11The packages were basically just envelopes, honestly. They had about the same weight to them, too.
Is it just me, or is FedEx way more expensive than everyone else? I can't tell if their base rates are actually that much higher, or if they’re just charging a massive premium because they offer that door-to-door delivery service. Maybe it's the convenience factor, I guess, but it feels like a lot.

Honestly, if you're looking at FedEx, they’re definitely faster than the standard USPS option, but man, you really pay for that speed. It's a bit of a sting to the wallet, I guess. And don't even get me started on COD shipments—if you're sending something cash on delivery, the fees just go through the roof. It’s definitely pricier across the board.

Betty Nelson71 said:Does anyone actually know if it's even possible to track a standard, basic shipment sent through the mail? I'm talking about just a regular, plain old delivery—no fancy services or anything. I guess I'm just wondering if there's any way to see where it's at.

I mean... maybe you could try asking a local mail carrier from that area? If they have a decent memory, they might actually remember if anything was dropped off or if there was some kind of shipment floating around. I guess it's worth a shot, but who knows.

Carol Cook67 said:Hey there. How's it going?

So, I was wondering if anyone could give me a heads-up on something. If someone sent me a package—specifically a pair of sunglasses—via certified mail this past Friday, is there any realistic chance it shows up on Saturday morning? Or, I guess, even by 3:00 PM at the absolute latest?🤔 Sent from Pittsburgh to Little Rock. 🙂 Thanks!

Look, if they sent it via FedEx, there's a decent chance it might actually show up sooner. But if they just went through the standard USPS Priority Mail route? Then we’re probably looking at Monday before it hits my doorstep. I guess it really just depends on how much they rushed the shipping, but honestly, I'm not holding my breath until next week.

Hey there,

What on earth does it mean when a package shows up labeled as a "ported shipment"... especially one with a return receipt?

Hey everyone 🙂

I could really use some advice here, since I’ve honestly never sent anything through the mail before—like an actual package, anyway.
So, I'm looking to ship a t-shirt to a friend down in Key West either tomorrow or the day after. Does anyone know how the process actually works? Am I just supposed to toss the shirt in a bag and call it a day, or is there more to it once I finally show up at the post office? I'm definitely looking to send it via certified mail.
Does anyone know what the cost looks like, or if they provide boxes and those little forms you have to fill out, or whatever else

I realize this might sound like a pretty silly question to some of you, but since I'm a complete novice, I figured I'd check in with people who actually know what they're doing.
thanks in advance 😁 😁

If you're just shipping a T-shirt, grab one of those yellow bubble mailers from the USPS counter and stuff it in.
It'll run you about a dollar or two if you go with the tracked option.
They’ll hand you a form to fill out with your address and the recipient's info.
Just write the same thing on the envelope and call it a day. Drop it off and pay.
Then they give you back a white receipt that has your tracking number on it.

The whole thing takes maybe two to five minutes unless the line at the post office is backed up.

Hey everyone. 🙂
I just dealt with the absolute worst scenario you can face when shipping something COD; the guy simply refused to pick up the package and is now playing dumb. What makes it even more infuriating is that he’s a grown adult—someone I actually expected to be serious—so his behavior was totally unexpected. And don't even get me started on his impatience; the sheer annoyance he displayed while waiting for the delivery... honestly, it was too much. But whatever, let's move on.

The package went out via FedEx, and now I'm just sitting here waiting for it to bounce back to me!
So, here's my question: how much am I looking at in return shipping fees? Specifically, what kind of number should I expect from a completely non-transparent company like USPS that has a pretty terrible reputation?
Anyway, I talked to customer service, and they’re trying to convince me that the return shipping won't cost more than 20% of what the recipient originally owed. Which is total nonsense in my book, because this is the postal service—they'll nickel and dime you at every single turn and act like complete cowboys during collection (especially the mail carriers). They’ll charge you for things that aren't even listed anywhere, especially since I don't trust the carriers who seem to fumble everything they touch.

Given that the amount the recipient was supposed to pay based on the value was $25, how much should I realistically expect to be charged for the return?

Thanks, and a little parting advice—don't trust anyone, especially not the post office, when it comes to stuff like this (specifically regarding what they charge you).🙂

So, I ordered fifty separate packages from Amazon in the United Kingdom. Fifty! Granted, they’re all tiny—roughly 7 ounces each—but still, fifty! And for three weeks now, there hasn't been a single sign of them.

My immediate concern isn't even getting my money back (though that's a whole other headache); it's the sheer impossibility of fifty packages simply vanishing within the postal system.

They weren't sent via certified mail, but I thought I'd call the local post office to see if anyone had actually laid eyes on them, or perhaps the carrier just missed leaving a notice. I figured someone might eventually realize that fifty packages traveling all the way from the United Kingdom were all destined for the exact same address.

The other afternoon, I called the main hub here in San Francisco, and they gave me a number for the parcel department. When I called that number, they basically told me they handle parcels, but I needed the delivery division. I have no clue what that specific department is officially called, but fine, I tried calling this third number (342-539). Naturally, nobody picked up.

Fine, so I call Washington, D.C. I spent five minutes trying to explain to a woman that I just needed a direct line in San Francisco where someone would actually answer regarding these fifty packages, but I didn't get it. She told me to leave my details so they could "investigate the matter" and get back to me. They said the turnaround is forty-eight hours at most; go ahead and guess whether they ever called.

So, what can I say? What good advice is left to give? Who am I supposed to call now, and which number should I even try?

Hi everyone. I’ve run into a bit of a situation—I picked up a mousepad on eBay for about four bucks. Everything was fine until it hit the stage where HP had to handle the delivery.

I’ve dealt with them before. I’ve had to practically beg them to admit a package actually arrived. They’ll claim nothing was delivered without even notifying me, even though I’ve called and checked in personally both this week and last. My seller provided all the proof that everything was sent, yet they still insisted there was no record of it. It only "appeared" after I pushed back, showed them the tracking number, and proved it had been scanned into the local post office. Then there are those ridiculous rules where they won't accept a driver's license as valid ID, even though it works perfectly fine for everything else in the US, like voting or dealing with the police...

Anyway, here’s the deal. This Tuesday, I received a second notice saying I had to pick up my package by the end of the day. I never even got the first notice. Of course, I couldn't make it because I work in a different city and I'm not home every day. To make things worse, I picked up a completely different package at that same post office last Friday, and nobody mentioned this one was already waiting there. Honestly, I don't even care about the mousepad anymore. I don't understand why they didn't just leave it on my porch, especially since they've left much more expensive items at my door before. I really don't want to deal with the headache of arguing with the staff at the post office over such a small amount. My main concern is whether they're going to try to charge me a fee for their own mistake. My question is—do I need to do anything, or will they just send it back to the sender and call it a day?

I'm looking to ship a package—it’s white and I used some brown tape to seal it up. Do you think that's okay to send as-is, or should I wrap the whole thing in brown paper and twine? If I do need to wrap it, can I just pick that stuff up at the USPS? Also, I'm assuming they'll have the labels ready for me to write the sender and receiver info on, right?

dustydriver202 said:I want to mail a package. It’s white and I sealed it up with some brown tape. Can I send it like that, or should I wrap it in brown paper with twine? If I need to, can I buy those supplies at the post office? And I assume they'll provide the labels for the sender and recipient info, right?

You can definitely send it as is. Just make sure you write the sender and recipient info clearly on the box itself... then once you're at the post office, you just fill out the shipping slip.

I’m not sure if this fits the thread, but I could really use some advice here
So, I have an HP package headed my way—being a student and all, I had it shipped directly to my apartment—but there's a bit of a situation. My landlord decided to rip out the mailbox and hasn't bothered to put a new one in yet. The delivery is supposed to arrive by Wednesday, and since I’ve got classes running all day, I won't exactly be sitting by the door waiting for the knock. Does anyone know if the mail carrier will just leave a missed delivery slip, or am I basically looking at camping out in my living room for the next few days just to make sure I don't miss it?
Thanks in advance!

So, I sent a certified letter from Washington, D.C. to a company also based here in D.C. about a week ago, and I still haven't seen any sign of that return receipt. Is this just a case of the mail carrier being lazy and not doing their job, or should I actually start sweating it and resend everything? Could I just swing by the local USPS office, show them the receipt from when I mailed it, and ask if it’s been logged yet? This is pretty big deal, and honestly, the letter was supposed to get there ASAP.

I’m honestly wondering—is the mail carrier actually required to leave one of those yellow slips, or am I just supposed to play a guessing game to figure out when my package arrived? I’ve been sitting here waiting for six days now on a shipment coming from Chicago, while I'm stuck all the way out here in Portland. Should I be calling someone at USPS to get some actual answers?

So, over this past week, I’ve actually had two certified packages go missing—both were the premium registered kind, too—that I sent off from the local post office over in Vrbana.

I ended up calling their customer service line, and they just sort of told me they could check when the items originally left the facility, but honestly, they didn't offer much else beyond that... apparently, I can file a formal claim if I want to. I mean, I guess I could provide photos or whatever, but it feels like such a hassle...