Mail & Shipping - Recommendations, Questions, and Answers

Look, as I understand it, "cash on delivery" just means the recipient pays the package value when they pick it up..
And you have to pay an extra fee for that option, I think $2.25—at least that’s how it worked last time I sent something this way—whereas a standard shipment is $5.00 (within the US, even if it's up to 20kg), so it should cost you about 20-$8.25 in total.

Sophia Nelson67 thanks for the tip, but I’m still holding out hope it actually reaches its destination. Since the 10th through the 14th were holidays, I'm worried that's why things are lagging—though hopefully it shows up eventually... then again, I don't have a tracking number because I didn't send it as a parcel, just a standard letter since it was such a tiny package... so now I'm just stuck playing games with fate.

Sandra Palmer94 said:Anyway, I don't have tracking since I didn't send it via FedEx, just as a standard letter because the package was so tiny... so now I'm totally screwed.

So yeah, I'm officially screwed.🙄

Michelle Fisher98 said:Hey... I have a question. I'm sure the answer is out there somewhere, but I've read so many conflicting things online that I'm totally lost...
shipping...
I'm planning to send a small package, like the size of a shoebox, using Cash on Delivery.
So, basically, what do I need to do? Wrap it in plain paper, tie it up with twine (what kind of twine???), head to the post office, and tell them I want to send it COD (okay, I think I get how the recipient info and the shipping fees work, blah blah). My actual question is: how do I actually process this? Like, is there a specific way to label it as a COD shipment, or does it just depend on whether the cash option is selected?
Sorry if that sounded a bit rambling, I'm having a hard time explaining...

You don't need any twine—at least not here at the USPS. What kind of shady business is that? Just tell them you want to send it via C.O.D. and you're good to go. Fill out whatever little form the clerk hands you, pay the $8.25shipping fee, and then about a week after the recipient picks up the box and pays, the mail carrier will drop off your cash at your house!

Hey everyone...

So, I’ve got a bit of a situation here...????? I'm going back and forth with this girl over who handles the shipping costs. Usually, when I send out packages, I send them as certified mail with COD (cash on delivery)... the only thing we ever negotiate is whether I cover the shipping or if the buyer does. If we agree that I'm paying, I just tell the lady at the FedEx counter that the package value is, say, $33, plus the COD amount is $33, and then I cover the shipping fee of about $8.25. But if we decide the buyer is footing the bill, the value is $33 and the COD is roughly $42. Now, this girl on the forum is insisting that she's definitely paying the shipping herself... but I'm telling her that's just not how it works. Please, let me know what you guys think based on your own experiences...

Here is my process
for instance, $33 inventory + $8.25 shipping costs
I cover the $8.25 delivery fees, and instead of listing the actual cash amount, I just write $42...basically, I make sure those $8.25 "costs" get cycled back into the total...if you catch my drift...which leaves me with a profit of $33...
I don't really see any other way to run it...

But let’s be real, the person you’re sending money to is almost certainly paying more than $42 right out of the gate. Why? Because the recipient gets hit with a service fee too 😢 no matter how you slice it, they always find a way to collect their cut..

Sophia Nelson67 said:how I handle things
for example, $33 product + $8.25 shipping
I cover the $8.25 shipping costs, and instead of listing the actual cash amount, I just put $42...so that those extra fees basically get $8.25 "returned" to me...if that makes sense? Then I end up with my profit $33...
I don't know any other way to do it...

That’s exactly how I do it too! When I make an agreement with a customer to cover the shipping myself, I just list the $33 total value....$33 including the COD fee, and I take on the delivery costs. Whatever works, right? My brother-in-law actually works at the main USPS branch, so I can double-check with him. But honestly, I'm 100% sure I'm doing this right. And if some mail carrier tries to pull something shady, well, that's a whole different story.

It’s pure chemistry, he wrote on the receipt—$113.90—yet $1.75 just takes whatever they feel like charging. I mean, what kind of commission is that, especially when standard shipping is already included by default $1.75? I’m at a loss. I thought about calling them, but they’re far too polite for their own good, and I simply don't have the time to trek downtown, hunt for parking, and deal with the headache. I hate the mail. I really, truly hate it. Where I used to live, I never had these issues with the postal service; they delivered everything right to my door or left it with a neighbor if I wasn't home. Now, it's all this nonsense involving Branimirov’s sax.

Man, I’ve been wondering lately—whatever happened to Siki? And what about those $60 things?

Sophia Nelson67 said:so then they just screw you over🙄

Her little package finally arrived🙂
It spent 10 whole days trekking from San Francisco to Ed!

In the meantime, I sat there playing the "will it show up or not" guessing game—consider this my final warning to myself: NEVER send a package via standard mail again.

How much time do I actually have to grab my package from the post office before they just ship it right back to the sender?

Locally, it usually lasts about five days, though international shipments tend to take a bit longer; most of the time, it’s just noted on a slip of paper.

Emily Peterson73 said:Hey everyone...

So, I've got a question for you guys...????? I'm going back and forth with this girl over shipping costs. Usually, when I send stuff out, I send everything via certified mail with COD (cash on delivery)... I just negotiate with people whether I cover the shipping or they do. If we agree that I'll pay, I tell the clerk at the post office that the package value is, say, $33 and the COD amount is $33, so I end up paying about $8.25 for shipping. But if the buyer covers shipping, the value is $33 and the COD is $42. This girl on the forum is insisting she still has to pay shipping regardless. I'm telling her that's impossible. Please, let me know what you guys have experienced with this...

Here's the deal...

First off, a huge public apology to Sandra Brooks91, who told me I'd still be on the hook for extra shipping even if I already paid it. Turns out, she was totally right! But those $1.75 people whose packages are being charged a delivery fee? They shouldn't have to pay that because the mail carrier is basically pocketing it! This whole thing was driving me crazy... so since my brain was working overtime, I decided to just sprint over to the main post office to ask them how this actually works. So, listen up... if you're sending a package via certified mail with COD and you've agreed to cover the shipping... the buyer will still be charged $8.90 no matter what. Honestly, it seems completely ridiculous to me... but apparently, it's a fee for the service of transferring the cash from the buyer to the seller. At least now I finally know 🙂

Emily Peterson73 said:It goes like this....

First off, I owe another public apology to $1.75 Sandra Brooks91, who insisted I’d end up paying extra shipping fees even though I already covered them. She was absolutely right! But let’s be clear: those extra charges the USPS carrier asks for upon delivery? You shouldn't have to pay those because the driver is just pocketing the cash! This whole thing was driving me insane... so, since my internet was acting up at the main branch, I decided to lace up my sneakers and head down there in person to find out how this mess actually works. So listen up, people... if you're sending out packages via certified mail with COD (Cash on Delivery) and you've already agreed with your buyer that you'll handle the shipping costs... the buyer is still going to be hit with an $8.90 fee regardless. In my opinion, it’s pure stupidity... but apparently, that's the fee for the money transfer service when the buyer hands the cash to the carrier on behalf of the seller. Well, now I finally know 🙂

We already knew that, and it's clearly stated on the USPS website. 😁

Anyway, those $1.75 carriers aren't just stuffing their pockets 😉 Those $1.75 are what you pay when the package is delivered via a FedEx van, and for those $1.75 you receive a receipt. At least, I always get one. 🙂

Angela Flores76 said:We already knew that, and honestly, it’s even stated right on the FedEx website. 😁

Anyway, those $1.75 postal workers aren't just pocketing the cash. 😉 That $1.75 goes toward the service you get when a delivery van drops off your package and you get a receipt for that $1.75. At least I always get mine. 🙂

But wait, doesn't the delivery van only handle packages heavier than 5kg? They don't bother with the tiny ones... right????

Emily Peterson73 said:But the FedEx truck handles everything over 5kg without breaking a sweat... they don't bother with the tiny ones, right? Isn't that how it works????

Who knows? In my experience, even those tiny little packages used to show up in the delivery van just fine. 🤷

I’m wondering the same thing... I can't believe they're charging fees for packages that small. Does anyone have a direct link to their website, or am I stuck having to email the post office again? 😁

Will this actually be helpful?
http://www.usps.com/UserDocsimages/p...et20090101.pdf

"Live animals—with the exception of bees, leeches, and silkworms—are strictly prohibited from being sent via letter mail (including certified, registered, or valuable letters)."

😂😂😂😂😂😂
I had to

btw. (down at the bottom of ) :
From the recipient's end, *postage is charged in the following instances:

* upon the sender's request for FedEx or priority express shipments
* for package delivery services rendered
* for storage fees
* for the delivery of postal items
* for the delivery of general delivery items
* for shipments where postage was unpaid or insufficient, provided the recipient accepts them
* for forwarding a shipment at the recipient's request
* for redelivery attempts
* for items where a delivery notice was left
* in other cases as prescribed by law.

*as far as I can tell, those charges are basically just courier service fees...

So, in my opinion, there goes the entire point of paying for shipping. What a joke.

Sure, the delivery itself is $1.75, but I could have just picked it up at the local USPS office for free. Did the sender actually pay for home delivery, or just for it to sit at the station??

Beyond that, why on earth are they driving straight to downtown instead of leaving it in my neighborhood?

Unbelievable.