Mail & Shipping - Recommendations, Questions, and Answers

darkfalcon6 said:first off, thanks for getting back to me, but it’s pretty obvious this guy totally played me.😢

this is basically a lesson learned: don't ever touch Cash on Delivery if your gut tells you something is sketchy, though honestly, that’s always a tough call to make... plus, the dude could've just shoved a literal rock in the box and I would've still paid $100 and then I'd be left holding the bag with zero way to fight back...

someone really needs to call this person out publicly so the rest of us know exactly who we're dealing with...

sorry for drifting off-topic

I just skimmed through the first few pages of this thread before deciding to weigh in with a few thoughts of my own. I didn't quite have the energy to read every single post, though.

Here’s how things work: if a package is addressed to a business, it is strictly forbidden for the USPS worker to hand it over without an official company stamp. Anyone who ignores that rule is basically asking for a massive headache from their supervisor.
The older guys who deliver to these companies usually know how to navigate this—they might leave the stamp field blank, but since they've been working those routes for years and actually know the people at the offices, management tends to look the other way. Still, you should probably grab someone with multiple IDs just to be safe.

If you get a notification that a shipment is arriving, nobody can pick it up for you unless they have a formal power of attorney. Don't bother trying to use a driver's license, a passport, or any other ID to bypass this. I've seen plenty of people swearing and begging at the counter when this happens. If a clerk decides to be nice and hands you a package addressed to your mom just because you showed them her ID, that’s entirely on them—it's a risk they're taking. If your mom ever decided to complain, that clerk would be the one getting in hot water.
When it comes to shipping (and I mean all kinds of shipments) to a residential address, if the instructions don't explicitly state "deliver to recipient only," the carrier is allowed to leave it with anyone living in the house.

For C.O.D. shipments, you can actually use those fancy white money orders to make it cheaper for the recipient, since the fee percentage is cut in half. Just make sure you provide your bank routing info so the funds land directly in your account.
If you want the cash delivered straight to your doorstep, you’ll need to go through a money order.
Standard package delivery (not talking about FedEx, certified mail, or registered mail here) is paid for $1.75 by the recipient. You are legally entitled to a receipt for the payment if you ask for one. In theory, they should give it to you automatically, but in my experience, most people don't bother asking unless they're representing a corporation or have a long-standing relationship with the local mail carrier. Regardless of whether the carrier hands you a receipt or not, those $1.75 dollars belong to the USPS, not to the individual worker!

My apologies, but I’d love to see some actual evidence for that last claim. Besides, since when is providing a service without issuing an invoice considered illegal? Regardless of who is asking or who isn't...
btw http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gi...3711376&ref=ts come join us 😁

Sandra Brooks91 said:I’m sorry, but I’d love to see some actual proof for that last sentence. Besides, what’s illegal about doing someone a favor instead of issuing a receipt? Regardless of who’s asking or who isn’t...
btw http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gi...3711376&ref=ts come join 😁

The proof is right there in the email you got from HP, which was posted somewhere in the first five pages of this thread. That’s how the federal postal service regulations work. Or do you honestly think a massive government agency is going to break the law and steal from people $1.75 for decades now???
Home delivery costs $1.75. For those $1.75, a payment confirmation is issued. It’s crystal clear. Honestly, you're just being difficult at this point.
If you don't want to be charged $1.75, tell the sender to cover it or just send it via FedEx.

When the drivers get back from their routes, they have to hand the cash over to the clerks at the station. For every single package delivered, they’ll ask the driver for $1.75, and that money goes straight into the revenue ledger. Whether the driver hands you a receipt for those $1.75 or not, he still has to turn them in when he clears his funds.

So, you're suggesting the poster thinks they're above the law and doesn't have to provide a receipt for their services unless I make a scene? Is that really what you're getting at?

When I drop off a package at the Post Office, is it actually true that they open every single box before they
ship it out?? Also, can I just grab a shipping box right there at the station, or am I supposed to bring my own?

So, I was wondering... when I actually want to ship something out as a package, what’s the best way to pack it all up?🤔
Like, should I be using specific types of twine or maybe some heavy-duty tape?
Also, does anyone know what the shipping costs usually look like these days? Is it better to send it via certified mail or just standard, and roughly how many days am I looking at before it actually lands on someone's doorstep?

nimblepanther27 said:How should I go about packing something if I want to send it as a package?🤔
Do I need twine or tape or something?
And how much does shipping cost? Does it also go via certified mail or what?
And roughly how long will it take to arrive?

From what I understand, you really need to pack it in a box. If it's a bit awkward to carry, you might want to tie it with some string, though sometimes that isn't even necessary (it honestly depends on which USPS branch you visit, since some places are super picky about the string and others don't care at all!). You need to put both the sender's info and the recipient's address on the same side—and just a heads-up, you don't write your return address on the back like you would with a standard letter; it goes right there on the front with the destination address. Also, underneath your own address, you should note the value of the contents, and then write out that amount in words too, just to be safe! If the package isn't heavier than $1.75, it's probably best to mark it as $27 (in which case you pay $4.75) or $33 (then the shipping is $5.00). Sending things as a package is actually pretty secure because you get a receipt that gives you some kind of protection if the package ever goes missing... and with that receipt, you can file a claim, and if they can't find it, they refund you part of the money (I think you get back the shipping cost multiplied by 5!). It usually arrives within 2 or 3 days, depending on where you're sending it from and where it's headed. Anyway, I hope that helps a little bit....😍

Sandra Brooks91 said:So, what you're suggesting is that the mail carrier is somehow above the law and isn't required to provide a receipt for their service unless I practically beg for one? Is that really your take?

No, they aren't above the law. What that actually means is that if a postal worker refuses to hand over a confirmation, you have every right to file an official complaint against them. 😉

silentbison23 said:Is it actually true that when you drop a package off at the Post Office, they open every single one before they
ship it out?? Also, can I just grab a box right there at the station if I need to send something, or am I stuck using my own?

I really hope it isn't true that they go through every package... I'd sure like to think they don't! From what I know, you can always buy those padded bubble mailers if you're sending something fragile, and they definitely sell boxes too, though they tend to charge a bit of a premium for them...

Elizabeth Brown90 said:From what I can gather, you really need to get everything tucked into a proper box. If it's one of those awkward shapes that’s hard to carry, you should probably tie it up with some twine, though honestly, sometimes you don't even need the string—it kind of just depends on which USPS branch you're dealing with since some folks are super picky about it and others don't care at all. You've gotta put both the sender's info and the recipient's info on the same side of the package; don't do that thing where you put your return address on the back like a letter, because they want it right there on the front alongside the destination. Also, right under your own address, you should clearly state the value of what's inside, and then write out that amount in words too, just to be safe. It's usually best that if the package isn't heavier than $1.75, you just list the package type as $27 (which means you'll end up paying $4.75) or maybe $33 (so the shipping ends up being $5.00). Sending stuff as a formal package is actually pretty solid because you get a receipt that basically acts as your insurance policy if things go sideways and the package gets lost in transit; with that paper in hand, you can file a claim and they'll eventually refund you part of your money (I think you get back the shipping cost multiplied by five, if I remember right). Usually, the shipment shows up in two or three days, depending on how far apart you guys are... anyway, I hope that helps a bit....😍

That's awesome👍
but how am I supposed to know if the package weighs more than $1.75?🤔
like, let's say my total value is $23?
Should I just pack it all up now and go ahead and write down the addresses and the value all at once?

5 lbs 😁 is plenty... just go with $27. Shipping costs you the exact same amount, and if the package goes missing, you'll get a much better refund on 👍.

😂🤣 11lbs
so, basically, if I'm sending off a package, do I just put down the value $27👍 regardless of how much stuff is actually inside?
thanks so much for the help, everyone

nimblepanther27 said:way to go!👍
but how am I supposed to tell if the package weighs more than $1.75?🤔

😵 I was actually thinking about 5 kg...😁

nimblepanther27 said:😂🤣 11lbs
So, does this mean I just put down the value $27👍 regardless of how big the package actually is?
Thanks, everyone!

Well, yeah... I mean, it’s not like they have any clue what’s actually inside the box! Even if they did decide to peek inside—which they won't—it wouldn't matter much because, at the end of the day, you're the one who knows exactly what those items are worth when you're shipping them out...

Quick question for William Jones30...
Can you help me make sense of this??
So, a girl I know just had some perfumes sent to her via certified mail today... and she tells me the lady at the local USPS office actually asked her what was inside the package! Apparently, people working at the post office sometimes open things they shouldn't... and then items just end up "vanishing" into thin air... 😲...
She ended up telling them she was just sending movies—she even wrote "movies" right on the envelope. She figured that would satisfy the curiosity of the woman working there, since they happen to be neighbors...

Sandra Brooks91 said:So, you're basically saying the mail carrier is above the law and doesn't have to give me a receipt unless I make a huge deal out of it? Is that what you're getting at?

Look, here’s how it actually works: when a USPS carrier drops off a package, they aren't handing out formal invoices on the doorstep. They provide a proof of payment, which covers the $1.75 delivery fee. If it’s a COD shipment, that receipt will also include the cash collection amount. The actual official invoice is generated the moment the package enters the system, so there isn't a second one issued later. Honestly, most big corporations ask for those receipts way more often than regular people do. So, no, the postal service isn't some lawless entity—the invoice is already created at the point of shipment!!
The reality is just that most customers don't even bother asking for them.

And just so we're clear, packages stay sealed. We don't go opening them unless there's legitimate suspicion that whatever is inside violates federal postal regulations.

Declared value matters a lot, too. A ton of people try to be sneaky by lowballing the value of expensive items just to shave a few bucks off the shipping cost. But if something goes sideways with your package and you intentionally undervalued it, you're stuck—you won't get a penny more than what you officially declared.

granitewalker17 said:Quick question for William Jones30...
can you walk me through this??
So, some girl sent me a certified package today containing perfumes... she told me the lady at the USPS counter actually asked her what was inside, because apparently, people working at the post office know how to peek into packages... and then things can go missing if they get curious about the contents...😲...
She just told them they were movies, and that’s what was even written on the envelope.... she figured it was just some lady there being nosy since she’s neighbors with her...

I definitely can. We actually have to ask customers exactly what’s in their shipment, and we even have to list the contents on the invoice (that’s specifically for FedEx, but honestly, it applies to pretty much any carrier). If someone is trying to ship something that isn't allowed, we have to catch that immediately and tell them no.

A few years back, they handed us a massive stack of stickers marking prohibited items—things like stuff that’s hazardous to the environment or humans, flammables, and if I remember right, even pressurized cans and stuff like that. I'm looking at a deodorant right now and it has the "flammable" symbol on it, so we wouldn't be able to ship that through our service. Look, customers can say whatever they want since packages are handed over sealed, and most of the time everything goes fine. But listen, we've had situations where the fire department showed up at the facility about two years ago because something leaked out of a package and caused a huge scene. Or a couple of years ago when our manager ended up in the hospital because his delivery van was loaded with unauthorized goods and he ended up in the ER—thankfully, he was okay. If you lie about shipping something dangerous to people or the environment, it could seriously blow up in your face if anything actually happens.

William Jones30 said:We can. We really ought to be asking customers exactly what's inside their packages—and honestly, we should probably list the contents right on the receipt (this applies specifically to FedEx shipments, but really, it should be for all of them). If they're trying to send something that's strictly prohibited, we need to flag that immediately.

I mean, if I remember right, maybe two or three years ago, we were handed a huge stack of those warning stickers for restricted items—you know, stuff that’s hazardous to the environment or people, flammable goods, and if my memory serves me, even pressurized canisters and things like that. I was just looking at a stick of deodorant earlier and noticed the "flammable" symbol; we definitely shouldn't be hauling that through our network. The tricky thing is, since customers hand over sealed boxes, they can pretty much claim whatever they want, so most of the time everything goes smoothly. But—and this is a big but—we've had close calls. Like about two years ago, when some liquid leaked out of a package and caused a massive scene with the fire department showing up at the station. Or even back then, when our manager ended up in the police blotter because his delivery van was loaded with unauthorized goods... he actually had to go to the ER, thank God he was okay. If you misreport something dangerous and something actually goes wrong, it could come back to haunt you in a really serious way.

I honestly had no idea... because, well, neither I nor the girl working here have ever been asked about it... and I'm pretty sure most of the folks on this forum haven't either...

thanks...🙂

William Jones30 said:Look, the delivery driver doesn't hand over an invoice; they provide a payment receipt which covers the $1.75 shipping fee. If it’s a COD shipment, the receipt includes both the item cost and the shipping. The actual invoice is generated when the package first leaves the facility—it isn't issued twice. Businesses tend to request these receipts far more often than private individuals do. Bottom line: the postal service isn't breaking any laws here; the invoice is already issued at the point of origin!!
The reality is that most customers don't even bother asking for these receipts.

I'm still lost. Why on earth would that be bundled into the initial shipping invoice? So, you're telling me FedEx charges $14.40 upfront, and then I get hit with an additional charge upon arrival $1.75 where they issue a separate receipt? How can that service be part of the original invoice if it isn't even listed as a line item?