Mail & Shipping - Recommendations, Questions, and Answers

I was wondering if anyone could give me a ballpark figure on what it would cost to ship a package weighing about half a pound, assuming I list the value as $100?

When I send out a package, is it treated the same way as certified mail?
In this case, we’re looking at roughly $5.00 and will I receive a tracking number or confirmation that allows me to locate the package if it happens to go missing??

It's better to go with a package because you can declare its value. If it gets lost, you're covered for that amount. If a standard shipment goes missing, you only get back four times the postage fee.

Wait, did the folks over at Duke Energy get rid of that online price estimator? I’ve been hunting for it everywhere but I can't seem to find it anywhere😕

Quote: Hard Candy

Sophia Harris34 said:Did the folks over at ExxonMobil kill that online price estimator? I can't seem to find it anywhere...😕

So they finally scrapped them... though it's actually kind of interesting that they dropped the prices a bit in the process. You should take a look at the new price list...

Wait, what? "Postal service rate sheets are provided in PDF format to allow users the option of easy printing." What kind of nonsense is that? It feels like a massive step backward...
I don't see any sign that they actually lowered the prices, either.

I have a quick question—I'm looking to pick something up from someone outside of this forum on another site, and I was wondering if I can actually pay by credit card when choosing cash on delivery, or am I stuck with just cash?

Some good news for everyone—postal rates just dropped. They've eliminated the sales tax on shipping services, so a package will cost about $12.70 instead of $14.40.

So, I just paid $14.40 for a package today... meanwhile, standard postage has actually gone down? Now it’s only $0.93..

I paid $12.70 for the package, but the clerk told me the price dropped starting today.

Great, looks like I have to vent all over again..

I’m still seeing $14.40 on my end... they haven't actually updated the price list yet—not that I’ve sent anything out lately, but I grabbed those little forms to fill out at home before heading over. I even checked with my aunt to see if I could just send it as a package and what the damage would be, and she told me it was $14.40.
I always make it a point to double-check the rate first, because a couple of times I tried sending things as packages and they ended up charging me $30 or more for some reason I can't quite pin down.

Got a question too. I bought a shirt from this girl for $23. I asked her how much to send for shipping, and she says $3.25?
So I sent $27, but a month later, there's no shirt. I'm hitting her up in DMs, but she just ignores me—even though she's clearly active on the forums. Today, she finally snaps back saying she has zero intention of refunding me. Apparently, because I didn't pay extra for $3.25, it's my fault she sent standard mail instead of certified!😲
I'm demanding my money back since I never even got the damn shirt!!!

Her response: "I sent the shirt. I'm not giving you your money back because it's not my fault you didn't pay for certified shipping!"
"I'm honestly sorry it didn't arrive, but you're the only one out of 100 customers who hasn't received their package!"

Anyone else dealt with this crap? One time a buyer didn't get their package, but I had the receipt for the certified mail, so I actually had proof!
Basically, I'm asking $5.00 for shipping, and if the cost ends up being higher, do I just eat that loss myself? Something like that.🤷

You’re both equally at fault here. In my view, if you already knew the recommended fee was around $2.50, you really should have clarified whether she intended to send it via $3.25 standard shipping or as a parcel. She’s responsible because she failed to make that distinction clear. Cheers.

That’s just not how it works. Why do I have to keep insisting on tracked shipping—I’m happy to pay whatever the rate is, I just want proof it actually went out. She has my receipt showing I paid, so where’s my proof that she actually mailed it? If she told me it was $5.00, I would've paid it, no biggie. But her excuse was that she "never" uses tracked shipping because it costs $10! 😲
Wouldn't you demand a refund?

You asked for an opinion, and you got one—the same objective feedback anyone else would have received if they had spoken up. Personally, I can’t stand ambiguity. If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't be calling people out just because I failed to do my homework or stayed uninformed, but that’s just how I operate, and not everyone thinks that way. Had you actually asked first, everything would be perfectly clear right now. Instead, you've left both of you in this awkward position. 🙂Maybe she’ll give you a partial refund so everyone walks away happy, though in my view, she isn't actually obligated to do so; it would simply be a gesture of good faith.

I make it a point to tell everyone who buys from me that I always send items via certified mail, and I’ll even snap a photo of the receipt just to show them it's on its way! I always try to aim for a fair middle ground when calculating costs $5.00.
Even up in San Francisco, prices haven't budged an inch.
Just look at today—I paid $4.75 😲 for a little 360g package sent certified. What?! And then other times, a tiny 87g package goes for 12.20.
It's the same story with my mom; she paid 18.80 for a small package under 500g back in Charleston.
There is absolutely zero logic to it. 😢
Honestly, I think all these prices are just swinging wildly within a 10-$6.75 range, and they basically charge whatever they feel like! I’ve never actually complained before because, ugh, I hate the idea of everyone else standing in line at the Post Office staring at me.
But yesterday, I actually sent an email to info@usps.com just to lodge a formal complaint about this whole mess. All they did was tell me how hard it is to prove and suggested we should take our grievances straight to the regional directors next time. Well, I’ve decided right now that I am going to save every single receipt from every single thing I ever mail, just so we can finally see if there's any actual pattern to this madness. 🤷 😠

Sandra Brooks91 said:Look, you asked for an opinion—so you got one. It’s just the truth you would've heard even if you'd actually spoken up. Personally, I don't play games with ambiguity, and if I did, I wouldn't be pointing fingers at people just because they're uninformed or messed up, but hey, that's just me. If you had just asked, everything would be crystal clear right now. Instead, you're both stuck in this mess. 🙂 Maybe she gives you a partial refund so everyone walks away happy—though honestly, she doesn't owe you a dime, it's just a nice gesture...

Please, that isn't "objective." Fairness matters here, doesn't it? Where exactly was I being unfair? I paid my money and got absolutely nothing for it.
The buyer isn't the problem—I literally just asked how much to send, and that's what I did.
It's basic logic: once the money's gone, whether the package actually shows up or not is no longer my headache.

I honestly cannot fathom why anyone is still opting for standard shipping in this day and age! 😲
And frankly, she really should have been upfront about using standard delivery from the start. If you claim to have any real experience in sales, you ought to be explicitly laying out every single one of your terms. Isn't it just common sense? A buyer—especially someone just starting out—doesn't know all the little tricks and pitfalls you might encounter. Wouldn't it be infinitely simpler to just present clear shipping options and explain the specifics of each method right away? 😕