Mail & Shipping - Recommendations, Questions, and Answers

Melissa Morgan77 said:I’m wondering what happens if I sent a package with all the proper tracking info and shipping confirmation, but the recipient failed to pick it up at the post office because she claimed she wasn't notified—no explanation provided. Now the package is being returned to me, and I have to pay double the shipping costs, which actually exceeds the value of the item itself.👎 She isn't interested in reshipping it. What happens if I just don't pick up the package? I don't see why I should take a loss because someone else couldn't be bothered to do their job. 🤷

I don't think you need to upload that. I can't do anything with it unless you're planning on selling those items again.

So, why am I being charged twice? I already paid the shipping when I sent it, but now that the package is bouncing back to me, they’re telling me I owe two more fees? Like, shouldn't it just be one standard postage charge again? How on earth did they calculate this as three separate charges?😕

You’re only responsible for one payment—the amount from the girl who didn't pick up until it reaches you. There is no reason to pay twice.

The amount they’re asking for on this yellow slip is double what I already paid for shipping. Honestly, I don't even want to pick up the package at this point. If the mail carrier had actually hand-delivered this to my door, he probably would've tried to squeeze an extra $1.75 out of me too. Just a complete waste of time.👎

Check your inbox to see why they doubled the amount. Tell them you don't want to withdraw it since you have no use for it; it isn't your fault she didn't pick it up.
Did she actually pay you, or were you just hoping for the best?

She finally paid up, but she gave me such a hard time at first, insisting there was no package to be found. I ended up filing a pointless claim because she claimed she "didn't have time" to swing by the post office—which makes zero sense if she was buying stuff online in the first place. Turns out, the package was just sitting there at her local branch waiting for her this whole time.🙄
I don't need any of that nonsense; she can just keep the HP.😉

Can someone break down how this whole claim process actually works once you file a formal complaint? I sent a package via HP express worth $1000, and it was supposed to be here in two days, but it’s already been four. The post office basically admitted they lost it, so what kind of outcomes am I looking at here, and when should I realistically expect my money back or the shipment to turn up?

Douglas Diaz3 said:Can someone explain the process after filing a claim? I sent a package via HP Express valued at $1000. It was supposed to arrive in two days, but it's been four. The post office confirmed it's lost. What are the possible outcomes, and when can I expect my money or the package back?

Go to the post office and file the claim (you’ll need your shipping receipt). After that, wait a few days until you get official confirmation that it's lost. Then, you fill out another form to request compensation. Once they make a decision and send you written notice, a mail carrier brings the cash to your door. For me, the whole ordeal took about 15 days. Good luck!
If you declared the actual value, don't sweat it; they'll reimburse you for what you stated plus the shipping costs.

If I were you, I’d email HP directly. They actually respond quickly, and you can be quite blunt in your message. I had an issue with them recently, and let me tell you, they moved fast once I made a scene. They pulled in every manager available and gave the necessary reprimands. A package that was lagging behind suddenly showed up at the destination at 7:30 PM just because I caused a stir yesterday. People, do not stay silent. Send the emails, make the calls, and demand your rights. It's the only way to keep them in line!

Look, here's the deal: I'm not the one who sent the package, I'm the guy waiting on it. I ordered a laptop from a company based out of Washington, D.C.—paid them upfront and everything—but it just never showed up. So, I gave them a call, then called the shipping company with my tracking number, and they basically admitted the thing is lost in the void.
After that, the shipping company reached out to the company I bought it from, and now those guys are telling me they've started an official investigation.
My biggest worry is that this whole process is going to drag on for like a month before they finally admit it's gone for good... Can I actually demand that the company just ships me a replacement laptop right now? I mean, they’re insured for stuff like this, so they'll either get a refund or a new unit anyway, right?

Douglas Diaz3 said:The issue is that I’m the recipient, not the sender. I ordered a laptop from a company based in Washington, D.C.—paid upfront, too—but it never showed up. I called them, then called the postal service with the tracking number, and they finally realized it’s lost in transit.
After that, the postal service contacted the company, and the folks at the firm told me they’ve started a claim process.
My only fear is that this will drag on for a month before they officially declare it gone... Can I just demand they send a replacement laptop? They’re insured for this anyway, right? Either they get the laptop back or they get reimbursed.

Don't sweat the lost package yourself; let the company deal with the headache. Demand either a replacement or a full refund. You can't exactly hunt down the package since you aren't the one who shipped it.
They once lost (or stole) a guitar of mine; the retailer just sent another one, and whatever drama they sorted out with the carrier afterwards was their business. If they try to give you the runaround, threaten to report them to Consumer Reports. Watch how fast they fold—that worked for me at least three times.🙂

Personally, whenever I buy something and pay in advance, I insist on FedEx delivery. They're way more reliable.

So, I have a question here... you guys might laugh at me for even asking this since I’m such a total newbie when it comes to this stuff, but I’m actually planning to start selling things online soon... and honestly, I have zero clue what I'm doing...
Basically, those bubble mailers and padded envelopes—do you usually grab them from a local bookstore or just head straight to the Post Office? And does anyone know roughly how much they run me?
Also, if I put an item inside one of those bubble mailers, do I still need to put that inside another envelope with more padding, or can I just slide the bubble mailer right into a standard yellow envelope? 😉

gentlemarlin8 said:I have a question—it might sound silly to ask someone this, but I’m planning on starting an online shop (and I am a total newbie at all of this), so I was wondering...
So, do you buy those bubble mailers and padded envelopes at bookstores or directly from the Post Office? Roughly how much do they cost?
Also, if I put an item inside a bubble mailer, do I still need to put that inside another envelope with padding, or can I just slide the mailer into a standard yellow envelope? 😉

Honestly, it doesn't matter much where you pick up your envelopes; the price stays pretty much the same depending on the local shop. That said, grabbing a 10-pack at the subway is noticeably cheaper.
You're looking at roughly $0.60 to $0.80 per medium-sized envelope.
If you put your item in one of those padded mailers, you're good to go! If you want to be extra cautious, you could wrap the item in a small plastic bag before sliding it into the padded envelope, just for peace of mind.

In my opinion, regular paper envelopes are way too flimsy for anything other than flat documents.
🙂

cosmicseal17 said:Chloe Moore65, I realized I forgot to say thanks for that last reply.

THANKS,😉

I'm with 👍😍

gentlemarlin8 said:I have a quick question, and you guys might laugh at me for asking such a basic thing since I’m planning to start an online shop soon—and I am a total beginner at this—but I was wondering...
So, where do you usually pick up those padded envelopes and mailers, do you get them at local bookstores or just straight from the Post Office? And roughly how much do they run?

I'm not really sure what the prices are like at the subway stations, but at the Post Office, I usually pay around 4$1.75, and at bookstores it's probably about $1.25...

I need to send a package to a company worth about $187.

Since I've never done this before, I have a few questions:
-What’s the shipping cost for a package valued at $187?
-What happens if the recipient isn't home when the mail carrier arrives?
Does it just sit at the local post office waiting to be picked up, or does it get sent back to my house?
-How would I receive the payment? Will it be mailed to my address, or how does that work since I don't have a bank account?
-Roughly how long will the whole process take (shipping from Washington, D.C. to Charleston)?

Thanks!

Thomas Fowler81 said:I need to send a package worth $187 to a company.

I've never done this before, so I have a few questions:
-how much does it cost to ship a package valued at $187?
-what happens if the recipient isn't there to pick it up when the mail carrier arrives?
Does it stay at the post office until they get it, or does it get sent back to my address?
-how do I actually get the money? Does it come to my house, or how does it work since I don't have a bank account?
-how long does the whole process take (I'm shipping from Washington, D.C. to Charleston)?

Thanks!

It'll run you about $12. Check out the calculator above to figure it out yourself.
http://www.usps.com/main.aspx?id=194#

Keep in mind the recipient might also have to pay a fee through $3.25 upon pickup, maybe even more.
The carrier will leave a notice, and they have five days to collect it. If they miss that window, you're looking at losing roughly $15 because you'll be charged for the return shipping. You really have to be certain they'll accept it; personally, I think sending stuff like this is too risky.
As for the cash, you'll likely get a notice in the mail and then head down to the post office to collect it.

Thanks!

Is there any other way to ship stuff without worrying about getting scammed?
It’s not even that I don't trust the person I'm dealing with, but I just don't want to take any unnecessary risks when things get expensive.

Our standard procedure is to receive payment via wire transfer before shipping any merchandise. Given the high dollar amounts involved here, things can get a bit tricky; some buyers might worry about being scammed. Personally, I would never use cash on delivery, because if they refuse the package, you’re stuck footing the bill for the return shipping costs.

I don't have an account yet since I'm still a minor.🤷

Thanks for all the input, everyone. I think I'll pass on sending it through the company for now.

I'll just try again some other time down the road.

Thomas Fowler81 said:I don't have an account because I'm a minor.🤷

Thanks for the feedback. I've decided not to send anything to the company.

I'll just handle this another time.

company