Mail & Shipping - Recommendations, Questions, and Answers

Abbey Lee is an absolute gem, I can't recommend her enough! 👋

For those of you who have ordered anything from the US, how long did it take for your package to actually arrive once you paid the standard shipping?

I placed an order for a book on January 13th, and it’s still nowhere to be found. On the website (Barnes & Noble), they listed a delivery window of 7 to 21 days, but it’s already been over three weeks. Should I hold out through this week before sending them an email? What do you all think? I’ve ordered from abroad plenty of times, but I had one similar hiccup once when I ordered a book from England—it took a full month to show up (and it was definitely overdue).

Also, what are the odds of a package actually getting lost? Does that even happen these days?🤷

In my experience, shipping from China usually takes anywhere from 16 to 25 days, though it really depends. Recently, things were a complete mess because of some heavy snowstorms out there, which caused a bunch of delays.
I’ve never actually had an order fail to show up entirely; the worst I’ve dealt with was receiving faulty items, but those were quickly replaced. Plus, I always pay through PayPal, which offers buyer protection, making the whole process feel very secure.
How did you end up handling the payment?

I paid via Amex, and the transaction cleared ages ago. I already got the receipt in my inbox, and my account status says "item shipped" and all that—everything looks solid on my end.🤷 It’s possible it’s just running behind... Or maybe the delivery guy is on a bicycle.😢

I suppose I might be one of those rare cases where this actually happens, because I personally went down to the USPS to pick up my package and ended up being forced to pay $1.75 for delivery just because I arrived before 5:00 PM, which was apparently their grand excuse for why I owed them money 🙄 (even though that little slip of paper clearly stated otherwise for anyone arriving after 5:00 PM)... I simply didn't have the energy to get into a heated debate with the clerk at the counter, so I just paid the fee and left....grrrrrrrrr

Donna Brooks83 said:I have a question, and I hope I’m not totally off-topic here, but I wasn't sure where else to post this. Basically, I sold an item to another user on here. I packed it up and shipped it from Washington, D.C. to Sacramento on January 25th. The buyer still hasn't received it. She went silent for a few days, then finally messaged me just to say it hasn't arrived yet. I went down to the USPS office with my receipt, and the clerk told me the package was sent to Sacramento and is officially there—meaning once it's in their system, it's out of my hands. I don't know what to do. Since she hasn't received it, I suggested she check with her local post office, but whether she actually did or not, I have no clue. How do we resolve this? The amount is $50, and honestly, I really don't want to deal with a refund because I was counting on that money, and I know she doesn't want to lose hers either. Any advice? 🙂

Look, if she doesn't want to go to the post office, that's her problem. You fulfilled your end of the deal. At least that's what I would do. If the package ends up being returned to you, just make her pay for the shipping again if you decide to resend it.

Olivia Nelson37 said:I think I might be one of the rare cases where this happened to me. I actually had to go into the post office and pay $1.75 extra for shipping because I showed up after 5 PM—that was their excuse for why I had to pay more 🙄 (even though the sign clearly said after 5 PM...) I didn't feel like getting into a fight with the clerk, so I just paid it... grrrrrrrrr

🤣 🤣

🤮 They are absolutely awful!

redorca16 said:Wait, how does that even work!?😕 I was sending a small parcel from downtown Washington, D.C. to another part of town right when those new fees kicked in😳 and the clerk actually had the nerve to ask if I wanted to pay an extra $1.75 just to have it delivered to my house instead?🤷 What kind of crooks are they running over there! As if raising the standard shipping rates wasn't greedy enough, now they’re trying to squeeze us dry with these so-called delivery surcharges...🙄

It happened to me too, where they charged me one thing and then slapped some "address fee" sticker on top after I handed over those $1.75 🙄

Olivia Nelson37 said:I suppose I am one of those rare cases where this actually happens; specifically, I went to the post office to pick up a package and ended up paying $1.75 for delivery simply because I arrived before 5:00 PM, which was their excuse for the charge🙄 (though, mind you, it was clearly noted on that little slip of paper regarding anything after 5:00 PM)... I didn't have the energy to argue with the clerk at the counter, so I just paid it.... grrrrrrrrr

This isn't right, and in an American post office, there isn't a single soul who wouldn't take advantage of such a situation; what you did by ensuring this never happens again was essentially dealing with a theft, plain and simple. You should have exercised a bit more foresight—don't carry the burden yourself, and for heaven's sake, if they have an issue with you arriving early, they can just tell you to come back after 5:00 PM.
I have been there countless times before 5:00 PM and have never once been charged; the worst that would happen is he might huff because he has to go hunt down the package, but I would calmly tell him it's no problem and that I'll wait, and you'd see how quickly he brings it out.
The whole thing is truly pathetic, hitting rock bottom; just imagine the lengths people will go to, considering one time an employee at my local branch told me to tape my package extra tight because "things happen."
But let’s be clear, it isn't me or you doing the stealing—it's them. How many times have I received an envelope already opened and held shut by staples in two different places? Who exactly was opening them??
Keep your guard up so they don't play you,
and for goodness' sake, hire decent, honest people; if someone doesn't want to work, they should leave, because there are always plenty of others willing to show up and perform their duties with integrity...👎👎👎👎

Alright guys, what’s actually the best way to ship my stuff out?
So far, I’ve just been using certified mail, and the lady at the Post Office charged me 😁
I know, I sound like a total amateur here, but you get what I'm saying, right?
Someone mentioned that sending it as a printed matter might be an option too 🤷

When an item is classified as print media, it needs to be in a clear plastic sleeve—just like how magazines arrive at your house. You can't send clothing that way.
You could tuck a T-shirt into a padded envelope and mail it like a letter, but it’s risky. If it gets lost, there's no accountability.
For light items, it's best to use a padded envelope and send it via certified mail. Print out the rates on the USPS website first to see what it will cost you.
Heavier items belong in a box sent as a package with pickup at the post office. That's how you handle the payment $6.00. For anything under 2 kg, you can get insurance for up to $33
. If the value is around $100, you should declare that amount, though it will increase the price immediately.

Thanks for that... someone actually mentioned it today... I'm talking about the cosmetics, specifically regarding the retail price.🙄

Chloe Moore65 said:I almost always just reuse the envelope my item arrived in, slap some white paper over the old markings, and send it on my way; I don't really care, it saves me a few bucks.
We'll end up using certified mail more often, but honestly, it's not even worth it for anything valuable because if it gets lost, you only get five times the postage back—plus, USPS only counts the package weight based on $33, and if the item is actually worth something, you have to declare a higher value anyway, which immediately jacks up the shipping cost.
They saw how many packages we were moving and decided to hike the rates; they're absolute crooks, and it’ll never be enough money for them.

I was at the post office today and realized they bumped up the package rates. It’s terrible. I had one envelope and one small bag, so I sent them via certified mail. The envelope was already used, though, and the clerk wouldn't take it, but I wasn't about to go out and buy a brand-new one. I ended up driving to a different branch to get it sent: since I know they usually accept reused envelopes. Technically, I should probably tape over the entire front, but I've been feeling pretty lazy lately, so I just cover up whatever was originally printed on it.

But I have no idea what I'm going to do about larger packages when someone buys multiple items or if I need to handle a return. God help me.

I’ve been sitting here wondering which way is actually more cost-effective if I want to send over a single light jacket—something weighing under a pound—and I’m feeling a bit lost on the best way to package it all up. This is my very first time shipping anything at all, so I’m feeling a little out of my depth and would truly appreciate any guidance you all might have...

Put it in a bag, place it in a box, wrap it up, and ship it as a package, $6.00

Honestly, our postal service is a total joke. It’s actually cheaper to order something straight from China than it is to ship a package within the States... 🤣🤣

You all explained everything so clearly... I think I finally wrap my head around how this new system works now 😁

The thing is, my packages used to show up in like, a day or two tops...

But now, I sent a package out Monday afternoon and there's still no sign of it...
Should I start worrying if it doesn't turn up by tomorrow? 😢

And I'm supposed to just mention 😲😲 $1.75 for delivery??? And you actually went out and picked up the mail because of that??? 😲 They really ought to be ashamed of themselves 😠 🙂

Chloe Moore65 said:Just pop it in a little bag, put that inside a box, wrap it up nicely with some paper and twine, and just send it off as a standard package, $6.00

Oh, and if you don't mind me asking, could you please let me know if I actually need to declare a specific value for the shipment on the customs forms or something like that?

Under the new regulations, every package is insured at $33, so you don't need to

Sarah Campbell30 honestly, what an absolute disaster... I simply didn't have the patience to deal with that idiot behind the counter today because I was in such a rush... otherwise, I would have absolutely... mmmm... you know 🙂

So, get this... I head over to the local Post Office to pick up a package because my mail carrier left one of those little yellow slips on my door. I get to the counter, and the clerk tells me I owe her 70 cents. It’s not even real money, but I honestly have no clue what she’s actually charging me for—it's not like I had the chance to ask. I just dropped off the $0.33 and bolted. People in line were already losing their minds, though.

Donna Richardson55 said:Could someone please explain this to me... I went to pick up a package at the local post office because the mail carrier left a slip on my door, and the clerk there asked me for seventy cents. It isn't even much money, but I just don't understand what she was charging for—I didn't have a chance to ask her before I just handed over $0.33 and walked away... the people in line behind me were getting pretty restless...

It’s possible she was charging you a storage fee for the package sitting at the station😁
I've had to pay something similar myself a few times, though it's been quite a while since anyone has asked me for anything like that...😳