Mail & Shipping - Recommendations, Questions, and Answers

I could really use some help and guidance here, please 🙏
I’m looking to send off two pairs of jeans through the mail, but since I’ve never actually sent anything before, I’m feeling a little lost... so if anyone could walk me through the process, I’d be so grateful
Regarding packaging—like whether I should grab a box or an envelope ahead of time, or if they just handle the packing there at the USPS station depending on how big or heavy the items are
Also, does anyone have a rough idea of what the cost might look like? I’d love to give the recipient a heads-up on the price

Hey, let me ask you guys something:

The way things work right now, if it’s under half a pound, it makes more sense to just send it via certified mail, but once you go over that, you might as well ship it as a package. I only had a few small items to get out this month, so I ended up sending everything as certified.
Anyway, does anyone know if there are actually any size limits for certified mail? Like, could I technically send a shoebox through the mail as certified?

Sophia Taylor872 said:I need some help and guidance, please. 🙏
I need to mail off two pairs of jeans, but I’ve never actually sent anything before... so if someone could just walk me through how this works?
As for packaging—like a box or an envelope—do I need to provide my own, or will they pack it for me at the Post Office depending on the size and weight of what I'm sending?
Also, roughly how much is this going to cost? I want to let the recipient know ahead of time.

Stop begging. 🙂 If it’s over half a pound, you're better off sending it as a package; if it's lighter, stick to a padded envelope. You can buy envelopes right there at the USPS, but honestly, it's way cheaper to just wrap it up yourself at home using a box or a bag—I even reuse old shipping envelopes sometimes. That’s my go-to method. I never bother buying packaging from the post office.

I bought a phone from someone on Craigslist, and we agreed on cash on delivery, so I figured once the UPS driver drops off the package, I can just hand him the money right then and there while signing for it. But now this guy keeps calling me every two weeks claiming he doesn't have the cash to cover the shipping costs, and I'm starting to wonder what my options are here.😁

neontiger18 said:I bought a phone from someone on Craigslist. He was shipping it via COD, so the plan was simple: the mail carrier drops off the package, I hand over the cash right then and there, and we’re done. But now, two weeks later, the guy calls me up claiming he doesn't have the money. What am I supposed to do now? 😁

I don't recall the exact specifics of how COD works—other than the fact that waiting for the funds can be a massive headache. Honestly, both of you should just head down to the local Post Office with all your receipts and tracking info. Figure out where the holdup is; they should be able to tell you exactly what's going on.

I was just thinking, since the sender covers the $1.75 shipping straight to my door, what happens if I'm not home? Do they just leave a slip and I have to trek to the post office, or will they try again later today or tomorrow?
Probably the first one. That's why it's such a better deal for them. It used to be that they'd go door-to-door every single time, and if you weren't around, they'd just leave a note and you'd lose out on your $1.75. Now, they only bother coming to the door if it’s already prepaid, and if you're out—bam, just a note left behind, am I right?

God, I was wondering about the difference between sending an international letter via certified mail versus priority mail. Specifically, if I want something sent to Germany as fast as possible by air, is there any actual distinction between choosing certified airmail or priority airmail? Thanks!

darkhawk70 said:I was just thinking—since the sender is footing the bill for $1.75 home delivery, what happens if I’m not actually there? Do they just leave a slip and expect me to trek down to the local post office, or will they try again later today or tomorrow?
It'll likely be the former. Which is exactly why this model works better for them. They used to go door-to-door regardless, and if you weren't home, they'd just leave a note and walk away with your $1.75. Now, they only bother showing up at your door if the service is already prepaid. If you aren't there? You get a slip. Am I right?

You can always give them a call around 7:00 AM the next morning to request a redelivery. The fee remains $1.75. Just make sure you have the tracking number ready. And fair warning: they aren't exactly known for their pleasant personalities 🙂

So, here’s the deal: I bought something from a seller online, and the package got sent back to her because apparently, it sat at the post office for three days without me picking it up. But get this—no mail carrier ever knocked on my door, and there wasn't even a missed delivery slip in my mailbox or anything! The seller was sweet enough to try shipping it again, but still... nothing. I actually went down to the main USPS branch and practically begged them to check their system, but they claim there's absolutely nothing under my name. Then I tried my local neighborhood branch, and nope, nothing there either. 😕 My address is spot on, and my name is clearly labeled on my mailbox, my doorbell, and my apartment directory, yet somehow the mail carrier can't find me, or the post office just can't track it down. I'm just waiting on the tracking number from the seller now so I can call them up and demand answers. Honestly, I've never had issues like this before and I feel so awkward about the whole thing. It feels like my mail might just vanish into thin air, which is such a bummer because I was so excited about this purchase.
Anyway, has anyone else dealt with this nightmare? How on earth do you fix this? 😢

Update! This crazy post actually works—just got my 😁
this morning!

Samuel Watson4 said:God, guys, I’m a bit confused—what’s actually the difference between sending an international letter via certified mail versus priority mail? Like, if I want my letter to get to Germany as fast as possible by plane, does it matter if I ask for it to be sent "certified" or "priority"? I just want it to fly! Thanks!

Priority basically means airmail.
And you can actually request that service for both standard envelopes and certified packages.
The main thing is that when you go with priority certified, you get a tracking number. If you just send it regular, you don't.
That tracking gives you some peace of mind—if the thing gets lost or trashed, you can actually get your money back from the post office.

I need to know ASAP—how much is shipping a tiny little package under 50 grams to St. Louis if I want COD? If I send it tomorrow, can I actually expect it by tomorrow or Saturday at the latest? Looking for advice... Is using USPS Priority Mail the move here? Would the postage end up being more than $17?

Douglas Wells78 said:I placed my order back on January 13th and I'm still waiting. Barnes & Noble stated on their site that delivery takes 7 to 21 days, but it’s already been over three weeks.

Just wanted to share the good news—after a month and a half, my book finally arrived. I guess patience really does pay off.😁

James Castillo8 said:I need some urgent info—how much would shipping cost if I sent a tiny little package, less than 50 grams, with COD (cash on delivery)? I'd be sending it tomorrow, so would it actually arrive tomorrow, or at the very latest by Saturday? I really need advice here. Is using USPS Priority Mail the standard way to go? Would the postage end up being more than $17?

Probably not.
Maybe around $6.00. If you go with COD via certified mail.
But honestly, an actual COD package is usually $8.75.
Given how small this is (under 50 grams), you don't even need a full parcel box.

edit:
Oh, wait, I just realized you said this is urgent!
If you use USPS Express, you're looking at roughly $17, and if you want guaranteed Saturday delivery, it’ll be even more than that.

Thanks for the reply—a bit late to the party, but whatever. Stopped by the local post office today to check things out, and apparently if I go through $17 it should work... sent it off with the COD included, so it'll cost me $6.75... we'll see...

Hey ladies, I bought something through this forum about a week ago, and the seller sent it out exactly seven days ago... yet I still haven't received a thing.
What’s the longest you all have had to wait for a shipment to actually arrive? (In my experience, it usually takes maybe three or four days at most, and ninety-nine percent of the time it arrives within one or two days unless the weekend gets in the way.)
Thanks.

Olivia Nelson37 said:hey girls, I bought something through this forum and the seller sent it exactly a week ago... but it still hasn't shown up???
how long does it usually take for your stuff to arrive?? (for me, it’s usually been 3-4 days max, though most of the time it shows up in 1-2 days unless there's a weekend involved, pretty much 99% of the time)
thanks

Did you check the mailbox to see if there's anything waiting for you? Sometimes they forget to leave a slip. That happened to me once with some small package...

Honestly, nothing surprises me anymore. One time, a package took an entire week just to get here from Washington, D.C. 🙄

I haven't made it down to the post office yet, though I suppose I'll have to get myself there eventually
my girlfriend still hasn't sent over that document I need, and frankly, I am tired of waiting for it to arrive

Just like Peyton Manning, I'm starting to get a little anxious about where my little package went. Usually, everything shows up at my door in like, one or two days—three if I'm lucky—so this delay feels super weird. My friend sent it out from Seattle on Wednesday, and here I am in Savannah, and still nothing has arrived today.

I mean, I get that the weekend happened, but I’ve had stuff sent on a Friday that showed up by Monday or Tuesday at the absolute latest. 🤷 Nowhere near this slow. I even had something come all the way from the USA that arrived incredibly fast in just a week.

If I decide to swing by the post office to see if they have anything waiting for me, do I actually need that "tracking number" or whatever that bit of paper is supposed to be? You know, the receipt the sender is meant to hang onto. What if she didn't even keep it? 🙄 Honestly, I don't know, I'm not really liking this vibe.

I dropped off the package with the payment. It was picked up today. When should I expect the mail carrier to swing by my house with the cash?
Is there any chance it could happen tomorrow?

Thanks!