Mail & Shipping - Recommendations, Questions, and Answers

Sandra Lee44 said:I just don't get these extra shipping fees $1.75 on every single package. I mean, wouldn't it be more logical if delivery was already included in the postage? But apparently not... and I have ten different packages arriving this week and honestly, I just don't feel like dealing with the hassle $1.75 every time someone drops them off at my door when the post office is literally only 100 yards from my house. :/

..Lady Gaga,
I see you're active on the forum and keeping up with all the other ladies here
so please, just send me a DM or reply so I can actually know where I stand:
you know as well as I do, my package has been sitting there waiting for almost two months now, so let's just get this sorted out.

So, here’s the situation—I decided to toss a glasses case inside a bubble mailer. Since the box is a bit chunky and rigid, the mailer ended up looking all lumpy and crushed, and honestly, there isn't much I can do about it at this point.
Up until now, I've always been super meticulous about making sure everything looks perfectly taped and tidy, so now I'm sitting here wondering—will the folks at the local USPS station actually give me a hard time or refuse to ship such a messy-looking package? 🤦

amberheron64 said:So, I ended up putting my glasses box inside a bubble mailer. Since the box is pretty chunky and rigid, the mailer looks all dented and squished—there really wasn't any other way to pack it without risking a break.
I've always been super meticulous about making sure everything looks perfectly taped and neat, so now I'm a little nervous... do you think the folks at the Post Office will give me a hard time or refuse to ship it because it looks a bit messy? 🤦

They definitely will🤣

analograven5 said:wants to 🤣

Honestly, I’ve had some "wonderful" experiences at the local USPS, so—given my luck—I wouldn't be surprised one bit by how certain women there choose to act.

I remember this one time I carefully packed everything into a box with white paper and twine, only for the clerk to snap, "NO, YOU CAN'T DO IT LIKE THAT," and insist I just use an envelope instead. She actually tried to shove a pair of sneakers into an envelope! Everything ended up totally crushed and wrinkled, and then she had the nerve to tell me it was "too bulky to ship." We went back and forth in this huge argument, but in the end, I got it sent—though I did vent about this exact thing on another thread a few months back.

Anyway, this envelope looks pretty deformed, so we'll see what happens tomorrow. If it doesn't work out, I'll let you guys know.🤣

Nicole Cooper72 said:It doesn't matter what kind of package shows up at my door, I've honestly never once been charged a fee...

I've never had to pay a fee either, to be honest. This is news to me🤷 I just hope my USPS carrier doesn't start hearing about this and decide to start charging me, too.😬

If you see a big printed "P" on the shipping label, that means it’s a standard package. If it’s being delivered by a courier vehicle, you're looking at the delivery fee mentioned here. However, if you see an "R" instead, you aren't dealing with a package—it's a registered mail item, which means those $1.75 don't apply. Postal workers don't just make up fees on the spot; that's not how the system works. If you honestly suspect someone is overcharging you, don't just sit there—call the local USPS office immediately and have them clear it up. That $1.75 fee only kicks in for shipments marked with that capital "P".

I received a package today (unrelated to this forum discussions), but it wasn't what I actually ordered... It was sent via FedEx, and my total cost came to $105, yet the item arrived $83. Now I have to deal with the hassle of returning it, and I'm wondering if the responsibility for the return shipping falls on me, or if the person picking it up is expected to handle the costs and issue a refund upon receipt?🤷

If anyone happens to know the protocol... I could really use some quick advice here...

P.S. Back on July 8th, I sent out a package to a friend, and she still hasn't received it; what should my next move be regarding that? This is the first time I've dealt with a shipment failing to arrive...

Nicole Cooper72 said:I received a package today (unrelated to this forum) that contained the wrong items entirely... It was sent via FedEx, and my total cost came to $105, but what arrived was $83. Now I have to ship it back, and I'm wondering if I'm responsible for the return shipping costs, or if the person who receives it will cover them when they issue the refund???🤷

If anyone knows, please let me know... it's a bit urgent...

P.S. I sent a package to a friend on July 8th, and she hasn't received it yet; does anyone have advice on what I should do? This is the first time I've dealt with a shipment not arriving on time...

In this situation, you would pay for the shipping when you send it back, but you can factor those costs into the COD amount... essentially, if the item is worth $83 and you pay $10 for the postage, you would list the total as $93. I've calculated those figures so that the other person effectively covers your shipping costs... since the mail carrier will bring it to them, you pay upfront, but then you deduct that amount from what they owe you upon delivery... 🙂
I hope that makes sense...

Elizabeth Ortiz said:The way it works is you cover the shipping costs upfront when you send the package... but then you factor those exact costs into the COD amount... so if the item is priced at $83 and you paid $10 for the shipping, you just list the total as $93.. I’ve already done the math on my end to ensure the other person picks up the tab for the postage... essentially, the carrier delivers the parcel, you pay the fee initially, and then you simply deduct that amount from what they owe you upon delivery... 🙂
I hope that clears things up for you...

I used FedEx for my shipment and didn't have to pay a cent out of pocket...

If a sender located in a small town in rural Pennsylvania, Iowa, sends a package to me on a Friday, should I reasonably expect it to arrive at my doorstep in Washington, D.C., by the very next day? Furthermore, if I specifically select a delivery service that guarantees arrival by 8:00 PM, does that imply the package could be delivered at any hour between the morning and that evening window? And what happens if I am simply not home during the scheduled delivery period? Since this involves a rather significant purchase—a Nintendo Wii—and I am opting for cash on delivery, will there be any additional fees I am required to settle beyond the initial shipping costs?

Andrew Barnes52 said:If someone sends me a package from a small town in rural Pennsylvania, Iowa, on a Friday, should I expect it to arrive at my address in Washington, D.C., by the following day? Furthermore, if I opt for a delivery window that extends until 8 p.m., does that mean the package could show up at any point between morning and night? And what happens if I happen to be out when they arrive? Since this involves a rather expensive item (a Nintendo Wii) and I am paying cash on delivery, will there be any additional fees beyond the standard shipping costs?

I wasn't home myself, so I just headed down to the local post office to pick up the package, paid the fee there, and that was the end of it...

I've got a question about sending letters to Taiwan (by plane, obviously). I've been sending mail there for years and it used to take maybe 10 days tops, but lately, it’s stretching out to 18 or 20 days—even though I’m using the exact same method, just standard airmail! The letters coming back from Taiwan arrive right on time (within 7-10 days), so I guess I'm wondering what could be causing this delay?!

One more thing: I recently sent a letter to Taiwan and decided to go with priority shipping to speed things up. Usually, for regular airmail, I just use those special envelopes you buy at the post office. The clerk told me that using those envelopes already counts as priority (?) but she still charged me $0.67 extra (the standard rate for priority mail). From what I could see, she didn't put any special markings or stickers on it or anything. It’s not like I’m obsessed, but I mean, did she just rip me off, or is that even possible since the price is clearly marked on the envelope?

Which box should I check on the notification—you know, the one for when you need to collect the cash after shipping something via COD?

Thanks! 🙂

My experience today:

About two and a half weeks ago, I sent a package to a friend that simply never arrived... So, I headed down to the FedEx office today to officially file a claim. I walked up to the counter, explained the situation, and handed over my receipt... She took one look at it, then proceeded to pull out this massive stack of paperwork and began this endless cycle of reading, glancing at her computer, reading again, and staring back at the screen for about fifteen minutes straight. Finally, she tells me she’ll make a copy of the receipt, asks me to pay $1.75, and mentions that once the lady at the other station finishes up, she'll get everything sorted out...😲😲 Apparently, they’ll just mail me a notification about the whole thing once it's done.

Chloe Cox90 said:I have a question regarding sending letters to Taiwan (by plane, obviously). I’ve been sending mail there for years and it used to arrive in about 10 days, but lately, it’s dragging on for 18 to 20 days—even though I always use the exact same method, which is airmail! Meanwhile, letters coming from Taiwan reach me right on schedule within 7 to 10 days. Does anyone have any idea what could be causing this delay?!

And another thing: I recently sent a letter to Taiwan and decided to go with priority shipping to speed things up. Usually, for standard airmail, I just use those special envelopes you buy at the post office. This time, the clerk told me that using those envelopes already makes it priority (?) yet she still charged me $0.67 more (the standard rate for priority shipments). From what I could see, she didn't attach any specific label or sticker or anything. It's not like I'm obsessed with the details, but did she just rip me off, or is it actually impossible for it to be priority if the price was clearly marked on the envelope?

Perhaps they changed the transit routes for mail heading to Asia or Taiwan, and that's why it's taking longer.🤷

As for the priority issue—there really should be a sticker applied, because without it, it isn't actually handled as priority.

I have a question. Maybe it’s too early to ask, but I think I might need some advice. So, I sent off a certified package last Friday and it still hasn't arrived. Usually, it shows up by the second day. Since I sent it on Friday, it really should have been there by Monday, but nothing yet. 😢 Here’s the thing—I asked my dad to swing by the FedEx office on Saturday since he was heading downtown, and apparently, the clerk decided that because I used Scotch tape over the address label, it wasn't valid. He ended up repackaging the whole thing and charged my dad $9.25, which was basically double what it should have been. Now I have the receipt, but my return address isn't even listed correctly and everything is pretty much illegible 😠. I'm wondering if that's going to be an issue, since he probably wrote the address just as messily on the new packaging. Also, how long do I have to wait before I can file a claim to get my money back? I've never had a bad experience like this, and honestly, I'm pretty annoyed. 😠

Roughly how long does a standard package take to get from San Diego to Washington, D.C.?
It was sent this past Monday.

Two days

It hasn't actually arrived yet, according to a buddy of mine)

Either way, thanks anyway!

Greetings.
Nintendo should be sending this out soon.
I am wondering about the best way to handle the shipping process.
Should I send it via a standard parcel service or a different method?
If anyone is willing, I would truly appreciate some guidance on how this works.
Thank you.