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 Replies: 36 / Views: 8,556 |
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Pillar of the Community
1028 Posts |
Only somewhat coin related, but just had to vent this and see if others have experienced anything remotely similar.
I took two packaged padded envelopes (with recent coin sales) to the post office today to have them sent with confirmation and all that.
There was an already huge amount of angry people waiting in long lines. It started going badly when the post office guy told me that since my envelope was only 5/8 in thick, instead of 3/4 inch I couldn't qualify for parcel and had to ship for $7 instead of $2 for both packages. We had a little "discussion" about how he might be taking this a little too seriously and I told him what if I just blew some air in my packages, I'd pay $5 less per package.
We decided to open up both my packages and I decided to blow air in them and close them fast. The long line seeing all this was finding this pretty absurd and were taking my side and several were making rude comments at the guy.
Then after we completely resealed both my packages, the guy took his hand and pushed down hard on my package and it blew the air back out and said it still couldn't qualify. Now I was shouting, 2 people from the line were shouting, and one guy stormed out of the post office cussing.
We ripped open my packages one more time, I quickly ran outside and tore some sticks of a bush and shoved them into my package. We resealed it again and the guy charged me $2 for each. While this was going on there was a line out the door into the cold and people were shouting around because of the wait, somebody called the post office guy a moron. It was ugly.
I had to send some explanatory emails to my customers on why there will be plant material sent with their coins.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1391 Posts |
 I busted up laughing reading this. Wow. No wonder they are having budget problems. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
What a lot of sellers do is keep a supply of styrofoam peanuts on hand and stick one in the package to make sure it is the proper thickness.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5823 Posts |
The USPS system reminded me of my last place of employment, the previous employers have rules that only suited their own intentions.
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Valued Member
United States
66 Posts |
I always ball up a piece of papper in my packages to meet the size requirements.
I have to wonder how many of customers wonder, why is there a ball of paper in my package?
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
That is why I print all of my Delivery Confirmation shipping labels at home instead of getting the postage at a Post Office, much easier and you don't have to worry about some bureaucratic bean counter pulling out a micrometer to measure your package  |
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Pillar of the Community
 1028 Posts |
The coins themselves were in flips, surrounded by tissue padding, 3X5 cards and a plastic wrap. They were well protected and separated, but apparently only 5/8 of an in inside the bubble package....mind you there was some dispute whether or not they were indeed 3/4 or 5/8 of an inch.
From now on I will just wrap a thing of newspaper around my coin package and throw that inside...that's good advice to avoid any future potential riots
I should add that I've mailed packages exactly the same way before with no problems, it was just this guy apparently.
Edited by hesgut
12/16/2011 3:17 pm
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Valued Member
United States
404 Posts |
So the rule says the package must be 3/4" thick, and your package was less than that, and this is his fault how? Everyone gets mad at a guy for doing his job properly? Why should he jeopardize his job so you can save money?
My post office used to say I couldn't use Delivery Confirmation unless the envelope was atleast 3/4" thick. So now I always throw in an extra folded tissue or paper towel to bulk up the envelopes.
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Pillar of the Community
1028 Posts |
Quote:
So the rule says the package must be 3/4" thick, and your package was less than that, and this is his fault how? Everyone gets mad at a guy for doing his job properly? Why should he jeopardize his job so you can save money? I actually knew somebody was going to post a message saying exactly this. I do agree out of principle that the rules are rules, but this particular instance goes beyond that. My package wasn't even clearly less than 3/4 of an inch...he had a plastic tester and I saw it touch on both sides, therefore being 3/4...but he insisted it missed. He was going way overboard. When my resealed package (with air inside) was clearly over 3/4 of an inch, I don't think the employee should press down with some of his body weight on my package to maybe blow the air back out...especially after he agreed that I could blow the air in to satisfy the requirement. The entire line witnessing this and hearing this didn't think so either and that's why a riot almost started. He also could have damaged the contents. This guy was NOT doing his job |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Maybe my memory is a little better than others but I remember not to long ago when it was becoming common for US postal employees to start shooting guns at others. Lots of other problems too like mail being stored in back yards, piled up and burned, etc. Now wieh all these stories about shutting down many of the postal places, I think I would tend to be really carefull getting into an argument with someone in the post office. Not necessarily being on the side of the post office but in a case like this, I think I'd just go home and start over with a thicker package. Best to be safe, not sorry.  And too, someone in line getting cold and with a gun and short temper....... Edited by just carl
12/16/2011 3:58 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
It is one thing to try to use DC on a First Class envelope(definitely wrong and should not be attempted) but when you have a nonmachinable bubble mailer and it is slightly under 3/4", a little bit of commonsense discretion should be used.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2797 Posts |
I found out about the 3/4" rule a year or so ago. I didn't have the option to open and reseal mine because I make sure they are tamper-proof so my buyers have the best chance of getting what they paid for. If you were able to open and insert debris, then re-close them, how hard would it be for any mail handler along the way to do the same. I took mine home and put them in new bubble mailers, making sure I achieved 3/4" thickness with packing material. Then I resealed them with the 2" celo tape on both ends. I do this now for all my coin mailings and noticed several things ... things go very smoothly at USPS and customers receive their coins without pilferage or damage. Go figure.  |
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Forum Dad
 United States
24150 Posts |
It's worth making sure. If it's discovered along the way, they upgrade it to Priority and it arrives to your customer postage due. Throw some peanuts in there and avoid it all.
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Valued Member
United States
313 Posts |
I was told at my P.O. that if you weigh and mail from home the 3/4 is not enforced because that rule is not posted on line?  |
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Forum Dad
United States
24150 Posts |
Not true. It can get enforced anywhere along its trip regardless of where/how it was mailed.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
759 Posts |
Well, thanks for the story and thank you for saving me $5 and/or lots of hassle on my Secret Santa gift I've yet to mail. Never knew that requirement.
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Replies: 36 / Views: 8,556 |
Posted 12/16/2011 2:54 pm
