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 Replies: 14 / Views: 10,280 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1291 Posts |
A buyer in the lower 48 won a coin from me. One cheap little ol' coin. Using the eBay/PayPal system, I printed out a first-class mailing label with a tracking # at a cost to me of $1.93, stuck the coin in a #000 bubble mailer, slapped the label on it and mailed it on 4/27. On 5/8 the envelope was returned to me by the USPS with a sticker that said....and I QUOTE: "First Class parcels only are eligible for tracking. All other parcels must be over 3/4" thick or packaged in strong, rigid fiberboard. Letters and Flats are ineligible. DMM 503.1.4.1" The sticker had a little red hand stenciled on it with a finger pointing to the words "USPS FIRST-CLASS PKG". These words were part of the label that I created! Someone even put a splash of red highlighting over those words as if to say, "See? It should say FIRST-CLASS right here."  |
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Forum Dad
 United States
24165 Posts |
They're trying to tell you it wasn't 3/4 of an inch thick, meaning a parcel. First class must be a parcel to qualify for DC. Sometimes they'll land at the recipient with postage due for the difference to Priority. We always stuffed some packing peanuts in there so this didn't happen.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2189 Posts |
Yup, it was the thickness that got you. most go through but....
As Bobby said, a few packing peanuts and your all set to go.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7621 Posts |
A couple of packing peanuts, and/or a thick piece of styrofoam, would bring your bubble mailer to the required thickness of 3/4 of an inch.
You could also use a rigid photo mailer that would meet the "rigid container" requirement. A "rigid container" does not have to meet the 3/4" thickness spec.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
1949 Posts |
Someone at USPS is a bit 'overzealous' to say the least...
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Rest in Peace
United States
7075 Posts |
This is the second time I've read about this -- it is so annoying! The USPS has created the most ridiculously convoluted system ever.
I suppose you figure it out if you send packages often enough but I find it maddening.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
1291 Posts |
Well....hit me with a stick and call me Lumpy. I suppose that if those are the regs, then they're the regs. But I send literally hundreds out every year, just like this one, with nary a problem. I thought it was just the opposite, that it had to be less than 3/4" thick.
So - for the same mailing cost - USPS wants to handle a thicker, more awkward, more space-consuming piece of mail? Is that what I am to understand?
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Moderator
United States
16679 Posts |
I use a Dymo label printer, always $1.93 with tracking, and thin 000. Never had a return. I don't show postage value on label.
When I go to the PO, they tell me has to be 3/4".
I don't go to the PO...rarely.
swcoin.ecrater.com
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Forum Dad
United States
24165 Posts |
Quote:
So - for the same mailing cost - USPS wants to handle a thicker, more awkward, more space-consuming piece of mail? It's more about what they don't want.... DC on half the flats that go through the system. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1291 Posts |
Ugh. Okay. Thanks. Man, I hate it when that happens. ("That" = call the post office out for being dumb and have the dumb bounce back to me...sort of like this coin...)
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7375 Posts |
I couldn't believe it, went to the PO yesterday am to mail a 000 mailer. Usually I use ebay labels, but this was something else I was sending, and just wanted to buy postage with tracking. The PO person grabs a handheld template from behind the counter and measures the thickness of my package.  She knows me and I think she cut me a break on it because I don't think mine was 3/4 thick. Also I noticed that she was reading the street address off the package and entering it into the computer. I said, "That's interesting, I didn't know you enter the exact address." She said, "Oh yes we do." I asked her how long they have been doing that and she said a couple of months. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7840 Posts |
Sigh...it's always something. I guess that I have been fortunate in the past, but I have seen packing peanuts in some small packages that I have received before.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1211 Posts |
They have been measuring the thickness of packages since at least the early 2000's (as far as I can remember). You will find that the folks who work at the USPS will vary when it comes to enforcing the rules/guidelines. Some are very strict, some are very lenient. I can assure you, these rules are in place, you probably just got lucky in the past and no one caught the mistake until now.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1839 Posts |
I had no idea this was even a rule. I've shipped hundreds of coins using the ebay "First Class Package (2-5 days) - Package/Thick Envelope" option. I've never added anything to try to make them thicker. The coins have been in slabs that have been put in those fold-able Safe-T-Mailers. Pretty sure they're under 3/4" thick. As long as it's 3oz or less it's always been $1.93 and not a single package has even come back to me as a problem.   Edited by Tbone
05/15/2015 7:59 pm
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Forum Dad
United States
24165 Posts |
The Safe-T-Mailers are rigid and non-machinable so they qualify as a parcel without being 3/4" thick.
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Replies: 14 / Views: 10,280 |
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Posted 05/09/2015 3:53 pm
