I made my contribution to USPS today

[junque redux]

Probably everyone else (but me) already knew this already, but just in case I can help someone else out…

Don’t try to cut down a flat rate box to make a smaller box and then send that smaller box regular priority.  Even if you cut most of the flat rate signage off and cover the rest with tape.  Even if you think to yourself “hey, this would be a fine usage of those stupid large flat rate board game boxes I ordered years ago and never use”.

I knew you couldn’t send an unaltered flat rate box regular priority, but I thought if I was making it smaller, that would convert it into a normal box.  I was mistaken, to the tune of an extra $9 in the USPS coffers.  Oh well.

[sonia]

It’s unfortunate that none of the postal workers seem to be familiar with the USPS bulletin (originally linked here by a fellow scavenger) that says that you should have just been charged non-flat-rate pricing as you expected.

If an FRE or FRB is presented at the office of mailing and the customer has manipulated or reconstructed it, the container is accepted using weight and zone — not the Flat Rate price.

https://about.usps.com/postal-bulletin/2016/pb22435/html/updt_002.htm#:~:text=According%20to%20Mailing%20Standards%20of,close%20within%20the%20normal%20folds.

I showed it to one of my post office people once, someone who is normally really into rules, but even she just said “I’ve never heard of this before” and that was that. I went home and re-packaged the item. 🙁

 

 

 

 

[junque redux]

Thanks, Sonia.  I feel logically vindicated, at least!  Small consolation but better than nothing.

[Sharyn]

I received an email that I sent a package 3 inches thicker than what I put down. I suppose that is possible, but the PRIORITY package took over a month to get to its destination. Since they are charging me over $16, I will be contesting the extra charge!!

[So Cal Joe]

I got charged $1.08 extra for a package that they say I didn’t put enough postage. The tracking number they sent me wasn’t even for my package.

I guess the Post office  must be really  hurting for funds.

[plight]

Read this
The Post Office’s Great Mail Slowdown Is Hurting Small Businesses

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vice.com/amp/en_us/article/n7w9nd/usps-package-delays-mail-slowdown-hurts-small-businesses

 

[Jay]

I really hope smart people in the room stop this obsession with killing off the USPS. It’s never been a profit generating entity. It’s a National Service (like highways) that help our country work.

[junque redux]

Wholeheartedly agree.  Today in my shipping screen there was a note from ebay to the effect that  “the USPS is having significant delays, consider using another service that provides a better customer experience”.  I hate to see these sorts of messages.

[MyCottage]

Jay, Unfortunately, not only are there some in Congress who are salivating at the prospect of taking the USPS private, but the USPS unfortunately is now also a target because of the election and mail-in voting. Unless something dramatic happens, I’m not expecting to see much improvement until after the election (and maybe not even then). As I told the better half as COVID first hit: I think we will continue to sell, because the people who buy most of our stuff are people who have disposable income and will continue to have it unless the economy completely tanks. My fear is the USPS won’t be supported by Congress and we’ll be hurt because shipping becomes a nightmare….

So far, we’ve been lucky….most of our packages have been getting there on time or not too far off. And I try to be proactive to avoid problems if a package is late. But this is no longer just the effects of COVID , this is now a newly appointed PostMaster General actively and deliberately undermining the system. I feel really bad for my local post office employees….COVID has been a real strain on them but they’ve remained dedicated and cheerful, but when your employer actually decides to make it harder for you to do your job…..after working so hard under difficult conditions….Well, it’s just very sad.

 

[Retro Treasures WV]

I got dinged the other day for an item I sent 1st class on pirate ship. USPS claimed I actually sent a flat rate envelope. This was a video game sent in a small ebay padded mailer that weighed 3 oz. I have no idea how they could make such a gross mistake.

Hopefully this is not part of the solution – randomly overcharging people to see what they get away with.

[sequimsalty]

So I had a buyer open a case because a priority mail item was “stuck in the system” it was about 5 days overdue. I refunded her completely trying to do the right thing. The item got to her the next day. The post office offers no guarantee of shipping times on priority mail so how should i approach this. Clients assume when they buy and pay expedited shipping they will get items pretty quick but with stories of mail not even being picked up or delivered for several days in some areas of the country, i am wondering how as a seller i should respond.  I was going to call this in because i think we are all going to be facing this and feel it would be good to hear it discussed on the podcast.

[Sharyn]

I had a buyer open a case about a delayed item. I did all the things I was supposed to do (contact the buyer, track the package, open a case at USPS.com). In the 3/4 days that eBay gives you to fix the issue, I did not get any movement on the package. I was not able to call eBay at the end of the 3 day period because I was on vacation at that time, but the buyer did call and was given a refund.

Suddenly, the package started moving on the weekend, and it was delivered on the 11th (about a month late).

I called eBay today about the issue, and the customer rep told me that I could contact the buyer and request that I be repaid or the item sent back. If the buyer is willing to repay me, I have to ask for their PayPal address in order to invoice them. If they want to send it back, then I guess I will have to send them a label or maybe they open up a return. I didn’t get into those details with the customer rep.

I was pretty emphatic (in a nice way) about this being an eBay issue since they are aware of the USPS issues, and they should not have refunded so soon. The service rep stood his ground, so now I need to decide what to do.

I have another issue complicating the whole debacle as the USPS is saying that I misrepresented one of the dimensions and are charging me for the additional cost (I don’t think I did).  I’m concerned about having the buyer chose to send it back when I might get yet another charge against the package size.

Anyway, the above two paragraphs are just me ranting, but eBay’s response was the part about contacting the buyer and asking if you can re-invoice them or having the item sent back.

[sonia]

sequimsalty,

On ebay, you do not have to refund if the item is only 5 days overdue. In fact, “overdue” doesn’t factor into the matter at all (unless it’s Guaranteed Delivery or Express Mail, which I know very little about). It’s about the last tracking update. Check out my recent reply on the post linked below (with a link to the ebay policy), as well as the great advice offered by others.

https://www.scavengerlife.com/forums/topic/what-do-you-about-items-not-delivered/

 

[Jay]

Sonia is correct. It’s nice you were willing to refund the buyer so quickly, but eBay gives the seller much more time to figure out the shipping issue. eBay will eventually send a “refund or we’ll refund out of your account” message, but this takes quite a while.

In the meantime, eBay just wants you to communicate with the buyer so the buyer knows you;re aware of the issue. “Thanks for letting me know of the shipping delay. Here’s the tracking number that I’m following. Let’s give it a little more time to get to you.”

[So Cal Joe]

Here is the explanation by the president.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/13/trump-refuses-post-office-funding-as-part-of-fight-against-mail-in-voting.html

[Author]

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