GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRr

Aknot

OK, go to the PO. to drop off my nicely packed box for grading after following PSA instructions.

Im sorry sir we can not accept that package for US Registered Mail. It needs to have either "brown" packing tape or enclosed in paper. OK will send insured. Well maybe PSA will not accept that.

WTF PSA? Please make instructions clear, concise and to the point. I have already pointed out the error in the "guide" and now your instructions of USE PACKING TAPE TO COMPLETELY SEAL the outside of your box should have "BROWN PAPER NOT PLASTIC PACKING TAPE".

Is it registered mail or insured mail? Cant have both per the post office.

Sorry was in line with the "doofs" that just love to wait till the last minute to do anything and now I have to do a little more "digging" to find out how to ship this package (tomorrow now).

/RANT OFF

Aknot

Just got off the phone with PSA. Why not just say We accept any and all forms of shipping EXCEPT UPS? Yes it has been a rough day.

CON40

Don't know if this helps, but I always send to PSA by US Priority Mail with insurance and/or delivery confirmation (depends on value of submission)... I have never had any negative response from PSA and my orders always get checked in in a timely manner.

Occasionally, I have also submitted by FedEx via my own account number...

My 2¢... 'cuz I think Registered Mail sucks too!

envoy98

Hey question CON40, what did you have to have/do to get your own account number? Sure would be nice if I could get my packages back from PSA in a couple of days rather than 5-8 days waiting for registered mail. Of course, I might not ever submit to PSA again anyways but that's a whole 'nuther discussion.

envoy98

<< <i>OK, go to the PO. to drop off my nicely packed box for grading after following PSA instructions.

Im sorry sir we can not accept that package for US Registered Mail. It needs to have either "brown" packing tape or enclosed in paper. OK will send insured. Well maybe PSA will not accept that.

WTF PSA? Please make instructions clear, concise and to the point. I have already pointed out the error in the "guide" and now your instructions of USE PACKING TAPE TO COMPLETELY SEAL the outside of your box should have "BROWN PAPER NOT PLASTIC PACKING TAPE".

Is it registered mail or insured mail? Cant have both per the post office.

Sorry was in line with the "doofs" that just love to wait till the last minute to do anything and now I have to do a little more "digging" to find out how to ship this package (tomorrow now).

/RANT OFF >>



Just an FYI as I learned this the hard way myself. The post office requires that the packages sent via reg mail have the brown paper tape on every seam because they have to round date every seem to show that it was packaged up tight. This is part of their "security". The registered mail is slower but goes under lock and key all the way there and comes with "free" tracking. Depending on the value of your submission, sometimes it's cheaper to ship registered than priority because of the insurance or the weight. Priority is 3.85 based on a 1lb rate, and goes up from there. Insurance is quite a bit more expensive as well it seems. Plus, registered comes with $100 automatically which is $1.80 ahead of priority in that regard.

But you could just be like me... send it overnight mail w/insurance for $27.60 and have PSA wait 4 days before they check it in anyway...

CON40

Envoy;

You can set up an account for free at FedEx.com... or you can call them at 1-800-gofedex.

<Edited at the request of John Ashcroft>

KallMaloneSay

The reason they require the "brown paper tape" for registered is because every person that touches the package signs for it, so they postmark the brown tape everywhere so that it can't be removed and resealed without the postmarks getting messed up. They can't stamp plastic tape in the same way and if something was taken out and replaced then it would be too difficult to determine which person stole the items out of it. Hope this kinda makes sense, it does in my mind, but hard to get across. They now have signature confirmation with the pink post office slip so not only do you get delivery confirmation, but you know the name of the person who signed for it. Priority with insurance and delivery confirmation is good enough for me, and there are a lot of cool stickers on your package.
Jason

DaBigHurt

Although it's alot more work to send it registered, you can't beat the security.

Not sure where you read that PSA will not just accept packages sent through the USPS with just plain old insurance. Obviously they do.

koby

Nothing beats the security of registered mail, and it is far cheaper to insure a registered package than a priority mail package. Also, priority mail has a limit of $5000, whereas I dont think there is a limit for insuring a registered package.

Aknot

Well being my first submission Im trying to do it the way they suggest. Ive read the instructions and such and they (if you read the website, and paperwork they send you) do not seem all on the same page.

wolfbear

Aknot - Your post brought back memories of my first submission which I tried to send registered.
Took me three trips to the PO and a drive all over town trying to find the proper tape, but finally did it.

Now I can do it in my sleep, but I do agree that PSA should make their packing instructions more consistent.

As for you guys that DON'T follow PSA's instructions and recommenations for shipping and packing,
the person that checks in your package at PSA stamps it "No nines or tens for this guy one full year !"

Gator

On large orders, I always send registrered mail. And like most people on this board it took me 3 or 4 times to get it packed right the first time. I usually don't have a problem with delivery time to or from PSA. After my grades have been posted it take 2 to 3 days to get my cards, and I live in Tennessee.

Southsider

I had the same problems on my first several submissions. The first time I tried registered mail, the lady at the PO retaped my package with the proper tape. The second time I thought I would buy some "paper" tape and do it myself. I bought the wrong kind of paper tape, it was waxy and wouldn't take an ink stamp. So, once again, the lady at the PO had to retape my package using the right tape. I finally found the right paper tape at Staples, the kind where you have to wet the back with a sponge. I now have a huge roll, so I'm ready for future submissions.

DirtyHarry

Ditto on Southsider's note....each time I have shipped registered mail the postal clerk has re-taped the box, even though I had it taped already. So, I thought this was SOP at The PO.
In the submission package I have, it is pretty clear that PSA requests USPS registered and insured. They do not want UPS.

envoy98

Gator... how on earth do you get your packages back in 2-3 days? I've had a few people state they get their cards back that fast. I have to assume you are using FedEx, not registered mail? Just to support my argument, and my own piece of mind, I looked at a few of my boxes I've gotten back from psa. I save them cuz I use them to hold my cards for "future submissions" and as of right now I have 200 cards in these silly boxes... anyways. I looked at the round date on them. One was Nov 6, on the sticker the postman wrote "NL (note left) 11/14/04" That's 8 days difference. I have another one round dated Feb 11, it has a note on it "NL 2/17/04" 6 days difference. That was the first delivery attempt of both of these. I have another one that psa hasnt even shipped yet and I am a little confused. My submission says rec'd 4/7/04 grades posted 4/9/04, they weren't posted til 4/13, I checked every day and I have the email from 4/13 as well... and they haven't shipped yet.

I guess the account with fed ex is the best way to go. This registered mail is SLOW... at least for me. Maybe it's MN or someone bottlenecking it on the way in. Seems my packages get there in about 4-5 days. I usually try to mail on Thursday, that way it's entered for grading by the following Friday.

Sorry, I didn't mean to turn this into my own personal rant.

Oh and they don't take UPS cuz UPS can't deliver to PO Boxes. I think you pretty much have to send USPS but your return can be FedEx if you have your own account number.

ctsoxfan

<< <i>I think you pretty much have to send USPS but your return can be FedEx if you have your own account number. >>



This has been stated already several times in all of these "shipping threads" of the past few days...but you can send your submissions via FedEx. Read the forms, they print the street address right on it. It's the only way I send anything in anymore. Registered mail is a pain, slow, and more expensive.

envoy98

Good to know, I must have missed that. What about insurance? In one of my rants somone had posted that FedEx won't actually cover "collectibles or unique items" for more than $100 or so? Do you have any knowledge on that?

ctsoxfan

That is a good question, which I cannot answer definitively for you. I always purchase additional insurance on my FedEx submissions ($1000 or so, depending on what I am sending in), as FedEx lets you do that when you prepare your declaration of contents. I have never told them that I was insuring collectibles, but I would expect if I purchased $1000 worth of insurance, that I would be covered for that amount if the package was lost or damaged. SMR reports and the like could be used to establish value. But, with each package assigned a tracking number, I would be suprised to hear of them actually misplacing one.

gameusedhoop

Using Fedex could be very costly if the don't insure collectibles as I have heard is true. They will take your money for insurance and then when you file a claim they point to the fine print in the insurance agreement that shows that you are screwed. Fedex may not lose many packages but things do happen

Click here for an example

Example #2

Last but not least

These examples are not to imply that Fedex is a problem, but accidents do happen and I KNOW that if something happens to a package sent via the USPS that the insurance coverage is valid on sportscards.

Re-edited to add the correct link: New link for domestic shipments (says the same thing as international liability)

Check out line #10, then ask yourself, isn't my PSA shipment worth more than an Ostrich or Emu egg?

Aknot

<< <i>
Edited to add this link: Check out line #11 for Fedex's liability on sports cards. >>



Wow. So you would think PSA might want to rething their stance on sending stuff FedEx if the customer request it? I know if I knew my customer was at risk using something that I say was "OK" to use I would expect that customer to be pretty PO'd if something happened. Maybe some sort of disclaimer?

ctsoxfan

Wow...now I am confused. I didn't realize that they spelled out such limitations in line #11 like that. I always declare the value according to what I put on the submission forms, sometimes as little as $500, often $1000-$1500 or more. I also thought I was paying extra for insurance for this, as I was told so by a FedEx rep I called prior to my first PSA shipment. I print my FedEx labels online, so I am not entirely sure of how much it costs until I get billed the following month (at which point, I have forgotten to check and compare). Does anyone else know for certain if we are covered for full value (if we pay for it)? I still like sending FedEx, but this has me concerned.

habs71

Line 11 applies to International shipments.



<< <i>E...Import of any of the following items may be prohibited by individual countries, and a lower declared-value limitation for a country will control this stated limitation for such items: ... >>





Skip

Aknot

Thanks Habs,

Gee in big bold letters:

FedEx International Terms and Conditions

right at the top.

O well I emailed them anyway just in case.

ctsoxfan

Wow, ignoring the obvious! Thanks, habs71!

gameusedhoop

Here is the corrected link to the domestic shipping section: See section F Line 11

It says the same thing as the international claims, I don't know how I got there the first time. BTW: Ostrich and Emu eggs are limited to values of $500 also. VERY INTERESTING!

ctsoxfan

Thanks, this is info I never had regarding the FedEx shipments I regularly send to PSA. I guess $500 is it...maybe I should send in smaller submissions now.

Aknot

Thanks for clearing it up. FedExs first response to this question:

In reading FedEx International Terms it states in section E-11 that: "Collector's items such as sports cards, souvenirs and memorabilia.
(Collector's coins and stamps may not be shipped. See "Prohibited Items" section.)" Does this also hold true for Collector items ship inside the United States with regards to insurance coverage? Thanks.



was

We received your e-mail. For assistance, please call FedEx Customer
Service at 1.800.Go.FedEx® 800.463.3339 (800.247.4747 for
international shipments). Our representatives are available 24 hours
a day, and can access complete tracking details and other key
information about your shipment.

hmmmmmmm so I wrote back:

Please reread my question. It pertains to "Domestic" and not international. I do not need tracking information. It is a general question. I selected General from your webpage. Again there is NO PACKAGE. I have a GENERAL QUESTION.

But I have yet to receive a response. Im thinking I will NOT elect FedEx to handle any of my sports cards based on Section F Line 11 and their customer services inability to read a question.

Again I beleive PSA needs to remove FedEx from their shipping/receiving "options" in light of this. (Section F line 11) We have no protection under FedEx.