ARGH! The Post Office Is So Stupid!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JrGMan2004
Posts: 7,557 ✭
Yeah, so I go into the post office to send some packages from EBay sales. And keep in mind this is probally the 4th or 5th time I've had EBay packages, so it's not like this is my first time goin there. So, I get up to the counter, and I said, "I want to send all of these packages 1st Class; these I want insured at the $50 level; these I want insured at the $100 level." Just like I've done it every other time I've been in there, and like how my fellow forum members have told me it is done. Well, the lady said like, you have to insure it at it's actual value. And I said that my understanding was that you just insure it at that level, and then if you have to file an insurance claim, you have to prove the value of the package, and that's how much they would reimburse you. So, I only knew the value of one package right off the top of my head... so I sent that one, and now, I have to repackage ALL of the other 6 packages, so that I'll know the exact value. And I don't have enough envelopes on hand to do that, which means I gotta go up to WalMart, buy some more, repackage them, and then go back to the Post Office, and I know mom is gonna tell me to put gas in the car if I go out again. And on top of that, I had already had a hefty loss on this lot.... 
-George
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Dennis
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Cameron Kiefer
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Cameron Kiefer
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Don't expect the p.o. clerk to do it for you. You're just asking for a hassle.
As soon as the usps gets the insurance section completed on thier web site, and PayPal, you'll be able to print out labels with insurance value already assigned. then all you have to do is drop everything off at the p.o. and be on your way
My "what the" encounter with on teller went like this when I tried to use my ATM card
Teller - You didn't sign your card, we can't accept it.
Me - The bank told me to write in "See I.D" so peaple would ask for my ID to prevent illegal use.
Teller - We don't know if it's your's if it's not signed.
W.C. Fields
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On the right are three really laid back people whom I got to know real well last summer when I did the mail run for a law firm where I worked. We're on a first name basis and joke around when I'm there. I like my PO (except the postmaster, who's a #@!$)
Jeremy
PS- I've never been questioned on anything I've sent... they just take the value I say
<< <i>I put the actual value in a corner of the insurance slip. But if I forget the teller says "we'll just put $50 (or $100) and if lost just claim the actual value".
My "what the" encounter with on teller went like this when I tried to use my ATM card
Teller - You didn't sign your card, we can't accept it.
Me - The bank told me to write in "See I.D" so peaple would ask for my ID to prevent illegal use.
Teller - We don't know if it's your's if it's not signed.
Do as I do ........ You sign the card and then write in all caps **SEE ID** next to your sig. I even highlight the "see id"
I also ship media items, so this method is the only way I can keep things straight. You can also write the insured value (technically, you must state the actual value of the item and not the insurance 'level') in the postage area.
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<< <i> Well, the thing with getting some forms and filling them out before hand, is most of what I ship, is under $50... so there's no need to fill out the little ticket form thing... >>
Well .......... unless your particular p.o. has a different policy than most of them i've delt with you have to fill out some kind of form whenever you want insurance.
The small green one is for $1 to $50 and the larger blue and white form is for $50.01 and up. Which ever one you fill out you get as the reciept for the insurance purchase. The blue one is bar coded so they can record it into the system, the green one is not. They just stamp the green one, sign or initial it, and give it back to you.
You can still use Safety Mailers for Registered Mail, but for items under say $450.00 that makes no sense at all. It's just a "revenue enhancement scheme" for the Post Office Department.
And OH YES, Whenever I go to my Post Office I can figure on at least a half hour wait in line.
I just LOVE Mr. Zippy!!
So, if you want to spare yourself from some problems, never respond with "coins" when they ask you what is inside your package. Even though you CAN send coins through the mail, sometimes clerks start feeling pretty "official" with their position and start making rules up as they go along and for some reason, I have been told several times at several different p.o.'s that you can't send coins. One post office I used to freequent in a small town where I lived, I'd make her pull out the rule book. Did you know that there are some countries where you can't send shoes to? Or products made from human hair? ........ lots of weird regulations out there!
type of acceptable tape, etc) but when they have to process a package with a label printed at home from the USPS website it's like Martians
just landed. I finally decided to do all my business with the PO in the next town over. It's actually just as close & everyone is on the ball there.
Simple advice- As someone above said, bring home a stack of all the USPS forms that you will need for the future. Fill them out in advance.
On the visit you mention you should've just said the $50 level package was worth exactly that, $50. The same for the $100. There is no
price difference for $24.99 package or a $50 one, it's still $1.30 to insure. If you had to make a claim they would've paid out based on the
proof of value of the package contents, not simply the claim it was worth $50.
They really suck sometimes.
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
I wanted to post this again so everyone will know to copy front and back of any payments recieved.
since I was right there I figured I'd go in to mail a package. The clerk (who has been there forever) takes the Priority Mail package and
the insurance form. She prints out the label, sticks it on, and chucks it in the bin. Luckily I caught a glimpse of the label which showed
$3.20.
I asked if what I saw was correct & she said yes. I told her I need to pay an additional $3.85 for Priority Mail Service. After about 20 seconds
of confusion on her part, it dawns on her that the label was just a label from the USPS website without postage. She then printed the
additional postage & put it on the box.
I asked what would've happened if I didn't see it. She calmly said, "Oh it would've either been returned to you or arrived at the destination
as postage due." Real nice. This would've been a major screw up & myself & package recipient would've had to pay for it in aggravation
all because she was too lazy to run it under the scanner. That would've told her there was no postage on the box.
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
At the PO I was telling about I have actually taken the box right back off the scale & pressed the label on. I've seen that too where they
have just one corner sticking to the box.
The kicker about insurance is that you're insuring it from THEM! I'll never understand that. Any other business and it's not a matter of
insurance, it's a matter of theft or incompetence.
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
<< <i>Complete opposite for me Sphinx. The guys there are great. The ladies suck... >>
I agree, I had this one lady that kept trying to charge me Priority because I used Priority Boxes someone else had used to ship to me! I would wrap the boxes with Brown tape, you could not tell what they used to say. I told her if you want to send them Priority, fine, but Im paying First Class! She kept this up for months until I finally had to talk with her boss. This lady was just an unhappy person that wanted everyone else to feel like her. Funny, she was put outside a couple of months ago, probably because she does'nt know how to get along with the public!
<< <i>In the future, if you want to insure at $50 and $100, just simply state that is what the packages are worth. The clerks have no business interrogating you as far as what is in the package. The only time they have a legitimate right to know is when you are shipping an item that requires a customs form, or if the package contains any dangerous, fragile, liquid or persihable items. I also believe you have to declare what you are sending if the items are plants or live animals. Fortunately, I don't ship those kind of items.
Yep, if asked what's inside just state that it is merchandise and answer no if it is fragile dangerous or liquid. I made the mistake of telling them I was shipping paper money the first time I did it. They have no right to open the package and see whats inside and like its said, we're basically insuring it from THEM. If I told the person I was mailing 2 $100 bills they would make a big fiasco about it. "You can only insure for face." Yea right, face has little to do with the value if it's a rare note. Coins even more of a difference, you aren't going to insure a 1916D Merc for 10cents. *sigh* I have to go down there again pretty soon. Hopefully the guy isn't there. He's so disrespectful.
Customer A ships one small package and is on his way
I am next in line and come up to the desk.
Immediately PO guy takes out a stack of forms and starts slowly writing them out. I'm thinkin "wtf is this guys problem, he isn't even acknowledging that I'm there"