Question for shippers who use electronic postage, do you print a form 5630 for the post office?

BarkusD · July 9, 2009 4:28AM

I have been shipping using electronic postage for some time and I never understood the necessity for this form until today. Recently a few of my shipments were slow moving and buyers inquired regarding status because after over a week the packages hadn't shown up in USPS tracking. I looked at these and other listings and realized that the post offices that were accepting my packages were not scanning them into the system upon receipt. I thought this happened automatically as part of the processing. When I went to the post office this morning to ask about why this has occurred, they explained that it is because I have not handed them a form 5630 when I dropped off the cards. It took me a while to figure out how to print the form on paypal multiorder shipping and I was able to do so this morning for my new orders. For those who use electronic postage, do you routinely print and submit these forms with your packages? If you want the protection of the insurance and delivery confirmation it seems like the only way to go.

ga5150 · July 9, 2009 6:29AM

Is this the SCAN form you're referring to?

I've had mixed reactions from the two post offices closest to me. One of them takes the packages and tosses them into a large bin. The other takes every single package and does the "acceptance scan" and won't let me leave until they hand me a printed receipt showing they received every package I walked in with. When they don't do the acceptance scan, it just shows that shipper electronically notified post office of package being ready to mail. At least when they do the acceptance scan, the buyer can click the tracking number and it will show accepted at XXX post office, or in transit or something.

I've gotten to where I use the SCAN form, or request them to do the acceptance scan on every package now. It's one less hassle to keep up with for buyers.

Rodney

slantycouch · July 9, 2009 6:31AM

I write "please scan tracking number" on my packages and they usually do it.

DavidPuddy · July 9, 2009 6:33AM

Does anyone use Click-N-Ship from the USPS website?
I started using it the other day and I love it.

BarkusD · July 9, 2009 6:36AM

This is the scan form that includes one barcode for all of the shipments in the postage payment to USPS. I never heard of the scan form before. I now won't use electronic postage without it. There were three postal workers at an empty post office this morning and they refused to scan my packages without the scan form. Writing "please scan"on my packages never would have worked at this post office.

Yankees001 · July 9, 2009 6:46AM

I just print out the PayPal label, and tape it to the package. I just drop them off in the Mail box or package drop off box and leave.

The post office has always done the acceptance scan the day received.

Never had a problem.

Dave

daddymc · July 9, 2009 9:34AM

<< <i>I just print out the PayPal label, and tape it to the package. I just drop them off in the Mail box or package drop off box and leave.

The post office has always done the acceptance scan the day received.

Never had a problem.

Dave >>

That's the experience I generally have with my post office. If I am sending something of higher value or that is insured, I stick around and get an acceptance scan receipt from them.

Question for shippers who use electronic postage, do you print a form 5630 for the post office?

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