Usps

[jstutman]

Not that I was or ever was guilty of.....

I have recieved tons of packages where people were taking a priority box and folding it inside out and using it for standard mail. Today I was tearing down boxes and notices almost all the the priority boxes have text stamped all over the inside that says "Priority mail fee required"

I say...You know USPS if you did not charge more for your Priority than Fedex/UPS and update your 1900's predated tracking information. People may be willing to pay top dollar for your slow shipping

 

[Mr_Amazing]

USPS Priority shipping (2-3 days) is almost half the cost of Fedex and UPS. The Priority boxes are intended for use solely with Priority shipping because part of the cost is the box. When someone flips a box inside out and uses Parcel Post shipping, they are essentially stealing the box. Do you honestly expect any business to allow customers get away with that sort of thing?

Also, there is a reason nobody at the post office calls it "tracking." Delivery Confirmation was intended for the purpose of allowing a sender or a recipient to know when a parcel has reached the intended destination, not to show where the parcel is at the current time.

Also, as it pertains to those who are mailing Parcel Return Service parcels (those return labels that have a zip code of 56901, 56902, or 56950), it should be noted that a separate company has to send an agent to the Post Office to pick up those parcels (UPS, Fedex, etc.). Sometimes those agents do not show up for 4+ days and someone's return package isn't getting where it needs to be. The USPS gets a bad rep for this even though it is the negligence of the other company's workers. At the 4-day mark, the USPS takes matters into it's own hands and ships these parcels in order to get them to their destination.

That said, there's a lot more wrong about the USPS than their Priority Mail boxes and their cost of shipping. It is the least expensive courier in the world.

 

[raisindot]

+1, Mr. Amazing.


I hate the post office to all levels of the underworld, but the one thing I never complain about it is shipping costs. Whenver I need to send something heavy, I always compare shipping estimates--USPS, Fedex, UPS. Every single time shipping for USPS is significantly less. Especially for overseas shipping. You can send a Priority Mail overseas box nearly anywhere in the world for around $15. Cost would be at least 4 times that with any other courier.


Jeff in Boston

 

[Crixus]

Love it or hate it, I guarantee you'll miss the USPS if it ever goes away.

 

[RaisingTheBar]

TBH I prefer anything being shipper from the US to me via USPS. Because Fedex and UPS are awful delivery companies up here. Theres no place for me to pickup the package, and if I want them to leave the package I have to pay $5 for them to drop it off somewhere. UPS also seems to have an issue with getting things over the border. Parcels seem to sit at the border for days, and when they get to me suddenly I have an outrageous handling fee(last place I ordered from a $200 order cost me $70 when it was dropped off plus the $30 I paid for shipping). USPS I have never had this problem. When my item comes I get my mil slip, go to the nearest post office and pick it up and never had to pay a cent. Not even the GST that we're supposed to be charged.

 

[Thebigspendur]

TBH I prefer anything being shipper from the US to me via USPS. Because Fedex and UPS are awful delivery companies up here. Theres no place for me to pickup the package, and if I want them to leave the package I have to pay $5 for them to drop it off somewhere. UPS also seems to have an issue with getting things over the border. Parcels seem to sit at the border for days, and when they get to me suddenly I have an outrageous handling fee(last place I ordered from a $200 order cost me $70 when it was dropped off plus the $30 I paid for shipping). USPS I have never had this problem. When my item comes I get my mil slip, go to the nearest post office and pick it up and never had to pay a cent. Not even the GST that we're supposed to be charged.

Part of your problem is Canada Customs. Also both UPS and Fedex have their own customs broker and it is to their advantage to find duty that way they charge you for the duty and a brokerage fee and of course Canada Customs charges you top dollar. Often times USPS items get through the system cheaper however Canada is pretty good when it comes to extracting money out of their residents.

 

[RaisingTheBar]

Part of your problem is Canada Customs. Also both UPS and Fedex have their own customs broker and it is to their advantage to find duty that way they charge you for the duty and a brokerage fee and of course Canada Customs charges you top dollar. Often times USPS items get through the system cheaper however Canada is pretty good when it comes to extracting money out of their residents.

But why is it when items sent regular postal and go through customs I do not get charged at all? I've never had to pay any extra for items shipped through usps.

 

[Go West Young Man]

But why is it when items sent regular postal and go through customs I do not get charged at all? I've never had to pay any extra for items shipped through usps.

Brokerage is a profit center for the commercial couriers, so they'll always find a way to make sure you get charged.

I mailed a bunch of packages out this week, and had nothing but good experiences at the post office. Those automated postal machines work perfectly, get you in and out in seconds.

 

[mretzloff]

Those automated postal machines work perfectly, get you in and out in seconds.

Just as a small FYI: they do not display some of the cheaper options and actually charge you more than the guy/gal at the counter would. Of course, your time may be worth it, so...

 

[SpyvSpy]

I would absolutely use USPS over fedex/ups though I do have friends in ups shipping stores so they sometimes cut me a deal. Only thing is USPS delivery person in my area must not know how to read because every fragile box (this side up) is placed the wrong way.

 

[Crixus]

USPS delivery person in my area must not know how to read because every fragile box (this side up) is placed the wrong way.

It doesn't matter by the time it gets to your house anyway. "This Side Up" really translates to "Sit Here" for the entire time your package is in the postal warehouse.

 

[canarado]

Part of your problem is Canada Customs. Also both UPS and Fedex have their own customs broker and it is to their advantage to find duty that way they charge you for the duty and a brokerage fee and of course Canada Customs charges you top dollar. Often times USPS items get through the system cheaper however Canada is pretty good when it comes to extracting money out of their residents.

Not quite........Canada Customs do not handle or see UPS freight, they may roll thru occasionally but the delay is all because of the UPS brokerage division. They (UPS)have too go thru the import papers to verify what, how much, and where it was made.....they then cross reference that too the import rules under NAFTA and apply any duties and taxes to the shipment, then they add their brokerage fee (sliding scale on the value of the shipment) onto a wonderful little COD tag they put on your box Express shipping is considered a premium service(dealt with quicker) and it includes the brokerage charges but no taxes or duties, if you have what appears to be a business name on the package(and phone number) they will call you by phone too clear those charges via credit card.......residential(family) names seem too be ignored by UPS and their phone calls. Standard shipments coming across the border are not considered urgent and spin in a black hole in the brokerage division until they eventually spill over into Canada. Duties charged are actually quite rare, mainly on clothing but can apply to other products made else where(non-US) and I haven't quite figured this part out yet