Post Office Rant

[dcroome2005]

Ya know, I have always had no problems sending stuff from the post office. I have only had 1 box arrive broken. I count my lucky stars for that. What I don't understand is the information I was fed today. I sold some oils on ebay to a lady in Alaska. I always let the PO know when there are oils in there .. The guy said that there is a new rule in effect that if you are sending oils through the post office, you must insure and have signature required on all packages. This is a laod of BULL if you ask me. I think he just wanted my extra $$$$. Dang him. Anyone run across this?

Christina

[romasoy]

I called my post office and they said they never heard of that. Hmmmmm....I think he DID want your extra money.

Ya know, I have always had no problems sending stuff from the post office. I have only had 1 box arrive broken. I count my lucky stars for that. What I don't understand is the information I was fed today. I sold some oils on ebay to a lady in Alaska. I always let the PO know when there are oils in there .. The guy said that there is a new rule in effect that if you are sending oils through the post office, you must insure and have signature required on all packages. This is a laod of BULL if you ask me. I think he just wanted my extra $$$$. Dang him. Anyone run across this?

Christina

[dcroome2005]

GRRRRRRRRRR The other 3 clerks said the same thing , so I didn't question it while I was there. Plus every single one of them is a customer of mine so it's not like I wanted to go "POSTAL" on them. LOL

[SunshineSundries]

What a crock! Next time you get that guy and he tries to pull something like that again, just ask for him to show you it in print. If he can't produce it, then I'd approach the PostMaster and fill them in on what's going on. I know the post office are a sticky bunch (I made the mistake of trying to send something to Canada in a RECYCLED Priority box - they just about had a COW!) so maybe he'll get into a bit of trouble and won't try and pull that BS on you (or anyone else) again.

Good luck!

Life & Light!

Tish

[MichelleOH]

What a crock! Next time you get that guy and he tries to pull something like that again, just ask for him to show you it in print. If he can't produce it, then I'd approach the PostMaster and fill them in on what's going on. I know the post office are a sticky bunch (I made the mistake of trying to send something to Canada in a RECYCLED Priority box - they just about had a COW!) so maybe he'll get into a bit of trouble and won't try and pull that BS on you (or anyone else) again.

Good luck!

Life & Light!

Totally agree with this. I sent oils today and no questions asked. You may never know...he maybe pocketing the 'extra' for himself?? I'm not saying he is but you never know.

[dcroome2005]

This is really getting under my skin. I am calling around tomorrow and then if I find out that they are doing this chit to me, then I will go "POSTAL". I don't even care now that they are my customers. I don't want people like that anyways. No telling what they could try to scam against my business. I guess I will be finding another post office.

Christina

[Scented]

Mine only want to know so they can try to sniff 'em lol! Nope, haven't heard of this either.

[diamondk]

Shoot my post office doesn't even ask what's in the boxes or even if i want them insured or not.

[Ashlie K]

Mine asks if I have hazardous liquids. LOL I tell them to sniff away

Then again they know what I do

[sockmonkey]

If only they knew how they get talked about in internet forums, completely showcasing their incompetence. Someone made a comment the other day about how they have such a thick book of rules and regulations that they could never read them all. I guess they just pick and choose what they want to read, and then make up their own postal rules, and don't expect to ever be challenged.

I got ripped off the other day because they were out of the small priority mail boxes, so what did they do--they pretended there was no such thing. The next time I was in there a clerk told me they don't keep them out for customers, because that will force them to use the bigger boxes and that way they make more money. Gee--do they get bonuses now for upselling? At least the clerk went to the back and brought some to me.

I may have gotten lucky when I ship my oils. They hear them slosh, ask what's in the box, and I tell them perfume. So far, that answer hasn't presented a problem yet.

[LynnS]

I sent a package the other day and wasn't asked what was in it but was asked if I wanted insurance.I did get it for $1.35 for a worth of $50.00.Won't do that again because that box was so packed and so much bubble wrap and newspaper for padding those candles won't move. I did write Fragile and Glass on the box.I asked if I should put a sticker with that and he said NO.

LynnS

[KristinesShower]

Don't talk to me about the post office.

Their scale is off by 5oz almost every month. We (I mean my MIL) goes in there every month with her handy dandy 5lb metal thing and every time it is 5oz off.

So if YOU have any doubts, go in and have them calibrate their scale - buncha thieves.

[dcroome2005]

Well I am know on a warpath. I called 3 other Post office and they said it was a crock of crap.. So, I will take my happy butt in there today and let them know what I think.. If you dont see me online tonight, someone better expect a phone call to bail me out of jail. LMFAO Just kidding. I will be nice about it but I am NOT happy. I am also going to demand a refund on the boxes I paid for yesterday for insurance and confirmation!

[cybersix]

in this side of the world things aren't better.

clerks never know how is the rate for shipping boxes, you can't read it becasue there are no sheets to read, and the post site doesn't show you the rates. It's always a guess.

Yesterday I shipped a box, the weight was about 10 lbs. Shipped via surface to a destination which is 500 kms far from here (no sea in the middle!). The clerk asked me 35 euros, about $40.

She said there was nothing more economic than this. And since I can't verify rates I had to pay and shut up.

[soycrazy]

Have you guys ever sent anything through USPS and the confirmation number doesn't match the addy? I sent something out last week in my state (tx) and it says it just left the Colorado facility? I sent 2 packages the same day in texas and one got there fine, this is so frustrating. I'm praying it gets there.

[SSR Candles]

The best weapon against postal worker ignorance is knowledge, in my experience. I had our local postmaster try to tell me all kinds of bull***t about what I could and couldn't ship, what each service cost, and so on. The sad part is that she really didn't know any better - the postal service has virtually no training, and the smaller offices don't even get some of the new shipping manuals and information.

What to do? Go to the postal service online site (www.usps.com), and read the rules or price your shipping there. If necessary, print the relevant things and take them with you. I had to print 2 full sections of the IMM (International Mailing Manual) and literally shove them down my postmaster's throat before she shut up and realized that she was, in fact, completely wrong. Now, I price everything except for basic services online, write the price on the box, and take it in that way. At least I KNOW the prices are right that way.

Also, for those that use it enough, you can order all of these wonderful Priority and Express boxes, labels, and so on FREE from the website. I never have to get boxes from my post office - actually, I have more variety and sizes here than they do. Some of the smaller offices actually can't get some sizes of boxes, which is absolutely stupid in my opinion.

EDIT -> one more thing you CAN do - call the 800 number for the postal service and ask to speak to a customer service manager. They can (and will) open a complaint about your local post office. The LAST thing your local postmaster needs is this - complaints usually result in the postal inspectors coming out and going through everything, and that's a disaster. They always find things wrong, and sometimes people get fired for it. It's VERY unpleasant for the local office to have this happen.

HTH!

[sudsnwicks]

Their scale is off by 5oz almost every month. We (I mean my MIL) goes in there every month with her handy dandy 5lb metal thing and every time it is 5oz off.

Are you serious? You mean like 5 oz over? Ack! That means you'll have to pay the next weight level most of the time. Although if it's 5 oz under I'd be quite happy about it. Well it appears they are getting quite bogged down with all the extra holiday mail. They misrouted one of my packages this week. It has NEW YORK in large letters on it, how difficult is it to send it there?!

[msonmez]

That is terrible that they do that! My poor mom, she sent me quite a few boxes to me and my daughter when we were staying in Turkey, and she said that everytime she went in there to mail me something, they would tell her something different.

My sister has a friend whos husband is in Iraq and she sends him stuff all the time. She told my sister to send it flat rate. They told my mom 'there is no flat rate to Turkey. They have different rules.' That sounds out there...

But if they are pocketing all the extra money customers are paying, how without being short at the end of the day, or when ever they take it? It's already in the system...

[Mostly Lurkin]

I have HUGE issues with the USPS - I have 2 branches in my neighborhood that I have been asked not to return to - I refuse to deal with their ignorance & bad attitudes.

I have a good friend who is an Postal Inspector in the Internal Investigations Division. Apparently (I had NO idea til I spoke with him about my problems w/ USPS) employee theft is rampant. To the point the Post Master has been increasing the Internal Division unit. May I suggest you contact you file a complaint (it can be done online via the USPS site) documenting the situation.

[Rebecca]

We just had 28 mail carriers get suspended and most will be fired because they were throwing out people's mail. They said the "extra" mail was causing it to take too long to do their routes and the bags were too heavy.

I've had to call the U.S. Marshall's office and file reports because of boxes being cut open from the Disney Store. I actually got a call back from the officer there handling the case ranting about what idiots the people were at the post office here.

Told him it was just par for the course. Now they have this issue going on.

I go to UPS as much as possible.

[CareBear]

We just had 28 mail carriers get suspended and most will be fired because they were throwing out people's mail.

suspended? it's ILLEGAL to do that. They should be arrested.

[CC on Maui]

suspended? it's ILLEGAL to do that. They should be arrested.

Exactly. It's a Federal Offense.

[Carrie]

They told my mom 'there is no flat rate to Turkey. They have different rules.' That sounds out there...

There is no flat rate to Turkey. There is however flat rate to militay personel stationed outside of the US. They get regular US shipping rates.

[Rebecca]

suspended? it's ILLEGAL to do that. They should be arrested.

I agree and none of us (the city residents) can figure out why they haven't been.

The only thing the post office will say is that it's under investigation:rolleyes2

The carriers are claiming it was "only" junk mail but many people wrote into the newspaper saying that a lot of their magazines that they paid subscriptions for were not getting delivered too. But the PO has no idea what really was thrown out and the mail carriers have said they did it.

General thought is that this PO has know for years they have had a problem with carriers and are just too lazy to do anything about it till this investigation turned up and the higher ups are probably trying to find some way to save their asses on this one.

According to the newspaper article this PO gets tons of complaints a year and nothing is done.

When we had problems with the packages from The Disney Store being opened we were told "so what" by the PO. They said that the mail carriers were union and there was nothing they could do about it. So since they said that, we just called the U.S. Marshal's and got them involved.

The PO didn't like that and asked why we call the Marshal's.

I told them they self-proclaimed their incompetence so it was up to me to handle it and make sure that my packages were not tampered with since they had no intention of dealing with it.

There haven't been any new articles lately but I have noticed we have a new carrier on our route and when she is sick or out for the day we have a new sub for her too.

I still look for stuff on it about eveyday.

[danny]

The USPS had problems before when changes came about quarterly, now when changes come in daily, its almost impossible to keep up.

Your best bet is to use their on line service which is up to date and allows several services besides correct pricing. You also have the right to see the written regulation, if you question it, in person. The Postmaster in the office should know this even if the clerk doesn't.

Once your local people know you are accessing the on line site and have quick and simple ways to file an on line complaint, their attitudes seem to change completely.

In their defense, I don't think they are given time to read the changes, let alone the big book, and I've seen it and it is a big big book, but it is imdexed and they should be able to go to any subject you have a question on.

Remember it's a very stressful work environment or they wouldn't use the term going "Postal". This is not an excuse for ignorance, but you've got to work with what you have.

Use their web site for every thing you can, and if you have a dispute at the local PO, ask to speak to the local Postmaster. If something is still not right, get their name and the pub info their quoting from and look it up on line and read the rule itself. If you still disagree file an on line complaint.

Go to the business forum, I just posted some positive info on the USPS priority flat box rate under "shipping".

Hope you get a solution to your problem.