Hey Gang!
So, me and the Post Office will never be friends! The PO will always do
something crazy to make we want to kill them!
The other day I saw a cute pair of Barbie pants on Facebook and wanted to purchase
them.
The pants!
The seller had the pants listed for $1 which I thought was a good price.The Devil (or the PO, take your pick) is always in the details! So I asked the seller
how much is shipping. She didn't have anything else I want. I was just getting
the pants. She said the shipping would be $2.00 and that that was the basic rate
she found for small items. I asked her could she just put it in a stamped envelope
but she insisted on doing it the "right way" with tracking. She said if she took it to
the PO and I was less, she would refund me the difference. She was heading to the
PO today. I said OK, and sent her the $3.00. She messages me later that day and
tells me shipping was $3.50 for the pants (3oz) and sends me a copy of the receipt
from the PO and informs me I owe her $1.50.
Now I have shipped two Barbie dolls to Florida for 3.50 and she is mailing it from
Broomall PA to Phila PA, about 40 minutes away! She has the receipt! I mention
to her that I thought it was high but I see that is what they charge her so I paid it!
I figured I would wait to see what was on the package when it came. Low and
behold it says $3.50 for 3oz!
Six inches wide and four inches high.
So me being me, I check on line and they say it
should have cost $1.42. I not sure if that was with tracking. I call their 800
number, which is it's own story, and they said
because she used a bubble envelope (the size of a personal letter envelope) that
is was rigid and couldn't be processed as regular mail. Like I said I have mailed
items in padded envelops before (whole outfits and shoes) but I have always
printed out the labels at home and attached them on the package for less than
$3.50.
I used to feel badly when I printed out a label for something that was 13.8 oz for just
13 oz but now I am not going to feel badly anymore! I just going to give it to a carrier
who has no way to weigh it and call it done! No more Mrs. Nice Guy!
Anyway, here is my Linnit in the pants!
Linnit: They are cute and nice and screechy!
for that price!
Linnit: I don't really need these pants!
9 comments:
The postal rates have gotten a lot higher! But the print and ship is a much better way to go since they get a bulk rate for those and they can sell that postage cheaper. I bought my own little scale to use at home since I was doing a lot of ebay selling and that way, they never can give me guff about how accurate my postage calculation is. The post office has told me they get wrong postage in so much they were super happy that I printed mine correctly! In the end, it's all a corporate decision, and not really on the people working there. I've had similar-sized packages ship to other countries for less than shipping across the US standard mail before...it makes no sense!
On a side note, those pants are really cute. I've been wanting to make/sell Barbie and doll items again but I hate the idea of going through ebay or etsy. Is facebook a good option? it usually sounds like a drama mess to me so I stay away lol.
At least you got the pants! My local mail service sometimes loses things! These are super-cute pants though, totally worth the effort, the money, and the wait.
Thanks for your comments Erin O and RagingMoon!
Erin O, I need to get a scale! Selling on Facebook can be a little more work but it is not as much hassle as ebay and esty and cheaper I think! If you are used to ebay and esty, it is different and faster! You do better listing on a couple of pages and mention it is cross posted. Read the rules of the pages you list on. Really popular stuff will sell fast and you don't have to pay to list! I sell and only accept paypal. The cost on Facebook is normally cheaper that what people as for it on ebay. You might find things cheaper to list on ebay! Some people do list higher price items too! Email me and I will recommend some pages to look at and list on.
RagingMoon, Thank goodness my PO hasn't lost anything yet! Knock on wood!
That is ridiculous and I totally see why the PO is not your friend. I also sell on eBay and $3.50 seems very high to ship those super cute pants. Also, I feel that the seller could have easily placed the pants in a stamped envelope since they were only $1.00. Tracking a $1.00 item should not have been that serious (in my opinion). I am glad that you and Linnit likes them
The rates are crazy and not consistent! I have signed up for "Informed delivery" at the post office, so every piece of mail sent to me is image scanned and traceable. There is no additional charge for this. This includes packages. BTW, every bit of first class and parcel post mail automatically comes with tracking when you take it to the post office, so I wouldn't think that made a difference in the shipping cost. I also don't understand that rate for this small of an item! I have received packages from China bigger than this package with a much lower postage rate! It is at best, confusing!
Well, at least the pants are lovely, but such things are really frustrating! Last week a carrier from the national post services brought me a package. He stood on top of other packages to fetch mine, and the packages under his feet were totally crushed under his weight! I was glad none of those were mine, hahaha!
Now you can get a free personal mailbox to ship all of your international online purchases with the help of personal package forwarding services.
Well.....at least you received the pants and they are quite cute!!! But I do know how frustrating the postal service can be! (Don't get me started....)
Thanks for your comments Georgia Girl, Phyllis, Millicent, Emily and April!
Georgia Girl, I the person I bought if from sells a lot! I am surprised she didn't question the price! I have purchase from her a lot too. I will really have to think about it going forward.
Phyllis, it seem like there isn't uniformity at the PO. Thanks for the info. I will have to look into that!
Millicent, PO hasn't hired full-time carriers in 6 years. They haven't replace full-time people who have retired! You might notice not a complete uniforms, out at all time of night delivering mail, no regular carrier and on the cell phone while working. I am not surprised that they are using packages as step stools!
Emily, Thanks, I have to look into that also!
April, do like the pants but darn!
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