posted on September 24, 2003 08:49:48 PM new
I've used Endicia for about a year... always my packages, even the 1lb or under are always too big for the mailbox.
I just set them on the counter, and on my way.
I don't know the rules on mailboxes
Wanna Take a Ride? Art Bell is Back! Weekends on C2C-www.coasttocoastam.com
posted on September 24, 2003 08:52:43 PM new
We sweet talked our postal worker into picking up our packages. We put up a flag if we have packages and she picks them up right on the porch. When we approached her she said, "Hey, I get paid by the hour, sure I'll do it". Maybe you can work out a deal, also.
posted on September 24, 2003 09:02:43 PM new
And if your carrier won't, there is a 800 # to call, and for $5 or $10 a month?? they will pick them up. At least I've seen that on something from the PO.
Your lucky cramer, our carrier isn't that friendly!
Wanna Take a Ride? Art Bell is Back! Weekends on C2C-www.coasttocoastam.com
posted on September 24, 2003 09:09:12 PM new
There are a lot of wonderful people at the Post Office who take good care of me.
My delivery person changes a lot as my regular has some on-going injury or something. However, almost all of the substitutes will take my packages if I ask. I only had one that smarted off to me, and told me that they were not supposed to take packages, but some did anyway and were not supposed to. (We are talking about a 5 ounce First Class Compact Disk with Endicia Postage.)
It is really funny how everyone has their own ideas of what is allowed and what isn't.
My reason for seeking the information, is to stop the misinformation from spreading. These people tell each other the rules, incorrectly, and pretty soon everyone believes the lie and repeats it as fact.
The guy behind they counter, when I challenged him a little on it, asked another guy behind him to confirm, and the guy agreed no mail over 1 pound could go in the mail receptacle.
The sign on the receptacle says stamped mail, but for some reason they believed differently.
posted on September 24, 2003 11:18:43 PM new
For what it's worth, a former poster on this board found a unique way to convince postal workers to research the regs further when she knew she was right and they were wrong. She plyed them with fresh baked chocolate chip cookies.
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
posted on September 24, 2003 11:40:08 PM new
I do not think the regs get any clearer than the placards on the mailbox stating what can not go in the box. I did a lot of searching and came up with not more than what the placard said.
I think I remember someone, and maybe someone from Endicia, had a letter from the Head PostMaster in Washington D.C., stating the ability for a known shipper to not be limited by the over 1 pound rule, like stamp only customers.
It does state on the Endicia Website FAQ's that over 1 pound is not a concern for Endicia Customers. (Condensed Version of what it said)
here you go, here's the original thread, complete with the letter from Harry and the letter.
jeez, you guys woke me up out of a sound sleep for this.......
ps the letter is HUGE so be forwarned. I left it that way so it can be printed out on a regular size piece of paper. Hmm, that might be too big to save as....
posted on September 25, 2003 04:26:23 AM new
I never put my boxes into a mail box. I can just imagine how many things go "missing". One of my postal workers also sells on Ebay, so I think I'm fortunate in that she takes care of me right away. She has also helped me a lot with International shipping with ideas on how to safe shipping costs.
posted on September 25, 2003 06:45:54 AM new
Nearthesea....we are lucky, I guess. I thought anyone would do that if you asked. We've been putting our packages on the front porch for a year now. We signed up with Endicia so that we could do that. We sell shoes so our packages are large and wouldn't fit in a mailbox. Sometimes she has to load 15 packages a day and has been happy to do so. I guess we better give her a huge Christmas bonus........
posted on September 25, 2003 06:58:21 AM new
I must have sent hundreds of packages via Endicia by putting them in a mailbox. Some of them weighed several pounds. Only one ever came back with a sticker saying I couldn't put it in the box.
You can order priority boxes for free from the USPS web site. They have a large box at 15.5 X 12.5 that can hold quite a bit and still fit in the mailbox (barely). The problem is that once you put it in, there is usually no room in the box for anything else.
posted on September 25, 2003 07:51:09 PM new
glassgrl:
I checked with my friendly neighborhood crotchety old postal workers today and they confirmed that the requirement to hand an item over 1 pound over the counter is only for "Franked" or "Live" stamped mail. Metered mail does not have that requirement and they acknowledged that it's okay to "drop" stuff off in any box that will accomodate the size box as long as it has "metered" postage on it...
If a carrier drives a vehicle, she explained, they can carry packages that they pick up. However, in our case, the carrier that services our area walks - and he can't carry away our packages.
You should have heard the counter worker put down the carriers. "They're mules," she said. "They only understand words of one syllable or less..." She has been with the USPS for 30 years and once was a carrier. "That's why I got off the street. They're pretty dense," she added.
I think I hit a nerve. What do you think?
Wayne
Trying to Make a Difference - One Satisfied Customer at a Time....
