neglus
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posted on October 7, 2003 09:07:14 AM new
I think so!! One of my first experiences with the PO was when I received an insured shipment of a box of china (undamaged) with one cracked plate in the center of the lot...when I went to the PO to file a claim the clerk told me that they were on the look-out for fraudulent eBay sellers (she asked if it was an Ebay transaction).
Now that I am selling, they always treat me like I am trying to pull something when I try to insure a postcard (I insure the biggies)...anyone else have the same feeling?
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lindajean
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posted on October 7, 2003 09:10:20 AM new
Unless I am shipping media (and I now write what is in the box in big letters on the corner) they are all very nice.
The last time I insured a post card the clerk did ask if it was a collector item and I just told him how much they had paid. He said ok. Don't know why he would think I would insure a plain 37 cent card but I guess he felt like he had to ask.
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stopwhining
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posted on October 7, 2003 09:23:37 AM new
yes,there are more usps insurance fraud since ebay.
they get suspicous when individual comes in with a recycled box and handwritten name and address and want the package insured for hundreds of dollars.
in some cases,they will deny claims based on ebay highbid amount only,and not complying to usps packing standard or just the excuse,the outside is not damaged.
i know one local contract station gets nervous when a customer wants to insure thru usps,as he has too many past customers who file claims.
so it is not individuals,but contract stations as well.
-sig file -------The thrill is gone!!
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fenix03
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posted on October 7, 2003 09:30:44 AM new
I think it is a clerk by clerk issue. I have two post offices and a contract station all withing walking distance of me.
Office #1 - I will not go to under any circustances - every time i have been haas been a nightmare - long lines, incompetent and rude clerks.
Office #2 - I go here about 70% of the time but desperately avoid one clerk (mentioned in another thread). The others are all very helpful, always nice and one has been taking ebay lessons from me and now updates me on his progress (from what I can tell, his one responsibility seems to be taking the packages to work to ship - he has the wife doing listings and the kids packing) Anytime I have something that needs to be scanned this is the office I go to.
Mail station - since very few people know about this place, it never has a line,. If I am sending out items that don't need to be scanned, this is where I go. High turn over means I usually end up tutoring the clerk on pricing but never having to stand on line and catching up on the neighborhood gossip with the manager make it worth it. There are about four of us full time ebayers that go there. We do the ebay gossip and share new tips and such when we run into each other except for one who is hilariously arrogant regarding her sales which is funny because she seems to be the lowest volume seller and the worst at packaging (all items are in retail boxes with address label taped to it).
If you are not shipping oversized packages overseas (they cannot accept international packages over 2 pounds) or don't need packages scanned on drop off check with your local post office to see if there is a contract station near you. They seems to be found mainly in Hallmark stores but I have seen then at grocery stores as well.
NEG - I wonder if the post office is aware that most fraudulent ebay sellers never actually use their service 
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
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AuctionAce
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posted on October 7, 2003 09:37:48 AM new
There has to be more postal fraud with ebay as big as it is but there has to be a lot more packages too.
I can see some unscrupulous sellers buying cracked or damaged goods and insuring them and then saying the post office broke or damage the goods. I had a neighbor that did that very thing about 20 years ago with Jim Beam bottles. He'd buy damaged bottles and sell them as good bottles and ship them by UPS and when the buyer got them broken he'd have them send it back and he got a refund from the UPS. After a few refunds they said no more.
-------------- sig file ----------- *There is no conclusive evidence that life is serious*
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stopwhining
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posted on October 7, 2003 10:11:35 AM new
contract stations are expected to behave just like usps post office.
if they overcharge you,not give you a receipt ,report them to the post office.
-sig file -------The thrill is gone!!
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neroter12
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posted on October 7, 2003 03:46:20 PM new
As I wrote in another post, sometimes I think they think you are making lots and lots of money and dont 'work' for a living or something.
On the up side, a few of the clerks a different PO are really cool people.
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chathamsue
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posted on October 7, 2003 04:08:05 PM new
Our Post Office is definitely NOT out to get eBay sellers. In fact they are especially pleasant & refer to many of us by name. It is one of the huge newer regional offices. I have been taking my youngest with me when shipping packages for some time. She just celebrated her birthday. The window clerks & support staff got together & sent her a box filled with gifts & a card & stickers. We were shocked!
I am not sure why the P.O. would be out to get eBay customers with insurance claims. Why would the incidence of insurance fraud be any higher with an eBay sale than any other type of shipment? eBay has greatly increased the P.O. business - a shot in the arm they needed.
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ahc3
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posted on October 7, 2003 05:57:53 PM new
All the clerks at my local post office are great. I am pretty lucky, because I know what you are talking about with grumpy and rude clerks. I don't think it is ebay, I think it is just an example of really unhappy people - I actually feel sorry for them, apparently life has not treated them well..my guess is their attitude is a major part of that, it pretty much all is attitude...
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sanmar
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posted on October 7, 2003 07:56:09 PM new
The only time I have ever had a problem was with a contract station in the mall. They were so stupid that will never go back even though there is never a line.. We have a mqain & 2 branch PO's & I never have any trouble with them.
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ladyjewels2000
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posted on October 8, 2003 10:44:23 AM new
I think the post office has made a fortune off ebay and have really taken advantage of us too.
But I must say that the post office I use has the nicest and most friendly clerk I have ever dealt with in my area. One clerk is retiring at the end of the month and wants me to teach her how to ebay?? She loves antiques and going to estate sales etc.
What really bugs me is that every post office and even sometimes every clerk has their own set of rules. In small towns - I can't get away with just asking for the minimum in insurance ($50.00) - they always insist that I give them the exact amount??? I want to say WHY - you will only pay what I can prove it's worth if it's lost or damaged.
I feel like I could work there now!!
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