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USPS, Postage Due, Odd

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posted on Mar, 3 2017 @ 03:57 PM
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I am not sure where to put this, so I guess I will rant about it.

A friend bought me a screen protector for my new phone. On Ebay. The tempered glass kind. Very nice of that person.

The mailman knocked on the door today. He told me I had a package with postage due of $1.48. I didn't know what package it was, I order a lot of Amazon and wish.com. I went and sought out 6 quarters (dammit my dryer money!) and handed it to him. He handed me all my mail for today.

There was a small envelope on top. Very small. 7 in. long X 5 in tall and not even 1/4 in thick. Not as long as a standard envelope and less than an inch taller. (I am looking at a box of generic envelopes, they are 9.5 long X 4.125 in tall). That was the one that had postage due stamped on it and 1.48 written above the line next to 'postage due'.

The label was a printed one, from a company with a website. It has a barcode and printed on it is 'US Postage and Fees paid. FIRST-CLASS, feb 28,2017, Mailed from zip code 33351, 1oz First Class Mail Flats Rate'.

It didn't seem like more than an oz. I weighed it on a digital kitchen scale. It is exactly 1.5 oz. OK, I thought, .5 oz wasn't paid for, but does that cost $1.48? I doubted.

I went on USPS.com to the postage calculator. I chose 1st class Flat rate, I chose 'envelope containing rigid item', I chose 2 0z...rounding up.
I entered my zip code and the sender's zip code. The cost is .91 cents. TOTAL.

I decided to call USPS customer service. I know this would be bad. I tried to call them the other day for something else...50 (FIFTY) minute wait. I dialed the number and set my phone down. I have unlimited minutes.


It was the 56 minute mark when someone answered. They toko the information, gave me a confirmation number and said someone would call back in 48-72 hours.

I know this is a LOT for $1.48. I just want to know WHY.

And the screen cover arrived smashed as well as the thin plastic retail packaging. So, my friend is taking that up with the seller.

I normally like the USPS. I never have a problem mailing. I buy money orders there...I am not a fan of banks. The local Post Office is stellar, normally and the same people have worked there 10 years. I liked printing labels when I sold a lot on Ebay. But I don't remember a 50 minute hold time to call the toll-free number.

That is my rant. Maybe they will figure this out. I doubt my mailman just wanted to pocket $1.48. A photo of the postage due has been sent to the seller as well.






edit on 3-3-2017 by reldra because: (no reason given)



posted on Mar, 3 2017 @ 04:04 PM
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Trump hater SJW excise postage tax?
edit on 3 3 2017 by Naturallywired because: (no reason given)



posted on Mar, 3 2017 @ 04:12 PM
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Hey! USPS mailmen also like coffee & donuts.....



posted on Mar, 3 2017 @ 04:29 PM
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a reply to: manuelram16

Who doesn't?



posted on Mar, 3 2017 @ 04:32 PM
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I still don't understand why Reldra got charged postage though.. That's odd it was marked paid. I live rural but my p.o. in town is awesome to me, they go out of their way to expedite and lower prices on my parcels.



posted on Mar, 3 2017 @ 04:38 PM
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a reply to: reldra

Sounds like it met all requirements for the regular 1 oz. price x 2 oz. weight, unless it has an address parallel to the shorter dimension of the letter.

USPS Letter

Not sure, though, why the shipper used the Flat rate qualifier. The piece still met minimum for Letter rate. Same rate per oz., except a Flat starts at 2 oz. minimum, even if it only weighs an oz. but mailed in a flat. For your 1.5 oz. piece it would have been a push at 2 oz.

Is it a Postcard, a Letter, a Flat or a Parcel?


That means that you have a flat if ANY of the following are true:
its shorter side is more than 6⅛ inches but not more than 12 inches; or,
its longer side is more than 11½ inches but not more than 15 inches; or,
it is more ¼ inch thick but not more than ¾ inch thick, (except Periodical Class nonmachinable flats, which may be up to 1¼ inches thick.)

Note that a mail piece is a "flat" if it meets at least one of those requirements. It does not need to meet all of them. So if your piece is larger or thicker in any allowable dimension to be a "letter", and is not larger or thicker than the maximums for flats, it is a flat, even if it fits the other dimensions for a letter.


Sounds like you were ripped off for $1, unless it was not machinable. I've spent two hours on the phone over $6 on principle alone. I get it.



posted on Mar, 3 2017 @ 04:49 PM
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a reply to: reldra

You are talking about letters when what was sent is considered a package. The postal worker was correct, and the problem is the eBay seller cheating on shipping and got caught.

Source: ships packages for a living. Doesn't cheat.



posted on Mar, 3 2017 @ 09:25 PM
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(post by NobodiesNormal removed for a manners violation)

posted on Mar, 3 2017 @ 09:51 PM
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a reply to: reldra




I weighed it on a digital kitchen scale. It is exactly 1.5 oz.


That's the only part that stood out to me.


The seller cheated. Bust his arse!



posted on Mar, 3 2017 @ 09:58 PM
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a reply to: reldra

here [ UK ] the royal mail add a £1 " fine " to any postage disceprancies



posted on Mar, 3 2017 @ 11:07 PM
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posted on Mar, 4 2017 @ 02:57 PM
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originally posted by: Naturallywired
Trump hater SJW excise postage tax?


Nope. And please do not quit your day job.



posted on Mar, 4 2017 @ 02:58 PM
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originally posted by: manuelram16
Hey! USPS mailmen also like coffee & donuts.....


LOL. There is a Dunkin Donuts about 3 blocks away. Hmm...



posted on Mar, 4 2017 @ 03:02 PM
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originally posted by: EightAhoy
a reply to: reldra

unless it was not machinable. I've spent two hours on the phone over $6 on principle alone. I get it.


Maybe the label could not be scanned? But they are still overcharging me.

Such a mystery.



posted on Mar, 4 2017 @ 03:04 PM
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originally posted by: Ameilia
a reply to: reldra

You are talking about letters when what was sent is considered a package. The postal worker was correct, and the problem is the eBay seller cheating on shipping and got caught.

Source: ships packages for a living. Doesn't cheat.


You're wrong. Source: USPS website. This is an envelope containing a rigid object.

The Franciscan Friars send me all manner of prayer cards with holy medals and bits of relic. They are mailed as letters.

I



posted on Mar, 4 2017 @ 03:05 PM
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originally posted by: NarcolepticBuddha


LMAO!



posted on Mar, 4 2017 @ 03:08 PM
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originally posted by: JinMI
a reply to: reldra




I weighed it on a digital kitchen scale. It is exactly 1.5 oz.


That's the only part that stood out to me.


The seller cheated. Bust his arse!


People often guess when selling on ebay. I didn't have a digital scale when I did. Yes! I shall hunt him down!!! lol



posted on Mar, 4 2017 @ 09:10 PM
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originally posted by: reldra

originally posted by: Ameilia
a reply to: reldra

You are talking about letters when what was sent is considered a package. The postal worker was correct, and the problem is the eBay seller cheating on shipping and got caught.

Source: ships packages for a living. Doesn't cheat.


You're wrong. Source: USPS website. This is an envelope containing a rigid object.

The Franciscan Friars send me all manner of prayer cards with holy medals and bits of relic. They are mailed as letters.



You're funny. I'm not wrong.

Here's an actual source, instead of saying "Source: USPS website" like you so sarcastically did, have at this:



Q. If a flat-size First-Class Mail piece is rigid, is that piece charged the parcel rate?
A. Yes. If the physical dimensions are within flat-size standards, and the mailpiece is rigid, it is classified and priced as a package (parcel). Notice 3-S, First-Class Mail Shape-Based Pricing Template, is a useful tool to help determine First-Class Mail prices.


By your words "This is an envelope containing a rigid object." You do not have a letter. It is a package.

An actual USPS source, not a sarcastic comment

But by all means, continue to waste your time calling USPS to have them explain to you what the words Rigid and Package mean.



posted on Mar, 4 2017 @ 11:39 PM
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a reply to: Ameilia

It's funny how I am not wrong. I thought I described the process in detail.

That is exactly the page I used: The First Class Mail Pricing template. It has both the templates and prices. Ok, it's a parcel. However, in determining price- one inputs the weight, the zipe code to and from and chooses 'an envelope containing a rigid object'. That is the choice given. It would follow that after choosing that, the website calculates the proper price accordingly. In my case, .91 cents. It is not a box nor is it a large envelope or a package or postcard.

On the page you link, the prices are not always going to be correct, as the price is based on zip code departure and zip code arrival. On the page you supplied, the price states 1.30 for a 2 oz package and .99 cents for a 2 oz envelope.

USPS Post Calc

Also the page you link is not Notice 3-S. Here is a picture of Notice 3-S



It was mailed to post offices as an update in 2007. Nowhere can it be opened online. I thought it might be a PDF, it is not. If one is to refer to a notice, one should be able to read it for context.
edit on 4-3-2017 by reldra because: (no reason given)

edit on 5-3-2017 by reldra because: (no reason given)




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