Just went Postal at the Post Office

[sweetwheatz]

Well not really postal, I was just vocal about the inconsistancies in the shipping cost. I won an auction and decided to tape a wheat cent (as an advertisement) to a post-it saying thanks, along with my payment, I go inside and found out the cost is now 17 cents more than I expected. They say it weighed 1.27 oz.

Here is what was weighed (did research for weights)
1 envelope- 4 grams
2 dollar bills 1 gram each (I know I should not have sent cash)
1 Post-it note 1 gram

if there are 28.349 grams in an ounce I dont know what they were weighing along with my envelope.


I have mailed coins out before from the same PO- in similar and even larger envelopes and were only charged 44 cents each. These included a 2x2 cardbord holder and an extra envelope.

I have also shipped the same exact orders as above and got charged 64 cents.
I also seem to get different workers each time.

thank you for letting me vent and have a nice day.

[earthangel]

You're welcome.
Actually, in a similar vein, I have sometimes taken a parcel, all wrapped and ready, just to find the postage cost. Given the cost, I've then been paid by my buyer, taken the parcel to post and been given a different cost. Sometimes higher, sometimes lower.

[lejoueurdepipeau]

I do agree - it is the same here! Last March I was told that under new rules any "object" couldn't now be posted as a letter but had to be "merchandise" and not only that but there was a minimum price of 2.75euros for merchandise which covered anything up to 200gm. So, I said - "I will be paying 2.75 euros to post a reel of cotton weighing 15gm and costing 1.00 euro?" and was assured that was right!

So I altered all my listings to take account of this and suggested that everyone might like to buy several things at once to get the best value out of this postage cost. I have not had many sales of small items - I wonder why?

Recently I went to a different post office where the lady behind the counter charged me letter rate for the batch of fabric I was posting and said that as far as she was concerned anything in an envelope could be posted as a letter!! She has consistently applied this to my packages ever since! After sending out a number of refunds to people I have now altered all my listings again to reflect her view - and can now post a reel of cotton for 0.70 euros!

I honestly think that this has cost me many sales - my combined price and shipping amount is so much more attractive now. I don't really know which person is right but I know who I prefer to believe! There can't be any risk for the buyer as the packages are officially franked.

It is frustrating when you rely on the advice of staff and they are inconsistent!

[terry5732]

The cent in the envelope makes it 'non-machinable' and you should have been charged more yet

If they were merely reading a wrong weight, ask them to zero their scale.

[sweetwheatz]

I have been charged 64 cents many times and also 44 cents
I just want the same all the time on like packages. 61 cents today was alittle odd.

[deltadelta48]

Depends on how the clerk interprets the rules, which should not be the case. May seem small, a few cents, but if mailing out hundreds of envelopes that adds up (and goes into USPS pockets).

Print your own postage out and avoid the clerks all together.

[mainlypostcards]

I don't know how the system works in the US, but almost all of my items are the same weight and size. I keep a supply of stamps, put my stamps on at home and write out my certificate of posting. Everyone in the PO knows me and just date stamps and signs the COP without checking anything.