Are My Post Offices Really that Bad?

[drzoidberg1599]

Are my post offices really that bad or do other people have tons of problems? I ship an item , buy the DC and yet the DC numbers never show up online. I actually lost an Ebay dispute because my DC number never showed up in the system, even though I have the post marked receipt from the post office. So I decide to go to another post office. The woman says my box is too small to ship. So I buy a bigger box from the cashier right next to her, box my figures and rewrite the address. I give them to the woman and she says... you guessed it. Box isn't big enough. Now mind you I asked before I bought the box. So I ask her if the box is too small, why do they sell them and even sell smaller boxes. She then tells me the box is big enough it's just that I wrote too large. So I take out a piece of paper and cover the entire from of the box up and write it a bit smaller. She then says its too small and not legible. So I ask her to write it because obviously I'm doing something wrong. She says she can't do that. After a few choice words I leave and go to the other post office. I watch her put the DC and postage on the front of the box perfectly, get my DC receipt and go home. And of course it's been 2 days and the website still has no record of my DC#. Anyone else have such craptastic post offices?

[JDKenada]

Are my post offices really that bad or do other people have tons of problems? I ship an item , buy the DC and yet the DC numbers never show up online. I actually lost an Ebay dispute because my DC number never showed up in the system, even though I have the post marked receipt from the post office. So I decide to go to another post office. The woman says my box is too small to ship. So I buy a bigger box from the cashier right next to her, box my figures and rewrite the address. I give them to the woman and she says... you guessed it. Box isn't big enough. Now mind you I asked before I bought the box. So I ask her if the box is too small, why do they sell them and even sell smaller boxes. She then tells me the box is big enough it's just that I wrote too large. So I take out a piece of paper and cover the entire from of the box up and write it a bit smaller. She then says its too small and not legible. So I ask her to write it because obviously I'm doing something wrong. She says she can't do that. After a few choice words I leave and go to the other post office. I watch her put the DC and postage on the front of the box perfectly, get my DC receipt and go home. And of course it's been 2 days and the website still has no record of my DC#. Anyone else have such craptastic post offices?

Wow...I'd be, at the very least, seeking to have a chat with the manager of that friendly post office. Seriously? How stunned can you be?

Then again, I had that same "it's too small to ship" issue. When I pointed out the box CAME TO ME in the mail, the lady just looked at me like I had quoted Ronald Regan's first movie audition...which, oddly enough, I think she would have been old enough to have been around for. I've never gone back to that post office and never had a problem since.

[hair10]

I've never had any problems with the post offices here. Super fast, super easy, super friendly, and in all my trades/sales/purchses only had something go missing once.

[NoGoCat]

I think your post offices are just bad. The DC should of been immediately in the system once they scanned it at the counter. Unless of course you use the APC. As to the box being too small, she was just being nasty. I ship lots of figures in 200 count card boxes using the APC and gets delivered every time. If I take it up to the counter to mail, I usually use a 300-400 box so they have space to put all the stickers on it. I don't hand write labels. I print them out then cut and paste on the box. Nice, neat and small

[PsychoHippie]

Does your post office deliver everything you have coming to you?

Mine sometimes doesn't.

A Christmas card from my mother-in-law from two years ago has yet to arrive.

[The Decepticons]

as far as the box being too small goes, with canada post, generally they dont want a customs slip or an expresspost slip on a package bent or folded in any way. and leaving the slip intact and flat conveniently needs a bigger box to ship your pieces

[drzoidberg1599]

Does your post office deliver everything you have coming to you?

Mine sometimes doesn't.

A Christmas card from my mother-in-law from two years ago has yet to arrive.

I'm in Clearwater FL and I have family in Jefferson City TN and for some reason anything they send us never makes it here. My wife went on vacation there a few years ago. She sent me a nice postcard of where they had gone. It arrived to me 2 weeks after she returned. Everything else gets here fine. I've actually had a few trades with fellow Realms members and I tell them "I promise this is the DC. I know it doesn't show up online but I promise when it gets there it will match". But as I said I actually lost an eBay dispute because the DC number never showed up and the buyer claimed he never received it. He may not have received it, I'll never know. But it is the perfect opportunity for someone to scam me, and that's what I'm afraid of. I normally always ship first on Realms because my iTrader is only like a 15 I think. I have no problem with this because I trust the members. However I do know there have been incidents where traders have scammed people. I would hate to have someone take advantage of a DC not coming up and get stuck losing my figures.

[eternalrage]

If I use a 200 card box, the guys at my post say things like, "You're really testing my skill here," and put appropriate shipping and DC tags on them. I have never been turned away. Sound like she was messing with out or trained to mess with you.:classic:

[stevebo0124]

If a box is too small I usually put the box in a giant bubble envelope and then ship it. That is also the only way I will ever use a bubble envelope to ship figures.

[KO Bossy]

I went to the post office and sent out a package the other day. The lady said "this box is really small, how am I going to get the sticker on it?" I replied with "oh, you WILL take it".

Moral of the story: threatening people works.



I also realize that if you have a dirty mind like I do, this story can take on an entirely different meaning.

[phantalien]

I also realize that if you have a dirty mind like I do, this story can take on an entirely different meaning.
Yes it does.


I never had a problem at any of the many post offices I have been to.

[drzoidberg1599]

If a box is too small I usually put the box in a giant bubble envelope and then ship it. That is also the only way I will ever use a bubble envelope to ship figures.

That is a good idea. I've actually started having my wife ship them while I'm at work because there's a post office near our house that is great. I've never had a problem there but I can't make it because I'm at work when they're open. The guy at that store is awesome. He actually likes comics and asked me one day what I was shipping. I described clix to him and he thought they were cool.

[drzoidberg1599]

I also realize that if you have a dirty mind like I do, this story can take on an entirely different meaning.

Other titles I thought of using for this thread were "My package: Was it too small?", "Lady Wouldn't Take My Package" and of course the obligatory "That's What She Said".

[KO Bossy]

Yes it does.


I never had a problem at any of the many post offices I have been to.

Hey, when you come up to Newmarket to visit your in-laws next time, try sending a package from a Canada Post office (if you haven't already). Its an experience.

And I don't mean a good one.

Other titles I thought of using for this thread were "My package: Was it too small?", "Lady Wouldn't Take My Package" and of course the obligatory "That's What She Said".

Of course there's also "There's a Sticker on my Box and I'm Pissed!" It works better if its a girl complaining though.

Only in North America could we develop such a diverse and intricate system of double entendres.

[ccs]

I've gotten the "This box is too small to ship" bit a few times.

Wich is really funny considering that the box being discussed has been sent back & forth to me several times (by both USPS & FedEx) - coast to coast & even to Canada & back....
It bears the scars & remnants of previous packing slips to prove this.
This box has survived 10s of thousands miles worth of shipping!

And yet every now & then the PO I deal with tries to convince me it can't be shipped. Despite them having delivered it to me.... Despite it being bigger than the smallest on they sell.... ???
I don't get it.


As for things reaching me? Most things do. Sometimes though the carrier just stuffs things into our boxes (my own & my two neighbors) at random. About every two weeks we have to resort our own mail.....
Filing complaints has yet to work.

[maddragon13]

For the most part, the USPS does a good job. But it has been known from time to time to screw up. My only real complaint about them is the way they handle packages. They take the "bull in the china shop" stance at mail distribution centers. Careful handling isn't their strong-suit.

[SpartanRS3416]

Y'know, a problem I've noticed recently is when I bought something off ebay the tracking number I entered said the post office has been notified to expect the shipment from the shipper, this is not an acknowledgment of shipping or something like that, it stayed that way until I got it.

Also, lately when buying from amazon, the items that are sent via USPS frequently don't end up saying that they're out for delivery or anything like that even after being delivered.

[eternalrage]

Moral of the story: threatening people works.


Oh, sigged.

[torontcollectr]

Because many of the Canadapost outlets are franchised , it is best to shop around (if you have that luxury). While we may not have the option on shipping companies (courier vs postal) we can decide which franchise will get our $$$$

The closest one to my house is the worst- its a Shoppers Drug Mart run by a cheap manager that despite its large volume has only 1 register/scale despite the occasional use of 2 employees. The wait can be as long as they can drag it out because they move like molasses. They have the rudest postal manager, and some of the meanest, grumpy workers ever. They also like to play the wrong size box game on occasion. It is a last resort for me.

The next closest (and now my favorite)has 2 registers and very friendly staff. It is less busy than the shoppers, so I try to give them all my business. No issues with them.

My former first postal outlet is Korean owned, and I had developed a strong relationship at first, however once he started hiring 14 year olds to work there who were slow and without the care he used to exhibit to earn my business (he sits and plays computer games while the kid works and the line-up grows),

There are 2 other postal outlets I use - both are adequate and professional, usually used if I am out on errands.

As we now head into the holiday season - and the shipping nightmare really begin......

[rollinsolo]

Are my post offices really that bad or do other people have tons of problems? I ship an item , buy the DC and yet the DC numbers never show up online. I actually lost an Ebay dispute because my DC number never showed up in the system, even though I have the post marked receipt from the post office. So I decide to go to another post office. The woman says my box is too small to ship. So I buy a bigger box from the cashier right next to her, box my figures and rewrite the address. I give them to the woman and she says... you guessed it. Box isn't big enough. Now mind you I asked before I bought the box. So I ask her if the box is too small, why do they sell them and even sell smaller boxes. She then tells me the box is big enough it's just that I wrote too large. So I take out a piece of paper and cover the entire from of the box up and write it a bit smaller. She then says its too small and not legible. So I ask her to write it because obviously I'm doing something wrong. She says she can't do that. After a few choice words I leave and go to the other post office. I watch her put the DC and postage on the front of the box perfectly, get my DC receipt and go home. And of course it's been 2 days and the website still has no record of my DC#. Anyone else have such craptastic post offices?

Wow, after reading your story, I had to check to see if you live by me. I have a post office down the street that I used to go to all the time. There was one guy in there that I avoided at all costs, he had a "holier than thou" comment for literely everyone who mailed anything. I would let people go in front of me to avoid him. Then, somehow, he got the rest of the post office on his kick. They started telling me my shipping boxes were too small, you put the address in the wrong place, you can't attach the DC # yourself, etc. I drove all the way downtown, mailed my box and came back asking "why did they mail this downtown with no problem but you guys won't". His reply? They are doing it wrong. Needless to say, I make the trip downtown every time I have to mail anything now and it sucks. Your story beats mine though and I would have also filed some kind of complaint with the post office.

[absolutvt69]

It 100% depends on not only the post office you go to but the cashier you get. I've had some tell me "This box is too small to do Delivery Confirmation on". I've had other put it on the same size box no questions asked. I used to have all kinds of problems with my post office being picky about my boxes, forms, contents, tape and so on. It wasn't just me, I'd watch them do the same thing to people in front of me. It got to the point where I'd package things to where there was no possible reason for them to reject them (printing out addresses, plenty of tape, room for the DC label and so on). Then while I was in line I'd see someone in front of me with a box that had something wrong with it and think "They're not mailing that today" and sure enough they'd get up to the cashier and it'd be "We can't mail it like that".

BTW, never ask for tape at the post office. I got a giant lecture one time when I asked to have a piece of tape put on a box. The box was taped already but I think something had come loose so I wanted to reinforce it. Instead I got a 3 minute speech on how they don't "give away" tape but they sell it (for crazy prices) and blah blah. I get that they obviously can't tape every person's box for them but I wasn't asking for the roll and a simple no would have sufficed. Also it used to be that you could use their tape if you shipped priority mail (the tape said Priority Mail on it). So last time I had to mail a box, I couldn't find my packaging tape and so I figured I'd just send it Priority Mail (more expensive) and use their tape. Nope, don't do that anymore and again I got a lecture about how they don't give away tape. Again all fine and good but if it's something you USED to do and stopped, how would I necessarily know that.

And you can't have any markings or previous labels on the boxes which I understand. But I remember a woman in front of me had a box with an old address on it. She gets up there and they say "We can't mail it with this on it". She starts trying to peel it off, gets frustrated and leaves. She could have marked through it or covered it up and still mailed but the cashier didn't point that out at all. I've seen them do that to other people too. Instead of saying "We can't do it like this but if you move this or cover this or whatever then it would work", they just say "Sorry can't mail this" and the person leaves frustrated. It's almost like they WANT people to not mail things because it's less hassle for them.

And I get it... it's not a glamorous job. The USPS in general has declined as email and other electronic communication has increased, so on and so forth. I'm sure it can be depressing to work in an industry that's lost so much business and all that. But at the same time, it is still their job and they shouldn't take it out on the customers especially ones that aren't really doing anything stupid or being difficult.

[doctor_x]

No, you can't trust the US Post Office to deliver a simple letter.

It's pretty sad really.

UPS strives for excellence-the US Post Office strives for nothing because they have no competition.

I send everything now with DC#.

You can't trust the guvment to even run a lemonaide stand.
Everything they touch turns to ####.

[Xuco]

I must say I am quite surprised at all of your stories. I have never been denied any box for shipping, and I've shipped some pretty grungy boxes. It is my understanding that if you can put a label on it, it ships. Of course, if it breaks due to poor packaging then it is not their problem. This seemed fair enough, and up until now no Post office employee has denied my box.

[Jarimy123]

We have a bunch in our area. Probably like 5 within 20-25 minute driving distance of each other.

1 is really, really good.
1 is really, really bad.

The others are all right in the middle.

The really good one is way out of my way. But the ones that are pretty good, just not as good as that one, are the ones I try to go to as much as possible. The bad one is awful. Worse sounding then yours.

[rollinsolo]

When I package a box and head to my closest post office, my adrenaline starts to flow. My heartbeat speeds up and I start to get anxious. I start prepping myself for a confrontation before I even get there, strictly because of this one teller. Here is a recent story. A lady was in line in front of me and tried to pay with her credit card. He says “I can’t take this card because it isn’t signed.” She says, “It says please check I.D., that way you know for sure it’s me.” He proceeds to give her a lecture 5 about how if he takes that card and it somehow gets disputed, he would have to repay the post office out of his own check because it wasn‘t signed. I guess he has never has his card stolen and used. The thing is, you can’t really do anything about it because he is a rules Nazi. Even if you file a complaint, he will just say “I was following protocol.” These kind of people drive me nuts. He also claims the USPS doesn’t have any ties to the U.S. Government. I know their checks come from the same place mine did when I was in the Navy, so don’t feed me that line of garbage. Anyway, this is one of my pet peeves, sorry was so long.

[Wade Wilson]

Honestly the only issue I have had with the USPS is that the DC only gets scanned twice...once when you give them the package then again once it gets delivered :-/

[incredible]

Honestly the only issue I have had with the USPS is that the DC only gets scanned twice...once when you give them the package then again once it gets delivered :-/

I don't think this is true.
I've had several packages, as a matter of fact, just about every item that has a DC# from a seller that I've purchased from has shown several points of travel.
They usually stop in Rochester NY before they get to me.

[torontcollectr]

less than 30 business days until christmas- ....

How much will you loathe the Postal "Service" during that most 'wonderful time of the year'?

[d_knight7]

A Christmas card from my mother-in-law from two years ago has yet to arrive.

Some of the toxin must have leaked and killed the poor letter carrier.

[d_knight7]

Other titles I thought of using for this thread were "My package: Was it too small?", "Lady Wouldn't Take My Package" and of course the obligatory "That's What She Said".

"My package is fine, your box is too big."

[incredible]

"My package is fine, your box is too big."

SNL,,, Justin Timbahlake.:cool:

[Wade Wilson]

I don't think this is true.
I've had several packages, as a matter of fact, just about every item that has a DC# from a seller that I've purchased from has shown several points of travel.
They usually stop in Rochester NY before they get to me.

Every package I have sent the scan online only updated when a) it was dropped off and b) when it got delivered. Usually after I got contacted being told it got delivered by the reciepient.