Learned a Lesson at the Post Office

   / Learned a Lesson at the Post Office #1  
T

Travelover

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This is somewhere between a rant and a public service announcement. :laughing:

I try to printout postage labels at home, then just take the package to the post office. There is a shipping discount and it saves some hassle. So, today I weigh a package on my handy dandy HF scale (which has in the past been pretty accurate), bump up the weight a few ounces to an even 11 pounds to account for any error and print the postage label. At the post office, they say "you underpaid by one ounce". "OK", I say, and reach for some change. "Not so fast - you owe an additional $4.50". It seems that if you are short, you lose any discount, plus have to pay the extra shipping. So my $3.50 discount evaporated and I got bumped up to the next increment, 12 pounds for an extra buck.

I don't know if my scale is off or theirs, but it I guess it doesn't matter.

Bottom line, add a little extra to the weight if you are weighing a package yourself (or maybe ship UPS :laughing:)
 
   / Learned a Lesson at the Post Office #2  
The Lord giveth and The Lord taketh away.
 
   / Learned a Lesson at the Post Office #3  
Sounds like to me that the Lord giveth, but USPS taketh away.
 
   / Learned a Lesson at the Post Office #4  
At that weight, why aren't you using a flat rate box? Then as long as your under 70 pounds it's only $11.30 for a medium flat rate box for priority mail.
 
   / Learned a Lesson at the Post Office
  • Thread Starter
#5  
kennyd said:
At that weight, why aren't you using a flat rate box? Then as long as your under 70 pounds it's only $11.30 for a medium flat rate box for priority mail.
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I didn't use a flat rate box because the item that I was shipping just fit into a 14 inch on each side, box. The flat rate boxes are small - I've used them to ship steel tools before.
 
   / Learned a Lesson at the Post Office #6  
Take your scale to the PO and run a calibration check.
 
   / Learned a Lesson at the Post Office #7  
Or move to BFE, Utah.

When we screw up postage on a package or letter the postmistress just puts the correct postage on and leaves a note our PO box. :D
 
   / Learned a Lesson at the Post Office #8  
next time your at the po take something in and have them weigh it than take it home and compare the results.
 
   / Learned a Lesson at the Post Office #9  
LJH FYI they are all postmasters ! Had to do with a post that the mail bag hung on or some such thing.
 
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