New USPS Pricing Issues

[mrlexan]

Is it me or is anyone else coming to the determination that after May 14, the post office has done a fine job of messing up a somewhat predictable pricing system. Maybe it is a function of getting used to something new, but it seems to be more complex today (at least to me). I used to be able to look at a box and tell within a few cents of the shipping price, now I can't really get the same grip. It seems to be all over the map. Not to mention there Delivery Conf went from $0.55 to $0.75.

Thoughts?

Oh, and one more gripe, Huntsville needs better USPS planning. There are no nearly enough POs to support the number of people here. It is growing too fast. Everytime I go in the PO, I wait 30 minutes. Used to be 3 minutes back in Michigan.

Geez, what side of the bed did I wake up on?

[aconsola]

buy a cheap digital scale off ebay and use the paypal system to print your postage. Delivery confirmation is free (for priority mail, discounted for first class). you can then just drop the pre-paid boxes off, skipping the line. you'll get the occasional dirty look from people who have to wait.
If you are mailing internationally you are stuck with the line, even though you can print the postage and customs forms, you still have to present the item to a postal agent and have them postmark it for you.

-Anthony

[Tadracket]

I got this email the other day from the lead tech in our shipping and receiving department:

2007 Postal Rate Change

The Postal rate changes which occurred on May 14, 2007 were the most radical ever implemented in the history of the USPS. Not only did the rates change, the method in which the rates are calculated changed also.

CFCC Mail Services has decided on the following recommendations to help cut postage expenses based on the latest postage increase.

If you are sending a letter with 1 - 8 sheets, it is best to trifold the correspondence and use a #10 envelope.
If you are sending a letter with 9 - 17 sheets, it is best to bifold the correspondence and use a 6 x 9 envelope.
For letters containing more than 17 sheets, a 9 x 12 envelope is the same price as the #10 and 6 x 9 envelopes.
6-1/4” x 9” envelopes fall into the same size class as the 9 x 12. I do not believe we have any of these on campus but just in case there are some floating around we strongly urge that these not be used for first class mailings. The maximum height of the "letter" class mail is 6-1/8"
Following these rules will save lots of money.

Examples:

Sending a single sheet in a #10 envelope will cost $0.41. Sending that same sheet in a 9x12 envelope will cost $0.80.
Sending 13 sheets in a 6x9 envelope will cost $0.75. Sending them in either a #10 or 9x12 envelope will cost $1.14.
Explanation:

The new Postal rates are based on weight and also on a more complex size standard.

Maximum dimensions for "Letters" and "Flats"


height length hickness

Letter 6-1/8" 11-1/2" 1/4"

Flat 12" 15" 3/4"

Letters which exceed 1/4" thickness or 3.5 ounces fall into the "Flat" category.
Letters and Flats which exceed the 3/4" thickness fall into the newly created "Parcel" class.
This is the reason the #10 envelope price seems to jump unreasonably when it exceeds 3/4” in thickness. It started out as a "letter", developed into a "flat", and bulged into the "parcel" class.



Rates for the 3 different types of 1st class mail

oz's (from - to) Letters Flats Parcels

0 1 $0.41 $0.80 $1.13

1 2 $0.58 $0.97 $1.30

2 3 $0.75 $1.14 $1.47

3 3.5 $0.92 $1.31 $1.64

3.5 4 $1.31 $1.31 $1.64

4 5 $1.48 $1.48 $1.81

Keep these rules in mind when mailing your personal mail from home. It will save you $$$$$!



What? I'm sorry, what? Someone at the USPS must have just got their engineering degree. Nothing against engineers, I am a computer engineer.
But this garb looks like something you would find in a PC manual on how to right drivers.

What ever happened to KISS?

[mrlexan]

THANK YOU! At least it is not just me and am I an engineer.

[Eau Rouge]

It's gotten more pricey and complicated—even shipping online. Now they ask for box dimensions, even for USPP boxes that are FROM the USPS.

I think the pricing goes up exponentially as the boxes get heavier. That's what it seems like, anyway. Oh, and if you didn't know, there is NO guarantee on Postal Priority packages getting there in 2-3 days. I had something take over a week not too long ago and all they said was, "sorry, it's not guaranteed."




I've just about had it with the lack of care, unprofessionalism and constantly increased costs of the US Postal Service.

Here's a fun post office story for you.

Last week, I needed to send out a radio to someone who bought it on Tuesday and needed it for Saturday. I forgot to bring it with me to work on Wednesday, so I decided to sent it Express on Thursday, for a Friday delivery. I filled out the order online Thursday morning, printed the label and had it ready to drop off.

When I got to the post office, the line was 15 people deep, and the employees behind the counter were not only moving at a snail's pace, but were having conversations about their vacations and car troubles and everything else.

When I got to the counter, the teller told me my package was overweight of what I had done at home—by .1 oz. I asked her how I was supposed to caclulate how much the box would weight AFTER the label and tape were applied—after the label was paid and printed. She just laughed and said, you own an extra $4.10.

What followed next made my blood boil.

She looked at the clock, and said, "this would have been guaranteed to be there if it was in before 5:00, but now that it's 5:01, I can't guarantee that it will be there before Monday morning."

I was dumbfounded and furious, and with another 15 people waiting behind me in line, I paid my "overages", told her to ship the package, and walked out.



I've just about had it with the Post Office for shipping any type of package. I'm about ready to use UPS for everything at this point. It can't be much more expensive or frustrating than dealing with our incompetent and apathetic Postal system.

[Tadracket]

I use to work for a certain postal company. I will leave the name out. It was in WV at the main distribution center. The building was huge, over half a million square feet. I worked there one Christmas.

I kid you not, I watched guys throw boxes marked fragile 25 to 30 feet through the air into their appropriate cages to be loaded into the trucks.

By far the best though was when I was bored and decided to clean up some of the bins. On top of one of the bins was a box marked December 1996. I worked there in Winter '98.
That is 2 years someones present just set up on top of a bin.

I could not tell you how much film was trashed because the machines would pop the cartridges from the packages and they would get separated.

I have many more stories about that place but won't put you all through the horror.

[badhoopty]

do not get me started on the usps...

[shodog]

Knock on wood, i have not had any problems with usps, UPS on the other hand is by far the worst shipping company I have come across.

Jim

[Tadracket]

Knock on wood, i have not had any problems with usps, UPS on the other hand is by far the worst shipping company I have come across.

Jim

I sent 3 airplanes to Mich. It was my very first eBay transaction. They destroyed the 2 Hanger 9s then refused to give me the insurance. After 6 months of banging heads, I got two checks worth over $600 from UPS. I sold them for $300 but settled for a T-Maxx and $100. Buyer wanted $100 back to settle with him, he was happy. I came out smelling like a rose on that one.

UPS called wanting their planes they insured like 4 months later and I told them good luck on that one

[Daryl Lane]

All I know is; USPS is not going to be my choice for shipping any longer!!

Before May 14th I could ship a latemodel body to Florida for $9.75 priopity mail with tracking. Monday they wanted $27.75 for the same box same body inside it!!! The bodies cost less then the shipping. This whole dimensional weight thing they started has put them out of my shipping money.

By the way the box weighed 2lbs 3 oz.!!!!!

[asashaw]

waiting six weeks now for an auction i won from kenooze for tires! tires!!! what are customs officers stealing my vintage parts?