Come on people. Geez, I'm tired of lazy assed sellers who get invovled in a business without doing their homework.
Yes, the Post office has many different rates but it's our job as a seller to research them and perhaps even know them better than the clerks!!
There's a website with all the info you know. I just recieved an email from a seller who was told by her Postie that Music cd's don't count as Book Rate.
Priority is not the only way to ship!!
Costs vary in every business whether you're bricks and mortar or online.
posted on January 9, 2001 11:48:24 AM
"I'm really disappointed in the way this matter has been handled. In all my time at AuctionWatch, I've never seen such spin as this."
Yes, and for those who keep dragging this issue on and on, thanks for wasting my time.
\"It's lonely at the top, but you eat better.
\"
posted on January 9, 2001 12:33:20 PM
Spaz, I think that Diana is refering only to my deleted post asking what the term you repeat means when she says that it did not appear to address any particular poster. I'm pointing the possibilty out to you so that you can calm yourself. Ommmmm.
posted on January 9, 2001 12:51:02 PM
I was at the post office this morning as well, and there were at least 30 people ahead of me in line. Because I had already taken care of getting extra stamps for the raise in rates, it honestly didn't occur to me that that would be a reason for so many people to be there.
However, there were four clerks working at top speed, and I don't think my entire visit took more than about 15 minutes. When I reached the counter, I asked the clerk if they were giving away freebies or something. He responded with a remark to the effect that the people in line must have been living completely out of reach of any sort of communication for the past month, as virtually all of them were there to buy new stamps.
Folks, how can you blame the post office, when people are too lazy/dumb/whatever to take care of business like this BEFORE the day the new rates start? Heck, you can buy stamps online, you can buy them in the lobby without waiting in line, you can buy them at many grocery stores, Mail Boxes Etc., and so on. Apparently it's just the popular (and easy) thing to do to blame everything on "the bureaucracy" these days.
posted on January 9, 2001 01:00:19 PM
avaloncourt, I noticed that, too. On Saturday I checked the price (on the USPS website) of a low-weight airmail package (can't remember if it was 1 or 2 pounds. On Sunday, the price to ship the same package was cheaper! On the other hand, it seemed that prices for heavier packages are WAY up.
Also discovered today that some kinds of mail have stayed the same or gone down. A 2-oz. first-class flat is still 55 cents, and a 4-oz flat is 97 cents, when it used to be 99 cents. Huh? I haven't compared all weights of first-class mail to see what happened at each weight.
posted on January 9, 2001 03:16:13 PM
Hi. I wrote this in another thread but thought I would share my experience here also. I just got home from the post office and I am in shock. All the international rates are up but the ones to Canada are the highest. Even the clerk was shocked at the new rates to Canada. I have a cd to mail there and the only choice I have is 4.00 for the small Global Priority Mail or 7.00 for the large. And the item must be shipped in those envelopes. Well, the cd will fit into the small envelope with NO padding or the large one with some padding. Going to have to leave it up to the buyer. Also there is no Media Rate outside of the US. That is only a domestic rate so sending books abroad is going to be costly. Think I better update my shipping info in my TOS.
The clerks do not realize that "Letter Post" is taking the place of the "Small packet" .
Do not let them tell you otherwise!
This from the USPS webs ite, publication 51.
Letter-post
“Letter-post” is a generic term that encompasses all of the classes of
international mail that were formerly categorized as LC (Letters and Cards) and
AO (Other Articles). This includes letters and letter packages, postcards and
postal cards, aerogrammes, printed matter, and small packets.
Letter-post items have the following characteristics:
a. They have different shapes, sizes, and contents.
b. They weigh 4 pounds or less.
c. They are subject to the provisions of the Universal Postal Union (UPU)
A 1 pound package to Canada going Global Air Mail Letter Post should cost you $3.75
We have been forced to remove your posts containing quotes and references to the vulgar comment made earlier.
We have issued a warning to atticques00, and upon further reflection, I'm upgrading the informal warning to a formal as Michelle may not have been aware of the severity of the comment.
I am asking you to calm down and let the thread continue on topic, or we're going to have to lock it up.
posted on January 9, 2001 04:06:22 PM
Rates have gone crazy! I'll be dropping International offers as I think it would prohibit buyers. Canada 1.5 nearly $13.00 Global ? That's robbery. Where's the Small packet air prices. No reason for the large jumps they made..
posted on January 9, 2001 04:27:04 PM
barrelracer - Thanks. We did talk about letter post today but I think they were under the impression it had to be a letter or paper. I am copying your post and taking it with me to the po tomorrow.
posted on January 9, 2001 04:28:58 PM
dman3- I'm glad to see someone else using Stamps.com...I thought I was the only one. And the UPIC insurance. I wanted to try that too, but the website is so vague. I wanted to try their 'stamp' program, but I could never figure out how much it would cost!
posted on January 9, 2001 11:52:40 PM
DINAPAL: You buy U-PIC stamps in denominations of either 20 cents (which work for U.S. insurance) or 25 cents (which is what you use for international mail). Forty cents (two stamps) buys you insurance for up to $100 in value, INCLUDING the cost of the postage. If the item is lost, you get all your money back. I don't know how they handle damage claims; I haven't had to make one.
It's a good program. I'm happy with the cost savings and the convenience.
posted on January 10, 2001 09:05:00 AM
[b]barrelracer[/b I'm going to get on my P.O. today. I don't want to turn down Internationals. Thanks for the heads up! I'm on it..
posted on January 10, 2001 10:06:12 AM
I have not read all the posts on this page but I would like to inject my comment. It seems that now the priority rates are based upon zones when previously they were not. Previous to the increase sending a 10 pound box to California was the same amount as sending it to Kansas (from my home here in Pennsylvania. Now a 10 pound package to California is 15.55 and the same package to Kansas is 11.05 from my home in PA. Before I was able to weigh my merchandise and quote a price in my auction description. I will now have to list my zip code and weight of the item so the buyer can figure out the shipping costs and decide if the cost is worth it. Too much hassle for some I suspect, especially for readily available items. I believe the new rates will have a tremendous impact on all mail order business as well as e-commerce.
Priority Rates are still flat rates, just as they were. If someone quoted you two different PRIORITY rates for the same package, then I believe they made a mistake. Perhaps they actually gave you a quote on another rate?
Many postal employees are very confused over the new rates - you will need to know before you go to the PO, if at all possible, what the charge should be, and be prepared to argue your case. Take a printout from the USPS site if you can.
posted on January 10, 2001 10:35:41 AM
No, priority prices are different now, according to the table I got from the PO. Boxes 6 pounds and over do have different prices.
I guess you can test it at the USPS web site by typing in different zip codes.
The table says a different price for each zone, starting at 6 pounds.
posted on January 10, 2001 10:39:21 AM
Priority Rate is determined by zone over 5 pounds and it always has been. If your package is 5 pounds or less, destination is not a factor in the rate. If your package is over 5 pounds, destination makes a great deal of difference in the rate.
posted on January 10, 2001 10:45:20 AM
I am so sorry for running my mouth when my brain is shut down! I forgot about the change at that weight (I seldom have shipped anything over about three or four pounds).
You can all beat me with a sheet of old thirty-three-cent stamps!
posted on January 10, 2001 11:08:08 AM
I just got back from the PO... they sure aren't spending any of the extra revenue on more personnel or training!
Stood in line for 45 minutes. I had a padded envelope going to Canada and I had it marked Global Airmail Letter Post exactly as the rate publications and the on-line Int'l Rate Calculator refers to it. Well, the clerk insisted that what I had it marked as would be considered Global Priority. I crossed out the word Global and she was happy.
I really feel for the people who ship on a casual basis (not for business) and simply go along with what the clerks tell them.
posted on January 10, 2001 01:02:19 PM
Whew...just got back from the Auction Watch rumpus room where I had to undergo sensitivity training and a serious cyber manners improvement session. When I read that I had been " upgraded " I thought "Whoopee" . Because naturally when I hear that term, I think something good is going to happen. Usually, it means the people in Coach Class have demanded that I be moved to the more spacious First Class section, even then, sometimes I get upgraded to the Cockpit to sit on the Captain's lap to help him fly the plane. So, naturally, I was ready to unscrew the top off a fine bottle of Mogen David when I heard I had been upgraded.
It was then I heard some angry knocking on my Door... (Improvise your own sounds here)
It was the Auction Watch cyberpatrol, dressed in full regalia, with patches that had lightning bolt insignia, spit shined black metal toe boots, and everything. I was informed that I had been a "very naughty boy" and would have to come with them for some "Internet Re-Education" I was led out to the tinted window van, with my tail between my legs, which only later did I realize led to some awful upper inner thigh chafing. I was whisked away in great haste, to Auction Watch HQ, and quickly taken to the basement for interrogation.
It was there I first started to realize the error of my ways. First, there were the blinding bright lights and the questions that seemed to come from every angle. Then the poorly mixed Kool Aid drinks that were designed to extract a confession. And then... the tweezers, which removed some short hairs from a sensitive area,which I dare not mention. After the grueling interrogation and after I finally had satisfied my captors that I had levelled with them and told them the truth, came the punishment phase of my ordeal.
I was ordered to go to the bathroom and gingerly snap myself with the rolled up end of a wet towel. Then I had to come out and put on a pointy hat, remove my shirt which exposed my long ugly back hair, and write on a blackboard with chalk a hundred times over that I would never use words such as " crud" " crap" "kaka" or "doody" on the Auction Watch Message Board. The entire time I could hear the whole Auction Watch staff giggling and tittering in the background as I had to do this rote exercise on some sort of stage. Again the bright lights hindered me from identifying anyone. After I was done, I was given a Lifesaver candy, and jettisoned home jiggidy jig.
Now that I am home again, I must carry out my pledge that I made to Auction Watch, and make nice to the fellow posters who I unwittingly offended .
To Hart Cottage Quilts: My deepest regrets for offending you. In retrospect, your comments and posts on the topic at hand were truly brilliant. Sometimes it takes us with less intelligence, a few moments longer to recognize true genius. I am sorry to have so thoughtlessly reached into my burlap sack of incorrigible words to fend off what I mistakenly thought was an ignorant comment. I think the moderators should have just ended this thread after your first posting, because its so clear to me now that you really summed all that needed to be said. Needless to say, I am going to be doing some quilt shopping to make up for my awful behaivior very soon.
To Spaz and all others: I was equally as shocked and outraged as you when you took the time to define the no-no words that I had posted earlier , and that I dare not mention now. With my hand placed firmly on the book written by the fat bald guy that I pray to, I swear that I had no idea that the words that I used had those particular meanings. You see, I don't have the Dictionary of American Slang at hand, and was simply repeating things I had heard without knowing specific definitions. Note to self : "never repeat jingoistic street slang, heard from heathen peers, without demanding full definitions and attribution"
So, with that being said, I now proudly goose step into a new well behaved era of postings free of sarcasm and potty humor.
Taking a printout to the post office is a great idea. I have been
ripped off several times, especially with international postage.
After carefully weighing and checking the online chart, I always pay at least
4.00 more than I have calculated at home.
