Zazzie
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posted on January 23, 2001 05:13:23 PM
Well today I found out what happens when someone mails you something in a Priority Box that they have turned inside out.
You get a POSTAGE DUE notice in your mail box. I ordered a very heavy book and paid Book Rate (US) and the seller shipped it Book Rate--but didn't write 'Media Mail' on the outside and used a PM box. Now I can't have the book unless I pay $12.95--and if I refuse delivery the seller will have to pay $12.95 X 2 !!!
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Lisa_B
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posted on January 23, 2001 05:24:24 PM
Hmmm, your seller should have known that USPS forbids that. I would be tempted to let them have their very expensive lesson in ethics.
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kudzurose
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posted on January 23, 2001 05:24:44 PM
Zazzie, I'd have to really, really, really want that book to pay it. Getting it back and having to pay the Priority postage both ways is just what the seller deserves.
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Zazzie
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posted on January 23, 2001 05:28:21 PM
Now the trick is to get the seller to refund my money for the cost of the book!!!
It wasn't an EBAY purchase--
not zazzie on ebay
edited for wrong info
[ edited by Zazzie on Jan 23, 2001 05:30 PM ]
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darcyw
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posted on January 23, 2001 05:28:25 PM
Have you contacted the seller yet? Seems like it is the seller's problem, not yours.
I keep seeing posts in topics where sellers advise others to do the inside out with the PM boxes. It is against postal regulations, plus why they want to spend the time doing it is beyond my understanding. The more time a seller spends fiddling with packaging is a cut into the profits.
Your seller should have bought a padded envelope for fifty cents and passed on the cost to you, mailed the book in a padded envelope. One can buy shipping boxes and padded envelopes in bulk and in all sizes at the shipping supply warehouses. The more you buy, the cheaper it gets, until the envelopes and boxes are fifty cents or less each.
Darcy
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kudzurose
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posted on January 23, 2001 05:32:08 PM
Zazzie - I'd contact Half.com customer service and insist that they handle this. They are slow, but I believe they will work this out if you stay on their case about it.
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MrJim
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posted on January 23, 2001 05:34:14 PM
Fortunately, you bought it through Half.com instead of Ebay. All you have to do is refuse the package and notify Half.com that it was shipped postage due and you refused it. They will require the seller to reship it. If the seller refuses, Half.com will refund your full purchase price including shipping and the seller will be out the postage. (because Half.com will not reimburse them for the sale)
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Zazzie
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posted on January 23, 2001 05:35:51 PM
wanna hear something even worse----I've got more stuff coming from them arggggghhhhhh!!!
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ddicffe
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posted on January 23, 2001 05:48:39 PM
Zazzie:
It's happened to myself with books I have won as well. It is a pain in the kiester, but I buy (usually) high end books, for that is what I collect. So most times I will pay, and bite the bullet, but I will always send them an email, and leave neutral feedback. But, since it's not ebay, and I am unsure if the book, I would most likely refuse it, and teach the seller a lesson. Just watch for your other items.
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Zazzie
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posted on January 23, 2001 07:38:45 PM
Thanks for all the advice--the book was a pricey one==$50.00 (not high end--but not peanuts either)---but even though I really want it with the added amount. The Post Office said they will keep it for 10 days while I try to work it out
[ edited by Zazzie on Jan 23, 2001 07:39 PM ]
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darcyw
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posted on January 23, 2001 08:10:21 PM
Zazzie,
You might try this link to see if the book is available elsewhere. Also, this link is good if you ever sell an out-of-print book, see how scarce it is and how much the book sellers price it.
http://shop.barnesandnoble.com/oopbooks/oopsearch.asp?userid=26OOY1G9Z6&mscssid=X9C8R2XW45SR2L3800CGND08MF9H3EJD&srefer=
Darcy
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ExecutiveGirl
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posted on January 23, 2001 08:29:02 PM
I received a package in the mail recently. It was packaged in a small video Priority Mail box which was turned inside out and the seller wrapped it in brown paper. I paid $4.50 to ship it, and she paid $1.81 First Class Mail. Claimed her postal clerk told her to ship it that way (inside out and wrapped in brown paper). I let her know that was illegal and she didn't seem to care. I wish THAT package was sent with postage due because I would not have hesitated to send it back to her!
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Zazzie
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posted on January 23, 2001 08:45:00 PM
darcyw--thanks, been there done that--I've only seen one other listed but it's been sitting there at that price for months--so it is way over priced.
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abacaxi
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posted on January 24, 2001 05:27:47 AM
This was 100% their fault for being greedy or stupid or both. I've been warning people for MONTHS that if you use the priority boxes you gotta pay priority postage! Even WITH Media mail written on the box, if it's a priority box you have to pay priority rates.
If you paid by CC, do a chargeback if they don't agree to pay for the postage their screwup will cost (by USPS money order) OR reship the books with the RIGHT postage.
If they won't pay, REFUSE IT, let them pay for the return. And tell them to send the book back to you in the RIGHT kind of box (plain, brown, not FREE from the USPS) with media mail postage on it.
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jdamm
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posted on January 24, 2001 06:45:00 AM
What about using priority boxes that have already been sent through the mail with priority postage? I was told at my post office that I could reuse them inside out. They told me as long as none of the box showed, it was fine.
Because of the secrecy of my position, I am prevented from knowing what I am doing.
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libbyparsons
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posted on January 24, 2001 06:51:36 AM
Priority Mail Boxes have USPS on the inside of the box. You can see it when they are turned inside out.
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mrlatenite
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posted on January 24, 2001 06:56:35 AM
[Just FYI...] My post office contends: "Once a priority box...ALWAYS a priority box". In other words, if you plan to reuse it, it HAS to be sent via Priority Mail (even though the "cost" of the box was already paid for by the initially shipper).
They know the sizes, and they know the feel of the box. [I would advise anyone to] NOT risk it based upon some clueless clerk that says you can rewrap it. [If someone does this you probably] WILL EVENTUALLY GET ONE BACK with 2x correct postage due and the future watchful eye of your local post office.
I can't believe the nerve of some bidders asking me to ship stuff media mail, but they fall right in line with the [non-U.S. buyers] asking me to lie on the customs form too.
To the original poster--Definitely refuse this and all the OTHER packages. If for some reason the other packages come in the same way but the post office doesn't catch them, I believe I would not open them, trot on down to the post office and refuse them too, just to show the seller they can't do this at all.
edited: to remove direct reference to a paticular country's people per request of others. [Though this doesn't change the fact that I have had significantly higher requests from one country over others due to their high taxation, and why I no longer ship outside of the U.S. for any reason and state that in my TOS and am happy to not have to get bids/deal with foreign transactions]
edited: to reword what was thought to be an attack on a specific person. As always my opinions are meant to give guideance to anyone, but are just that--my opinions, take them with a grain of salt.
[ edited by mrlatenite on Jan 24, 2001 09:44 AM ]
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jdamm
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posted on January 24, 2001 06:57:15 AM
Mine don't that I can tell. Plus the post office said to wrap them. I still feel a little uncertain about it - just trying to see how others "feel".
Because of the secrecy of my position, I am prevented from knowing what I am doing.
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abacaxi
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posted on January 24, 2001 07:22:58 AM
jdamm -
What YOUR postoffice clerks say doesn't matter. It's what the clerks and sorters in transit and on the OTHER END do that matters. And if you continue to send insideout priority boxes, some buyer is going to get nailed with postage due and it will be YOUR FAULT.
If they tell you that it's OK, ask them to show you the regulation or memo FROM the management that says it's OK.
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taisha
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posted on January 24, 2001 07:26:11 AM
The Postal Service intended to stop the use of the free boxes at one time because of the abuse. I saw some of the Washington correspondence to our state honcho, and from the state to our local postmaster. It didn't seem right that all were to be punished because of the abuse of a minority. I contacted our Congressional office with my complaint and suggested that instead of punishing everyone why not simply stamp the inside of the boxes "priority mail." I am not sure whether it was based on this suggestion or not but the next thing we knew the boxes began arriving stamped "USPS" on the reverse. I have never liked a military discipline approach to matters affecting many and that is, one screws up and everyone is punished.
The first time I received a (double video) box with jewelry I paid the additional; sub-sequent boxes were returned to the sender with an eMail dispatched to the sender at the time of refusal.
If a clerk says it is okay to reverse a box, ask him/her to check the rules or else speak to the postmaster. The boxes are great and we don't want to lose the privilege of having them free.
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jdamm
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posted on January 24, 2001 07:31:08 AM
So, what I think I'LL do is write the USPS and get their opinion in writing.
Yes, I do like the boxes. I am not saying I am planning on abusing the service. I was just wondering why they can't be recylced - I ship a lot of books and have NEVER done this - I was just asking if I could and I don't appreciate being attacked because I was just asking a question.
Because of the secrecy of my position, I am prevented from knowing what I am doing.
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NeartheSea
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posted on January 24, 2001 08:56:49 AM
Does anyone know if this regulation is on
the USPS Site?
We have asked that question at 2 of our Post offices here, and both said, it was fine.
We do not do it, we only asked, because of what we read here.
We only ship Priority, unless asked for items be sent First Class, and then we have bought boxes just for that purpose.
I have had things sent with the PM boxes turned, and with UPS boxes turned too. Thankfully never was charged postage due.
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sharkbaby
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posted on January 24, 2001 09:08:27 AM
NeartheSea: Hi! When I go on to usps.com now to order priority supplies it gives a screen (before I can order) that makes a statement to that effect that I have to click on either "agree" or "disagree". So it is apparent that they are being much more vigilent to this matter.
______________________________
Sticks & stones may break my bones, but words can break my heart.
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mark090
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posted on January 24, 2001 09:09:01 AM
To answer the question as to why you can not use "recycled" used once Priority Boxes, how hard is it to make a brand new box look recycled? Just a few well placed stickers and an address label on top of an address label....
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NeartheSea
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posted on January 24, 2001 09:19:06 AM
shark-your right, it did do that when we ordered them online. And it never did that before. So it just depends on who you ask. The clerk will say 'sure, fine', but they don't care, so it seems. In any case, I won't even attempt to ever try it 
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mrlatenite
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posted on January 24, 2001 09:32:41 AM
jdamm --
I no way was I personally attacking you! (Why do so many people always think statements made in these forms are personal attacks when they're meant to give an opinion to anyone in general?)
I was simply stating the [opinion] that if anyone bases a decision soley on the statement of a counter clerk is leaving themselves open to possible problems in the future, and that it is not worth the risk to:
1) Alienate your buyer should they get stuck with a postage due, or get upset seeing (what they may believe) is a misuse of material
2) Leave yourself open to getting the item back 2x postage due
3) Subject yourself to possible investigation by the post office (read "government" ) due to believed fraud....even if it was them that told you you could.
All I'm saying is *for anyone* to use common sense and protect yourself, rather than trying to save a buck on reusing a thin box that might throw red flags up somewhere that doesn't know if it is okay or not, just find/buy a plain brown box and use that instead.
It sucks, but as is apparent with the recent postal increase, limits on brown-box reuse, apparent increased checking on media mail abuses, I would tend to believe they are cracking down and it's best to do things in the way that is known to be safe.
[ edited by mrlatenite on Jan 24, 2001 09:34 AM ]
[ edited by mrlatenite on Jan 24, 2001 09:46 AM ]
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wbmodrrsupaolcom
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posted on January 24, 2001 11:14:14 AM
I talked to a couple postal workers about turning Priority mail boxes inside out, they said the post office will start charging Priority Mail rates on these. I think its part of there current need to raise revenues, they seemed like they were looking forward to nabbimg people on this.
just a warning
james S.
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abacaxi
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posted on January 24, 2001 11:29:22 AM
"they seemed like they were looking forward to nabbimg people on this"
Anyone mailing into my USPS is SCREWED! They have a contest going to see which clerk, sorter or carrier can spot the most misused boxes. Somewhere in the back of the building is a score sheet!
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stormsail
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posted on January 24, 2001 03:05:22 PM
The Postal Service made me promise in writing that I would agree not to use Priority boxes for any other purpose, and they refused to ship my supplies until I did so.
I think there is a pragmatic reason to prohibit the re-use of boxes: It reduces the burden of enforcement. In the case of an inverted box, for example, the Postal Service has no way to determine whether it has been used before unless they open it. But nothing prevents me from remailing Priority boxes as long as I pay Priority rates.
The post offices in my area recently stopped providing boxes other than the flat-rate envelopes. The new policy here is that customers must order their own boxes.
I am worried that the boxes will continue to be more difficult to obtain. If the abuse problem becomes serious, the USPS may quit offering them altogether.
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