Collegepark
|
posted on February 9, 2001 04:48:14 PM new
HEADS UP!!Just got back from the Post Office where I was mailing some items in what I thought were flat rate envelopes. Guess what; they look just like the old flat rate ones, but they lack the "Flat Rate" words on the outside. Pretty sneaky. I was charged regular priority postage. Was told it had to have Flat rate on the outside to get this. Has anyone else had this experience. I'm digging out any I have that don't say flat rate and using them for anything but shipping. I had a supply of the old flat rate envelopes which I'm gathering together now.
|
kidsfeet
|
posted on February 9, 2001 05:11:49 PM new
Yes. There are now TWO priority envelopes. One for the $3.50 rate of under 1lb and one that has the FLAT RATE for $3.95.
It can be deceptive!!
|
jonahhex
|
posted on February 9, 2001 05:15:30 PM new
The advantage to the envelopes that don't say Flat Rate is if your item is under one pound you are charged $3.50 instead of $3.95. If you use the Flat Rate envelope, you will be charged $3.95 even if your item is under one pound. Learned this one the hard way myself! I only use the Flat Rate envelopes if I know the item will be over one pound.
James
|
ginny
|
posted on February 9, 2001 06:51:29 PM new
I also learned this the hard way...well, I only lost 45 cents. I had 2 big boxes of the old flat rate envelopes (I order my shipping supplies online). I took them to the Post Office and gave them back to them. They, in turn, gave me a whole bunch of the new $3.50 envelopes. It's really stupid because nobody's going to put something over a pound in those envelopes anyhow, but now they won't let us use them at the lower rate because of the way they are printed. Another example of wasteful government spending...
|
taz8057
|
posted on February 9, 2001 08:45:00 PM new
Ah,
I had the same problem. Here is what I did. Do you have any priority stickers? I covered up all the words that said "Flat Rate", and I sent it for $3.50. I have had no problems. I ordered some of the non-flat rate envelopes though.
-Trey
|
Empires
|
posted on February 9, 2001 09:13:37 PM new
When the new rates went up, the new envelopes were not avialable at the Post Office either. But were available to order online. http://www.usps.com/, then go to ordering supplies under priority...area..
[ edited by Empires on Feb 9, 2001 09:22 PM ]
|
jrb3
|
posted on February 9, 2001 09:29:51 PM new
Empires, Thanks for the link was wondering where I could get the smaller boxes.
Joe B
|
DMRick
|
posted on February 9, 2001 09:49:55 PM new
<<It's really stupid because nobody's going to put something over a pound in those envelopes anyhow,>>
Actually, I sell (not on Ebay) business card magnets..and I can fit 500 in the flat rate envy..and they weigh about 10#'s! It really saves on the postage for my clients. I do wrap them very good in plastic, and tape up that envie like you wouldn't believe (no idea how they open it on the other end!).
|
horizonod
|
posted on February 9, 2001 10:03:00 PM new
POSTAL DECEPTION??? Say it ain't so Joe!!
You mean like advertising delivery in 2-3 days then taking 2 weeks (on a regular basis)? Or maybe like when I pay them to deliver an item and then if I want to make SURE they deliver it I have to pay EXTRA for delivery confirmation and then if it never arrives I don't get any money back because I didn't pay even more for insurance.
Or like when I pay for ALL OF THE ABOVE and file an insurance claim and get paid for the item they lost but not the POSTAGE fee I PAID FOR THEM TO LOSE IT??
I'm going to open a grocery store called Uncle Sams Postal Grocer.
You buy a can of soup for 50 cents. Do you want to pay a little extra to make SURE there's soup in the can? Even BETTER for 60 cents we will sell you insurance to GAURANTEE there is soup in the can and if there is NOT soup in the can we will reimburse you 50 cents.
But you paid 60 cents for the can of soup with insurance you say??
Well you bought insurance on the soup, the can was 10 cents and we don't reimmburse for the can.
The FTC would throw me in jail quicker than you could say "going postal"!!
I guess it OK if you can get it.
The statement below is TRUE
The statement above is FALSE.
[ edited by horizonod on Feb 9, 2001 10:07 PM ]
|
gravid
|
posted on February 10, 2001 04:42:50 AM new
I would be upset if they did away with the Flat Rate. I sell machinist's 123 blocks and I can fit up to 4 sets in a flat rate envelope. That is 11 pounds for the 2 pound rate. I once fit a berylium copper plate in one that weighed 12 pounds. They went nuts at the post office. Did not want to take it. I told them to drop it a couple times on the floor to prove to themselves it would not bust out as they were claiming. They wouldn't try - yhey just took it.
|
