posted on February 13, 2001 12:58:15 PM
I've read all these posts about rude postal clerks and thought how lucky I've been that I have not had a problem with the clerks at my PO. HA. Till today. There was a lady that started just after Christmas and I don't particularly like her because she's not the most pleasant person I've met, she seems irritated by my daughter's chattering (the other woman who works there adores my daughter) and she always acts like it is SUCH a hassle when I come in there with bags of envelopes. Today I had no choice but to go to her. I had about 40 packages, every one of them was to be sent Media Mail. I set everything up there and tell her that and she said "You do know what Media Mail is for, right?" and I was like...um yeah. Thanks. Move it. She comes across some magazines I had sold, older sports magazines. She wanted to know if there were advertisements in them...and I was confused? I said they were older magazines from the 60's and I was not sure. She said if they had advertisements she could refuse service to me (!). I told her that I had mailed a huge batch of them the week before as well (and I had) with no problem. She said she would "Let me have it today" but in the future she would have to open my packages! Then she proceeds to start smooshing with her fingers the rest of my packages, which contained DVD's and video's, I am guessing to see if she could feel what was in the envelope. I was very put off by this as it has not happened to me before. I spend a LOT of money in the post office and I abide by their regulations, whether I like them or not. Occassionally I do use Priority Mail but not often anymore. But her attitude and actions really irritated me.
Anyone else heard of this "no advertisement" business and if so, why was it never brought up to me before???
I would call the post office and ask them what it was about; I get advertisements in my mail all the time. I would also speak to the postmaster of your local post office, and then, if she stills displays her bad attitude, if your turn in line comes up, and you have to see her, let the person behind you go, until a satisfactory clerk is available. (I've done this before; it is embarassing to the clerk that I didn't want to deal with )
posted on February 13, 2001 01:28:33 PMlibby, technically the clerk was correct. Here is the description of Media Mail from the USPS Site:
Generally used for books (at least eight pages), film (16 mm or narrower), printed music, printed test materials, sound recordings, play scripts, printed educational charts, loose-leaf pages and binders consisting of medical information, and computer-readable media. Advertising restrictions apply.
Some Postal workers follow the rules very closely, others let things slide. I have the same situation at my PO. I get along great with every clerk, except one, who likes to bust my chops. I just answer yes to everything he asks
posted on February 13, 2001 01:30:04 PM
I wouldnt give up my place for that clerk. I would complain in writing to the head of the department. THEN, I would cop a 'tude back, while marching up to the counter. I might be considered "fluffy" here in AW, but in RL, Im a B%tch, especially with people who are the same to me. Sorry, but thats MY title, and I guard it well.
posted on February 13, 2001 01:31:51 PMAnyone else heard of this "no advertisement" business and if so, why was it never brought up to me before???
From the USPS web site:
Media Mail (Book Rate)
Description
Generally used for books (at least eight pages), film (16 mm or narrower), printed music, printed test materials, sound recordings, play scripts, printed educational charts, loose-leaf pages and binders consisting of medical information, and computer-readable media. Advertising restrictions apply.
Note bold (added)- this may be what the problem is. I suppose they might want you to send the magazines as bound printed matter.
Also from the USPS website:
Bound Printed Matter
Description
The maximum weight for Bound Printed Matter is 15 pounds. Rates are based on the weight of the piece and the zone (distance from origin to destination ZIP Code). Packages must measure 108 inches or less in combined length and girth.
Mark each package "Bound Printed Matter" in the postage area.
Bound Printed Matter must:
a. Consist of advertising, promotional, directory, or editorial material (or any combination of such material).
b. Be securely bound by permanent fastenings such as staples, spiral binding, glue, or stitching. Looseleaf binders and similar fastenings are not considered permanent.
c. Consist of sheets of which at least 90% are imprinted by any process other than handwriting or typewriting with words, letters, characters, figures, or images (or any combination of them).
d. Not have the nature of personal correspondence.
e. Not be stationery, such as pads of blank printed forms.
posted on February 13, 2001 03:34:23 PM
LOL Jane..I probably WOULD like that keychain. Ive been trying to find one of those gold charms that says #1 B%tch. They used to be popular, but hard to find now.
posted on February 13, 2001 03:49:13 PM
Hi, libbyparsons,
I have been sending magazines 'book rate' for years...soon after the rates changed, one of the clerks (they all know me by name and I've not had a single problem with them) questioned me about a very thin package marked Book Rate. I told her it was a 1950s collectible magazine. She said it has to go bound printed matter, hesitated, asked the guy beside her, who agreed. She made the comment that it having advertisements makes it BPM, not BR, then added, "I guess even if they're old adverstisements!" She was extremely nice about it, I apologized for my honest mistake, and we went on from there.
Even though you made a mistake (BPM vs Media Rate), the clerk had no right to threaten you ("in the future she would have to open my packages" nor did she have the right to cop an attitude with you. It IS her job to correct your mistake; it is NOT her job to treat you like a criminal! Complain to the proper authority (her supervisor, the PO's postmaster...whomever) that her customer service is poor and needs attention. Believe it or not, most of them do care (well, okay, at least at my PO they seem to care). And they do have ratings periodically...any complaint you make should go into her personnel file.
posted on February 13, 2001 03:56:20 PM
My experience has been that under the current rates, bound printed matter is a few cents cheaper than media mail most of the time, anyway. (It will vary by destination, since BPM is zone-rated, while MM has a single rate everywhere in the country.)
posted on February 13, 2001 04:07:28 PM
I do believe that I have read instances of people having their packages opened before. I would be LIVID if someone opened a package of mine that I was sending simply because I am not trying to break any rules, I did not know about the media mail/advertisement thing. She made me feel like I was TRYING to sneak around the system. They can open any package of mine they want (although like I said I'd be furious) because they won't find me mailing anything Media Mail BUT DVD's, CD's and movies, etc.
posted on February 13, 2001 04:44:11 PM
There is an extreme difference in price between Media Mail and Bound Printed Matter in some cases
Example: Media Mail; 1 pound $1.30
Bound Printed Matter; 1 Pound $1.73 for zones 1 & 2 up to $2.10 for zone 8.
But if you go to 5 pounds of weight Media Mail is $3.10 and Bound Printed Matter goes from $2.05 for zones 1 & 2 to $3.29 for zone #8
You can save on some weights to the different zones with Bound Printed Matter but loose on others.
Everyone that sells and ships by Media Mail and Bound Printed Matter should pick up a copy of Notice 123 Ratefold dated January 7, 2001 from the post office. It's very helpful.
posted on February 13, 2001 04:48:18 PM
Yes, I have had my boxes opened because the clerk didn't believe I would ship 1 book in a box!! I hate it when I get that guy. Now, he's tired of opening my stuff just to find out I was right. He even told me to have a nice day last week. Scary.
posted on February 13, 2001 04:51:08 PM
Hi - They do have the right to open Media Mail and certain other mail, to see if it contains only material eligible for the particular class. They have a right to open Media Mail to check for advertising, or anything else not in the guidelines. I believe (but am not positive) that anytime you mail something other than First Class, Priority, or Express, you are tacitly agreeing to that inspection because you are getting a reduced rate. If you absolutely do not want something opened, it should go First Class (and I think that applies to Priority and Express).
Of course, I imagine if they have reason to think you are mailing something illegal by those rates, the postal inspectors could open those, too.
I have heard of the recipient of Media Mail being charged "postage due" for the difference between the Media Mail Rate and First Class, because the mail was inspected in route and found to be not eligible for the reduced rate. I doubt it happens often, but they can do it if they want to.
I have had clerks ask me if my Media Mail packages contain magazines, but they have never opened them (that I know of!) or asked me to open one.
posted on February 13, 2001 04:55:39 PM
here is something for you all to think about. who is paying who????the next time you have a go around with the post office think about that.we all pay!!!!with what we ship.thank you all. had to say that.
posted on February 13, 2001 05:10:56 PM
If y'all don't want a particular PITA clerk, wait them out in line. Let the person behind you go ahead of you to them. Then you can go to a nice clerk when their counter opens up.
There is a PITA at my post office, and I've seen several people do this to her, including me (if I'm not in the mood that day). The last time she gave me a hard time was that she didn't want me to fill out my insurance forms while at her counter--she wanted me to do them all at home before coming in (talk about 'anal'). The way I fill out the forms doesn't take up time, because I do it while the clerk is mailing 'plain' packages.
Believe me, the other staff notices when people refuse to go to her and she's been behaving a bit better lately...
Like someone said it depends on the clerk, some will let it slide while others won't. I ran into the same problem and the clerk told me to put in a box, as "books" should be mailed in an box and not in an envelope. I also started putting on my own postage at home (I use internet postage...I don't think I can say the name of the company, but it is something like postagestamps.com) It cheap and well worth it. Besides this way you can just shove your box of pre stamped packages at her next time and be on your merry way! (your in and out in no time!) My PO loves me now as they don't have to weigh and place postage on my packages anymore. They just tale the packages from me, stamp the insurance receipts if needed and they don't even look at them.
You should look into it... the least it can cost you is about $3.99 a month, and I think $3.99 is well worth not having to put up with a postal clerk, that has an attitute or those moaning customers who are in line behind you. I still get the moans from the people behind me when they see my load of packages. I just smile back towards them after I hand my package load over to the clerk and I am walking out the door within 30 seconds after my turn comes up at counter. (by the way... I hand my packages to them, because I do not want them sitting by the clerk door until they have time to open the door to get the packages... someone could walk in and take one if they wanted)
)
